4 Feb 18

Priorslee Lake and The Flash

1.0°C > 1.5°C: Mainly overcast; a few bright patches; some very light sleet. Light N wind. Good visibility.

Sunrise: 07:48 GMT

Priorslee Lake: 06:40 – 09:20

(16th visit of the year)

Notes from today:
- another chapter in the Mute Swan saga after the apparent departure of all the visitors by last Friday. When I arrived there seemed to be 2 adult visitors as well as the 2 adult and 3 juvenile residents. By 07:30 another adult and 3 cygnets (with less white in the wing than the residents) had arrived. At c.08:10 this adult and all 6 cygnets went for a fly-about with just 4 of the cygnets landing back. So now there were 4 adults and 4 cygnets. But by 09:00 there were 6 adults with the 4 cygnets. Confused? I am
- there was a lot of flying about of ducks both pre- and post-dawn: this seemed to be mostly the Gadwall. Mallard were scarce today (numbers at The Flash were also reduced when I got there)
- 1 drake Goosander flew E at 07:40; then 5 (3 drakes) flew SW (to Holmer Lake?) at 07:50
- 74 of the 83 over-flying Wood Pigeons were in a single group flying E to the N of the lake
- c.20 Siskins flying around
and
- the lamps empty again
- a new fungus identified Stereum rugosum (or Bleeding Broadleaf Crust)

Today’s bird totals

Birds noted flying over / near the lake:
- 2 Greylag Geese (outbound)
- 8 Canada Geese (6 (2 groups) outbound; 2 (1 group) inbound)
- 6 (4♂) Goosanders
- 3 Lesser Black-backed Gulls again
- 83 Wood Pigeons
- c.300 Jackdaws
- 23 Rooks

Birds noted leaving roosts around the lake:
- 32 Magpies (incomplete?)

The counts from the lake area
- 6 + 6 Mute Swans (see notes)
- 2 Canada Geese
- 11 (7♂) Gadwall
- 4 (2♂) Mallard
- 37 (18♂) Tufted Ducks
- 1 Cormorant
- 4 Great Crested Grebes
- 9 Moorhens
- 88 Coots
- 86 Black-headed Gulls

Here are five of the six Mute Swan cygnets with the adult that brought the three visitors in – they are the left, centre and right of the group of cygnets. The two resident cygnets in this shot are showing much more white in their plumage.

An adult and two cygnets during their flying exercise.

This is the fungus Stereum rugosum, also known as Bleeding Broadleaf Crust because it bleeds red when damaged. It is a widespread and year-round fungus, most often seen on Hazel. I think the fallen stem here is indeed Hazel.

(Ed Wilson)

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The Flash: 09:25 – 10:00

(9th visit of the year)

Notes from here
- Pochard increased again
- Tufted Ducks, in contrast, in lower numbers
- Wood Pigeons seen both in towering display flight and also chasing / displaying on ridge tiles of the houses
- at least 6 Dunnocks heard in song: this contrasts with the lake where they have been very scarce / quiet recently, including this morning

Birds noted flying over
- 2 Lesser Black-headed Gulls
- 3 Feral Pigeons
- 1 Jackdaw

The counts from the water
- 2 Mute Swans
- 6 Canada Geese
- 1 white feral goose
- 23 (15♂) Mallard
- 16 (14♂) Pochard
- 43 (26♂) Tufted Ducks
- 7 (0♂) Goosanders
- 1 Cormorant
- 3 Great Crested Grebes
- 6 Moorhens
- 17 Coots
- 28 Black-headed Gulls

My best attempts at photo-editing another drake Pochard to highlight both the head and eye colour as well as the vermiculated back. Slightly more successful than last Thursday because of the flat light. Problem was too little light, but then photographers are never happy.

Off with a splash: this duck Goosander decided to join its friends just as I pressed the shutter.

(Ed Wilson)

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

2015
Local Area
Today's Sightings Here

2014
Priorslee Lake
1 Velvet Scoter
3 Scaup
8 Pochard
(Gary Crowder)

2013
Priorslee Lake
8 Gadwall
26 Wigeon
2 Great Black-backed Gulls 
1 Common Gull 
1 Yellow-legged Gull
(Mike Cooper)

2012
Priorslee Lake
1 Glaucous Gull 
1 Caspian Gull
2 Yellow-legged Gulls
1 Mediterranean Gull
(Roger Clay / Tom Lowe)

2011
Priorslee Lake
10 Pochard
16 Tufted Duck
(Ed Wilson)

2009
Priorslee Lake
6 Great Crested Grebes
<10 Pochard
c.50 Tufted Ducks
1 Water Rail
1 Lapwing
1 Common Gull
2 Yellow-legged Gulls
c.35 Herring Gulls
c.400 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
1 Glaucous Gull
c.25 Siskins
(Ed Wilson, Jim and Jason)

2008
Priorslee Lake
2 Great Black-backed Gulls
211 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
23 Herring Gulls
65 Black-headed Gulls
(Martin Adlam)

2007
Priorslee Lake
12 Pochard
26 Tufted Ducks
21 Robins
21 Blackbirds
1 Willow Tit
3 Reed Buntings
(Ed Wilson)

2006
Priorslee Lake
10 Cormorants
2 Gadwall
19 Pochard
89 Tufted Ducks
183 Coots
 c.580 Black-headed Gulls
116 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
31 Herring Gull
1 Great Black-backed Gull.
540 Wood Pigeon
169 Jackdaws
16 Wrens
10 Dunnocks
27 Robins
34 Blackbirds
2 Willow Tits
13 Greenfinches
40 Goldfinches
127 Siskins
5 Reed Buntings
(Ed Wilson)