29 Oct 18

Priorslee Lake: then Trench Lock Pool and Trench Middle Pool

Priorslee Lake: 11:15 – 11:45
Trench Lock Pool: 11:55 – 12:20
Trench Middle Pool: 12:25 – 13:00

5°C > 7°C: Now clear after fog. Almost calm. Very good visibility

Sunrise: 07:00 GMT

The very foggy start suggested that an early visit would not be productive

Best sighting was a rather late Common Sandpiper on the mud at Trench Lock Pool. My latest-ever in Shropshire. Birds do over winter on the S coast most years but not usually inland

Priorslee Lake: 11:15 – 11:45

(136th visit of the year)

Bird notes
- the Swans all back from yesterday’s adventure
- even bigger count of Tufted Ducks
- the dire numbers of gulls continues

Just the counts from the lake area toady
- 2 + 3 (1 brood) Mute Swans
- 6 (3♂) Gadwall
- 5 (4♂) Mallard
- 2 (2♂) Pochard
- 168 (>58♂) Tufted Ducks
- 2 Grey Herons
- 3 Little Grebes
- 2 + 1 (1 brood) Great Crested Grebes
- 4 Moorhens
- 124 Coots
- 11 Black-headed Gulls

(Ed Wilson)

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Trench Lock Pool: 11:55 – 12:20

(17th visit of the year)

Bird notes from here
- the Shoveler were fast asleep in the middle: they looked like immature drakes in partial plumage
- the unexpected Common Sandpiper was my first of the year here and only my 3rd ever at this site, my last record being on 14 July 2015. It was also may latest date in the area
- very few gulls again. Once more 2 Lesser Black-backed Gulls but today one of these was an immature. They both flew off
- 2 Great Spotted Woodpeckers calling loudly and chasing in trees alongside The Blue Pig
- Grey Wagtail here again

Birds noted flying over / near here
[apart from the local Wood Pigeons and Jackdaws coming and going]
- 4 Buzzards circling in the distance

The counts from the water
- 14 Mute Swans
- 24 Canada Geese
- 5 (1♂) Teal
- 37 (22♂) Mallard
- 1 (1♂) ‘feral’ Mallard as usual
- 3 (3?♂) Shoveler
- 18 (6♂)Tufted Ducks
- 6 Cormorants
- 1 Grey Heron
- 1 Little Grebe
- 1 + 3 (1 brood?) Great Crested Grebes
- 8 Moorhens
- 193 Coots
- 1 Common Sandpiper
- 12 Black-headed Gulls
- 2 Lesser Black-backed Gulls

Very much a record shot of a rather distant Common Sandpiper. The bill is hard to see against the background. We can however see the white area up the shoulder that characterises this species. From the mottling on the back feathers I suspect this is a 1st winter bird.

Two of the three Shoveler that were asleep here. The rufous tones and the large pale-fringed flank feathers point to immature drake Shoveler. On the left-hand bird the shape of the head running in to the bill supports the species ID.

Here is the third bird. Note it too is showing a white eye. This is the nictitating membrane – a translucent third eyelid – that protects the eye and which they can see through well-enough when loafing on the water.

(Ed Wilson)

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Trench Middle Pool: 12:25 – 13:00

(16th visit of the year)

Notes from here
- yet another high count of Goosanders: there cannot be many fish left! Two drakes in full breeding plumage today
- only 1 Great Crested Grebe found: surprisingly hard to find in amongst all the Goosanders
and
- 1 Grey Squirrel again

Birds noted flying over / near here
- 1 Common Buzzard
- 1 Jackdaw

The counts from the water
- 2 + 2 Mute Swans
- 2 Greylag Geese still
- 25 Canada Geese
- 30 (22♂) Mallard
- 1 (0♂) ‘feral’ Mallard again
- 4 (2♂) Tufted Ducks
- 37 (>2♂) Goosander
- 2 Grey Herons
- 1 Great Crested Grebe
- 10 Moorhens again
- 27 Coots
- 71 Black-headed Gulls
- 1 Lesser Black-backed Gull again

A whole gaggle (not the right collective noun I am sure) of Goosanders at Middle Pool today. With careful approach was able to get some decent shots despite the inherent wariness of these birds. Here is a duck. This bird shows extensive ‘crest’ on the nape [apparently the collective noun is ‘dopping’ – ‘a dopping of Goosanders’!].

And another.

A third duck having a preen.

A fourth stretching after its preen.

And yet another wing-flapping after its preen. At this time of year it is not easy to separate immature birds and ducks (females) – colloquially all ‘brownheads’. Here we see that the white goes only part way across the inner wing and the inner fore-wing is pale grey. Thus it is a duck. Even on an immature drake the white would cover the complete inner wing.

This drake Goosander is powering along looking for fish. Note the very bright feet.

And here he is almost in breeding plumage. Still a hint of brown in the head behind the eye and a couple of grey feathers along the flanks. The breast and belly will eventually acquire a pinkish tone, but not until the new year.

For direct comparison with the drake a duck swims by.

(Ed Wilson)

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

2016
Priorslee Lake
Today's Sightings Here

2015
Priorslee Lake
Today's Sightings Here

2014
Priorslee Lake
Today's Sightings Here

2013
Priorslee Lake
7 Gadwall
1 Teal
1 Raven
(John Isherwood)

The Flash
Location
1 Pochard
1 Teal
(John Isherwood)

2012
Priorslee Lake
1 Yellow legged Gull
2 Gadwall
1 Shoveler
1 Wigeon
Chiffchaff
10+ Fieldfare
Siskin
Willow Tit
(John Isherwood)

The Flash
Location
3 Pochard
Sparrowhawk
(John Isherwood)

2010
Priorslee Lake
34 Pochard a high count 
500+  Lesser Black-backed Gulls
432 Jackdaws
228 Rooks
171 Fieldfare
5 Redwings
2 Siskins
4 Linnets
(Ed Wilson)

2006
Priorslee Lake
115 Canada Geese
9 Pochard
52 Tufted Ducks
1 Kestrel
c.200 Golden Plover
23 Pied Wagtails
17 Robins
18 Blackbirds
12 Song Thrushes
70 Redwing
1 Mistle Thrush
9 Fieldfare
1 Chiffchaff
1 Blackcap
1 Willow Tit
195 Jackdaws
206 Rooks
31 Greenfinches
4 Redpoll
10 Reed Buntings
(Martin Adlam)

2005
Priorslee Lake
Buzzard feeding on earthworms, mobbed by Black-headed Gulls
1 Raven
7 Pied Wagtails
3 Grey Wagtail
11 Meadow Pipits
Kingfisher
1700+ Wood Pigeon
192 Redwing
111 Fieldfare
(Martin Adlam)