11 Feb 16

Priorslee Lake

Location

Afternoon Update: 16:00

1 Great Black-backed Gull
2 Gadwall
17 Pochard

(John Isherwood)


Morning Report: 07:15 – 09:30

 Telford sunrise: 07:34
c.-2.0°C  > 0.0°C . Some high cloud otherwise clear and frosty. No ice. Light W wind. Very good visibility

Big party of Cormorants the most unusual sighting

A Nuthatch calling alongside Teece Drive was new for my site year-list

(18th visit of the year)

Other notes
- 21 Cormorants flew from the SE and the group paused briefly in their flight: 18 carried on, another soon flew after them with the other two apparently heading down to the lake though I never saw them on the water. It was over an hour later when a lone bird flew in
- 1 Little Grebes only today heard calling again and seen skittering across the water
- just 6 of the Moorhens (and none of the Coots) ventured on to the frosted SW grass with most of the birds remaining hidden this morning
- I suspect that with the lighter mornings and today’s clear skies most of the Jackdaws had gone before I arrived
- Willow Tit heard and then seen in song again
- 14 Starlings left a roost in the NW reed bed
- it is now 9 days since I last saw or heard the Cetti’s Warbler and I think it is safe to assume it has gone
- in addition to the Reed Bunting seen leaving the W end reeds a male was heard in song from here: this seems a very early date for song by this species

Counts of birds flying over the lake (in addition to those on / around lake)
- 5 Canada Goose (2 groups)
- 21? Cormorants (see notes)
- 18 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 121 Jackdaws
- 37 Rooks
- 3 Stock Doves
- 4 Greenfinches
- 3 Goldfinches again
- 3 Siskins

Birds seen leaving roosts around the lake
Magpies no longer counted: many left before I arrive
- 14 Starlings
- 1 Reed Bunting

The counts from the lake area
- 2 Mute Swans
- 2 (1♂) Gadwall
- 3 (2♂) Mallard
- 16 (14♂) Pochard
- 15 (8♂) Tufted Ducks
- 3? Cormorants (see notes)
- 1 Grey Heron again
- 1 Little Grebe
- 14 Great Crested Grebes again
- 14 Moorhens
- 87 Coots
- 39 Black-headed Gulls
 

A great sunrise this morning – not so spectacular in colour, at least not to start with.

 The colour came up later.

Reaching a peak as the sun rose

Here are the 18 Cormorants that flew straight over the lake: another three had peeled off for a closer look.

a Willow Tit ...

Another attempt at the same Willow Tit. Always difficult to separate visually from Marsh Tit I have no hesitation because I heard it giving its distinctive song. But there is about enough to confirm the identity with the pale edges to the secondaries. Whether the black bib is ‘rather larger’ and the outline is ‘rather more bull-necked’ depends upon your familiarity with the two species! In this light the crown certainly seems matt black (it is glossy in Marsh Tit).

A couple of shots here of a Grey Wagtail in the Wesley Brook. In winter plumage – no black on the throat. Lack of any pink tones to the bill tells us this is an adult bird and the strength of the yellow tone on the breast suggests it is an older bird.

This shows the bold yellow under-tail coverts which leads people to think they have seen a Yellow Wagtail. ‘Our’ wagtails have generic names based on their back colour, hence this is a Grey Wagtail. Yellow Wagtails are summer visitors to the UK and do indeed show a yellow-wash to the back.

(Ed Wilson)

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On this day in 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012, 2013, 2014 and 2015

2015
Priorslee Lake
Today's Sightings Here

2014
Priorslee Lake
1 Velvet Scoter
3 Greater Scaup
7 Pochard
47 Tufted Duck
(Gary Crowder)

2013
St Georges
5 Waxwings
(Observer Unknown)

2012
Priorslee Lake
1 Iceland Gull
3 Yellow-legged Gull
1 Caspian Gull
(Tom Lowe) 

2009
Priorslee Lake
Glaucous Gull
(Observer Unknown

2007
Priorslee Lake
1 Little Grebe
12 Pochard
1 Goldeneye
15+ Redwing
33 Fieldfare
1 Willow Tit
4 Reed Buntings
(Martin Adlam)

2006
Priorslee Lake
1 Little Grebe
11 Great Crested Grebes
12 Cormorants
24 Pochard
102 Tufted Ducks
131 Coots
2 Water Rails
1 Kingfisher
c.1500 Black-headed Gulls
88 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
56 Herring Gulls.
598 Wood Pigeons
210 Starling roost
16 Robins
1 Willow Tit
13 Greenfinches
19 Siskin
6 Reed Buntings
(Ed Wilson)