4 Dec 17

Priorslee Lake: then Trench Lock Pool and Trench Middle Pool

7.0°C > 8.5°C: similar again but rather less low overcast with drizzle and more clearer spells. Light WNW wind. Very good visibility except in drizzle

Sunrise: 08:02 GMT

Priorslee Lake: 06:25 – 09:35

(151st visit of the year)

Notes from today:
- c.18 geese sp. flew N to the E of the field at 07:25 – too dark and they were too far away to identify, but they seemed small geese – perhaps Greylags? Then 18 were noted flying on the opposite track at 09:05, still to far away to identify, but seemingly Canada Goose-sized. I assume these were the same birds ....?
- recently Buzzards have been roosting across the M54 and fly over the lake early, towards the open fields to the E. Two did this today but a 3rd bird was, unusually, roosting in the trees in the NE part of the lake
- in addition to the usual confusion about where the early-arriving Black-headed Gulls go and whether they return from the W and head directly out to the fields there were at least 6 birds flying over that seemed to have nothing whatsoever to do with the lake. After the initial c.110 dispersed I counted no more than 20 on the water at any one time
- two Song Thrushes singing
- apparently just 6 Starlings left the roost, all as singles. A party of 8 in the distance later
and
- just 7 moths on the lamps and they all seemed to be some of the individuals that had stayed in the same location as yesterday: 6 winter moth sps (I did not attempt to differentiate these); and the Mottled Umber
- the Mitostoma bimaculatum harvestman in more or less the same place

Today’s bird totals

Birds noted flying over / near the lake:
- 18 geese sp. (see notes)
- 1 male Sparrowhawk again
- 2 Buzzards
- 6 Black-headed Gulls (see notes)
- 17 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 4 Herring Gulls
- 4 Feral Pigeons (2 singles)
- 24 Wood Pigeons
- >550 Jackdaws
- 1 Rook again
- 8 Starlings
- 3 Fieldfare (1 group)
- 21 Redwings (8 singles / groups)
- 1 Mistle Thrush
- 1 Pied Wagtail again
- 1 Meadow Pipit
- 10 Siskins

Birds noted leaving roosts around the lake:
- 1 Buzzard (see notes)
- [Magpie roost not counted]
- 6 Starlings
- 12 Redwings
- 6 Reed Buntings

The counts from the lake area
- 2 + 3 Mute Swans
- 11 (6♂) Gadwall remain
- 11 (5♂) Mallard
- 7 (5♂) Pochard
- 48 (24♂) Tufted Ducks
- 1 Little Grebe again
- 4 Great Crested Grebes remain
- 3 Water Rails: 1 seen; 2 heard
- 9 Moorhens
- 169 Coots
- c.110 Black-headed Gulls

It was a strange start today: there was persistent drizzle but through that the ‘Super Moon’ could be seen – not that it looks ‘super’ unless it is close to the horizon.

One of the intermittent clearances allowed a brief sunrise worth poking the camera at.

(Ed Wilson)

Also
Thank you to Mark Williams for the lovely photos of a Great Spotted Woodpecker

Great Spotted Woodpecker

Great Spotted Woodpecker

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Trench Lock Pool: 09:45 – 10:00 // 10:45 – 11:10

(34th visit of the year)

Notes from here
- gull numbers remain very low
- a 2nd Great Crested Grebe has reappeared – assuming it ever left
and
- most unusual but not rare was only my 2nd record of Grey Squirrel here this year

Birds noted flying over here [apart from the local Wood Pigeons and Jackdaws coming and going]
- 1 Buzzard again
- 1 Lesser Black-backed Gull
- c.25 Starlings

The counts from the water
NB: ‘>’ shows numbers on first and second visits where materially different
- 1 + 6 Mute Swans remain
- 17 > 72 Canada Geese
- 12 (6♂) Mallards
- 1 (1♂) ‘feral’ Mallard remains
- 2 (1♂) Shoveler remain
- 1 (1♂) Pochard
- 61 (33♂) Tufted Ducks
- 10 (4♂) Goosanders
- 1 > 0 Cormorant
- 0 > 1 Grey Heron
- 1 Little Grebe
- 2 Great Crested Grebes
- 5 Moorhens
- 134 Coots
- 50 > 52 Black-headed Gulls
- 0 > 1 Lesser Black-backed Gull
- 0 > 1 Herring Gull

(Ed Wilson)

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Trench Middle Pool: 10:05 – 10:40

(31st visit of the year)

Notes from here
- two parties of Long-tailed Tits was unusual

Birds noted flying over here
- 27 Lesser Black-backed Gull
- 1 Feral Pigeon
- 1 Stock Dove
- 1 Jackdaw

The counts from the water
- 2 + 5 Mute Swans remain
- 27 Canada Geese
- 19 (11♂) Mallard
- 1 (0♂) ‘feral’ Mallard
- 19 (11♂) Tufted Duck
- 4 (2♂) Goosander
- 1 Grey Heron
- 2 Great Crested Grebes again
- 13 Moorhens
- 44 Coots
- 81 Black-headed Gulls
- 1 Lesser Black-backed Gull

(Ed Wilson)

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

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

2016
Local Area
Today's Sightings Here

2015
Priorslee Lake
Today's sightings Here

2014
Priorslee Lake
Today's sightings Here

2012
Priorslee Lake
3 Gadwall
9 Pochard
20 Tufted Ducks
1 (1) Goosander
155 Coots
28 Herring Gulls
1 Great Black-backed Gull
14 Redwings
2 Fieldfares
c.368 Jackdaws
97 Rooks
(Ed Wilson)

009
Priorslee Lake
3 Cormorant
33 Mute Swans
Water Rail
13 Pochard
85 Tufted Ducks 
274 Coots
1000 Black-headed Gulls
2000 Lesser Black-backs
3 Yellow-legged Gulls
1 Great Black-backed
5 Redwings
2 Willow Tit
c.325 Jackdaws
20 Siskins
4 Reed Buntings
(Ed Wilson/John Isherwood)

2006
Priorslee Lake
3 Cormorants
15 Pochard
45 Tufted Ducks
1 eclipse drake Ruddy Duck
2 Sparrowhawks
2 Buzzards
1 Kestrel
>700 Black-headed Gulls
324 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
8 Herring Gulls
1 Great Black-backed Gull
649 Wood Pigeons
25 Robins
22 Blackbirds
16 Fieldfares
4 Song Thrushes
6 Redwings
322 Jackdaws
224 Rooks
2 Siskins
5 Reed Buntings
(Ed Wilson)

2005
Priorslee Lake
140 Golden Plover
8 Cormorants
900 Black-headed Gulls
c.250 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
13 Pochard
43 Tufted Duck
2 Little Grebes
225 Coot
371 Jackdaws
313 Rooks
6 Redwings
32 Fieldfares.
8 Reed Buntings
19 Robins
30 Blackbirds
16 Greenfinches
(Ed Wilson)