12 Nov 18

Priorslee Lake and The Flash

Priorslee Lake: 06:20 – 09:10
The Flash: 09:15 – 09:55 again

6°C > 8°C: Clear for a while with cloud developing and distant shower clouds. Calm start: light S breeze later. Good visibility

Sunrise: 07:26 GMT

Priorslee Lake: 06:20 – 09:10

(150th visit of the year)

Best birds today were the Tawny Owl calling briefly in the Teece Drive gate area at 06:40; and what seemed to be a male Peregrine that flew W rather distantly to the S at 07:15 – really too far to be certain about its sex

Other bird notes:
- a second cygnet and an adult Mute Swan now. None of them having anything to do with each other
- significantly fewer Tufted Duck: weekend disturbance?
- 9 Little Grebes is far and away my highest-ever total here
- a party of 67 Golden Plover flew W to the N. For a change they were close-enough that I could positively recognise the species (usually it is the shape of the formation that identifies very distant groups). I could also seen them with my naked eye and specifically count them
- the Wood Pigeon groups were spread-out this morning as if they had yet to form into the usual tight parties
- unusual to find Fieldfare roosting in the trees here
- a Song Thrush heard singing quietly
- strange sight this morning of a Pied Wagtail perched in a tree – only for a few seconds but not something I can recall having seen before
- 2 Reed Buntings heard at the W end giving their somewhat hoarse call-note which is usually a prelude to their flying off from roost. I did not see them leave though

Bird totals

Birds noted flying over or flying near the lake
- 1 Peregrine
- 67 Golden Plover
- 7 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 3 Stock Doves (2 with Wood Pigeon groups)
- 349 Wood Pigeons (283 of these in 11 groups flying N/NE)
- 183 Jackdaws
- 14 Rooks
- 61 Fieldfares (5 groups)
- 29 Redwings (4 groups)
- 5 Pied Wagtails
- 4 Meadow Pipits again
- 4 Goldfinches
- 1 Siskin
- 1 Lesser Redpoll

Birds leaving roosts around the lake
- 18 Starlings
- 5 Fieldfares
- 3 Redwings

The counts from the lake area
- 1 + 2 Mute Swans
- 6 (3♂) Gadwall again
- 11 (7♂) Mallard
- 74 (>40♂) Tufted Ducks
- 1 Grey Heron
- 9 Little Grebes
- 2 Great Crested Grebes
- 1 Water Rail heard
- 7 Moorhens
- 97 Coots
- c.95 Black-headed Gulls
- 1 Lesser Black-backed Gull

And other notes
my log today consisted of
- female Mottled Umber moth on a lamp
- another Blewit fungus sp. (either Lepista nuda or Lepista saeva)

Another ‘last chance’ capture of Autumn colours splendidly lit by the low November morning sun.

Not a good picture, taken looking directly up at a street-lamp. Good enough to identify this as a female Mottled Umber moth. With many moths that are active in winter the female is either wingless (as here) or has vestigial wings that do not support flight. Thought to allow the female to devote all her energy in producing eggs. Food is clearly in short supply. Females apparently crawl up trees (and lamps!) to get in to position to attract the males, using pheromones

Another Wood Blewit (Lepista nuda) mushroom – if that is what they are. I have to say that on this specimen looks more like a Field Blewit (Lepista saeva) even though my books say that species should no longer be visible and that it prefers more open land This has emerged through the leaf litter since yesterday. I have done some ‘gardening’ to show it rather more clearly.

Although this was taken from my garden rather than Priorslee this is a fine-looking juvenile Sparrowhawk – adults have blue-grey backs. Looks like a female on size – as in most birds of prey the female is larger than the male.

It was many gardens away from me and this is a very enlarged image from a telephoto shot. Nevertheless when I hissed the effect was instantaneous and the bird immediately looked straight at me and fixed me with this stare.

(Ed Wilson)

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The Flash: 09:15 – 09:55

(117th visit of the year)

Notes from here
- another very quiet morning: cannot blame any fishing – there was none
- 1 Great Spotted Woodpecker was the most interesting record

Birds noted flying over / near The Flash
- 2 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 2 Jackdaws
- 2 Starlings

The counts from the water
- 2 + 1 Mute Swans again
- 1 Greylag Goose
- 1 Canada Goose
- 33 (19♂) Mallard
- 5 (4♂) Tufted Ducks
- 3 (0♂) Goosanders
- 2 Grey Herons
- 1 Great Crested Grebe
- 1 Moorhen again
- 10 Coots
- 38 Black-headed Gulls
- 1 Lesser Black-backed Gull

(Ed Wilson)

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

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

2016
Priorslee Lake
Today's Sightings Here

2015
Priorslee Lake
Today's Sightings Here

2014
Local Area
Today's Sightings Here

2013
Priorslee Lake
1 Wigeon 
7 Gadwall 
2 Teal 
59 Tufted Duck
1 Water Rail 
27 Moorhens 
239 Coots 
c.440 Wood Pigeons
8 Song Thrushes 
567 Fieldfare
26 Redwings 
270 Jackdaws
106 Rooks 
c.310 Starlings from roost
(Ed Wilson)

2012
Priorslee Lake
103 Starlings
3 Gadwall 
6 Pochard 
19 Tufted Ducks
8 Goosander
139 Coots
52 Redwings
55 Fieldfares 
571 Jackdaws
128 Rooks
(Ed Wilson)

2008
Priorslee Lake
8 Great Crested Grebes 
9 Cormorants
8 Pochard
117 Tufted Ducks 
2000+ Wood Pigeons
400+ Fieldfare
125+ Redwings
33 Starlings
10+ Siskins
(Ed Wilson)

2007
Priorslee Lake
Gadwall
Shoveler
2 Water Rails
c.50 Lapwings
c.150 Golden Plover
6 Redwings
3 Fieldfare
Chiffchaff
Several Siskins
(Ed Wilson)

2006
Priorslee Lake
65 Pochard
65 Tufted Ducks
1 eclipse drake Ruddy Duck
1 Water Rail
50 Coots
500+ Golden Plover
1 Woodcock
790+ Black-headed Gulls
1753+ Lesser Black-backed Gulls
962 Wood Pigeons
130 Fieldfare
93 Redwings
393 Jackdaws
135 Rooks
174 Starlings
34 Greenfinches
6 Reed Buntings
(Ed Wilson)

2005
Priorslee Lake
2 Little Grebe
9 Pochard
63 Tufted Duck
5 Ruddy Duck
Water Rail 
800 Black-headed Gull
Cormorant
10 Redwing
9 Reed Bunting
3 Redpoll
9 Siskin
(Martin Adlam)