23 Dec 17

Priorslee Lake: then Trench Lock Pool and Trench Middle Pool

6.0°C > 10.0°C: Areas of mist, fog low and low cloud gave way to increasing clear skies. Light and variable wind, becoming SW and occasionally moderate. Poor visibility, becoming very good

Sunrise: 08:20 GMT again

Priorslee Lake: 07:00 – 09:55

(168th visit of the year)

The mist and fog failed to clear making counting hard work. Done in sections which gives rise to possible over- or under-laps

No ice remaining

Notes from today:
- the Greylag x Canada Goose arrived with a Canada Goose and stayed only about 5 minutes
- unsure about Gadwall numbers: may be just two pairs that paddled the length the lake
- 9 Mallard off the dam at 07:15 and some (of these?) seen in flight. None noted on the lake later
- 3 Sparrowhawks seen to the E together with one bird displaying – lazy and deep wing-beats with towering and diving flight. A pair flew in to (or beyond) the copse to the E of Castle Farm Way – lost track of the 3rd bird – a male?
- 1 Cormorant came from the W and circled before leaving to the W; another came from the E and landed, immediately taking up position on one of the boating piers; the third came in from the E and did some fishing
- a Green Woodpecker flew in from the E
- very few Redwings in the roost area: there are usually 3 / 4 Blackbirds and the occasional Song Thrush in with them. Today just 4 Redwings
- two parties of Starlings concurrently seemed to be leaving somewhere on / close to the S side. Later a big party of >120 birds flew N; two more small parties flew after them; then 22 flew W
- Yellowhammer over was unusual
and, all on the lamps
- 2 Winter Moths
- 1 Scarce Umber moth in a different place
- 2 Mottled Umber moths
- small toadstool-shaped fungus found growing on a tree-trunk
also
- two species of flower reacting to the mid weather
- Common Ragwort (Jacobaea vulgaris formerly Senecio jacobaea)
- A fungi, unidentified as yet!

Today’s bird totals

Birds noted flying over / near the lake:
- 15 Greylag Geese
- 3 (2?) Sparrowhawks
- 1 Cormorant
- 24 Black-headed Gulls
- 2 Feral Pigeons (singles)
- 57 Wood Pigeons
- 178 Jackdaws
- c.153 Starlings
- 15 Fieldfare (1 party)
- 36 Redwings (4 parties)
- 2 Pied Wagtails
- 1 Greenfinch
- 4 Siskins
- 1 Yellowhammer

Birds noted leaving roosts around the lake:
- [Magpie roost not counted]
- 38 Starlings (see notes)
- 4 Redwings
- 2 Reed Buntings

The counts from the lake area
- 2 + 3 Mute Swans again (peace)
- 1 Greylag x Canada Goose
- 33 Canada Geese
- 8 (4♂) Gadwall
- 9 (?♂) Mallard
- 4 (4♂) Pochard
- 52 (29♂) Tufted Ducks
- 2 Cormorants
- 1 Grey Heron
- 5 Great Crested Grebe
- 1 Water Rail heard again
- 8 Moorhens
- 206 Coots
- >125 Black-headed Gulls
- 1 Herring Gull

One of the clear spells with the fog ready to roll back.

This plant seems to have survived the snow and frost, though the leaves look a bit battered. I do not recall seeing in the last few days and I think these must be new flowers. It is Common Ragwort (Jacobaea vulgaris formerly Senecio jacobaea).

Identifying this has defeated me: I’ll try again when the flowers are open. Meanwhile anyone know?

A small fungus – unidentified so far.

(Ed Wilson)

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Trench Lock Pool: 10:05 – 10:15 // 11:25 – 11:50

(41st visit of the year)

Notes from here
- something seemed to spook all the birds on the water as the Pochard, Tufted Duck and Goosanders all suddenly surfaced and gathered together (some Goosanders flew off). This made counting easier and more accurate
- VERY few gulls – Black-headed Gulls probably gone for the bread option at Middle Pool. No large gulls at all
- Coal Tit singing here
- Treecreeper seen

Birds noted flying over here [apart from the local Wood Pigeons and Jackdaws coming and going]
None

The counts from the water
- 1 + 6 Mute Swans again
- 8 Canada Geese
- 9 (5♂) Mallards
- 1 (1♂) ‘feral’ Mallard again
- 2 (1♂) Shoveler
- 6 (5♂) Pochard
- 65 (33♂) Tufted Ducks
- 9 (6) Goosanders
- 3 Cormorants
- 1 Little Grebe
- 3 Great Crested Grebes again
- 3 Moorhens
- 128 Coots
- 4 Black-headed Gulls only
- no large gulls

A gathering of Tufted Ducks (with two Coots getting a look in!).

40 Tufted Ducks and 4 Coots here.

A drake Goosander flies off.

And a quick fly-by before he leaves.

(Ed Wilson)

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Trench Middle Pool: 10:20 – 11:20

(35th visit of the year)

No ice remains

Notes from here
- my largest count of Tufted Ducks here this year
- my largest count of Goosanders here this winter
- fewer Coot counted: I suspect because some are always ‘behind the island’ now the ice has gone
- apart from roost counts also my largest number of Black-headed Gulls here this year
- my first Collared Dove here for at least 4 years
- my first Kingfisher since 08 July 2014 here
- my first-ever Skylark over here

Birds noted flying over here
- 1 Stock Dove again
- 1 Collared Dove
- 1 Skylark

The counts from the water
- 2 + 5 Mute Swans
- 30 Canada Geese (17 flew in)
- 31 (22♂) Mallard
- 2 (0♂) ‘feral’ Mallard
- 31 (17♂) Tufted Duck
- 21 (8♂) Goosander
- 1 Grey Heron again
- 1 Great Crested Grebe again
- 9 Moorhens
- 48 Coots
- 151 Black-headed Gulls
- 1 Lesser Black-backed Gull again
- 1 Kingfisher

This duck Goosander appears to have weed wrapped around the bill. Black-headed Gulls more likely to be looking for food than offering to help!

(Ed Wilson)

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

2016
Priorslee Lake
Today's sightings Here

2015
Priorslee Lake
Today's sightings Here

2014
Priorslee Lake
Today's sightings Here

2013
Priorslee Lake
1st-winter female Great Scaup

Horsehay Pool
Kittiwake

2012
Priorslee Lake
4 Gadwall
14 Pochard
29 Tufted Ducks
3 Goosanders
178 Coots
2 Redwings
4 Siskin
(Ed Wilson)

The Flash
3 Pochard
44 Tufted Duck
28 Goosanders
(Ed Wilson)

Trench Lock Pool
30 Mute Swans
40 Tufted Duck
1 Goosander
161 Coots
1 Great Black-backed Gull
(Ed Wilson)

2009
Priorslee Lake
1 Little Grebe
1 Black-necked Grebe
18 Swans
4 Gadwall
41 Pochard
75 Tufted Ducks
2 Water Rails
311 Coots
600 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
2 Yellow-legged Gulls
12 Goldfinches
10 Siskins
(Ed Wilson/Dawn Balmer/Peter Wilson)

2006
Priorslee lake
2 Great Crested Grebe
3 Cormorants
32 Pochard
24 Tufted Ducks
1 Water Rail
64 Coots
c.100 Black-headed Gulls
23 Redwing
(Martin Adlam)

2005
Priorslee lake
10 Pochard
15 Tufted Duck
c.400 Black-headed Gulls
c.100 Lesser Black-backs
1 Water Rail
20 Pied Wagtails
365 Rooks
325 Jackdaw
1 Kingfisher
51 Siskin
7 Redpoll
13 Greenfinch 13
12 Reed Bunting
(Martin Adlam)