3 Mar 17

Priorslee Lake: 06:00 – 08:30 // 09:15 – 09:35

4.0°C > 4.5°C: Initially scattered below high overcast; cloud increased and lowered with rain after 08:00. Calm start with light ESE wind later. Good visibility

Sunrise: 06:51 GMT

(20th visit of the year)

A calling Chiffchaff along the N side was the 67th species for my 2017 Priorslee Lake list. Whether this was an early migrant or had been wintering nearby is hard to say

Potentially the best sighting was a tight group of 17 medium-sized birds flying fast S that I initially thought Starlings but the tightness of the group and the directness of their flight made me pause and I suspect they were in fact Waxwings! Without any corroboration from calls I will have to let these pass which as they would be new for my lake list is frustrating to say the least

No sign of the putative Woodcock today

Other notes from today:
- a pair of adult Mute Swans flew over
- a new drake Gadwall this morning
- 2 Little Grebes appeared briefly and then returned to cover
- no 10 Great Crested Grebes at least – they can be very hard to count!
- Water Rail heard in the NW area today
- at least 3 Great Spotted Woodpeckers seen
- Wrens seemed particularly vocal today – I counted 28 birds (there were also 33 singing Robins)
- one of the Greenfinches seen in display flight – first for me this year
and
- my first Grey Squirrel of the year here
- 2 March Moths on the lamps – appropriate name! My first for several years

Birds noted flying over the lake
- 2 Mute Swans
- 10 Canada Geese (3 groups)
- 1 Cormorant
- 11 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 1 Herring Gull
- 8 Wood Pigeons
- 285 Jackdaws (16 groups)
- 26 Rooks (11 singles / groups)
- 1 Greenfinch again
- 7 Siskins

Roost / departure counts
- [Magpie roost not counted]
- 21 Redwings

The counts from the lake area
- 2 Mute Swans
- 3 (2♂) Gadwall
- 8 (5♂) Mallard
- 16 (12♂) Tufted Ducks
- 3 Cormorants
- [no Grey Heron]
- 2 Little Grebes
- 10 Great Crested Grebes
- 1+ Water Rails heard again
- 11 Moorhens
- 35 Coots
- 52 Black-headed Gulls
- 2 Lesser Black-backed Gulls

Narrow wings on a moth at this date immediately point to March Moth which this is indeed what we see here.

(Ed Wilson)

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The Flash: 08:40 – 09:10

(16th visit of the year)

Nothing special to note from today:

Birds noted flying over here
- 1 Lesser Black-backed Gull
- 2 Wood Pigeons

The counts from the water
- 2 Mute Swans
- 1 Greylag Goose
- 8 Canada Geese
- 1 all white feral goose
- 14 (12♂) Mallard
- 32 (20♂) Tufted Duck
- 1 Cormorant
- 1 Great Crested Grebe remains
- 6 Moorhens
- 13 Coots again
- 16 Black-headed Gulls

(Ed Wilson)

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Trench Lock Pool 12:00

1 drake Mandarin in full breeding plumage near to the Blue Pig

(A. Harper)

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

2016

Priorslee Lake
Today's Sightings Here

2015

Priorslee Lake

Today's Sightings Here

2014
Priorslee Lake
1 Caspian Gull
1 Iceland Gull
(Tom Lowe)

Little Wenlock, Candles Landfill Site
1 Iceland Gull
(Tom Lowe)

2010
Priorslee Lake
1 Little Grebe
5 Great Crested Grebes
6 Gadwall
33 Pochard
71 Tufted Duck
(Ed Wilson)

2009
Priorslee Lake
5 Great Crested Grebes
11 Mute Swans
10 Tufted Ducks
1 Iceland
1 Glaucous Gull
(Ed Wilson, Mike Cooper)