5 Nov 18

Priorslee Lake and The Flash

Priorslee Lake: 06:20 – 09:00
The Flash: 09:05 – 09:55

8°C: Low cloud, dull and misty. Calm start; light SE wind later. Moderate /poor visibility

Sunrise: 07:13 GMT

Priorslee Lake: 06:20 – 09:00

(143rd visit of the year)

Very quiet in the dull and misty conditions

Bird notes:
- duck Shoveler was new but seemed to disappear
- drake and duck Pochard again: different drake to that seen yesterday as today’s bird was clearly a 1st winter bird whereas yesterday it was an adult
- 1 brownhead Goosander circled the lake at 07:25 and flew on. 19 birds in a tight group flew E, then NE at 07:40. Most, if not all, brownheads
- the lower count of Coots likely in part due to the poor visibility / low light levels
- c.110 Black-headed Gulls arrived early by 06:45 with the last 30 at least coming, unusually for first arrivals, from the NE. By 07:05 there were only 5 still on the lake: I was not in a position to see to where they had departed. Then after 07:20 >90 were seen arriving from the W – were these the same birds?
- a Water Rail was heard from a different location: I was not in place to hear the usual birds
- no Reed Buntings seen leaving roosts today: at least 5 calling though

Bird totals

Birds noted flying over or flying near the lake
- 20 (♂?) Goosanders
- 9 Wood Pigeons (no flocks)
- 134 Jackdaws
- 1 Fieldfare
- 12 Redwings (2 groups)
- 3 Pied Wagtails
- 1 Meadow Pipit
- 3 Goldfinches
- 3 Siskins

Birds leaving roosts around the lake
- 6 Redwings
- 7 Starlings only

The counts from the lake area
- 6 (3♂) Gadwall once more
- 5 (4♂) Mallard
- 1 (0♂) Shoveler
- 2 (1♂) Pochard again
- 83 (>39♂) Tufted Ducks
- 1 Cormorant again
- 3 Little Grebes
- 1 + 1 Great Crested Grebes still
- 1 Water Rail heard
- 8 Moorhens
- 94 Coots
- >110 Black-headed Gulls
- 1 Lesser Black-backed Gull

And other notes
- my log today consisted of just
- 1 Nursery Web Spider (Pisaura mirabilis) on a lamp pole

My best-ever photo of a Nursery Web Spider (Pisaura mirabilis), conveniently low-down on a lamp-pole this morning. The elongated shape and its habit of holding the two front pairs of legs together are good clues to its identity.

Some Autumn colour. These are Oak leaves from a small self-sown tree here.

(Ed Wilson)

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The Flash: 09:05 – 09:55

(113th visit of the year)

I was told today that the missing two cygnets were taken in to care by Cuan Wildlife Rescue as they were being attacked by the cob. It was thought these two were males and the cob was attempting to chase them away – prematurely because they were hatched very late. The remaining cygnet seems to get on OK, though the cob was not around this morning

Other notes from here
- spent some while searching in vain for what sounded like a ‘crest’ calling. It sounded wrong for a Goldcrest (which I also saw later). I am not sufficiently familiar with the similar call of Firecrest to be able to claim one without seeing it. Another one that ‘got away’ as I was unable to locate it
- a notable number of Blackbirds, both males and females, around this morning
and
- more fruiting bodies of Shaggy Inkcap / Lawyer's Wig (Coprinus comatus)
- 1 Grey Squirrel

Birds noted flying over / near The Flash
- 2 Wood Pigeons only

The counts from the water
- 1 + 1 Mute Swans again
- 4 Canada Geese
- 39 (23♂) Mallard
- 2 (0♂) Tufted Ducks
- 1 Grey Heron again
- 1 Great Crested Grebe still
- 3 Moorhens
- 7 Coots
- 15 Black-headed Gulls again

Only a Canada Goose, but what is that band across the breast and along the flanks? Just detritus on the surface that the goose has swum through and which had attached itself to the feathers.

Even in flat light, as there was this morning, it is still tricky to get detail in the head markings of an adult winter Black-headed Gull without ‘blowing out’ the pale blue-grey mantle and the white breast and flanks. Here we see the head clearly.

On this different bird I have tried to tone the white down somewhat.

One of today’s new fruiting bodies of Shaggy Inkcap / Lawyer's Wig (Coprinus comatus) fungus.

(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
3 Yellow Legged Gull
2 adult Great Black-backed Gulls
4 Gadwall
4 Wigeon
(John Isherwood)

2012
Priorslee Lake
c.80 Greylag Geese over 
2 Gadwall 
6 Pochard 
40 Tufted Ducks 
7 Moorhens 
c.130 Coots
2500 Wood Pigeons
580+ Jackdaws
45+ Rooks
Raven
1 Siskin
3 Redpolls
(Ed Wilson)

The Flash
106 Greylag Geese 
1 possible Bean Goose 
38 Canada Geese 
2 Pochard 
32 Tufted Duck 
17 Goosanders 
7 Moorhens 
7 Coots
(Ed Wilson)

2010
Priorslee Lake
10 Pochard
53 Tufted Duck 
2 Yellow-legged Gulls
513 Jackdaws
53 Rooks
732 Wood Pigeons
5 Meadow Pipits
503 Fieldfare
2 Song Thrushes
34 Redwings
1 Brambling
12 Chaffinches
2 Siskins
51 Linnets
(Ed Wilson)

Trench Lock Pool
Yellow-legged Gull
(Martin Grant)

2008
Priorslee Lake
1 Little Grebe 
15 Shoveler
1 Gadwall
10 Pochards 
117 Tufted Duck
2 Water Rails
100+
Many Redwings
4 Fieldfare
20+ Siskins
(Ed Wilson)

2006
Priorslee Lake
4 Great Crested Grebes
16 Pochard
55 Tufted Ducks
1 drake Ruddy Duck
c.600 Black-headed Gulls
189 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
803 Wood Pigeons
17 Pied Wagtails
19 Wrens
12 Dunnocks
30 Robins
21 Blackbirds
128 Fieldfares
4 Song Thrushes
24 Redwings
1 Mistle Thrush
13 Magpies
347 Jackdaws
160 Rooks
12 Carrion Crows
223 Starlings
2 Siskins
8 Reed Buntings
(Ed Wilson)

2005
Priorslee Lake
Water Rail 
Kingfisher
2 Dabchick
11 Pochard
35 Tufted Duck
3 Ruddy Duck
27 Redwing
10 Fieldfare
5 Reed Bunting
Redpoll
Siskin
101 Rooks
12 Carrion Crow
227 Jackdaws
3 Jay
12 Magpies 
1 Raven
1200 Wood Pigeon
(Martin Adlam)