29 Jan 18

Priorslee Lake only – rain stopped play

9.5°C: Mild again. Cloudy with occasional light drizzle for a while. Then dry until rain by 08:30, becoming heavy by 09:00. Fresh WSW wind, even strong at first. Very good visibility, becoming moderate, sometimes poor, in rain.

Sunrise: 07:58 GMT

Priorslee Lake: 06:50 – 09:30

(11th visit of the year)

52 Fieldfare (with 2 Redwings) flew SW overhead c.08:45: my 55th bird species here in 2018

Other notes from today:
- the Mute Swan saga continues. It was all calm with the resident adults and their cygnets at the bottom of the concrete ramp. One of the other pairs then decided to swim diectly towards them. This did not go down well! Lots of chasing followed with some birds leaving for a short while. Settled back to all calm again
- the Black-headed Gulls were very late arriving this morning – c.08:10. Just 130 noted arriving, many of them staying on the water. As I was about to leave c.120 Black-headed Gulls went up from somewhere close-by – the lake? the old Celestica site? Were these the same birds?
- 23 of the 28 Lesser Black-backed Gulls flew W in single group. As on other recent days all the birds were adults
- 22 Wood Pigeons together on the football field at 09:25 was unusual, especially as I had only logged 9 others in the trees
- c.20 Siskins in the trees near the Teece Drive gate
and
- nothing noted on the lamps
- my first flower (discounting catkins): I think Common Hogweed (Heracleum sphondylium)

Today’s bird totals

Birds noted flying over / near the lake:
- 2 Greylag Geese (outbound)
- 1 Common Buzzard
- 28 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 4 Wood Pigeons
- >375 Jackdaws
- 6 Rooks
- 52 Fieldfare
- 2 Redwings

Birds noted leaving roosts around the lake:
None

The counts from the lake area
- 6 + 3 Mute Swans again
- 25, exactly, Canada Geese
- 10 (6♂) Gadwall (possibly incomplete)
- 12 (8♂) Mallard
- 2 (2♂) Pochard again
- 48 (25♂) Tufted Ducks
- 3 Cormorants
- 1 Little Grebe again
- 5 Great Crested Grebes
- 6 Moorhens
- [Coots not counted]
- >130 Black-headed Gulls (see notes)

Despite the early drizzle and generally overcast weather ahead of rain I was surprised to see this red sky appear briefly.

The resident adult Mute Swans in their normal position at the base of the concrete ramp and today allowing confirmation of their identity by the ring codes. Note that the bills are acquiring a distinct bright orange tone indicating that they are coming in to breeding condition.

This first flower is clearly an umbellifer. Problem: none is supposed to flower before April! It is not entirely clear in this shot which leaves belong to this plant but I think Common Hogweed (Heracleum sphondylium).

(Ed Wilson)

Note: Readers Corner - Venus Pool and Shawbury Here

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

2016
Priorslee Lake
Today's Sightings Here

2015
Priorslee Lake
Today's Sightings Here

2014
Priorslee Lake
14 Pochard
71 Tufted Duck
3 Greater Scaup
1 Velvet Scoter
103 Coots
1 Yellow-legged Gull
2 Great Black-backed Gulls
141 Redwings
502 Jackdaws
383 Rooks
2 Ravens
(Ed Wilson, Gary Crowder)

The Flash 
89 Tufted Ducks
2 Goosander
(Ed Wilson)

2013
Priorslee Lake
Drake Scaup
26 Wigeon 
12 Gadwall 
12 Pochard 
60 Tufted Ducks 
181 Coots
c.400 Black-headed Gulls
246 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
34 Herring Gulls
2 Great Black-backed Gulls
21 Redwings
147 Jackdaws
c.30 Siskins
(Ed Wilson, Unknown Observer)

Trench Lock Pool
18 Swans
8 Pochard 
45 Tufted Duck 
1 Goosander 
99 Coots counted
(Ed Wilson)

2012
Priorslee Lake
5 Great Crested Grebes
21 Pochard
51 Tufted Duck
(Ed Wilson)

2008
Priorslee Lake
c.2000 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
109 Herring Gulls
1 Yellow-legged Gull
1 Great Black-backed Gull
c.250 Black-headed Gulls.
1 Buzzard
1 Merlin
(Martin Adlam)

2007 
Priorslee Lake
1 Goldeneye
(Ed Wilson)