12 Feb 18

Priorslee Lake: then Trench Lock Pool and Trench Middle Pool

0.5°C > 5.0°C: Clear and sunny with just a few puffy clouds later. Frosty with a light dusting of snow again. Light WSW wind, increasing moderate. Excellent visibility

Sunrise: 07:33 GMT

Priorslee Lake: 06:20 – 09:30

(24th visit of the year)

Notes from today:
- an additional cygnet Mute Swans today: however one adult fewer – hope it wasn’t the one the resident cob seemed to be trying to drown yesterday; or if was then it managed to fly away
- 2 Canada Geese on the lake when I arrived: they flew off east. Two more flew in from the west and stayed. Two more over
- many Mallard flying out and back before dawn: did they all return? The number on the lake remains higher than usual
- 1 Tufted Duck flew off west pre-dawn and could not be sexed
- small movement of Lesser Black-backed Gulls, all NW
- in addition to the small number of Wood Pigeons overhead there was at least 200 flushed from a field to the N and in to the surrounding trees
- two Grey Wagtails in the Wesley Brook: presumed a pair though neither had the black throat acquired by the male in the breeding season
- a Chaffinch was disposed to at least try and sing this morning: can Spring be far away?
- two parties of >20 Siskins over (the same birds?): then birds seen in tree-tops around the lake but very flighty
and
- the lamps remain empty

Today’s bird totals

Birds noted flying over / near the lake:
- 2 Canada Geese (1 party outbound)
- 1 Grey Heron
- 13 Black-headed Gulls
- 24 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 2 Stock Doves yet again
- 15 Wood Pigeons (see notes)
- c.415 Jackdaws
- 47 Rooks

Birds noted leaving roosts around the lake:
- 57 Magpies
- 2 Redwings
- 6 Reed Buntings

The counts from the lake area
- 10 + 5 Mute Swans
- 4 Canada Geese
- 9 (5♂) Gadwall
- 22 (13♂) Mallard
- 3 (2♂) Pochard
- 33 (15?♂) Tufted Ducks
- 3 Cormorants
- 3 Little Grebes
- 4 Great Crested still
- 5 Moorhens
- 88 Coots
- 58 Black-headed Gulls

A clear morning.

Sun-up. (would be nice if they had taken this pylon down when they removed all the others at that end of the lake and buried the cables).

Part of the gang of Mute Swans at the lake. The brown cygnets are ‘our’ birds: the adults are not.

This incoming immature Cormorant was helpful in being very close as it circled inbound.

... and closer on the next circuit ...

... to plane in ...

... to ‘land’ (water?). A rather scruffy individual. At least we can count the number of tail feathers.

There might be fewer Coots than a month ago but there are still too many for them to exist in harmony. I would not like to get scratched by the claws of a Coot.

“Alright: I’m off”.

There were two (a pair?) of Grey Wagtails in Wesley Brook. No black throat on this bird but the extent and brightness of the yellow on the chest suggests a male yet to moult in to breeding plumage.

Not sure whether this is the same bird or not – I rather lost track of these very mobile birds. It does look paler but might just be the light – there was not much in the brook.

This Robin was paying close attention to the Grey Wagtails.

The Siskins are being very flighty this year and I am having trouble getting close. Here is a male.

Poking the camera between many twigs and branches (the jet-black buds tell us it is an Ash tree).

Here is the ‘golden rain’ of Hazel catkins.

Today Long-tailed Tits lined up to have their photos taken. Here is one from Priorslee Lake.

And here is one at Trench Lock Pool.

And another at Trench Middle Pool.

(Ed Wilson)

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Trench Lock Pool: 09:40 – 10:00 // 10:50 – 11:10

(9th visit of the year)

very little ice

Notes from here
- pair of Shoveler remain
- just 6 Black-headed Gulls when I first arrived. Most arrived during my second visit – from Middle Pool?
- at least 72 Jackdaws in the air to the N over the houses: many more than usual

Birds noted flying over here [apart from the local Wood Pigeons and Jackdaws coming and going]
- 13 Feral Pigeons (2 groups)

No new bird species for me here this year today

The counts from the water
- 1 + 6 Mute Swans
- 4 Canada Geese
- 8 (5♂) Mallards
- 1 (1♂) ‘feral’ Mallard still
- 2 (1♂) Shoveler again
- 10 (10♂) Pochard
- 44 (24♂) Tufted Ducks
- 1 (0♂) Goosander
- 1 Grey Heron
- 1 Little Grebe
- 5 Great Crested Grebes again
- 3 Moorhens
- 67 Coots
- 71 Black-headed Gulls
- 2 Lesser Black-backed Gulls once more

(Ed Wilson)

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Trench Middle Pool: 10:05 – 10:45

(9th visit of the year)

c.20% ice

Notes from here
- the over-flying Raven was my first since 16 January 2014 and my 37th bird species at this site in 2018

Birds noted flying over here
- 1 Common Buzzard
- 4 Jackdaws
- 1 Raven

The counts from the water
- 2 + 5 Mute Swans
- 36 Canada Geese
- 15 (10♂) Mallard
- 1 (0♂) ‘feral’ Mallard again
- 15 (10♂) Tufted Duck
- 1 Cormorant
- 2 Great Crested Grebes again
- 12 Moorhens
- 41 Coots
- 106 Black-headed Gulls
- 2 Lesser Black-backed Gulls again

(Ed Wilson)

Note: Click Here for my visit to Venus Pool yesterday afternoon.

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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
1 Mediterranean Gull
(Observer Unknown)

2013
St Georges
5 Waxwings
(Observer Unknown)

Horsehay Pool
1 Caspian Gull
(Jim Almond)

2009
Priorslee Lake
2 Iceland Gulls
( Pete Jordan)