11 Feb 18

Priorslee Lake and The Flash

2.0°C > 3.0°C: Clear start, frosted in sheltered areas. Soon a few clouds and then the odd light snow shower. Fresh WNW wind. Very good visibility

Sunrise: 07:35 GMT

Priorslee Lake: 06:25 – 09:10

(23rd visit of the year)

A Kingfisher shot past me c.07:30 to become my 63rd species here this year

Other notes from today:
- all the Canada Geese seem to be in pairs now, though sexing is only vaguely possible from size difference
- low Moorhen number likely due to disturbance from too may early morning joggers / cyclists / dog-walkers (during the week I compalin about traffic noise!)
- Wood Pigeons seemed to share my enthusiasm for shelter today: just a single bird overhead
- several small parties of Jackdaws shot over and to the west of the lake, almost catching me out. These were a few minutes ahead of the main group to the east. I probably overlooked many of the Rooks – when I eventually found them they were flying high and on a different flight-path
and
- the lamps persist in being empty

Today’s bird totals

Birds noted flying over / near the lake:
- 10 Canada Geese (4 groups outbound)
- 2 (1♂) Mallard
- 24 Black-headed Gulls
- 5 Lesser Black-backed Gull
- 2 Stock Dove once more
- 1 Wood Pigeons only!!
- c.380 Jackdaws
- 26 Rooks
- 2 Greenfinches
- 2 Goldfinches
- 1 Siskin

Birds noted leaving roosts around the lake:
- 48 Magpies
- 1 Redwing
- 1 Reed Bunting

The counts from the lake area
- 11 + 4 Mute Swans yet again
- 4 Canada Geese
- 13 (8♂) Gadwall
- 13 (8♂) Mallard as well
- 2 (1♂) Pochard again
- 34 (17♂) Tufted Ducks
- 1 Grey Heron again
- 2 Cormorants
- 2 Little Grebes
- 4 Great Crested Grebes again
- 4 Moorhens
- 84 Coots
- 83 Black-headed Gulls
- 1 Kingfisher

The cloud spreading in looked like killing off any sunrise.

Not so: the sun managed to flare underneath.

Rather distant and hence rather over-enlarged but we will see just how a Cormorant – for that is what it is – wrestles with this large Tench.

Needs a wide gape to get it down.

Slide it in sideways seems to be the way to do it.

And there it is almost gone. Rather a thick neck though.

“Anything you can do .... but I am smaller so it will have to be a smaller fish”. This Great Crested Grebe tucks in.

Not sure this really counts as ‘pussy willow’ at this early stage but shows that Spring is on the way even if it doesn’t feel like it.

(Ed Wilson)

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The Flash: 09:15 – 10:05

(13th visit of the year)

Notes from today
- my confusion over the age of the Great Crested Grebes was resolved today – there were certainly 5 (2 adults and 3 first winters). There may have even been a 6th – as usual very mobile and submarine

Birds noted flying over
- 5 Jackdaws

The counts from the water
- 2 Mute Swans
- 8 Canada Geese
- 1 white feral goose as usual
- 37 (25♂) Mallard
- 3 (3♂) Pochard
- 40 (25♂) Tufted Ducks
- 3 (0♂) Goosanders
- 2 Cormorants again
- 5 Great Crested Grebes
- 5 Moorhens
- 20 Coots
- 56 Black-headed Gulls

A couple of Goldfinches amongst Alder cones and catkins.

Another male Bullfinch eating another bud. Between the folded wing we can see part of the white rump that is so distinctive as they fly away.

And here goes another bud.

(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
1 Velvet Scoter
3 Greater Scaup
7 Pochard
47 Tufted Duck
(Gary Crowder)

2013
St Georges
5 Waxwings
(Observer Unknown)

2012
Priorslee Lake
1 Iceland Gull
3 Yellow-legged Gull
1 Caspian Gull
(Tom Lowe) 

2009
Priorslee Lake
Glaucous Gull
(Observer Unknown

2007
Priorslee Lake
1 Little Grebe
12 Pochard
1 Goldeneye
15+ Redwing
33 Fieldfare
1 Willow Tit
4 Reed Buntings
(Martin Adlam)

2006
Priorslee Lake
1 Little Grebe
11 Great Crested Grebes
12 Cormorants
24 Pochard
102 Tufted Ducks
131 Coots
2 Water Rails
1 Kingfisher
c.1500 Black-headed Gulls
88 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
56 Herring Gulls.
598 Wood Pigeons
210 Starling roost
16 Robins
1 Willow Tit
13 Greenfinches
19 Siskin
6 Reed Buntings
(Ed Wilson)