18 Mar 16

Priorslee Lake: 07:15 – 09:25
Location

Sunrise: 06:15
c.0°C: Dull yet again; very low cloud with mist and damp in the air. Calm then light and variable breeze. Poor visibility

(42nd visit of the year)

Notes
- presumed same Canada Geese that few in yesterday still present: being left alone by the Swans
- different male Pheasant seen: this one in wooded area in the SE corner alongside the Castle Farm Interchange
- the 5 Lesser Black-backed Gulls (4 adults and 1 2nd year) dropped in for all of 30 seconds and then were lost in the mist again. The only gulls seen today
- at least 11 Linnets still in the bushes near the academy
- Yellowhammer heard singing across the other side of Castle Farm Way
and
- an Early Grey moth on one of the lamps: my first-ever record here
- a Field (or Short-tailed) Vole (Microtus agrestis), killed by a dog this morning

Counts of birds flying over the lake (in addition to those on / around lake)
- 1 Feral Pigeon
- 1 Stock Dove
- 10 Wood Pigeons
- 2 Collared Doves
- 1 Jackdaw at least, heard only
- 2 Pied Wagtail
- 1 Greenfinch
- 1 Goldfinch
- 3 Siskins

The counts from the lake area (all ‘best efforts’ in the poor conditions)
- 2 Mute Swans
- 1 Canada Goose again
- 5 (3♂) Gadwall still present
- 4 (2♂) Mallard
- 19 (13♂) Tufted Ducks
- 2 Cormorants
- 14 Great Crested Grebes
- 20 Moorhens
- no meaningful count of Coots possible
- 5 Lesser Black-backed Gulls

More like a grey November day than Spring: whatever happened to the March winds?

Though you would not find these on a November day

The cob Swan in pensive, well reflective anyway, mood alongside last year’s reed-mace.

Also reflective: a pair of Great Crested Grebes of course.

With one of them casting reflections.

An Early Grey moth on one of the lamps: my first-ever record here.

This decapitated small mammal seems to have been a Field Vole. The short tail makes it a vole. The size of the ears are the easiest way to tell Field (or Short-tailed) and Bank Voles apart but we cannot use that feature here. The Field Vole has greyer fur – which this seems to have. But before it was decapitated by an errant spaniel I heard loud squeaking noises which is typical of territorial fighting between Field Voles and is often heard during daylight hours.

(Ed Wilson)

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
On this day in 2007, 2009, 2010, 2011 and 2012
2014
Priorslee Lake
2 Gadwall
(John Isherwood)

 The Flash
2 Teal
(John Isherwood)

 Nedge Hill
2 Lapwing
Green Woodpecker
Linnet
Meadow Pipit
Red-legged Partridge
Stock Dove
(John Isherwood)

2013
Priorslee Lake
1 Mediterranean Gull
1 Iceland Gull
4 Great Crested Grebes
5 Wigeon
2 Gadwall
7 Wigeon 
21 Tufted Ducks 
Chiffchaff 
(Ed Wilson/John Isherwood)

 The Flash
2 Pochard 
1 Greater Scaup 
69 Tufted Duck 
(Ed Wilson)

 Nedge Hill
20 Linnets
Meadow Pipit
Fieldfare
Redwing
Lapwing
(John Isherwood)

 Little Wenlock, Candles Landfill Site
1 Caspian Gull
(Tom Lowe)

2010
Priorslee Lake
4 Great Crested Grebe
6 Gadwall
22 Tufted Duck
(Ed Wilson)

2007
Priorslee Lake
2 Great Crested Grebe
1 Pochard
23 Tufted Duck
1 Ruddy Duck
4 Tufted Duck
1 Green Woodpecker
9 Chiffchaff
1 Willow Tit
4 Buzzard
24 Wren
24 Robin
21 Blackbird
33 Redwing
39 Magpie
6 Reed Bunting
(Ed Wilson, Martin Adlam)

 2006
Priorslee Lake
c.2500 Black-headed Gulls
605 Lesser-black backed Gulls
5 Herring Gulls
3rd Winter Lesser-black backed Gull Larus fuscus race: heuglini (Siberian Gull)
7 Pochard
34 Tufted Duck
6 Great Crested Grebe
2 Dabchick
1 Cormorant
7 Siskins
(Martin R Adlam)