26 Mar 18

Priorslee Lake and The Flash: then Trench Lock Pool and Trench Middle Pool

1.5°C > 8.5°C: Just a few scattered clouds. Frosty start. Very light and variable wind. Very good visibility

Sunrise: 06:59 BST

Highlight today was a Marsh Tit heard and then seen making its way quickly N along the W side of Trench Lock Pool. Very many years since I have seen this species in the Priorslee area and only my second record in Shropshire in the last two years. By amazing coincidence the previous record was just yesterday on the woodland feeder at the Venus Pool SOS Reserve

Other general comments about today
- almost all the gulls have now left
- with clear nights many migrants seem to have moved on. Against this trend an entirely unexpected Blackcap was heard and then seen singing at The Flash. At this date I would judge it to be a bird that has wintered in the area and had been tempted to sing by the early warm sunshine

Priorslee Lake: 05:55 – 07:00 // 08:00 – 09:20

(31st visit of the year)

Highlight here was a Meadow Pipit in the trees in the SW area. It is not that unusual to see this species perch in trees on Spring passage – I have never seen them do so on Autumn passage. New for me at this site this year – my 71st bird species here

The reduced duck numbers likely as a result of Sunday disturbance from the Telford Sailing Club’s boats.

Other notes from today:
- all the cygnets went for a fly together as they have done several days recently. The resident birds left the environs of the lake for the first time I can recall. They did not go far and were soon back
- arrived in good time for the early Jackdaw passage and was disappointed. 2 birds at the early time of 06:14. 5 groups followed some 8 minutes later with 32 the largest party. Just a few singles / pairs later. A much reduced total. Still no sign of any Rooks
- a Tree Creeper heard in song: my first here for some weeks
and
- nothing on the lamps
- Coltsfoot (Tussilago farfara) seen growing on the old Celestica site
- as yet unidentified fungus on dead wood

Today’s bird totals

Birds noted flying over / near the lake:
- 1 Greylag Goose (outbound)
- 2 Canada Geese (pair outbound)
- 2 (1♂) Mallard
- 1 Common Buzzard
- 31 Wood Pigeons
- 99 Jackdaws
- 2 Redwings

Warblers noted: figure in brackets is singing birds
- 2 (1) Chiffchaffs

The counts from the lake area
- 6 + 4 Mute Swans still
- 3 Canada Geese
- 5 (3♂) Gadwall
- 5 (3♂) Mallard as well
- 2 (2♂) Tufted Ducks only
- 1 Grey Heron
- 4 Great Crested Grebes
- 9 Moorhens
- 59 Coots

A pre-dawn silhouette view of a Grey Heron in breeding plumage – note the head streamers.

Some fungus on a stem broken-off by the weight of snow. Not had a chance to look at species ID as yet.

(Ed Wilson)

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The Flash: 07:10 – 07:50

(18th visit of the year)

The Blackcap (see main highlights) was new for me here this. Also new here were two Meadow Pipits seen overhead. My species count this year here now stands at 45

Other notes from today
- still only 1 Mute Swan seen: this is blue 7HJJ. I need to check but I recall this is the pen. If so where is the cob?
- two pairs of Mallard were doing their ‘sitting on roofs’ trick today – they only ever seem to do this at the start of the breeding season
- small but significant Wood Pigeon passage: birds flying in various directions
- 2 Song Thrushes in song: two other seen fighting

Birds noted flying over
- 34 Wood Pigeons (9 singles / groups)
- 2 Meadow Pipits

Warblers noted: figure in brackets is singing birds
- 1 (1) Blackcap

The counts from the water
- 1 Mute Swan only
- 4 Greylag Geese
- 28 Canada Geese
- the white feral goose as usual
- 14 (12♂) Mallard
- 43 (28♂) Tufted Ducks
- 1 Great Crested Grebe
- 6 Moorhens
- 19 Coots

A duck Mallard ‘roof sitting’.

The drake with her.

And a different pair also ‘roof-sitting’. These two were the only duck Mallard seen here today.

This Great Crested Grebe has caught a whopper.

After some while trying to get to grips with it – diving with it and coming with the fish at a different angle – it seemed to decide that it was too big and dropped it.

And ended up looking rather dishevelled for its efforts.

Talking of dishevelled ... a Wood Pigeon of course.

These will soon be hidden by leaves: it is a Magpie nest, probably being reused and refurbishes rather than having been constructed this year.

The colours and reflections in the almost still water make it look like a scene from a painting of a French along a canal.
Seen between the lake and The Flash
- a Moorhen by the upper pool

(Ed Wilson)

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Trench Lock Pool: 09:30 – 09:50 // 10:30 – 10:55

(11th visit of the year)

Work has been done to coppice trees along the N-side dam-face and in the NW corner. Whether it was at the behest of The Canal and River Trust (who manage this water) or the local Council no-one I spoke to seemed to know. I appreciate that the integrity of the dam is vital but just coppicing the trees seems unlikely to prevent the roots moving the stones. And the large willow in the NW corner could not have affected the dam at all. So why? What is more it is now glaringly obvious just how much plastic rubbish has collected near the outflow. Money might have been much better spent on removing this

Other notes from here
- the cob Mute Swan was raising its wings in threatening posture at some of his brood, but not others. Perhaps just the males?
- 6 Jays at least – perhaps 8. Flying around in noisy pairs making Buzzard-like noises as well as the usual murderous calls
- 1 Chiffchaff in song as I was leaving
with Jay, Chiffchaff and highlighted Marsh Tit all new for me in 2018 at this site my species total becomes 48.Indeed the Marsh Tit is my first-ever at this site

Birds noted flying over here [apart from the local Wood Pigeons and Jackdaws coming and going]
- 3 Common Buzzards
- 1 Lesser Black-backed Gull

Warblers noted: figure in brackets is singing birds
- 1 (1) Chiffchaffs

The counts from the water
- 1 + 6 Mute Swans
- 5 Canada Geese
- 3 (2♂) Mallard
- 1 (1♂) ‘feral’ Mallard again
- 21 (12♂) Tufted Ducks
- 2 Great Crested Grebes
- 3 Moorhens
- 29 Coots
- 1 Lesser Black-backed Gull briefly

Here we see the cut willow in the NW corner of the water, with another cut at the start of the dam and the Hawthorn hedge behind fiercely trimmed. Why?

And a zoom-in on the plastic and other rubbish that no-one thought to clear.

(Ed Wilson)

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Trench Middle Pool: 09:55 – 10:25

(11th visit of the year)

The work to restore the brown-stained area to the NW of the lake was featured on last night’s edition of Country File on BBC1

Other notes from here
- one of last year’s cygnets seemed to be missing – they were scattered about and hard to be 100% certain as you can never see ‘behind the island’
- Grey Wagtail seen: sometimes breeds (near?) here. My 38th bird species here this year

Birds noted flying over here
- 1 Wood Pigeon

The counts from the water
- 2 + 4 Mute Swans
- 22 Greylag Geese
- 48 Canada Geese
- 16 (14♂) Mallard
- [no obvious ‘feral’ Mallard noted]
- 9 (6♂) Tufted Duck
- 2 Cormorants
- 2 Great Crested Grebes
- 5 Moorhens
- 28 Coots

‘Handsome’ is a very appropriate word for this Greylag Goose.

A gang of Long-tailed Tits passed by. Here we see one ‘clutching at straws’ – nest material.

Trying to get the straw at the right angle to take away.

I do like Long-tailed Tits.

(Ed Wilson)

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

2017
Priorslee Lake
Today's Sightings Here

2016
Priorslee Lake
Today's Sightings Here

2015
Priorslee Lake
Today's Sightings Here

2014
Priorslee Lake
3 Great Crested Grebes
13 Cormorants
4 Greylag Geese
22 Tufted Duck
5 Sand Martins
6 Redwings
8 Chiffchaffs
>500 Jackdaws
(Ed Wilson)

The Flash
50 Tufted Ducks
4 Chiffchaffs
4 Siskins
(Ed Wilson)

2013
Priorslee Lake
1 Little Grebe
6 Great Crested Grebes
1 Cormorant
7 Wigeon 
2 Gadwall 
1 Pochard 
42 Tufted Ducks 
1 Great Black-backed Gull
Mediterranean Gull.
Ring-billed x Lesser Black-backed Gull.
>1500 Black-headed Gulls
2 Redwings
65 Magpies
25 Siskins
2 Reed Buntings
(Ed Wilson)

The Flash
2 Great Crested Grebes 
6 Swans
2 Pochard 
85 Tufted Duck 
(Ed Wilson)

2010
Priorslee Lake
3 Buzzards
1 Little Grebe 
5 Great Crested Grebe
4 Gadwall
36 Tufted Duck
c.160 Jackdaws
(Ed Wilson)

The Flash
4 Great Crested Grebe 
3 Greylag Geese 
32 Tufted Duck

Trench
1 Cormorant
43 Tufted Ducks
(Ed Wilson)

2007
Priorslee Lake
Little Ringed Plover
1 Cormorant
1 Mallard x Pintail
18 Tufted Duck
1 Ruddy Duck
1 Little Ringed Plover
1 Kittiwake
33 Wren
29 Robin
24 Blackbird
3 Chiffchaff
39 Magpie
3 Greenfinch
6 Reed Bunting
(Ed Wilson)

The Flash
8 Great Crested Grebe
2 Pochard
27 Tufted Duck
1 Snipe
3 Chiffchaff
2 Reed Bunting
(Ed Wilson)

2006
Priorslee Lake
1 Barn Owl
1 Little Grebe
5 Great Crested Grebes
1 Shoveler
30 Tufted Ducks
2 Water Rails
321 Wood Pigeons
2 Sky Larks
5 Meadow Pipits
33 Wrens
21 Robins
21 Blackbirds
1 Fieldfare
3 Redwings
1 Chiffchaff
1 Willow Tit
18 Greenfinches
8 Siskins
1 Linnet
6 Reed Buntings
1 Yellowhammer.
(Ed Wilson)