Priorslee Lake: 06:30 – 09:40
Trench Lock Pool: 09:50 – 10:05 // 10:45 – 11:10
Trench Middle Pool: 10:10 – 10:40
6°C > 8°C: Variable amounts of cloud, clearest to S & W early; and then to N later. Light W wind. Very good visibility
Sunrise: 08:10 GMT
Priorslee Lake: 06:30 – 09:40
(176th visit of the year)
Some movement of Wood Pigeons and winter thrushes, mainly W / NW. What do they know about the forthcoming weather?
Bird notes:
- the number of Tufted Ducks reduced again. Perhaps some of the birds that flew to The Flash yesterday did not return
- the first 9 Black-headed Gulls arrived very late at 07:40
- both the Wood Pigeon groups were rather low-level loose groups more indicative of local movement or birds flushed from fields rather than weather movement / migration
- the first c.140 Jackdaws were also rather late at 07:35: a party of 57 at 07:52 was even later. A few others
- many of the thrush flocks were mixed – both Fieldfare and Redwing. I tried to sort out how many of each – not easy in a flock of 110
- in addition to the fly-over Redwings a party of 13 birds paused for at least 30 seconds on trees in the NE part of the lake and does not therefore qualify
- 6 Reed Buntings seen leaving the W end roost: at least 2 more still calling and may lave left later
Bird totals
Birds noted flying over or flying near the lake
- 4 (?♂) Goosanders
- 14 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 1 Stock Dove again
- 287 Wood Pigeons (218 of these in 2 groups W)
- c.210 Jackdaws
- 1 Starling
- 159 Fieldfares (7 groups)
- 254 Redwings (12 groups)
- 2 Pied Wagtails
Birds leaving roosts around the lake
- [Magpies not counted]
- 7 Redwings
- 6 Reed Buntings
The counts from the lake area
- 2 + 1 Mute Swans
- 8 (4♂) Gadwall again
- 6 (5♂) Mallard
- 11 (10♂) Pochard
- 60 (35♂) Tufted Ducks
- 1 Grey Heron again
- 2 Little Grebes
- 3 Great Crested Grebes
- 10 Moorhens again
- 89 Coots
- c.175 Black-headed Gulls
And other notes
My log of other things
- 7 Winter Moths
- 1 Mottled Umber moth: same as last 3 days
- 1 harvestman (Paroligolophus agrestis)
- 1 stretch spider sp.
- 1 spider sp
- Common Ragwort (Jacobaea vulgaris) still in flower
The sunrise was the wrong-way around this morning. This looking west.
I never can resist my favourite UK drake – a Gadwall.
This really should not be flowering in December: this is Common Ragwort (Jacobaea vulgaris).
(Ed Wilson)
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Trench Lock Pool: 09:50 – 10:05 // 10:45 – 11:10
(28th visit of the year)
Bird notes from here
- Goosander count again ‘best effort’. Very likely more birds. A few were arriving throughout and some also left. No ‘mass exodus’ though
- the Fieldfares overhead were my first this year here: the 2018 site total moves to 55 bird species
Birds noted flying over / near here
[excluding the local Wood Pigeons and Jackdaws coming and going]
- 9 Starlings
- 25 Fieldfares
The counts from the water
- 1 Mute Swan
- 14 Canada Geese
- 3 (2♂) Mallard
- [‘feral’ Mallard not seen]
- 24 (8♂)Tufted Ducks
- >88 (>24♂) Goosanders (see notes)
- 1 Grey Heron
- 3 Little Grebes
- 1 Great Crested Grebe only
- 4 Moorhens
- 142 Coots
- 14 Black-headed Gulls
- 1 Lesser Black-backed Gull
- 1 Herring Gull briefly
Goosanders were flying in, out and around making the number hard to determine. Here 8 in flight.
And a different group of 9 with just one drake – the bottom bird.
(Ed Wilson)
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Trench Middle Pool: 10:10 – 10:40
(27th visit of the year)
Notes from here
- the Goosanders left soon after I arrived
- Grey Wagtail seen: not present on every visit
and
- 1 Winter Moth on the lamps
- new fungus found. Likely Wood Blewit (Lepista nuda)
Birds noted flying over / near here
None
The counts from the water
- 2 Greylag Geese again
- 26 Canada Geese
- 26 (17♂) Mallard
- 1 (1♂) Pochard
- 3 (2♂) Tufted Ducks
- 6 (0♂) Goosanders
- 1 Grey Heron arrived
- 13 Moorhens
- 34 Coots
- 84 Black-headed Gulls
- 1 Lesser Black-backed Gulls as often
A lot of fruiting bodies.
(Ed Wilson)
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
On this day..........
2017Priorslee Lake
Today's Sightings Here
2016
Priorslee Lake
Today's Sightings Here
2015
Priorslee Lake
Today's sightings Here
2014
Priorslee Lake
Today's sightings Here
2013
Priorslee Lake
2 Yellow-legged Gull
2 Great Black-backed Gulls
6 Gadwall
4 Pochard
2 Teal
4 Raven
(John Isherwood)
The Flash
3 Goosander
(John Isherwood)
Horsehay Pool
Caspian Gull
(Jim Almond)
2012
Priorslee Lake
1 Little Grebe.
3 Gadwall.
6 Pochard.
46 Tufted Ducks
1 Goosander
1 Water Rail
155 Coots
23 Redwings
6 Fieldfares.
151 Jackdaws
63 Rooks
(Ed Wilson)
2011
Priorslee Lake
1st-winter Yellow-legged Gull
2 adult Great Black-backed Gulls
(John Isherwood)
2010
Priorslee Lake
Caspian Gull
3 Yellow-legged Gulls
c20 Herring Gulls.
(J W Reeves)
2009
Priorslee Lake
Black-necked Grebe
Yellow-legged Gull
An adult Little Gull
(Jason/Ed Wilson)
2006
Priorslee Lake
9 Pochard
53 Tufted Ducks
1 Water Rail
1 Merlin
3 Buzzards
>500 Black-headed Gulls
234 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
1 Great Black-backed Gull
24 Robins
22 Blackbirds
122 Fieldfares
178 Redwings
1 Willow Tit
139 Jackdaws
66 Rooks
12 Reed Buntings
(Ed Wilson / Martin Adlam)
2005
Priorslee Lake
160 Golden Plover
1500 Black-headed Gulls
400 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
2 Little Grebes
13 Pochard
34 Tufted Duck
239 Coot
1 Water Rail
142 Jackdaws
251 Rooks
2 Redpolls
47 Siskins
6 Reed Buntings
(Ed Wilson)