7 Nov 16

Priorslee Lake

Location

Afternoon Update: 15:00

6 Gadwall
2 Shoveler
1 Pochard

(John Isherwood)

Morning Report:  07:20 – 10:05

Sunrise: 07:18 GMT

2°C > 5°C: Clear and frosty start with some areas of cloud later. Light / moderate NNW wind. Very good visibility

As usual at this time of year plenty of things moving about

Highlights were
- a Teal, a pair of Shoveler and a Pochard all new in since Saturday
- three more Great Crested Grebes
- distant group of Lapwings
- the Chiffchaff briefly in song this morning – and just perhaps a 2nd bird

(142nd visit of the year)

Other notes from today
- the pair of Shoveler were different to other recent sightings here as the drake was in full plumage
- the c.15 Goosander shot over as I was leaving were and almost certainly leaving The Flash. All brownheads from what little I saw
- a 2nd Grey Heron seen several times – or were there more?
- the Little Grebe was in the NW area this morning – has been regular in the NE area for the last 2 weeks
- hard to say how exactly many Lapwings there were: flocks of this species are almost impossible to count as they typically change orientation all the time
- 451 of the over flying Wood Pigeons were in 13 migrant groups. One of these groups was, strangely, flying N. Another 46 birds (in singles and small groups) flew low W and may also have been on the move but I again judged them too low to be migrants
- a Mistle Thrush was tempted to sing for a while this morning
- the Chiffchaff started by calling from the S side again today and soon after I double-checked its ID it started singing(!). Later one was calling along the N side – the same bird?
and
- no moths on the lamps today: a November Moth agg. sp in the Priorslee Avenue tunnel

Counts of birds flying over the lake (in addition to those on / around lake)
- c.15 Goosanders
- 1 Cormorant
- c.25 Lapwings (distant)
- 54 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 505 Wood Pigeons (13 groups)
- 26 Jackdaws
- 6 Rooks
- 5 Skylarks
- 27 Starlings (4 groups)
- 14 Fieldfare (1 group)
- 1 Redwing
- 2 Pied Wagtails
- 1 Chaffinch
- 3 Greenfinches
- 10 Siskins
- 1 Lesser Redpoll

Count of birds seen leaving roosts around the lake
*** all gone before I arrived ***

The counts from the lake area
- 2 + 1 Mute Swans
- 4 (2♂) Gadwall as ever
- 1 (1♂) Teal
- 15 (9♂) Mallard
- 2 (2♂) Shoveler
- 1 (1♂) Pochard
- 76 (36♂) Tufted Ducks
- 2 Grey Herons
- 1 Little Grebe
- 13 Great Crested Grebes
- 11 Moorhens
- 56 Coots
- 42 Black-headed Gulls

The drake Teal.

This is the drake Shoveler that was also new in. Not quite in full breeding plumage – behind the bill there is a pale vertical area that it will soon lose. As I have noted before the Australian Shoveler shows this feature when in full breeding plumage.

This drake Pochard was also new in.

Many people find the idea of Grey Herons in trees strange. They nest in colonies – Heronries – in trees of course but will freely perch in trees at other times.

A different Acer tree showing Autumn colour – this one around the lake.

(Ed Wilson)

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The Flash: 14:30
Location

1 Goosander

(John Isherwood)

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Holmer Lake: 15:30
Location

2 Teal

(John Isherwood)

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On this day in ...........

2014
Priorslee Lake
Today's Sightings Here

2013
Priorslee Lake
1 Little Grebe
4 Wigeon
4 Gadwall
1 Teal
1 Pochard
56 Tufted Duck
23 Moorhens
233 Coots
600+ Wood Pigeons
6 Song Thrush
55 Fieldfare
55 Redwings
532 Jackdaws
167 Rooks
(Ed Wilson)

2012
Priorslee Lake
c.150 Greylag Geese
2 Gadwall
9 Pochard
28 Tufted Ducks
1 Water Rail
166 Coots
c.700 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
Great Black-backed Gull
c.300 Wood Pigeons
29 Blackbirds
63 Redwings
120 Fieldfares
709 Jackdaws
182 Rooks
c.70 Starlings
(Ed Wilson/John Isherwood)

The Flash
10 Goosander
(Ed Wilson)

2009
Wrekin
Location
Firecrest 
1 Crossbill
(Andy Latham)

2006
Priorslee Lake
1 Little Grebe
26 Pochard
86 Tufted Ducks
1 drake Ruddy Duck
1 Water Rail
1 Redshank
c.750 Black-headed Gulls
128 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
1 Kingfisher
20 Pied Wagtails
34 Robins
32 Blackbirds
16 Redwings
41 Greenfinches
1 Siskin
(Ed Wilson)