-0.5°C > 2.0°C: Persistent cloud to W and S mostly failed to penetrate the overhead: clear otherwise. Frost. A hint of ice in sheltered waters. Moderate NW wind. Very good visibility
Sunrise: 07:57 GMT
Best today was a Little Egret at Trench Lock Pool: gone by the time I returned from Middle Pool. My first-ever at this site
Priorslee Lake: 06:25 – 09:40
(147th visit of the year)
Notes from today:
- 15 Canada Geese flew N to the E at 07:20: then 6 flew W at 07:50 – rather early to be returning from the fields?
- duck Teal new since yesterday
- no juvenile Great Crested Grebe but all four adults present
- c.25 Golden Plover seen to the far E at 07:20: later c.35 flew S – same group?
- a Long-tailed Tit party contained at least 19 birds – some smaller groups amalgamated?
- 48 Starlings counted leaving the roost – 1 more than yesterday
- lower count of Redwings from roost as I was not close to either of the roost sites as they left – a partial count of birds seen from a distance only
- normally Robins are singing away when I arrive: not today – too cold? It was 07:05 before I heard the first one
- 8 Greenfinches together in bushes at the W end was an usual and welcome sight these days
- 4 Reed Buntings left a W end roost (yesterday six left a different roost on the N side)
but
- nothing on the lamps this morning
- a Grey Squirrel: I thought they were supposed to hibernate?
On with today’s bird totals
Birds noted flying over the lake:
- 20 Canada Geese (2 groups)
- 2 Buzzards
- >35 Golden Plover again
- 32 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 15 Wood Pigeons
- c.380 Jackdaws
- 2 Rooks
- 17 Fieldfare (2 groups)
- 9 Redwings (4 singles / groups)
- 3 Pied Wagtails
- 5 Siskins
Birds noted leaving roosts around the lake:
- 29 Magpies
- 48 Starlings
- 15 Redwings
- 4 Reed Buntings
The counts from the lake area
- 2 + 3 Mute Swans
- 11 (6♂) Gadwall again
- 1 (1♂) Teal
- 26 (15♂) Mallard
- 4 (3♂) Pochard
- 48 (30♂) Tufted Ducks
- 1 Grey Heron
- 1 Little Grebe again
- 4 Great Crested Grebes
- 2 Water Rails heard
- 5 Moorhens
- 185 Coots
- 27 Black-headed Gulls only
- 1 Kingfisher again
The cloud from behind (the W) threatened several times, but always retreated and ...
Not unpleasant out of the wind and in the sun.
Here we area again – the cloud to the W: sunny at the lake.
Not a common sight these days – a touch of ice.
Very much a record shot – the drake Teal this morning.
(Ed Wilson)
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Trench Lock Pool: 09:50 – 10:10 // 10:55 – 11:25
(33rd visit of the year)
Other notes from here
- 2 (1♂) Pochard today (I saw a drake earlier this month but it seems to have escaped my log!)
Birds noted flying over here [apart from the local Wood Pigeons and Jackdaws coming and going]
- 1 Buzzard
The counts from the water
- 1 + 6 Mute Swans
- 15 Canada Geese
- 11 (7♂) Mallards
- 1 (1♂) ‘feral’ Mallard again
- 2 (1♂) Shoveler again
- 2 (1♂) Pochard
- 61 (32♂) Tufted Ducks
- 6 (4♂) Goosanders
- 1 Cormorant arrived
- 1 Little Egret
- 2 Little Grebes again
- 1 Great Crested Grebe only
- 6 Moorhens
- 133 Coots
- 67 Black-headed Gulls
- 11 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
Another ‘record shot’: at least we can see the yellow feet which is diagnostic of Little Egret.
(Ed Wilson)
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Trench Middle Pool: 10:15 – 10:50
(30th visit of the year)
Notes from here
- yet another high count of Coots
and
- 2 Brown Rats (Rattus norvegicus)
Birds noted flying over here
- 1 Buzzard here as well – the same individual as at Trench Lock Pool?
The counts from the water
- 2 + 5 Mute Swans
- 17 Canada Geese
- 20 (15♂) Mallard
- 14 (7♂) Tufted Duck
- 1 (0♂) Goosander
- 2 Great Crested Grebes remain
- 10 Moorhens
- 48 Coots
- 49 Black-headed Gulls
- 1 Lesser Black-backed Gull
(Ed Wilson)
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On this day..........
2016
Priorslee Lake
Today's Sightings Here
2012
Priorslee Lake
9 Pochard
3 Gadwall
1 duck Goldeneye
1750 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
370 Black-headed Gulls
76 Herring Gulls
1 adult Great Black-backed Gull
1 adult Yellow-legged Gull
Redpoll
Siskin
Willow Tit
(John Isherwood / Martin Grant)
Holmer Lake
3 Goosander
1 Pochard
(John Isherwood)
Little Wenlock, Candles Landfill Site
11 Yellow-legged Gulls
An adult Caspian Gull
3,000 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
30-40 Waxwings
2 Common Gulls
(Tom Lowe)
2010
Madeley
3 Waxwings
(Pete Nickless)
2006
Priorslee Lake
3 Cormorants
20 Pochard
56 Tufted Ducks
6 Buzzards
1 Kestrel
>1050 Black-headed Gulls
451 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
188 Wood Pigeons
18 Blackbirds
166 Fieldfares
62 Redwings
187 Jackdaws
80 Rooks
4 Siskin
6 Reed Buntings
(Ed Wilson)
2005
Priorslee Lake
1 Wigeon again
3 Pochard
47 Tufted Duck
215 Coot
4000 Black-headed Gulls
2500 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
3 Herring Gulls
1 Fieldfare
1 Sky Lark
168 Jackdaws
72 Rooks.
19 Reed Buntings
(Ed Wilson)
Priorslee Lake
Today's Sightings Here
2012
Priorslee Lake
9 Pochard
3 Gadwall
1 duck Goldeneye
1750 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
370 Black-headed Gulls
76 Herring Gulls
1 adult Great Black-backed Gull
1 adult Yellow-legged Gull
Redpoll
Siskin
Willow Tit
(John Isherwood / Martin Grant)
Holmer Lake
3 Goosander
1 Pochard
(John Isherwood)
Little Wenlock, Candles Landfill Site
11 Yellow-legged Gulls
An adult Caspian Gull
3,000 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
30-40 Waxwings
2 Common Gulls
(Tom Lowe)
2010
Madeley
3 Waxwings
(Pete Nickless)
2006
Priorslee Lake
3 Cormorants
20 Pochard
56 Tufted Ducks
6 Buzzards
1 Kestrel
>1050 Black-headed Gulls
451 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
188 Wood Pigeons
18 Blackbirds
166 Fieldfares
62 Redwings
187 Jackdaws
80 Rooks
4 Siskin
6 Reed Buntings
(Ed Wilson)
2005
Priorslee Lake
1 Wigeon again
3 Pochard
47 Tufted Duck
215 Coot
4000 Black-headed Gulls
2500 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
3 Herring Gulls
1 Fieldfare
1 Sky Lark
168 Jackdaws
72 Rooks.
19 Reed Buntings
(Ed Wilson)