Priorslee Lake: 06:30 – 09:40
The Flash: 09:45 – 10:25
1°C > 2°C: Mainly clear with some thin high cloud. Moderate ESE wind. Good visibility. Frost in sheltered locations
Sunrise: 08:13 GMT
Priorslee Lake: 06:30 – 09:40
(179th visit of the year)
Best bird of the day was the Kestrel seen hovering to the E at 08:15. Only my 3rd sighting here in 2018. A locally declining species. Previous records this year on 20 August and 30 September
Bird notes:
- 2 pairs of Mute Swans when I arrived. Same birds? One pair chased off E 08:15, but which? Since none of them seemed to have rings impossible to be certain
- I am confused about the group of 10 geese. Last week on three mornings there were 10 on the lake, including both species. They always flew off in the dark before I could get confirmation of the exact make up. Yesterday a group of 10 was over the lake and I heard only Canada Geese. Today’s group of 10 was heard only making Greylag Geese calls. What is going on?
- 5 duck Goosanders came overhead at 07:40 and circled: 4 landed briefly; one flew on W
- Black-headed Gulls in much smaller numbers today with never more than c.100 at any one time. Probably more individuals
- in addition to the fly-over Wood Pigeons at least 50 were noted in and around the trees in Ward’s Rough to the NE
- a Great Spotted Woodpecker flew very high S over the E end. I doubt it was a bird from around the lake which are more usually at the W end
- Jackdaws presumably skimmed the fields to the E of Castle Farm Way, out of my line of sight
Bird totals
Birds noted flying over or flying near the lake
- 10 Greylag Geese (1 group outbound) – but see notes
- 1 (0♂) Goosander
- 15 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 74 Wood Pigeons
- 3 Collared Doves
- 1 Great Spotted Woodpecker
- 10 Jackdaws only – see notes
- 3 Starlings
- 12 Fieldfares (1 group)
- 9 Redwings (2 groups)
Birds leaving roosts around the lake
- [Magpies not counted]
- 3 Redwings only
The counts from the lake area
- 4 Mute Swans [2 left]
- 10 (5♂) Gadwall again
- 12 (8♂) Mallard
- 15 (13♂) Pochard
- 71 (32♂) Tufted Ducks
- 4 (0♂) Goosanders, briefly
- 1 Grey Heron again
- 3 Little Grebes again
- 4 Great Crested Grebes again
- 10 Moorhens
- 92 Coots
- >100 Black-headed Gulls
- 1 Herring Gull
And other notes
My log of other things, all on lamp poles
- 1 Mottled Umber moth
- 1 female ‘winter’ moth sp. still to be ID-ed
- 2 stretch spiders (Tetragnatha montana?)
It was an amazing sunrise.
... another view.
As I dashed around to different vantage points.
In summer the sun would be rising well to the left of this photo.
(Ed Wilson)
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The Flash: 09:45 – 10:25
(139th visit of the year)
Notes from here
- the Mute Swan cygnet almost achieved lift-off today and was anything other than ‘mute’ about its achievement
- 24 Goldfinches in Alders on the island
Birds noted flying over / near The Flash
- 1 Wood Pigeon
- 1 Jackdaw
The counts from the water
- 2 + 1 Mute Swans as usual
- 2 Canada Geese again
- 38 (23♂) Mallard
- 20 (9♂) Tufted Ducks
- 72 (6♂) Goosanders
- 1 Great Crested Grebe
- 1 Moorhen
- 10 Coots again
- 32 Black-headed Gulls only
- 1 Lesser Black-backed Gull: the same?
And a duck with a great shaggy crest. Note the white is just on the chin.
This Dunnock is patiently waiting its turn for scraps.
A perky if, here, a rather scruffy individual.
Apparently just the wind blowing the feathers as it looks smart again here.
(Ed Wilson)
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On this day..........
2017Priorslee Lake
Today's Sightings Here
2016
Priorslee Lake
Today's sightings Here
2014
Priorslee Lake
Today's sightings Here
2013
Priorslee Lake
1 ‘Nelson's Gull' but also colloquially ‘Viking Gull
3 Yellow-legged Gulls
1 Little Grebe
2 Siskins
4 Gadwall
2 Teal
4 Pochard
87 Tufted Duck
3 Goosander
236 Coots
1 Snipe
2 Great Black-backed Gulls
45 Redwings
(Ed Wilson/JW Reeves)
2012
Priorslee Lake
Ring-billed Gull hybrid
1800 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
500 Black-headed Gulls
100 Herring Gulls
2 Yellow-legged Gull
6 Greater Black-backed Gulls
1 Common Gull
1 Little Grebe
3 Redwings
1 Teal
9 Pochard.
40 Tufted Ducks
1 Water Rail
c.170 Coots
3 Redwings
c.300 Jackdaws
(Ed Wilson / Tom Lowe)
2010
Priorslee Lake
2 Goldeneye
2 Sky Larks
c.25 Redwing
c.8 Fieldfare
12 Bullfinches
c.30 Siskins
1 Redpoll
(Ed Wilson)
2009
Priorslee Lake
Little Grebe
Black-necked Grebe
4 Great Crested Grebes
31 Swans
2 Greylag
33 Pochard
1 Willow Tit
c.35 Goldfinches
3 Siskins
(Ed Wilson)
2006
Priorslee Lake
1 Little Grebe
26 Pochard
44 Tufted Ducks
73 Coots
7 Lapwings
>1500 Black-headed Gulls
>1300 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
38 Herring Gulls
1 adult Yellow-legged Gull
2 Great Black-backed Gulls
24 Robins
13 Blackbirds
5 Fieldfares
11 Redwings
1 Willow Tit
132 Jackdaws
7 Reed Buntings
(Ed Wilson)
2005
Priorslee Lake
Wigeon
Water Rail
c.1500 Black-headed Gulls
2 Little Grebes
5 Great Crested Grebes
13 Pochard
40 Tufted Duck
235 Coot
270 Jackdaws
154 Rooks
2 Redpoll
5 Siskins
12 Pied Wagtails
2 Redwings
10 Fieldfares
21 Reed Buntings
13 Greenfinches
(Ed Wilson)