2.5°C > 5.0°C: Mainly clear with a few areas of thin med/high cloud. Light but rather keen NW wind. Very good visibility
Sunrise: 07:01 BST
Priorslee Lake: 06:20 – 09:20
(30th visit of the year)
Amazingly the same three Goldeneyes present for their third morning
Other notes from today:
- more Gadwall today: rather restless with birds flying around
- also more Tufted Ducks today: also very restless with birds both chasing and flying around
- the 2 Sparrowhawks over at 06:35 both seemed to be females: no display noted
- Coots also particularly noisy and chasing and fighting
- several small groups of Wood Pigeons on presumed passage flying very high – one group of 10 birds flying S(!) only noted because they flew through my binoculars as I was watching the Cormorant over. Much too high to see with the (well my) unaided eye
- a rather small Jackdaw passage this morning with birds over and to the E of the lake: none seen to the W
- 5 Redwings noted in trees with one giving a few song notes – rarely heard in England
- the quieter traffic of a weekend allowed me to hear a Yellowhammer in song from the fields to the E
and
- nothing on the lamps
Today’s bird totals
Birds noted flying over / near the lake:
- 2 Greylag Geese (pair circled then outbound)
- 15 Canada Geese (4 groups)
- 1 Cormorant
- 2♀ Sparrowhawks
- 4 Black-headed Gulls
- 4 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 1 Herring Gull
- 11 Feral Pigeons (1 group)
- 52 Wood Pigeons
- 70 Jackdaws
- 1 Starling
- 2 Goldfinches
Warblers noted: figure in brackets is singing birds
- 6 (3) Chiffchaffs
The counts from the lake area
- 6 + 4 Mute Swans remain
- 9 Canada Geese
- 7 (4♂) Gadwall
- 7 (5♂) Mallard
- 24 (20♂) Tufted Ducks
- 3 (1♂) Goldeneyes again
- 1 Little Grebe
- 3 Great Crested Grebes again
- 7 Moorhens
- 67 Coots
- 8 Black-headed Gulls
- 1 Lesser Black-backed Gull
Some of the restless Tufted Ducks go for a fly. Mainly drakes.
As noted the Coots were being aggressive: five birds take up positions.
One of the Coots is on the warpath.
The battles are mainly posturing otherwise those claws ....
Not to be taken lying down!
And a rather better portrait.
(Ed Wilson)
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On this day..........
2017Priorslee Lake
Today's Sightings Here
2016
Priorslee Lake
Today's Sightings Here
2014
Priorslee Lake
1 Little Grebe
7 Cormorants
2 Gadwall
18 Tufted Duck
1 Kittiwake
1 Sand Martin
7 Chiffchaffs
158 Jackdaws
(Ed Wilson)
The Flash
1 Kittiwake
(John Isherwood)
Trench Lock Pool
2 Little Grebes
4 Great Crested Grebes
15 Tufted Ducks
2 Chiffchaffs
(Ed Wilson)
Trench Middle Pool
2 Tufted Duck
2 Chiffchaffs
1 Willow Warbler
(Ed Wilson)
2013
Priorslee Lake
2 Little Grebes
3 Great Crested Grebe
7 Wigeon
2 Gadwall
34 Tufted Ducks
c.450 Black-headed Gulls
c.350 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
c.50 Herring Gulls
1 Great Black-backed Gull.
(Ed Wilson)
The Flash
3 Great Crested Grebes
7 Swans
2 Pochard
73 Tufted Duck
(Ed Wilson)
2011
Nedge Hill
2 Wheatear
(John Isherwood)
2010
Priorslee Lake
1 Little Grebe
4 Great Crested Grebe
4 Gadwall
27 Tufted Duck
c.210 Jackdaws
(Ed Wilson)
The Flash
3 Great Crested Grebe
36 Tufted Duck
2 Siskins
1 Reed Bunting
(Ed Wilson)
2007
Priorslee Lake
3 Cormorant
2 Shoveler
27 Tufted Duck
1 Green Woodpecker
29 Wren
22 Robin
21 Blackbird
5 Fieldfare
9 Redwing
6 Chiffchaff
36 Magpie
99 Jackdaw
8 Greenfinch
7 Reed Bunting
(Ed Wilson)
The Flash
4 Great Crested Grebe
1 Mallard x Pintail
2 Pochard
17 Tufted Duck
3 Chiffchaff
1 Reed Bunting
(Ed Wilson)
2006
Priorslee Lake
1 Barn Ow
1 Little Grebe
6 Great Crested Grebes
1 Shoveler
26 Tufted Ducks
2 Water Rail
532 Wood Pigeon
2 Great Spotted Woodpeckers
2 Sky Larks
15 Pied Wagtails
26 Wrens
34 Blackbirds
6 Redwings
1 Willow Warbler
1 Chiffchaff
17 Magpies
4 Jays
1 Brambling
13 Greenfinches
4 Siskins
1 Linnets
5 Reed Buntings
(Ed Wilson)