18 Dec 17

Priorslee Lake and The Flash

2.0°C > 5.0°C: Areas of low cloud with some good breaks. Frosted. Very light NW wind. Good visibility

Sunrise: 08:17 GMT again

Priorslee Lake: 06:55 – 09:55

(163rd visit of the year)

A little ice left: most snow now melted

Notes from today:
- once again 5 visiting adult Mute Swans present at 07:10 – seems the 2 that left yesterday may have returned. Today 3 were ‘persuaded’ to fly off W at 08:25, these included the ringed bird. The residents then ignored the other 2
- 14 Greylag and 47 Canada Geese at 07:10: the Greylags left in two groups at 07:35: all but 11 of the Canada Geese left at 07:50, those remaining were on the SW grass and eventually left after 08:20
- 3 drake Goosanders circled low over at 09:00 and then continued W
- just 110 Black-headed Gulls on the lake: c.40 were present at 07:10 and likely had roosted. Later a tight group of 15 flew over
- the Song Thrush in full song today
- a Fieldfare in with 3 Redwings in the main roost this morning. In addition to the overflights later there were 5 Fieldfare and 3 Redwings in the trees by the Teece Drive gate
- not entirely sure how many Reed Buntings: 2 heard calling prior to leaving: then 3 flew in to the W end, birds that I suspect had been flushed from elsewhere by dogs, though why they did not leave is unclear. Later singles seen and heard calling elsewhere, long after roosting birds would normally have left
and
- single Winter Moth and Mottled Umber moths on the lamps
- it seems there are no longer any flowers: all the umbellifers that were still flowering at the start of the month have been broken by the weight of the snow

Today’s bird totals

Birds noted flying over / near the lake:
- 5 Greylag Geese (1 group, outbound)
- 3 (3♂) Goosanders
- 15 Black-headed Gulls
- 4 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 1 Herring Gulls
- 3 Stock Doves
- 16 Wood Pigeons
- 1 Collared Dove
- 104 Jackdaws
- 1 Rook
- 1 Skylark
- 13 Fieldfare (2 groups)
- 1 Redwing
- 2 Pied Wagtails
- 1 Meadow Pipit
- 2 Lesser Redpoll
- 12 Siskins

Birds noted leaving roosts around the lake:
- [Magpies not counted]
- 1 Fieldfare
- 4 Redwings
- 5? Reed Buntings (see notes)

The counts from the lake area
- 7 + 3 Mute Swans (see notes again)
- 14 Greylag Geese
- 47 Canada Geese
- 11 (6♂) Gadwall again
- 13 (9♂) Mallard
- 9 (8♂) Pochard again
- 60 (29♂) Tufted Ducks
- 2 Grey Herons once more
- 6 Great Crested Grebes
- 2 Water Rails heard again
- 10 Moorhens again
- 202 Coots
- c.110 Black-headed Gulls
- 2 Lesser Black-backed Gulls

Still small amount of ice at the north and west edges, otherwise clear at the lake. Some clear spells at dawn.

Winter is not a good time for photography! Here a Fieldfare in the trees. We can just about make out the grey head, the warm tones on the side of the speckled breast (not spotted as in thrushes).
(Ed Wilson)

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The Flash: 10:00 – 10:50

(112th visit of the year)

Because it is rather sheltered the water is still >75% iced-over

Notes from here
- I was told that the Priorslee Facebook group reported that one of the Swans had been ‘decapitated’. My informant knew no more. It is certainly not either of the two resident adults: perhaps the recently disappeared cygnet?
- the three brownhead Goosanders made several low passes and flew on – probably because they could see that there was very little clear water
- the Great Crested Grebes have returned so were probably not the additional pair at the main lake recently as these were still here earlier
- a Wood Pigeon seen doing its ‘towering’ display flight: it or another heard calling later
and
- a Mottled Umber moth on a lamp here as well

Birds noted flying over
- 3 (0♂) Goosanders
- 1♂ Sparrowhawk
- 1 Skylark

The counts from the water
- 2 Mute Swans
- 2 Canada Geese again
- 1 white feral goose
- 38 (25♂) Mallard
- 8 (4♂) Tufted Ducks
- 2 Great Crested Grebes
- 10 Moorhens
- 15 Coots
- 31 Black-headed Gulls
- 1 Lesser Black-backed Gull

Three brownhead Goosanders making a low pass: mostly ice here so they continued on. The grey forewing identifies these as ducks rather than the otherwise similarly-plumaged first-winter drakes.

Nothing special just good light on a Black-headed Gull in front of an adult Lesser Black-backed Gull to show the difference in size and mantle tone. This Lesser Black-backed Gull has rather less head-spotting/streaking than many birds. Any such markings will begin to be lost after the turn of the year. Note the extent of the ice here in the middle of water.

When I first saw this I assumed it was a Blackbird with some white feathers – a not infrequent occurrence. But no: this female is ‘bald’. And no: I don’t know why.
and

Here is the Mottled Umber on a lamp at the lake ...

... and here the Mottled Umber on a lamp at The Flash. This is a very variable species as we see by comparing. Quite why one species can be so variable: yet with e.g. the various November moth sps. different species can be indistinguishable is a mystery to me. I am sure there is a reason ...
(Ed Wilson)

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

2015
Priorslee Lake
Today's sightings Here

2014
Local Area
Today's sightings Here

2013
Priorslee Lake
5 Gadwall 
7 Pochard
48 Tufted Ducks 
233 Coots
324 Black-headed Gulls
19 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
11 Herring Gulls
1 Great Black-backed Gull
6 Fieldfare
151 Redwings
284 Jackdaws
156 Rooks
4 Siskins
(Ed Wilson)

2012
Priorslee Lake
1 Little Grebe.
4 Gadwall.
12 Pochard.
43 Tufted Ducks.
182 Coots
189 Wood Pigeons
20 Redwings
184 Jackdaws
3 Siskins
(Ed Wilson)

2009
Priorslee Lake
1 Black-necked Grebe
4 Great Crested Grebes
29 Swans
42 Pochard
2 Water Rails
c.900 Black-headed Gulls
c.2200 large gulls
127 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
12 Redwings
2 Fieldfare
16 Siskins
(Ed Wilson)

2008
Priorslee Lake
3 Gadwall
13 Pochard
(John Isherwood)

2005
Priorslee Lake
c.2500 Black-headed Gulls
c.200 Lesser Black-backs
20 Pochard
58 Tufted Duck
A drake Wigeon
6 Great Crested Grebe
2 Dabchick
c.200 Coot
2 Water Rail
202 Rooks
247 Jackdaws
11 Pied Wagtails
23 Siskin
5 Redpoll
19 Reed Bunting
(Martin R Adlam)