22 Oct 17

Priorslee Lake and The Flash

8.5°C > 10.0°C: Light shower clearing; mainly cloudy; clearer spells at times. Moderate / fresh WNW wind. Very good visibility

Sunrise: 07:47 BST

Priorslee Lake: 06:50 – 09:40

(126th visit of the year)

Notes from today:
- the Mute Swan family went for another fly around the lake. I wonder whether the adults are preparing the cygnets to wander outside the lake before their eventual departure
- ever-changing numbers of Gadwall: 3 pairs and an additional drake today
- very few Mallard for some reason – and they certainly weren’t at The Flash as numbers were lower there as well
- a pair of Sparrowhawks over early: the a female – one of these? – much later
- a Water Rail calling again from the S side
- two large groups of c.195 Wood Pigeons flying S: another 70 in 6 smaller groups seem to be climbing out of trees to the N of the lake and trying to catch the big groups. A few more flying E and W as usual, nothing to do with migration
- at least 159 Starlings came out of roosts(s) around the lake: they rather caught me out by coming in dribs and drabs rather than a big group and just a few stragglers. Not entirely sure where precisely they came from – seemed not to the usual reeds. Confusingly at the same time another party from somewhere else flew over
- 3 Meadow Pipits were roosting somewhere around the lake: either in the SW grass or the small copse near the boat-launching platform. Unusual
and
- nothing on the lamps again this morning

On with today’s bird totals

Birds noted flying over the lake: (all totals affected by low cloud / restricted visibility)
- 47 Canada Geese (15 outbound; 32 inbound)
- 1 (1♂) Mallard
- 3 Sparrowhawks
- 2 Common Buzzards
- 32 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 1 Stock Dove
- c.300 Wood Pigeons
- 1 Collared Dove
- c.500 Jackdaws
- 4 Rooks
- 3 Ravens
- 4 Pied Wagtails
- 32 Starlings (1 group) (see notes)
- 5 Fieldfare (1 group)
- 37 Redwings (7 singles / groups)
- 2 Skylarks
- 2 Greenfinches
- 3 Siskins

Warblers seen or heard today
None

The counts from the lake area
- 2 + 3 Mute Swans as usual
- 7 (4♂) Gadwall
- 5 (3♂) Mallard only
- 39 (15♂) Tufted Ducks
- 2 Grey Herons
- 1 Little Grebe
- 5 + 3 Great Crested Grebes
- 1 Water Rail heard
- 3 Moorhens only
- 153 Coots
- >170 Black-headed Gulls
- 3 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 1 Herring Gull
- 1 Kingfisher

Not much of a sunrise: I’ll take any clear weather at the moment.

Soaring above their parents the local cygnets get their morning exercise.

Dad touches down.

And a perfect two-point landing from Mum.

Junior goes around for another lap.

The other two on finals.

Nine out of ten for this landing I’d say.

Coming to rest air-brakes fully deployed.

One of this morning’s Common Buzzards on a mission to scare the gulls.

A first-winter Black-headed Gull concentrates on the intended landing spot.

Touch-down.

A last-minute re-arrangement to get its balance.

A Lesser Black-backed Gull tries to keep its balance in the strong wind. Apart from smudging around the eye this individual shows little of the sometimes extensive winter streaking on the head and neck. It is a dark-mantled bird and likely of the fuscus form from Scandinavia.

Rather over-blown deliberately to show the pointers this shot provided me with a useful gull plumage lesson. At the time I thought a 2nd winter Herring Gull – which is what it is. What I had not appreciated was how similar the upper side plumage is to 1st winter Common Gull with the pale grey mantle, pale secondary coverts; brown webs on the otherwise grey inner primaries; and even a dotted neck-collar. Clinchers for the Herring Gull option – more obvious in the field when the size was more apparent – are: the wholly black tail which is just a neat black band on a Common Gull; and the sloping forehead leading to the strong bill whereas a Common Gull would show and rounded head and small bill with a neat black tip.

(Ed Wilson)

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The Flash: 09:45 – 10:30

(92nd visit of the year)

Notes from here
- in contrast to the lake the two remaining cygnets here show no inclination to fly – not when I am present at least. One of them seems to spend most of the time consorting with Canada Geese
- I counted 35 Tufted Duck (18 drakes): then as I was about to leave 22 more birds flew in – likely flushed from the lake by the Sunday sailing activity

Bird noted flying over
- 1 Sparrowhawk
- 3 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 1 Feral Pigeon
- 4 Jackdaws
- 5 Starlings

Warblers noted
None

The counts from the water
- 2 + 2 Mute Swans
- >58 Greylag Geese
- 1 Greylag x Canada Goose
- 35 Canada Geese only
- 1 white feral goose again
- 21 (15♂) Mallard
- 57 (>18♂) Tufted Ducks (see notes)
- 2 Great Crested Grebes as usual
- 5 Moorhens
- 10 Coots
- 41 Black-headed Gulls

(Ed Wilson)

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

2016
Priorslee Lake
Today's Sightings Here

2014
Priorslee Lake
Today's Sightings Here

2013
Priorslee Lake
1 adult Yellow-legged Gull
1 adult Great Black-backed Gull
4 Gadwall
1 Teal
(John Isherwood)

Nedge Hill
A Raven tussling with Sparrowhawk
(John Isherwood)

2010
Priorslee Lake
389 Fieldfare
6 Redwings
(Ed Wilson)

2009
Priorslee Lake
15 Pochard
34 Tufted Duck
13 Moorhens
232 Coots
1 Redwing heard 
(Ed Wilson)

2005
Priorslee Lake
A male Stonechat the west end
2 Gadwall
A drake Shoveler
14 Pochard
44 Tufted Duck
Siskin
Redpoll
C.350 Starlings in the roost
20 Redwings
209 Coot
Kingfisher
(Ed Wilson)