22 Jan 18

Priorslee Lake and The Flash

6.5°C > 7.0°C: Overcast start with some light rain – that was not forecast. A few sunny spells later – they were not forecast either! Light / moderate WNW wind. Good visibility

Sunrise: 08:07 GMT

Priorslee Lake: 06:45 – 09:40

(5th visit of the year)

Notes from today:
- at least 210 Black-headed Gulls arrived early. A later party of 70 may or may not have been new birds
- Great Spotted Woodpecker seen: it, or another, later heard drumming. First drumming of year for me
- the Jackdaws were even harder to estimate this morning as they nearly collided with the departing Canada Geese and swirled around even more than usual
- 3 Song Thrushes and a Mistle Thrush in song pre-dawn
- 21 Siskins, at least, calling and singing away in trees near the Teece Drive gate. Did not seem interested in the Alder cones – all eaten?
and
- nothing on the lamps: disappointing in view of the milder conditions

Just 1 new species: the singing Mistle Thrush (and another flying around later): taking my year total at this site to 52

Today’s bird totals

Birds noted flying over / near the lake:
- 7 Greylag Geese outbound
- 4 Wood Pigeons only
- c.165 Jackdaws
- 39 Starlings (one group)
- 1 Redwing

Birds noted leaving roosts around the lake:
- [Magpies not counted]
- 2 Redwings again

The counts from the lake area
- 6 + 3 Mute Swans
- 34 Canada Geese
- 10 (6♂) Gadwall
- 15 (9♂) Mallard
- 5 (4♂) Pochard
- 78 (44♂) Tufted Ducks
- 1 Cormorant
- 3 Little Grebes
- 4 Great Crested Grebes
- 11 Moorhens
- 148 Coots
- >210 Black-headed Gulls

One of the visiting Mute Swans goes for a fly. Three of the four visitors left together only to return within a few minutes.

One of the resident cygnets makes splash-down. They are spending very little time with their parents now and are often with or close to the visitors. Their parents no longer seem concerned about that: I guess they are hoping they will leave when the visitors eventually go.

Another of the resident cygnets making splash-down. They are looking very white now and I would expect them to be chased away soon.

A male Blackbird showing some white feathers: one in the wing and several in the tail.

(Ed Wilson)

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The Flash: 09:45 – 10:25

(3rd visit of the year)

Notes from here
- 3 different Cormorants with all three present together for a short while. Many months since I recorded three birds on the water here
- the 3rd Great Crested Grebe looked like a first-winter bird and was keeping well out of the way in the NW corner
- the Feral Pigeons were circling and likely birds from St George’s, perhaps put up by the Sparrowhawk

The Sparrowhawk was my only new species for the year here. My year total here stands at 35

Birds noted flying over
- 1 (1♂) Sparrowhawk
- 6 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 21 Feral Pigeons
- 1 Wood Pigeon

The counts from the water
- 2 Mute Swans
- 5 Canada Geese
- 1 white feral goose again
- 27 (19♂) Mallard
- 7 (6♂) Pochard
- 28 (20♂) Tufted Ducks
- 5 (2♂) Goosanders
- 3 Cormorants
- 2 Great Crested Grebes
- 8 Moorhens
- 14 Coots
- 21 Black-headed Gulls

A pair of Goosanders (trust me!) get top marks in the synchronised diving competition.

This pair need more practice, the female on the left has already submerged.

One of no fewer than three Cormorants here this morning. This bird shows some white feathering on the head.

This Cormorant was on the island and hence at long distance and in strong cross-light. It is at the extreme end of breeding condition plumage. It has a huge white thigh-patch, extensive white head-plumes and orange bare skin under the base of the bill. It used to be thought that birds like this were of the Continental race. However adults of that race show a clean white belly and it is now thought that older birds of the UK race look like this.

An adult winter Black-headed Gull typically complaining about something. The black smudging on the head is beginning to extend as the bird starts to acquire summer plumage.

A fine male Bullfinch. These are hard to approach at the lake: here they seem more used to people and don’t hide away as much.

(Ed Wilson)

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

2016
Priorslee Lake
Today's Sightings Here

2014
Priorslee Lake
2 Great Crested Grebes
9 Pochard
106 Tufted Duck
1 Velvet Scoter
106 Coots
c.260 Black-headed Gulls
3 Herring Gulls
204 Redwing
c.250 Jackdaws
(Ed Wilson)

2013
Priorslee Lake
2 Great Crested Grebes 
32 Wigeon 
6 Gadwall 
25 Pochard 
105 Tufted Ducks
166 Coot
>1700 Black-headed Gulls
>1500 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
>450 Herring Gulls
13 Great Black-backed Gulls
(Ed Wilson)

2012
Priorslee Lake
1 Water Rail
2 Great Black-backed Gulls
(John Isherwood)

Priorslee Flash
1 Great Black-backed Gull
(John Isherwood)

Holmer Lake
28 Goosander
(John Isherwood)

2008
Priorslee Lake
300 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
65 Herring Gulls
(Martin Adlam)

2007
Priorslee Lake
1 Little Grebe
3 Great Crested Grebes
3 Cormorants
31 Pochard
41 Tufted Ducks
c.200 Black-headed Gulls
128 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
6 Herring Gulls
20 Robins
23 Blackbirds
19 Fieldfares
17 Redwings
3 Jays
31 Magpies
183 Jackdaws
159 Rooks
7 Greenfinches
5 Reed Buntings
(Ed Wilson)