Location
Sunrise: 08:02 GMT
4°C > 5°C: Medium / low cloud with very few breaks. Light E wind. Very good visibility
(163rd visit of the year)
No ice
No real highlight today
Other notes from today
- the over flying geese were very distant. they looked rather small to be Canada Geese: beyond that I am not prepared to go!
- two Teal: one drake; the other disappeared in the reeds before I could sex it, but suspect it was a duck
- yet another Shoveler new in: a 3rd drake on its own; the previous two drakes and joined up with the two ducks were along the NE shore; the long-time duck was still with her two Gadwall friends against the dam
- although there were 7 Pochard again at least 2 of these were new birds: a 2nd duck; and an obvious 1st winter drake
- perhaps the lake froze significantly on Thursday night and that is what cleared many of the Tufted Duck out? Most other species unaffected though
- at least 5 Great Crested Grebes: one (of these?) seen in flight several times
- I should note that these days most of the over flying large gulls are flying N to the W of the lake. Traditionally most flew W to the N, possibly from the Granville Tip (now closed) but more likely from a roost site – Aqualate? Belvide? Gailey? Chasewater? all are ‘that way’
- a single party of 15 Wood Pigeons overhead: otherwise another 15 on more local movements
- 6 Linnets seen leaving a roost at the W end; 2 more over much later
and
- 8 Winter Moths on the lamps at the W end
Counts of birds flying over the lake (in addition to those on / around lake)
- 21 unidentified geese
- 3 (?♂) Goosander
- 18 Black-headed Gulls
- 28 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 3 Herring Gulls
- 30 Wood Pigeons
- 177 Jackdaws
- 10 Rooks
- 4 Pied Wagtails
- 38 Fieldfare (4 groups)
- 25 Redwings (5 groups)
- 2 Greenfinches
- 8 Goldfinches
- >12 Siskins
- 2 Linnets
- 2 finch sp.
Birds leaving roost around lake
- 47 Magpies at least
- 2 Redwings
- 6 Linnets
The counts from the lake area
- 2 + 1 Mute Swans
- 2 (1♂) Gadwall again
- 2 (1♂) (Common) Teal
- 12 (7♂) Mallard
- 6 (3♂) Shovelers
- 7 (5♂) Pochard
- 46 (28♂) Tufted Ducks
- 2 Grey Herons
- 1 Little Grebe again
- 5 Great Crested Grebes
- 2 Water Rails heard
- 7 Moorhens
- 55 Coots
- c.120 Black-headed Gulls
- 3 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
(Ed Wilson)
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The Flash: 09:55 – 10:10
Location
(122nd visit of the year)
Rather messed up my timing and it was another quick canter past in order to catch the bus
All the ice gone
Other notes
- probably just overlooked the Mute Swans
- my 5th count of 51 Black-headed Gulls in the last six visits: but I had to cheat a bit and count a bird sitting on the lamps along the old A5 at the N end of the water
The counts from the water
- no Mute Swans
- 3 Canada Geese
- 1 all white feral goose
- 23 (16♂) Mallard
- 11 (7♂) Tufted Ducks
- 26 (6♂) Goosander
- 1 Great Crested Grebe
- 1 Moorhen
- 15 Coots
- 51 Black-headed Gulls yet again (see notes)
(Ed Wilson)
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Trench Lock Pool
Location
Immature drake Velvet Scoter still present at 9:25am. Via BirdGuides Here,
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On this day in ...........
2015Priorslee Lake
Today's sightings Here
2014
Priorslee Lake
Today's sightings Here
2013
Priorslee Lake
60 Golden Plover
6 Gadwall
3 Pochard
2 Shoveler
2 Teal
(John Isherwood)
2012
Priorslee Lake
3 Teal
3 Gadwall.
8 Pochard
19 Tufted Ducks
163 Coots
7 Redwings
c577 Jackdaws
c149 Rooks
8 Siskins
22 Goldfinches
(Ed Wilson)
2011
Priorslee Lake
Adult Caspian Gull
1 adult Yellow-legged Gull
4 Great Black-backed Gulls
(JW Reeves)
Priorslee Flash
Tundra Bean Goose
Great Black-backed Gull
8 Goosander.
(JW Reeves/Andy Latham /Tom Lowe)
2010
Priorslee Lake
2 Yellow-legged Gulls
3rd-winter Caspian Gull
(JW Reeves)
Wellington
Pair of Blackcaps in my garden
(JW Reeves)
2009
The Wrekin
Firecrest
(Pete Nickless)
2007
Priorslee Lake
8 Goosander
Woodcock
21 Greylag Geese
A drake Gadwall
6 Pochard
58 Tufted Duck
2 Buzzards
1 Kestrel
6 Meadow Pipits
14 Redwing
3 Fieldfares
31 Magpies
47 Siskins
12 Goldfinches
11 Reed Bunting
(Ed Wilson)
The Flash
22 Goosander
27 Pochard
16 Tufted Ducks
(Ed Wilson)
2006
Priorslee Lake
1 Little Grebe
27 Pochard
69 Tufted Ducks
4 Buzzards
68 Coots
1 Woodcock
528 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
20 Robins
22 Blackbirds
3 Song Thrushes
3 Redwings
1 Willow Tit
187 Jackdaws
168 Rooks
11 Greenfinches
10 Goldfinches
2 Reed Buntings
(Ed Wilson)
2005
Priorslee Lake
2 Little Grebes
5 Cormorants
8 Pochard
32 Tufted Duck
201 Coot
Water Rail
c.2100 Black-headed Gulls
c.175 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
440 Jackdaws
225 Rooks
1 Kestrel
2 Collared Dove
1 Sky Lark
18 Pied Wagtails
5 Meadow Pipits
5 Redwings
40 Fieldfare
1 Kingfisher
11 Robins
19 Blackbirds
2 Song Thrushes
2 Goldcrest
5 Redpolls
12+ Siskins
2 Yellowhammers
7 Reed Buntings
(Ed Wilson/Martin Adlam)