0.0°C > 1.5°C : Overcast apart from an early sliver of clear air to the E. Short spell of rain c.07:00. Then more persistent rain after 08:25. Moderate S wind. Good visibility.
Sunrise: 07:37 GMT
Priorslee Lake: 06:35 – 08:55
(22nd visit of the year)
Notes from today:
- the resident Mute Swans woke up and then gave chase to some of the visitors. Having put a few to flight they seemed content they had established their position and stopped chasing
- the duck Goosander dropped in for a few minutes only
- all the Black-headed Gulls stopped off on the lake. All but c.5 left to the SE
- managed a respectable count of Magpies leaving the roost. Some again sounded to be leaving before it was light so the total is probably incomplete
- better view of the dispersing corvids today: the Jackdaws were estimated in groups of c.10; the Rooks specifically counted. Highest number of Rooks of this winter period
- 1 Starling leaving a roost – but not entirely sure where it came from: was certainly close
- 5 Siskins overhead: none seen in the tree-tops later
and
- the lamps empty again
Today’s bird totals
Birds noted flying over / near the lake:
- 7 Canada Geese (5 (2 groups) outbound; 2 (1 group) inbound)
- 1 Grey Heron
- 1 Lesser Black-backed Gull
- 2 Stock Dove again
- 7 Wood Pigeons only
- c.510 Jackdaws
- 122 Rooks
- 1 Greenfinch
- 5 Siskins
Birds noted leaving roosts around the lake:
- 67 Magpies
- 1 Starling
- 1 Reed Bunting
The counts from the lake area
- 11 + 4 Mute Swans again
- 14 (9♂) Gadwall
- 17 (10♂) Mallard
- 2 (1♂) Pochard
- 33 (15♂) Tufted Ducks
- 1 (0♂) Goosander
- 1 Grey Heron
- 3 Cormorants
- 4 Great Crested Grebes again
- 8 Moorhens
- 91 Coots
- 113 Black-headed Gulls
- 1 Lesser Black-backed Gull
The best of a bad morning: an arc of red just before the rain set in.
(Ed Wilson)
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The Flash: 09:00 – 09:35(12th visit of the year)
No ice
Notes from today
- most of the Pochard seem to have moved out
- 12 (4♂) of the Tufted Ducks flew in: probably from the lake: the fishermen were planning a work party and this may have put them to flight
- two of the three Great Crested Grebes looked like immatures (first winters?): just one with full adult head plumes. Previously it has seemed to be two adults and one immature
- no idea where all the Moorhens were today
- 3 Siskins in trees-tops
Birds noted flying over
- 1 Feral Pigeon
- 1 Wood Pigeon
- 1 Jackdaw
The counts from the water
- 2 Mute Swans
- 3 Canada Geese
- 1 white feral goose as usual
- 28 (19♂) Mallard
- 4 (4♂) Pochard
- 46 (25♂) Tufted Ducks
- 4 (0♂) Goosanders
- 2 Cormorants
- 3 Great Crested Grebes
- 2 Moorhens
- 18 Coots once more
- 26 Black-headed Gulls
(Ed Wilson)
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On this day..........
2016Priorslee Lake
Today's Sightings Here
2015
Priorslee Lake
Today's Sightings Here
2014
Priorslee Lake
1st-winter female Velvet Scoter
(Tom Lowe)
2013
Priorslee Lake
27 Wigeon
4 Gadwall
11 Pochard
48 Tufted Duck
118 Coot
(Tony Beckett)
2012
Priorslee Lake
1 Glaucous Gull
2 Iceland Gull
1 Yellow-legged Gull
1 Great Black-backed Gull
1 Common Gull
1 Peregrine
(John Isherwood, Martin Grant and Roger Clay )
Telford
1 Waxwing
(Mike Shurmer)
2009
Priorslee Lake
1 Goosander
1 Snipe
10 Pochard
39 Tufted Duck
1 Water Rail
1500+ Lesser Black-backed Gulls, Herring Gulls and Black-headed Gulls
2 Yellow-legged Gulls
2 Great Black-backed Gulls
25+ Siskins
(Ed Wilson and Martin Adlam)
2006
Priorslee Lake
2 Gadwall
5 Pochard
36 Tufted Ducks
148 Coots
2 Water Rails
c.1000 Black-headed Gulls
6 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
8 Herring Gulls
385 Wood Pigeon
473 Jackdaws
394 Rooks
12 Robins
18 Blackbirds
2 Willow Tits
13 Greenfinches
53 Siskin
5 Redpolls
14 Reed Buntings
(Ed Wilson)