2.0°C: Clear to S and W; cloudier to NE and N with light sleet showers after 08:45. Brisk W wind. Very good visibility.
Sunrise: 07:49 GMT
A very quiet morning in spite of / because of the cold weather
Priorslee Lake: 06:20 – 09:25
(142nd visit of the year)
Notes from today:
- two ‘spare’ duck Gadwall this morning
- yesterday’s drake Teal apparently gone
- 2 Water Rails heard in the NW area
- just 42 Black-headed Gulls arrived c.07:30: almost all left by 07:50. Thereafter 1s and 2s drifting in and out
- no Wood Pigeon movement today: indeed fewer birds than on a summer’s day
- the erstwhile main Redwing roost area produced just 11 birds
- apparently no Starling roost: a small group of 5 birds flew W at about the right time and possibly roosted somewhere else around the lake
and
- nothing on the lamps
- a distinctive ‘plop’ heard along the N side suggests there might be Water Voles (Arvicola amphibius) around. Must look out for signs of their burrows
Today’s bird totals
Birds noted flying over the lake:
- 2 (1♂) Mallard again
- 3 Buzzards
- 14 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 22 Wood Pigeons only
- c.550 Jackdaws
- 1 Rook
- 11 Fieldfares (2 parties)
- 23 Redwings (4 groups)
- 5 Starlings
- 1 Pied Wagtail
- 1 Meadow Pipit
- 1 Linnet
- 12 Siskins (4 groups)
Birds noted leaving roosts around the lake:
- [Magpies not counted]
- no Starlings
- 16 Redwings
The counts from the lake area
- 2 + 3 Mute Swans
- 10 (6♂) Gadwall
- 18 (10♂) Mallard
- 2 (2♂) Pochard
- 48 (20♂) Tufted Ducks
- 1 Grey Heron
- 4 + 1 Great Crested Grebes again
- 2 Water Rails heard
- 7 Moorhens
- 162 Coots
- 42 Black-headed Gulls only
- 1 Lesser Black-backed Gull
The start of the sunrise well illustrating the difference in the weather between the S and the NE.
A few minutes later with a bit more colour.
(Ed Wilson)
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On this day..........
2016
Priorslee Lake
Today's Sightings Here
2013
Priorslee Lake
6 Gadwall
1 Teal
2 Pochard
99 Tufted Duck
225 Coots counted
1 Woodcock
6 Herring Gulls
1 Great Black-backed Gull
Green Woodpecker
231 Fieldfare
66 Redwings
c.375 Jackdaws
2 Redpolls
5 Siskins
(Ed Wilson)
2012
Priorslee Lake
31 Greylag Geese
3 Gadwall
8 Pochard
23 Tufted Duck
Goosander
143 Coots
1 Yellow-legged Gull
19 Redwings
2 Fieldfares
259 Jackdaws
(Ed Wilson / Allan Heath)
2005
Priorslee Lake
206 Starlings going to roost
C.500 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
10 Herring Gulls
1 Yellow legged Gull
1 Caspian Gull
c.700 Black-headed Gulls
(Martin Adlam)
Priorslee Lake
Today's Sightings Here
2013
Priorslee Lake
6 Gadwall
1 Teal
2 Pochard
99 Tufted Duck
225 Coots counted
1 Woodcock
6 Herring Gulls
1 Great Black-backed Gull
Green Woodpecker
231 Fieldfare
66 Redwings
c.375 Jackdaws
2 Redpolls
5 Siskins
(Ed Wilson)
2012
Priorslee Lake
31 Greylag Geese
3 Gadwall
8 Pochard
23 Tufted Duck
Goosander
143 Coots
1 Yellow-legged Gull
19 Redwings
2 Fieldfares
259 Jackdaws
(Ed Wilson / Allan Heath)
2005
Priorslee Lake
206 Starlings going to roost
C.500 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
10 Herring Gulls
1 Yellow legged Gull
1 Caspian Gull
c.700 Black-headed Gulls
(Martin Adlam)