HAPPY NEW YEAR TO ALL OUR READERS
The Flash passing; then Priorslee Lake, Trench Lock Pool and Trench Middle Pool
The Flash: 07:00 – 07:10
Sunrise: 08:21 GMT
6°C > 9°C: Broken cloud with a rather misty start: as the cloud lifted and filled in the visibility improved. Light SW wind. Moderate visibility becoming good
(139th visit of the year)
All the ice gone
Usual comment about geese numbers while passing in the dark. Strange that most of the geese seem to stay away much of the day at the moment – a few years ago they would be back here by c.10:30 whereas by 12:30 yesterday there were just the 4 long-term birds
Passing while still dark only
- 2 Mute Swans
- c.32 Greylag Geese
- c.150 Canada Geese
- 1 all white feral goose
- 1 Song Thrush in song
(Ed Wilson)
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Priorslee Lake: 07:15 – 09:20
(182nd visit of the year)
Arrived as early as I could using public transport; and then went direct to the NE area in the hope I might manage to see a Woodcock go to roost. In previous years their appearance has been sporadic and it may be too mild at the moment. Whatever it was certainly too light even on a day with the latest sunrise of the year. Being there early meant that I missed most of the roost dispersals elsewhere: just 4 Redwings in the trees here
Notes from today
- one of the drake Gadwall gone
- now just 1 duck Shoveler
- duck Pochard new in
- low numbers of gulls again with, once more, most of the Black-headed Gulls flying through
- also very low number of Wood Pigeons: just 2 logged flying over and with only 2 more flushed from trees
- Willow Tit seen
- 4 Song Thrushes heard singing (Great and Coal Tits also heard singing in the area)
and
- no moths on the lamps again
Birds noted flying over the lake
- 134 Black-headed Gulls
- 18 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 4 Herring Gulls
- 2 Wood Pigeons
- 2 Collared Doves
- 42 Jackdaws
- 1 Rook
Birds leaving roost around lake (see notes)
- 4 Redwings
The counts from the lake area
- 2 + 1 Mute Swans
- 2 (1♂) Gadwall
- 11 (8♂) Mallard
- 1 (0♂) Shoveler
- 10 (9♂) Pochard
- 23 (10♂) Tufted Ducks
- 1 Cormorant again
- 2 Grey Herons
- 1 Little Grebe again
- 6 Great Crested Grebes
- 13 Moorhens
- 41 Coots again
- 36 Black-headed Gulls
- 1 Herring Gull
(Ed Wilson)
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Trench Lock Pool: 10:00 – 10:40
(12th visit of the year)
Several fishermen set up here seemed to have little effect on the geese and ducks: less sure about the effect it may have had on the gulls
Other notes
- many of the Canada Geese flew in
- another large count of Mallard, especially drakes: likely many more of the less visible ducks were lurking in the difficult to see areas along the S side – drakes are much easier to see
- another drake Shoveler
- Coot numbers remain at unusually low level
- another dire count of gulls
The counts from the water
- 2 + 3 Mute Swans
- 65 Canada Geese
- 37 (27♂) Mallard
- 4 (4♂) Shoveler
- 39 (15♂) Tufted Ducks
- 4 (2♂) Goosander
- 1 Cormorant
- 7 Moorhens
- 44 Coots
- 63 Black-headed Gulls
- 5 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 2 Herring Gulls
(Ed Wilson)
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Trench Middle Pool: 10:45 – 11:05
(7th visit of the year)
A fisherman here seemed not to worry the often jumpy Goosanders
Notes
- Mute Swan back
- rather few Mallard: hiding on the island/
- very high numbers of Goosanders – a record number for me here
- I think a record number of Coots for me here as well
The counts from the water
- 1 Mute Swan
- 9 Canada Goose
- 14 (10♂) Mallard
- 1 (0♂) Feral-type Mallard
- 18 (9♂) Tufted Ducks
- 30 (4♂) Goosander
- 1 Great Crested Grebe
- 13 Moorhens
- 19 Coots
- 74 Black-headed Gulls
- 2 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
(Ed Wilson)
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On this day in ...........
2014Priorslee Lake
Today's Sightings Here
2013
Priorslee Lake
Two 1st-winter female Scaup
(Ian Grant)
2012
Priorslee Lake
Drake Scaup
(Jim Almond and Paul Spear)
2010
Priorslee Lake
c.1500 Black-headed Gulls
1 Common Gull
1 Great Black-backed Gull
Water Rail
(Ed Wilson)
2005
Priorslee lake
11 Great Crested Grebes
31 Pochard
48 Tufted Duck
237 Coot
Golden Plover
1 Water Rail
700 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
c.1250 Black-headed Gulls
300 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
1 Yellow-legged Gull
37 Herring Gulls
6 Great Black-backed Gull
374 Jackdaws
178 Rooks
1 Kingfisher
1 Willow Tit
2 Redpolls.
2 Redwings
14 Robins
19 Blackbirds
13 Greenfinches
5 Reed Buntings
(Ed Wilson)