Priorslee Lake: 06:10 – 09:25
The Flash: 09:30 – 10:00
0°C > 3°C: Spell of sleety rain until c.07:25 then cleared but still cloudy. Moderate NW wind. Moderate visibility in rain, otherwise very good
Sunrise: 07:02 GMT
Priorslee Lake: 06:10 – 09:25
(137th visit of the year)
Viewing conditions not as good as yesterday mid-morning. However there were clearly many fewer Tufted Ducks today even though a 100% accurate total was precluded by many birds flying about and others continually diving
Other bird notes:
- the cygnets made separate sorties without adult attendance all within the confines of the lake
- 4 duck Wigeon were birds I did not note yesterday
- one pair of Mallard was seen mating
- at least 4 Little Grebes – in three different locations, all visible at the same time
- a 1st winter Herring Gull dropped in for a wash and brush-up at dawn. Otherwise all the large gulls seen were Lesser Black-backed Gulls. Both visiting and over-flying birds were all singles, birds staying on the lake for only a few minutes
- the Wood Pigeons were almost un-migrating today with all the groups flying N and / or NE. I assume these birds had been on the Shropshire Hills when the sleety rain started and were moving towards clearer conditions they could see spreading from the NE
- first significant roost dispersal of Reed Buntings this winter: a group of 4 and a single bird later
Bird totals
Birds noted flying over or flying near the lake
- 2 Greylag Geese
- 2 (1♂) Mallard
- 9 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 1 Feral Pigeon
- 179 Wood Pigeons (161 migrants? in 9 groups)
- 132 Jackdaws
- 1 Rook
- 2 Ravens
- 20 Starlings (3 groups)
- 15 Fieldfare (4 groups)
- 108 Redwings (8 groups)
- 1 Pied Wagtail again
- 2 Chaffinches
- 5 Goldfinches
- 8 Siskins
Birds leaving roosts around the lake
- 24 Starlings (1 group)
- 2 Redwing at least (heard only)
- 5 Reed Buntings
The counts from the lake area
- 2 + 3 (1 brood) Mute Swans again
- 4 (0♂) Wigeon
- 6 (3♂) Gadwall again
- 14 (10♂) Mallard
- 5 (3♂) Pochard
- 107 (?♂) Tufted Ducks
- 1 Grey Heron
- 4 Little Grebes
- 3 + 1 (1 brood) Great Crested Grebes
- 2 Water Rails heard
- 9 Moorhens
- 109 Coots
- 16 Black-headed Gulls only
- 8 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 1 Herring Gull
And other notes
- my log today consisted of just
- 1 Grey Squirrel
If you were a prey item the last thing you might see is this.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Flash: 09:30 – 10:00
(109th visit of the year)
A party of 6 over-flying Redwings surprised me by being my first record from here this year. My 2018 site bird species total moves to 71
Apart from these very quiet again: where have all the birds gone?
Notes from here
- just one cygnet seen today. Meanwhile two adult Mute Swans, presumably the residents though the rings were not read, chasing another unringed adult around: to little effect
- all bar 2 of the Canada Geese left while I was present
and
- 1 presumed Garden Spider found on a lamp
Birds noted flying over / near The Flash
- 1 Common Buzzard again
- 1 Jackdaw
- 6 Redwings
- 10 Goldfinches
The counts from the water
- 3 + 1 Mute Swans
- 25 Canada Geese
- 40 (25♂) Mallard
- [no Tufted Ducks]
- 1 Grey Heron
- 1 Great Crested Grebe
- 3 Moorhens again
- 7 Coots
- 23 Black-headed Gulls
(Ed Wilson)
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
On this day..........
2015Priorslee Lake
Today's Sightings Here
2014
Priorslee Lake
Today's Sightings Here
2010
Priorslee Lake
10 Swans
c.60 Golden Plover
c.200 Starlings left a roost in the reeds at the W end
763 Wood Pigeons
3 Sky Larks
7 Meadow Pipits
165 Fieldfare
9 Redwings
4 Siskins
3 Linnets
1 Redpoll
(Ed Wilson)
2009
Priorslee Lake
8 Wigeon
20 Pochard
(John Isherwood)
The Flash
1 Goosander
1 Teal
(John Isherwood)
2006
Priorslee Lake
100 Jackdaw
130 Rooks
1 Buzzard
Kestrel
c.60 Golden Plover
(Martin Adlam)
2005
Priorslee Lake
450 to 500 Starlings left the roost
11 Pochard
47 Tufted Duck
Pair of Ruddy Duck
200+ Coot
1 Dunlin
104 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
100 Black-headed Gulls
Kingfisher
A Buzzard was seen feeding on earthworms and possibly beetles
2000+ Wood Pigeon
62 Redwing
54 Fieldfare
3 Song Thrushes
(Martin Adlam)