18 Nov 17

Priorslee Lake only

3.5°C > 5.0°C: Thin sliver of clear air to E and N moved away with low cloud spreading from S and unexpected light rain c.09:10. Light mainly S wind. Mainly very good visibility

Sunrise: 07:37 GMT

Priorslee Lake: 06:30 – 09:40

(135th visit of the year)

Markings have appeared around the edge of the football field: I was told these are the areas to be replanted with trees, replacing those cut down unnecessarily during preparation for the new academy

Notes from today:
- 8 Mallard flew off E before 07:00 but are believed to have returned before I did my count
- one Tufted Duck, sex not determined, flew off W at 06:45
- 3 Goosanders (2 drakes) came from the E, circled once, and then headed off SSW once more
- just 4 Great Crested Grebes today: one a juvenile
- a Water Rail was heard calling from the main N-side reeds: an different location from usual
- c.65 Black-headed Gulls arrived from the W early many soon leaving to both the E and W. Thereafter there were birds flying in and out from both directions more or less continually but never more than c.40 present at any one time. How many birds were involved is impossible to say
- no Wood Pigeon passage at all this morning though a low-flying group of 16 may have been on the move rather than local birds – these are usually well-spaced out when they move
- well the Starlings did roost again after yesterday’s attack: an attack that was repeated today with a Starling singled out and seen with a raptor in hot pursuit. The view was somewhat better but still very brief and I have to say the twisting, turning chase was more reminiscent of a Merlin than a Sparrowhawk. But in the still poor light .... Distracted by this, my total of the Starlings seen is even more of a ‘best effort’ than usual. (A confirmed Sparrowhawk was seen flying to the E earlier)
- a Fieldfare was in trees in the Ricoh copse opposite the academy this morning: not unprecedented but I always think of this species as an open country bird
- a Song Thrush was heard in quiet song this morning
- in addition to the single fly-over Meadow Pipit another bird visited the ‘football field’ alongside the academy
- >20 Siskins around in the Alders this morning
and
- no moths on the lamps again
- 2 harvestmen, both apparently Mitostoma bimaculatum, were on different lamps this morning
- a spider sp., probably a Nursery Web Spider (Pisaura mirabilis), was on another lamp

On with today’s bird totals

Birds noted flying over the lake:
- 3 (2♂) Goosander
- 1 Cormorant
- 1 (2?) Sparrowhawks (see notes)
- 11 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 1 Stock Dove
- 1 Feral Pigeon
- 32 Wood Pigeons only
- c.750 Jackdaws
- 5 Rooks
- 1 Raven
- 2 Pied Wagtails
- 30 Redwings (3 groups)
- 1 Meadow Pipit again (see notes)
- 4 Goldfinches
- 2 Siskins (singles)

Birds noted leaving roosts around the lake:
- >14 Magpies
- >150 Starlings
- 6 Redwings

The counts from the lake area
- 2 + 3 Mute Swans
- 9 (5♂) Gadwall remain
- 18 (10♂) Mallard
- 2 (2♂) Pochard
- 39 (23♂) Tufted Ducks (see notes)
- 1 Grey Heron
- 3 Little Grebes
- 4 Great Crested Grebes
- 1 Water Rail heard
- 9 Moorhens again
- 168 Coots
- c.65 Black-headed Gulls (see notes)
- 1 Lesser Black-backed Gull
- 1 Kingfisher

(Ed Wilson)

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

2016
Local Area
Today's Sightings Here

2013
Priorslee Lake
1 Wigeon 
5 Gadwall 
2 Teal 
1 Pochard 
102 Tufted Duck 
1 Water Rail
229 Coots 
1 Snipe
>500 Starlings
127 Fieldfare
7 Redwings 
99 Jackdaws
1 Brambling
1 Yellowhammer
(Ed Wilson)

2012
Newport
1 Waxwing
(Ed Wilson)

2011
Priorslee Lake
1 Adult Yellow legged Gull
(John Isherwood)

Priorslee Flash
1 adult Yellow legged Gull
2 female Goosander
(John Isherwood)

2006
Priorslee Lake
1 Little Grebe
36 Pochard
49 Tufted Duck
1 Ruddy Duck
11 Lapwings
1 Woodcock
c.1700 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
>600 Black-headed Gulls
5 Herring Gull
1 Yellow-legged Gull
2 Great Black-backed Gulls
910 Wood Pigeons
22 Robins
21 Blackbirds
258 Fieldfares
13 Redwings
201 Jackdaws
158 Rooks
348 Starlings
4 Reed Buntings
(Martin Adlam / Ed Wilson)

2005
Priorslee Lake
c.1000 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
c.1500 Black-headed Gulls
10 Herring Gull
2 Yellow-legged Gulls
1 Wigeon
(Martin Adlam)