8 Nov 16

Priorslee Lake: 07:20 – 09:45
Location

Sunrise: 07:20 GMT

-1°C > 2°C: After a clear and frosty start cloud already encroaching from the W. Light and variable wind, almost calm. Very good visibility

Contractors were busy again at the lake cutting reeds in the NW area. I talked to them: they had been hired by PLWSA (Priorslee Lake Water Sports Association) – the organisation that leases the lake from Severn Trent and then arranges sub-leases to e.g. the anglers. As far as I could make out they had very little guidance on what / how much to cut. The cut reeds from yesterday had been carried by the wind and were resting against the S part of the dam face. The contractors seemed to assume that PLWSA would arrange for these to be removed from the water (and taken away? or left to rot on the bank?)

It is entirely the right time of year to trim the reeds: if left to their own devices they would eventually choke the entire lake. One likes to think that a coherent management plan exists and has been agreed by all the stakeholders. One likes to think ...

No real birding highlights and the activity on the lake was affected by the on-going reed cutting. It also seemed rather quiet

(143rd visit of the year)

Notes from today
- an additional drake Gadwall this morning
- many of the Tufted Ducks flew off while I was present, probably to The Flash. Thus the number and especially the drake/duck split is very much a best-effort
- many more Lapwings far to the E this morning: c.100?
- 516 of the over flying Wood Pigeons were in the 14 migrant groups. Just 29 birds (in singles and small groups) flew low over and may also have been on the move
- the Chiffchaff was calling from the S side again today
and
- no moths on the lamps today: the November Moth agg. sp was in the Priorslee Avenue tunnel again

Counts of birds flying over the lake (in addition to those on / around lake)
- c.100 Lapwings (distant)
- 3 Black-headed Gulls
- 35 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 1 Herring Gull
- 1 Feral Pigeon
- 535 Wood Pigeons (14 groups)
- 10 Jackdaws
- 13 Rooks
- 3 Skylarks
- 27 Starlings again (2 groups)
- 1 Fieldfare
- 3 Redwings
- 1 Pied Wagtail
- 1 Chaffinch again
- 1 Greenfinch
- 15 Goldfinches
- 2 Siskins
- 1 Linnet

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

The counts from the lake area
- 2 + 1 Mute Swans
- 5 (3♂) Gadwall
- 19 (13♂) Mallard
- 1 (1♂) Pochard again
- 68 (45♂) Tufted Ducks
- 2 Grey Herons again
- 10 Great Crested Grebes
- 10 Moorhens
- 63 Coots
- 42 Black-headed Gulls again.

After the clear and frosty night the cloud ahead of afternoon rain had begun to spread across the sky giving this great sunrise.

The golden glow and reflections off the clouds enhanced the remaining Autumn colours. Note the reeds have been cut.

How about this for colour – and this NOT Photo-shopped but just how it came out of the camera.

And in more detail.

These are Oak leaves.

And here are Alders (with black cones) and between them in the distance are Poplars. The Acer in the centre has lost its leaves.

And the Alders in more detail with both cones (the matured female flowers) and catkins (the old male flowers) visible. The Alder is monoecious: it produces both male and female flowers on the same tree.

Frost and Autumn colour in this view along the W end footpath.

Did I say frost? Bramble leaves always make a good subject for the effect of frost.

This is less usual – leaves of what I think is Common Hogweed (Heracleum sphondylium), a plant that would not normally be showing at this date.

The golden cast makes the male Siskin look rather strange.

 And this female Blackbird is affected too.

As is this Goldfinch (Hawthorn berries in view).

The reeds that were cut yesterday were blown across the surface and ended up against the dam.

And here are more reeds being cut this morning. The Coot does not seem to be too worried.

I talked to the contractors and they said they were about done: this is the only area of reeds to have been cut and the effect seems not true dramatic.

(Ed Wilson)

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The Flash: 09:50 – 10:10
Location

(105th visit of the year)

Notes
- where were all the geese? just the usual non-flying feral-type and a Lone Canada Goose – possibly also a non-flyer
- some of the Tufted Duck were refugees from the lake with the disturbance
- rather few Coots today as well

Birds noted flying over

None

The counts from the water
- 2 Mute Swans
- 1 Canada Goose
- 1 all white feral goose
- 18 (14♂) Mallard
- 57 (33♂) Tufted Ducks
- 2 (0♂) Goosanders
- 1 Grey Heron
- 2 Great Crested Grebes again
- 4 Moorhens
- 8 Coots only
- 37 Black-headed Gulls
- 1 Lesser Black-backed Gull yet again

(Ed Wilson)

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

2015
Priorslee Lake
Today's Sightings Here

2014

Priorslee Lake
Today's Sightings Here

2013
Priorslee Lake
10 Mute Swans 
4 Wigeon 
4 Gadwall 
3 Teal 
1 Pochard 
53 Tufted Duck 
1 Water Rail 
223 Coots 
c.3500 Wood Pigeons
78 Fieldfare
34 Redwings
433 Jackdaws
135 Rooks 
c.155 Starlings from roost
(Ed Wilson)

The Flash
18 Tufted Ducks
(Ed Wilson)

2012
Priorslee Lake
70 Greylag Geese
Pink-footed Goose 
2 Gadwall 
7 Pochard 
35 Tufted Ducks 
149 Coots 
c.500 Black-headed Gulls
Great Black-backed Gull
c.320 Wood Pigeons
166 Redwings
31 Fieldfares
889 Jackdaws
126 Rooks
200+ Starlings left roost
1 Siskin
(Ed Wilson)

2009
Wrekin
Location
Firecrest
(Jim Almond)

2006
Priorslee Lake
20 Pochard
108 Tufted Ducks
15 Lapwings
c.587 Black-headed Gulls
938 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
161 Wood Pigeons
36 Robins
25 Blackbirds
7 Song Thrushes
13 Redwings
4 Mistle Thrushes
202 Jackdaws
163 Rooks
29 Greenfinches
(Ed Wilson)