(John Isherwood)
Early Morning Report: 07:20 – 10:00
Sunrise: 07:31 GMT
11°C > 12°C: Started with broken cloud; later weak front with drizzly rain passed over; moderate, even fresh, SW wind, dropped away after front passed; good visibility, medium in drizzle
Best today was probable immature drake Scaup at the lake. The bird was continually diving and then promptly went to sleep making identification difficult. Anything other than a ‘classic’ adult needs to be treated with caution as ducks of this genus (Aythya) will freely hybridise requiring the complete suite of features to be seen to confirm an ID. My photos make it look very similar to the first winter drake Scaup on the Belvide web site from Saturday
(148th visit of the year)
Notes from today
- the duck Shoveler was behaving even more oddly today and for a while was feeding on the grass in front of the shelter
- 6 drake Pochard this morning but at least 2 new in: on Saturday there were 5 adult drakes; this morning the 6 drakes included 2 1st winters
- another Common Gull makes five so far this year – a higher number than usual
- a Water Rail was heard for the first time since 24 October
- 505 of the 616 Wood Pigeons flying over were in 16 groups, mainly flying NE and this morning mainly to the E of the lake; perhaps because this was where the clearer skies were
and
- the first Mottled Umber moth of the season on one of the lamps today
Counts of birds flying over the lake (in addition to those on / around lake)
- 9 Black-headed Gulls
- 1 Common Gull
- 39 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 11 Herring Gulls
- 616 Wood Pigeons
- 13 Jackdaws
- 3 Rooks
- 1 Starling only
- 144 Fieldfare (5 groups)
- 60 Redwing (10 groups)
- 5 Pied Wagtails
- 3 Meadow Pipits
- 1 Chaffinch
- 3 Greenfinches
- 4 Goldfinches
- 9 Siskins
- 1 unidentified finch sp.
The counts from the lake area
- 2 + 1 Mute Swans
- 2 (1♂) Gadwall again
- 5 (4♂) Mallard
- 1 (0♂) Shoveler
- 6 (6♂) Pochard
- 73 (40♂) Tufted Ducks
- ?1 (1) (Greater) Scaup (see highlight)
- 1 Grey Heron again
- 8 Great Crested Grebes
- 1 Water Rail heard
- 19 Moorhens
- 62 Coots
- c.100 Black-headed Gulls
- 1 Lesser Black-backed Gull very briefly
- the duck Shoveler was behaving even more oddly today and for a while was feeding on the grass in front of the shelter
- 6 drake Pochard this morning but at least 2 new in: on Saturday there were 5 adult drakes; this morning the 6 drakes included 2 1st winters
- another Common Gull makes five so far this year – a higher number than usual
- a Water Rail was heard for the first time since 24 October
- 505 of the 616 Wood Pigeons flying over were in 16 groups, mainly flying NE and this morning mainly to the E of the lake; perhaps because this was where the clearer skies were
and
- the first Mottled Umber moth of the season on one of the lamps today
Counts of birds flying over the lake (in addition to those on / around lake)
- 9 Black-headed Gulls
- 1 Common Gull
- 39 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 11 Herring Gulls
- 616 Wood Pigeons
- 13 Jackdaws
- 3 Rooks
- 1 Starling only
- 144 Fieldfare (5 groups)
- 60 Redwing (10 groups)
- 5 Pied Wagtails
- 3 Meadow Pipits
- 1 Chaffinch
- 3 Greenfinches
- 4 Goldfinches
- 9 Siskins
- 1 unidentified finch sp.
The counts from the lake area
- 2 + 1 Mute Swans
- 2 (1♂) Gadwall again
- 5 (4♂) Mallard
- 1 (0♂) Shoveler
- 6 (6♂) Pochard
- 73 (40♂) Tufted Ducks
- ?1 (1) (Greater) Scaup (see highlight)
- 1 Grey Heron again
- 8 Great Crested Grebes
- 1 Water Rail heard
- 19 Moorhens
- 62 Coots
- c.100 Black-headed Gulls
- 1 Lesser Black-backed Gull very briefly
The head-shape looks more convincing here.
I think this clinches the head-shape ...
My last word on the subject: 99% sure that it is a 1st winter drake Scaup.
Had to ‘flash’ this against the still-lit street lamp: the first Mottled Umber moth of the season.
Just part of a rainbow as the drizzly rain approached from the SW.
(Ed Wilson)
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The Flash: 10:05 – 10:35
Location
(109th visit of the year)
Notes
very quiet this morning with little change since Saturday
- Kingfisher heard about the best
Birds noted flying over
- 2 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 1 Meadow Pipit
The counts from the water
- 2 Mute Swans
- 4 Canada Goose
- 1 all white feral goose
- 26 (19♂) Mallard
- 30 (14♂) Tufted Ducks again
- 1 (0♂) Goosander
- 1 Great Crested Grebe
- 1 Moorhen
- 10 Coots only
- 32 Black-headed Gulls
(Ed Wilson)
Notes
very quiet this morning with little change since Saturday
- Kingfisher heard about the best
Birds noted flying over
- 2 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 1 Meadow Pipit
The counts from the water
- 2 Mute Swans
- 4 Canada Goose
- 1 all white feral goose
- 26 (19♂) Mallard
- 30 (14♂) Tufted Ducks again
- 1 (0♂) Goosander
- 1 Great Crested Grebe
- 1 Moorhen
- 10 Coots only
- 32 Black-headed Gulls
(Ed Wilson)
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On this day in ...........
2013Priorslee Lake
80 Golden Plover
1 Wigeon
5 Gadwall
2 Teal
76 Tufted Duck
1 Water Rail
229 Coots
133 Wood Pigeons
254 Fieldfare
51 Redwings
391 Jackdaws
66 Rooks
(Ed Wilson)
2012
Priorslee Lake
3 Gadwall
6 Pochard
11 Tufted Ducks
150 Coots
1 Yellow-legged Gull
1 Great Black-backed Gull
2 Snipe
70 Redwings
105 Fieldfares
c.325 Starlings left the roost
c.645 Jackdaws
116 Rooks
Brambling
(John Isherwood/Ed Wilson)
2006
Priorslee Lake
35 Pochard
56 Tufted Ducks
1 drake Ruddy Duck
>750 Black-headed Gulls
>825 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
1 Great Black-backed Gull
660 Wood Pigeons
1 Kingfisher
31 Robins
27 Blackbirds
155 Fieldfares
23 Redwings
1 Willow Tit
415 Jackdaws
194 Rooks
69 Starlings
3 Reed Buntings
(Ed Wilson)