Priorslee Lake: 06:25 – 09:25
The Flash: 09:30 – 10:10
4°C > 6°C: Mainly cloudy start, clearing from SE though with shower to the N later. Light N wind fell away at times. Very good visibility.
Sunrise: 07:40 GMT
Priorslee Lake: 06:25 – 09:25
(157th visit of the year)
Bird notes:
- as a postscript to recent logs of a blue-ringed Mute Swan cygnet here the bird was hatched and ringed earlier this year on Ellerton Mill pool, about 5 miles north of Newport
- 6 geese seen flying S to the far E c.09:00: too far to identify
- drake Wigeon and one of the pairs of Gadwall gone; a duck Teal new in
- another increase in Tufted Duck numbers
- over-flights in various directions this morning. The Wood Pigeons were heading S; the Fieldfares E; and the Redwings N. Make of that what you will!
- I flushed only about 15 Magpies from their roost area in the NW. Numbers do build up through the winter, though this seems a rather low count. Perhaps disturbance from the housing works? At least 2 birds roosted in the NE area which is unusual
- many Redwings heard pre-dawn seemed to be calling while passing overhead rather than from roost sites in trees. No idea how many birds involved and nothing included in the log for these birds
- Meadow Pipits continue to confuse. Again two birds seemed to be flying off from the dam area: I had been standing on the dam for >15 minutes and I can’t believe they were there. Perhaps they were deciding against landing? Later another seemed as if it might have taken off from the football field, but again I had not seen it on the grass there. Until this is resolved these are logged as ‘overflights’
Bird totals
Birds noted flying over or flying near the lake
- 6 geese sp.
- 1 Common Buzzard
- 1 Sparrowhawk
- 10 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 28 Feral / Racing Pigeons (2 groups)
- 68 Wood Pigeons (33 of these in 2 groups S)
- 99 Jackdaws
- 1 Raven
- 5 Fieldfares (a trio and pair E)
- >37 Redwings (1 group N: see also notes)
- 1 Pied Wagtail again
- 3 Meadow Pipits (see notes)
- 3 Siskins
Birds leaving roosts around the lake
- 5 Redwings only
The counts from the lake area
- 1 Mute Swan
- 1 (0♂) Teal
- 6 (3♂) Gadwall
- 9 (7♂) Mallard
- 7 (5♂) Pochard
- 141 (>55♂) Tufted Ducks
- 1 Grey Heron
- 4 Little Grebes
- 2 Great Crested Grebes
- 7 Moorhens
- 114 Coots
- 118 Black-headed Gulls
And other notes
my log today consisted only of some late flowers
- Red Clover (Trifolium pratense)
- Yarrow (Achillea millefolium)
A rather brooding start, though the clearance visible to the E brought some sun.
(Ed Wilson)
Also from Priorslee Lake, a few photos from Mark Williams today of a Water Rail, Grey Wagtail, Goldfinch and Robin
The Flash: 09:30 – 10:10
(123rd visit of the year)
Notes from here
- just about the only interest at the moment are the Goosanders. Today an ex-fisherman took it upon himself (not for the first time) to bang his walking stick loudly and flush all these birds
- for the next few days a circuit will not be possible as the footbridges over the two cut-offs are being repaired / maintained / replaced
Birds noted flying over / near The Flash
- 1 Common Buzzard
- 3 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
The counts from the water
- 2 + 1 Mute Swans again
- 32 (20♂) Mallard
- 1 (0♂) Tufted Duck
- 25 (5♂) Goosander
- 1 Cormorant
- 1 Grey Heron as usual
- 1 Great Crested Grebe as usual
- 1 Moorhens
- 11 Coots
- 24 Black-headed Gulls
- 1 Lesser Black-backed Gull
Can often get much closer to birds at The Flash than the lake. This flying adult winter Black-headed Gull is a case in point. Shows the wing-marking to good effect and also the clean white tail of a full adult. A 2nd winter bird would have a similar wing-pattern but almost always show a few dark marks as remnant of the immature bird’s tail-band.
(Ed Wilson)
Trench Pool
A male Mandarin and 25 Goosander which may well be the birds driven off The Flash by an angler this morning.
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Also from Priorslee Lake, a few photos from Mark Williams today of a Water Rail, Grey Wagtail, Goldfinch and Robin
Water Rail
Water Rail
Grey Wagtail
Grey Wagtail
Goldfinch
Robin
(Mark Williams)
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The Flash: 09:30 – 10:10
(123rd visit of the year)
Notes from here
- just about the only interest at the moment are the Goosanders. Today an ex-fisherman took it upon himself (not for the first time) to bang his walking stick loudly and flush all these birds
- for the next few days a circuit will not be possible as the footbridges over the two cut-offs are being repaired / maintained / replaced
Birds noted flying over / near The Flash
- 1 Common Buzzard
- 3 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
The counts from the water
- 2 + 1 Mute Swans again
- 32 (20♂) Mallard
- 1 (0♂) Tufted Duck
- 25 (5♂) Goosander
- 1 Cormorant
- 1 Grey Heron as usual
- 1 Great Crested Grebe as usual
- 1 Moorhens
- 11 Coots
- 24 Black-headed Gulls
- 1 Lesser Black-backed Gull
(Ed Wilson)
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Trench Pool
A male Mandarin and 25 Goosander which may well be the birds driven off The Flash by an angler this morning.
Kriss (Spider) Webb
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On this day..........
2017Priorslee Lake
Today's Sightings Here
2016
Priorslee Lake
Today's Sightings Here
2014
Local area
Today's Sightings Here
2012
Priorslee Lake
3 Gadwall
8 Pochard
15 Tufted Ducks
149 Coots
286 Redwings
84 Fieldfares
c.350 Jackdaws but no Rooks seen.
(Ed Wilson / John Isherwood)
2009
Priorslee Lake
42 Mute Swan
1 Wigeon
c. 45 Tufted
36 Pochard
c. 240 Coot
c. 400 Lesser Black-backed Gull
c. 120 Black-headed Gull
10 Herring Gull
3 Yellow Legged Gull
(Mike Cooper)
2007
Priorslee Lake
1 male Stonechat showing well near to sailing club hut.
1 Gadwall
(John Isherwood)
2006
Priorslee Lake
31 Pochard
52 Tufted Ducks
8 Lapwings
>550 Black-headed Gulls
187 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
239 Wood Pigeons
40 Robins
32 Blackbirds
60 Fieldfares
11 Redwings
1 Willow Tit
310 Jackdaws
150 Rooks
35 Greenfinch
6 Reed Buntings
(Ed Wilson)
2005
Priorslee Lake
18 Pochard
55 Tufted Duck
3 Ruddy Duck
1 Wigeon
c.200 Coot
4 Cormorant
C.750 birds
24 Fieldfare
3 Redpoll
12 Siskin
5 Reed Bunting
1 Willow Tit
(Martin Adlam)