22 Nov 18

Priorslee Lake and The Flash

Priorslee Lake: 06:25 – 09:20
The Flash: 09:25 – 10:15

0°C: Thick fog to start. Clear from c.07:30 if somewhat hazy. Clouded after 10:00. Calm. Bad visibility: moderate at best later

Sunrise: 07:44 GMT

Priorslee Lake: 06:25 – 09:20

(159th visit of the year)

The fog surprised me: had been clear when I left Newport. I walked up the concrete road towards Woodhouse Lane to try and see the Jackdaws skimming the fields. Of course they decided on a different course and flew, heard but unseen, over the E end of the lake

All was not entirely lost as I saw the dark shape of a Woodcock flying by as it went to roost for the day somewhere along the E bank of Castle Farm Way. I see a bird most winters somewhere around the lake. On all but the one occasion when I flushed one in snowy conditions my sightings have been well pre-dawn

Other bird notes:
the blue-ringed Mute Swan cygnet (7JNS) flew off E at 09:00
not sure why Tufted Duck numbers lower. Someone was obviously on the water yesterday collecting some of the floating weed and that may have disturbed some of them. However the normally more wary Pochard had increased in number. So ....?
2 Goosanders (1 drake) flew E at 07:40: then 6 (2 drakes) flew W at 07:45
the Cormorant probably came from The Flash – it arrived low from that direction. The other 2 flew S together much earlier
probably more Black-headed Gulls arrived and departed before the visibility was good-enough to see them
the Mistle Thrush flew on to its favourite song perch again: did not sing though
Greenfinches leaving a roost was my first such sighting for a number of year. It seems a long while ago (it is!) since I could log >400 leaving a roost here. Numbers have declined dramatically due to avian pox

Bird totals

Birds noted flying over or flying near the lake
2 Greylag Geese
4 Canada Geese.
2 (2♂) Mallard
8 (3♂) Goosander
2 Cormorants
7 Black-headed Gulls
2 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
21 Wood Pigeons (no groups)
Jackdaws heard only
3 Redwings (1 group)
1 Pied Wagtail

Birds leaving roosts around the lake
4 Greenfinches only

The counts from the lake area
1 + 1 Mute Swan again
6 (3♂) Gadwall as ever
12 (9♂) Mallard
8 (7♂) Pochard
115 (>58♂) Tufted Ducks
1 Cormorant
4 Little Grebes
2 Great Crested Grebes
1 Water Rail heard
7 Moorhens
109 Coots
>130 Black-headed Gulls
1 Lesser Black-backed Gull

And other notes
my log today consisted only of some late flowers
- 1 Grey Squirrel

All ready for the Christmas cards (don’t mention the C-word).

If you though male Blackbirds were glossy black then .... in detail quite a few pale fringes to the feathers. These will wear away during the winter and come Spring he will indeed be glossy black.

Mistle Thrush on his favourite perch.

Some frost photos from this morning: here is the frosted head of Common Hogweed (Heracleum sphondylium).

This is the frosted dead-head of a willowherb, likely Greater Willowherb (Epilobium hirsutum) though hard to tell without the leaves.

Not just bramble leaves that are highlighted by frost: these Common or Stinging Nettle (Urtica dioica) leaves are enhanced as well.

Certainly something you do not expect to see – frost on the flowers of Common Ragwort (Jacobaea vulgaris).

(Ed Wilson)

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The Flash: 09:25 – 10:15

(124th visit of the year)

Despite notices to the contrary the footbridges remain open and there was no sign of any workmen or their equipment

Bird notes from here
The man was banging his walking stick loudly again and most, but not all, the Goosanders left. The Tufted Duck did not though this disturbance may be why there are many fewer so far this winter. I doubt it has had any effect on the geese numbers
Redwing(s) heard but not located: in the trees or flying over?
colourful flock of 18 Goldfinches in Alders at the top end

Birds noted flying over / near The Flash
19 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
1 Herring Gull
1 Jackdaw

The counts from the water
2 + 1 Mute Swans
2 Canada Geese
30 (18♂) Mallard
10 (4♂) Tufted Duck
27 (5♂) Goosander
1 Great Crested Grebe still
2 Moorhens again
7 Coots only
33 Black-headed Gulls

More Goosander shots I am afraid. This is a great looking duck – we can tell it is not a juvenile by the extensive shaggy mane.

‘The man with the stick’ made his usual attempt to get rid of all the Goosanders. Here are some leaving – not all of them did so. The leading bird is a drake with the white across the width of the wing, as is the lower bird in the middle.

Later this pair seen leaving.

I never discovered what was causing all the commotion amongst the Black-headed Gulls, most unusually at the top end of the lake. Here they demonstrate that the have great ability to avoid collisions. Not sure about the bird(s) at the top right. Must be two birds I am sure – either that or a species new to science.

A Trio.

A typically noisy individual.

And one with its mouth shut ....

Getting in to contortions to dive for something

Another passes by.

After all that exercise time for a rest

There were 18 Goldfinches attacking the cones of the Alders at the top end of the water. Here is one of them.

(Ed Wilson)

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

2017
Priorslee Lake
Today's Sightings Here

2016
Priorslee Lake
Today's Sightings Here

2015
Priorslee Lake
Today's Sightings Here

2013
Priorslee Lake
8 Wigeon
6 Gadwall
4 Teal
2 Shoveler
2 Pochard
116 Tufted Duck
2 Water Rails
222 Coots
1 Snipe
c.90 Lapwing over
4 Yellow-legged gulls
1 Great Black-backed Gull
A Ring-billed x Lesser Black-backed Gull hybrid
134 Fieldfare
22 Redwings
171 Jackdaws
3 Ravens
3 Siskins
3 Redpolls
(Ed Wilson/John Isherwood/JW Reeves)

Horsehay Pool
Caspian Gull
1  Yellow-legged Gull
2 Great Black-backed Gulls
1 Kingfisher
12 Goosander
Raven
(JW Reeves)

2012
Priorslee Lake
3 Gadwall
8 Pochard
24 Tufted Ducks 
152 Coots 
8 Redwings
(Ed Wilson)

2008
Priorslee Lake
8 Great Crested Grebes
1 Cormorant
56 Greylag Geese
12 Pochard
187 Tufted Duck
1 Goosander
2 Water Rails
149 Coot
c.800 Black-headed
c.2200 Lesser Black-backed
<20 Herring Gulls
1st winter Common Gull
50 Redwings
8 Fieldfare
1 Treecreeper
c.1000 Starlings left a roost
c.20 Siskins
(Ed Wilson)

2006
Priorslee Lake
1 Little Grebe
23 Greylag Geese
27 Pochard
55 Tufted Ducks
3 Buzzards
>1650 Black-headed Gull
>4022 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
246 Wood Pigeons
1 Kingfisher
26 Robins
27 Blackbirds
4 Fieldfares
34 Redwings
male Blackcap
1 Willow Tit
246 Jackdaws
160 Rooks
8 Reed Buntings
(Ed Wilson)