8 Mar 18

The Flash and Priorslee Lake

6.5°C > 7.0°C: Cleared after rain. Moderate / fresh W wind. Very good visibility

Sunrise: 06:41 GMT

With snow and rain forecast I decided to wait for the clearance and restrict my visit to ‘hardstanding’: a complete lap of The Flash with a count of the water birds from the dam at the lake

The Flash: 12:35 – 13:05

(15th visit of the year)

No ice

Notes from today
- high count of Tufted Ducks: refugees from the lake
- the 3rd Great Crested Grebe seemed to be 1st year bird
- male Bullfinch seen at both ends of the lake

Birds noted flying over
- 1 Buzzard
- 13 Jackdaws

The counts from the water
- 2 Mute Swans
- 40 Canada Geese
- 1 white feral goose as usual
- 17 (11♂) Mallard
- 2 (2♂) Pochard
- 54 (33♂) Tufted Ducks
- 4 (0♂) Goosanders
- 3 Great Crested Grebes
- 6 Moorhens
- 23 Coots again
- 74 Black-headed Gulls

(Ed Wilson)

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Priorslee Lake: 12:35 – 13:05

(27th visit of the year)

The wisdom my normal early starts was reinforced by the very poor counts: all the Tufted Ducks gone (to loaf at The Flash?) and but a single Black-headed Gull

Notes from today:
- the over flying Goosander could just possibly have lifted from the lake though I had not seen it
- low Coot count perhaps due to birds already on nests in the reeds

Birds noted flying over / near the lake:
- 1 (1) Goosander

The counts from the lake area
- 10 + 5 Mute Swans
- 5 (3♂) Gadwall
- 1 (1♂) Mallard
- no Tufted Ducks
- 1 Little Grebe
- 4 Great Crested Grebes
- 5 Moorhens
- 77 Coots
- 1 Black-headed Gull only

(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

2012
Priorslee Lake
1 Iceland Gull
2 Great Black-backed Gulls
(John Isherwood)

Holmer Lake
1 Goosander
(John Isherwood)

2011
Priorslee Lake
13 Pochard
41 Tufted Ducks
1 Oystercatcher
(Ed Wilson)

2007
Priorslee Lake
9 Cormorant
15 Tufted Duck
1 Woodcock
311 Wood Pigeon
36 Robin
24 Blackbird
10 Redwing
53 Magpie
5 Reed Bunting
(Ed Wilson)

2006
Priorslee Lake
1 Ruddy Duck
1 Little Grebe
4 Great Crested Grebes
2 Herons
1 Cormorant
6 Pochard
42 Tufted Ducks
2 Ruddy Ducks
103 Coots
1 Water Rail
1 Ring-billed Gull
141 Wood Pigeon
142 Jackdaws
23 Blackbirds
11 Song Thrushes
1 Redwing
14 Greenfinches
6 Reed Buntings.
(Ed Wilson and et al)