24 Nov 17

Priorslee Lake and The Flash

3.0°C > 5.0C: Almost cloudless: just frosted after I arrived. Light WSW wind. Very good visibility

Sunrise: 07:47 GMT

Slight return of the geese this morning: 33 outbound over the lake (17 of which stopped off for a while): later 1 inbound. At The Flash eight birds had joined the two with the all-white feral goose, none of which seem to fly

Priorslee Lake: 06:25 – 09:45

(141st visit of the year)

Other notes from today:
- the ‘missing’ duck Gadwall back so all paired-up today
- a drake Teal new in
- 15 (10 drakes) Mallard flew in from the E at 08:20 with another pair that circled over and then headed off S. I assume these were some of the birds I saw fly off pre-dawn. Others stayed throughout
- 4 Pochard new in: these had not all come from The Flash as there were still 2 drakes there
- 9 (3 drakes) Goosanders flew high W at the normal time – c.08:00 at the moment. Then 8 (1 drake) flew low from the N and turned and also headed off W
- >200 Golden Plover in typical and unique formation high to the E at 07:15
- 2 Little Grebes today: both in the NE , though one repositioned to the SE later
- no sign of yesterday’s additional immature Great Crested Grebe
- 1 Water Rail seen in the NE area – a location I had not previously seen any at this year. Another was apparently under the Wesley Brook bridge. I stopped here to take a photo of a Blackbird and it broke cover, being unable to hold its breath any longer!
- smaller Wood Pigeon movement today with >360 birds in groups between 10 and c.100. One of these parties was headed due E and one S. The rest NNE
- did not visit the main Redwing roost area: another smaller roost of at least 14 birds located in the SW copse
- 3 large finches flew W at 07:55: too much road-noise from the M54 to hear any flight calls. Still trying to find any of the Hawfinches from this Autumn’s invasion. Will have to look harder
with
- 4 ‘winter moths’ on the lamps: I think 3 Northern Winter Moths and 1 ‘regular’ Winter Moth

As a PS I did not specifically look for plants today but it occurred to me that I have not noted any strings of Briony berries here this year: strange

Today’s bird totals

Birds noted flying over the lake:
- 17 Canada Geese (4 groups)
- 2 (1♂) Mallard as well
- 17 (4♂) Goosander (2 groups)
- 1 Buzzard
- >200 Golden Plover
- 5 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- c.390 Wood Pigeons (>360 migrants in 9 groups)
- >525 Jackdaws
- 2 Rooks
- 3 Fieldfares
- 19 Redwings (6 singles / groups)
- 1 Pied Wagtail again
- 3 Chaffinches
- 4 Greenfinches
- 1 Bullfinch
- 4 Siskins again
- 3 finch sp. (see notes)

Birds noted leaving roosts around the lake:
- [Magpies not counted]
- >100 Starlings
- 26 Redwings
- 1 Reed Bunting

The counts from the lake area
- 2 + 3 Mute Swans
- 17 Canada Geese
- 8 (4♂) Gadwall
- 1 (1♂) Teal
- 21 (13♂) Mallard
- 4 (3♂) Pochard
- 45 (23♂) Tufted Ducks
- 1 Grey Heron again
- 2 Little Grebes
- 4 + 1 Great Crested Grebes
- 2 Water Rails seen
- 8 Moorhens
- 160 Coots
- c.120 Black-headed Gulls
- 2 Lesser Black-backed Gulls

A clear morning with, as we (don’t) see rather few gulls!

Lighting can be difficult at this time of year. There is enough to ID a drake Teal here with the small size and almost crested effect.

Winding the contrast up a bit we can see the yellow undertail.

A first winter male Blackbird – the strong yellow eye-ring and the yellow tip to the bill tells us it is a male and the brown plumage means it is a first-year bird. This bird shows some white in quite a few feathers, mainly the tips.

Another view of the same bird.

As previously noted it is the colour of the underwing that best differentiates Northern Winter Moth from Winter Moth, otherwise the markings can be rather variable. I reckon the left-hand insect is the often slightly larger with a pale underwing peeking out. And the right-hand insect a Winter Moth.

The underwing is clear here as is the rather typical (though not always diagnostic) was this Northern Winter Moth has its upper wings slightly open at rest.

(Ed Wilson)

Also
Thank you to Mark Williams for the following photo taken today by the Sailing Club.

A female Chaffinch

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The Flash: 09:45 – 10:40

(99th visit of the year)

Work is going on the concrete platform above the exit sluice to the Wesley Brook. This may have affected some numbers, though birds here are typically habituated to human disturbance

Notes from here
- 1 adult winter Herring Gull was being harried by the Black-headed Gulls, persisted and eventually landed
and, on the Ivy in shelter and full sun near the academy some late insects
- >5 wasps sp., probably all Common Wasps (Vespula vulgaris)
- >2 hoverflies: Tapered Drone Flies (Eristalis pertinax) again
- >5 flies not all identified but included was likely Eudasyphora cyanella

Birds noted flying over
- 5 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 1 Redwing

The counts from the water
- 2 + 1 Mute Swans
- 10 Canada Geese
- 1 white feral goose as usual
- 33 (20♂) Mallard
- 2 (2♂) Pochard
- 31 (12♂) Tufted Ducks
- 2? Great Crested Grebes
- 4 Moorhens
- 12 Coots
- 64 Black-headed Gulls
- 1 Herring Gull

Getting late in the year for insects to be flying. The sun-trap and the still flowering ivy tempted a few things despite the ambient temperature of c.5C: this fly is likely Eudasyphora cyanella.

A wasp sp. attacking what little nectar remains.

This wasp sp, takes a rest and soaks up some sun.

As does this Tapered Drone Fly (Eristalis pertinax).

And the hoverfly also soaking up some sun. Rather more obvious here are the yellow tarsi that separates this species from the Common Drone Fly (Eristalis tenax).

(Ed Wilson)

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

2016
Priorslee Lake
Today's Sightings Here

2015
Local Area
Today's Sightings Here

2014
Local Area
Today's Sightings Here

2013
Priorslee Lake
6 Gadwall 
2 Teal 
3 Pochard 
114 Tufted Duck
228 Coots
1 Snipe 
Tawny Owl
157 Fieldfare
63 Redwings 
208 Jackdaws
(Ed Wilson)

The Flash
31 Tufted Ducks 
3 Goosander
(Ed Wilson)

2012
Priorslee Lake
35 Greylag Geese
3 Gadwall 
9 Pochard
19 Tufted Ducks 
157 Coots
1 Yellow-legged Gull
1 Great Black-backed Gull.
18 Redwings
16 Fieldfares 
4 Siskins
3 Redpoll
(Ed Wilson)

2011
Priorslee Lake
6 Yellow-legged Gulls
700 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
1 Great Black-backed Gull
(John Isherwood / Tom Lowe)

2007
Priorslee Lake
A male Stonechat
1 Gadwall
(John Isherwood)

Priorslee Flash
Great Black-backed Gull
5 Goosander
(John Isherwood)

East of Priorslee
60 Golden Plover
(John Isherwood)