24 Dec 18

Priorslee Lake, The Flash, Trench Lock Pool and Trench Middle Pool

But not necessarily in that order

Priorslee Lake:  12:30 – 12:50
The Flash:  10:10 – 11:00
Trench Lock Pool:  11:10 – 11:25 // 12:00 – 12:20
Trench Middle Pool:  11:30 – 11:55

3°C > 6°C:  Mainly sunny after earlier mist / fog. Almost calm. Moderate / good visibility

Sunrise: 08:21 GMT

Firstly can I wish Season’s Greetings to both my readers

Highlight today was my first-ever Little Egret at Priorslee Flash

Unusual records today were
- no gulls on Trench Lock either before or after I walked to Middle Pool and back. This despite birds obviously arriving at and leaving from Middle Pool from somewhere local
- no Swans at Priorslee Lake

Priorslee Lake:  12:30 – 12:50

(189th visit of the year)

Bird notes from here
- a fifth pair of Gadwall today
- 2 pairs of Goosanders fishing at different ends of the water
- low Moorhen count due to dogs in SW area – Moorhens always hide; Coots just go on the water

The counts from the lake area only:
- 10 (5♂) Gadwall
- 7 (5♂) Mallard
- 1 (1♂) Pochard
- 35 (18♂) Tufted Ducks
- 4 (2♂) Goosander
- 1 Cormorant
- 2 Little Grebes again
- 2 Great Crested Grebes
- 3 Moorhens
- 72 Coots
- 112 Black-headed Gulls
- 1 Lesser Black-backed Gull

(Ed Wilson)

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The Flash:  10:10 – 11:00

(148th visit of the year)

Bird notes from here
- Tufted Ducks were scattered all around and amongst the Goosanders: hard to find
- lots of chasing and fighting amongst, mainly the brownhead, Goosanders
- the Little Egret as highlighted. Species #75 here this year
- presumably the same Ring-necked Parakeet heard from the E side wooded area

Birds noted flying over / near The Flash
- 10 Starlings

The counts from the water
- 2 + 1 Mute Swans
- 2 Canada Geese
- 29 (19♂) Mallard
- 14 (6♂) Tufted Ducks
- 76 (19♂) Goosanders
- 1 Little Egret
- 1 Grey Heron
- 1 Great Crested Grebe
- 1 Moorhen
- 18 Coots
- 36 Black-headed Gulls

Nothing special, just a fine drake Mallard with tail spread and showing the blue speculum (green in some lights). Note the curly ‘tail’.

And Mrs. Mallard asleep also with tail spread and blue speculum showing.

A brownhead Goosander taking a shower.

And then getting rid of the excess water.

Not sure what these Goosanders were doing, swimming fast alongside each other and making waves. None of them shows any white above the bill so it seems they are all adult ducks.

Some way away from me as it landed on the island. The yellow feet mean it is a Little Egret. The remote possibility of a New World Snow Egret cane be discounted as on that species the yellow goes all the way up the back of the ‘leg’ (tarsus) to the ‘knee’ (ankle).

Here it is settled, yellow toes spread.

(Ed Wilson)

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Trench Lock Pool:  11:10 – 11:25 // 12:00 – 12:20

(31st visit of the year)

Bird notes from here
- 4 Mute Swans when I arrived: 2 flew in. A pair seem to be trying to chase all the others away – whether this is a new pair or the resident cob has found a new partner is unclear. At least 5 of the 6 swans appeared to have no rings to help ID
- Shoveler back again
- now a duck Pochard as well as the drake
- Great Spotted Woodpecker heard

Birds noted flying over / near here (other than local Wood Pigeons and Jackdaws)
- 1 Collared Dove

The counts from the water
- 6 Mute Swans
- 36 Canada Geese
- 13 (8♂) Mallard
- 1 (1♂) ‘feral’ Mallard as usual
- 3 (1♂) Shoveler
- 2 (1♂) Pochard
- 33 (15♂)Tufted Ducks
- 15 (8♂) Goosanders
- 1 Grey Heron
- 3 Little Grebes
- 1 Great Crested Grebe again
- 4 Moorhens
- 108 Coots
- [no gulls]

Closing on from right and left: the two Mute Swans attempting to take control of the water here attempt to persuade one of the others to leave.

(Ed Wilson)

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Trench Middle Pool:  11:30 – 11:55

(30th visit of the year)

Notes from here
- Great Crested Grebe now back again
- only 44 Black-headed Gulls until some food arrived ....
- amazingly my first Chaffinch of the year here! (species #47)
and
- several Muscid flies found sunning on a lamp posts despite only 5°C air temperature

Birds noted flying over / near here
- 1 Common Buzzard

The counts from the water
- 2 Greylag Geese still
- 32 Canada Geese
- 23 (15♂) Mallard again
- 1 (1♂) Pochard still
- 8 (4♂) Tufted Ducks
- 3 (0♂) Goosanders: 2 of these flew in
- 1 Cormorant again
- 1 Great Crested Grebe
- 10 Moorhens
- 33 Coots
- 85 Black-headed Gulls
- 2 Lesser Black-backed Gulls

(Ed Wilson)

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

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

2017
Priorslee 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
5 Gadwall 
7 Pochard 
34 Tufted Ducks 
204 Coots counted 
123 Black-headed Gulls
16 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
22 Herring Gulls
3 Great Black-backed Gulls
(Ed Wilson)

The Flash
2 Grey Herons
126 Canada Geese
110 Tufted Ducks 
(Ed Wilson)

Trench Lock Pool
3 Great Crested Grebes 
2 Shoveler 
71 Tufted Duck 
1 Goosander 
125 Coots
>40 Redwings
(Ed Wilson)

Trench Middle Pool
1 Tufted Duck 
19 Goosander 
(Ed Wilson)

2012
Priorslee Lake
2 Gadwall
13 Pochard
35 Tufted Ducks
178 Coots
Peregrine
14 Redwings
(Ed Wilson)

The Flash
1 Pochard
38 Tufted Duck
5 Goosanders
(Ed Wilson)

Little Wenlock, Candles Landfill Site
4 Yellow-legged Gulls
(Dawn Balmer & Pete Wilson)

2009
Priorslee Lake
Black-necked Grebe
4 Great Crested Grebes 
10 Swans
28 Pochard 
77 Tufted Ducks
3 Yellow-legged Gulls
1000 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
60 Herring Gulls
1 Water Rail heard 
299 Coots counted 
4 Redwings 
2 Willow Tits again 
c.5 Goldfinches
c.10 Siskins
(Ed Wilson/Dawn Balmer/ Peter Wilson)

2006
Priorslee lake
2 Great Crested Grebe
1 Little Grebe
41 Pochard
38 Tufted Ducks
8 Redwing
2 Fieldfare
1 Redpoll
4 Reed Buntings
(Martin Adlam)