1.5°C > 5.0°C: Clear start: few stratus clouds for a while before clearing again: later both thin high cloud and puffy lower cloud built up. Light N wind, veering ENE. Very good visibility
Sunrise: 06:45 BST
Priorslee Lake: 05:50 – 07:30 // 08:30 – 09:40
(37th visit of the year)
I see the Council had decreed it possibly icy this morning and dispatched gritters. Clearly they have set routes which they cannot deviate from so the cul-de-sac that is Teece Drive leading only to the school was given the full treatment when there was no-one (other than me) to use it
Notes from today:
- many of the Magpies are still using the roost even though they then spend a lot of time maintaining and sitting around at their nests: at least 46 seen leaving
- 3 Jays together was rather unusual
- the clear weather and good visibility gave me a good view of the Jackdaws dispersal this morning and enough time to make a much more accurate count of the 21 groups, many some way to the E. There were still 2 birds some minutes ahead of the main parties - >10 minutes earlier than recently
- 2 of the singing Chiffchaffs still disputing territory around the Wesley Brook bridge. Many of the other birds heard rather briefly and may have been moving through
- no repeat of yesterday’s Willow Warbler here (or anywhere else)
- 1 Redwing heard again in trees at the W well pre- the non-dawn: one (the same?) seen later
- Song Thrushes heard singing from nine different locations. However many sang briefly and I suspect no more than five birds were involved, moving around to establish ‘their’ territory
- the Mistle Thrush heard in very distant song – at the moment singing well towards the Priorslee Avenue end of the Ricoh copse
- a loose party of 9 finches flew NW across the dam c.08:50. On size it seems likely these were Greenfinches. Unusually no calls were heard
and
- another, larger, White-legged Snake Millipede (Tachypodoiulus niger) found on one of the lamps
Today’s bird totals
Birds noted flying over / near the lake:
- 6 Greylag Geese
- 5 Canada Geese
- 4 Cormorants
- 1 Grey Heron
- 1 Common Buzzard
- 6 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 1 Stock Dove
- 37 Wood Pigeons
- 344 Jackdaws
- 2 Goldfinches
- 9 finch sp. (see notes)
- 3 Siskins
Hirundine count
none
Warblers noted: figure in brackets is singing birds
- 11 (9) Chiffchaffs
The counts from the lake area
- 6 + 4 Mute Swans
- 1 Greylag Goose
- 3 Canada Geese
- 7 (5♂) Mallard again
- 2 (1♂) Tufted Ducks
- 3 Great Crested Grebes
- 5 Moorhens
- 52 Coots
Followed by a sunrise just catching a few low stratus clouds.
‘Only’ a Blue Tit, but a perky little fellow (or fellowess – I can’t tell: I assume they can).
A male Bullfinch doing what Bullfinches do best – eating buds.
A better view of a White-legged Snake Millipede (Tachypodoiulus niger) than I managed last time.
Here showing the white legs clearly.
(Ed Wilson)
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The Flash: 07:40 – 08:20
(23rd visit of the year)
Notes from today
- two of the Chiffchaffs were together, one calling and the other silent, working their way up the W side before apparently flying off high N together
Birds noted flying over
None
Warblers noted: figure in brackets is singing birds
- 4 (2) Chiffchaff
The counts from the water
- 2 Mute Swans
- 1 Greylag x Canada Goose
- 18 Canada Geese
- the white feral goose as ever
- 14 (12♂) Mallard once more
- 57 (38♂) Tufted Ducks
- 2 Great Crested Grebes
- 4 Moorhens
- 19 Coots
Noted between the lake and The Flash
- 2 Canada Geese on the lower pool
- 1 (1♂) Mallard also on the lower pool
- 1 Moorhen – guess where?
This female Blackbird was almost too close!
A Song Thrush standing to attention.
A fine dumpy Robin.
(Ed Wilson)
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Trench Lock Pool: 09:50 – 10:00 // 10:35 – 11:00
(12th visit of the year)
Notes from here
- the cob Mute Swan seen to be getting ‘close to’ one of his cygnets from last year: oh er missus
- the over flying Lesser Black-backed Gulls were very high and rather distant
- 1 Chiffchaff in song again
Birds noted flying over here [apart from the local Wood Pigeons and Jackdaws coming and going]
- 1 Common Buzzard
- 4 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
and
- Daisy (Bellis perennis) noted in flower
Warblers noted: figure in brackets is singing birds
- 1 (1) Chiffchaffs again
The counts from the water
- 1 + 6 Mute Swans again
- 7 Canada Geese
- 5 (3♂) Mallard
- 1 (1♂) ‘feral’ Mallard as usual
- 13 (9♂) Tufted Ducks
- 2 Great Crested Grebes again
- 5 Moorhens
- 31 Coots
(Ed Wilson)
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Trench Middle Pool: 10:05 – 10:30
(12th visit of the year)
Notes from here
- Martin Grant tells me that the missing last year’s cygnet has been taken in to care
- not sure where the erstwhile ‘feral’ Mallards could have gone. I have never seen any of them fly – but then most of the ‘real’ Mallards do not seen too inclined to do so anyway
- and where do all the Moorhens go? A few hide around the edges but does not account for the anything up to that occur in mid-Winter
Birds noted flying over here
None
The counts from the water
- 2 + 4 Mute Swans again
- 13 Greylag Geese
- 62 Canada Geese
- 12 (11♂) Mallard
- 2 (1♂) Tufted Duck
- 2 Great Crested Grebes
- 3 Moorhens
- 28 Coots again
Someone buy the Environment Agency a dictionary (or a spell-checker)!
(Ed Wilson)
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On this day..........
2017Priorslee Lake
Today's Sightings Here
2016
Priorslee Lake
Today's Sightings Here
2015
Priorslee Lake
Today's Sightings Here
2014
Priorslee Lake
1 Sand Martin
4 Great Crested Grebes
9 Tufted Duck
2 Blackcaps
6 Chiffchaffs
127 Jackdaws
(Ed Wilson)
The Flash
1 Sand Martin
2 Teal
45 Tufted Ducks
1 Blackcap
4 Chiffchaffs
(Ed Wilson)
Woodhouse Lane
1 Chiffchaff
2 Linnets
4 Yellowhammer
(Ed Wilson)
2013
Priorslee Lake
1 Kittiwake
5 Gadwall
7 Wigeon
Kestrel
Sparrowhawk
Willow Tit
(John Isherwood, Jim Almond, Arthur Harper)
Horsehay Pool
2 Mandarin Ducks
(Jim Almond)
2009
Priorslee Lake
3 Great Crested Grebe
8 Tufted Duck
3 Chiffchaff
(Ed Wilson)
Trench
2 Great Crested Grebe
2 Cormorant
32 Tufted Duck
2 Chiffchaff
(Ed Wilson)
Priorslee Flash
33 Tufted Duck
2 Chiffchaff
1 Willow Warbler
2007
The Flash
1 Shoveler
(John Isherwood)
2006
Priorslee Lake
7 Great Crested Grebes
9 Tufted Ducks
1 Ruddy Duck
184 Wood Pigeons
2 Stock Doves
1 House Martin
5 Sand Martins
1 Curlew
1 Great Spotted Woodpecker
1 Sky Lark
2 Meadow Pipits
25 Wrens
20 Robins
27 Blackbirds
1 Redwing
2 Willow Warblers
3 Chiffchaffs
1 Willow Tit
10 Greenfinches
2 Siskins
5 Reed Buntings
(Ed Wilson)