Priorslee Lake: 06:25 – 09:20
The Flash: 09:25 – 09:50
5°C > 6°C: Very low cloud and misty. Light rain at times. Light SE wind. Moderate visibility, poor later with mist especially at The Flash
Sunrise: 08:04 GMT
Not quite the weather forecast: supposedly continuous often heavy rain. I checked the rainfall radar and there seemed to at least a 2 hour gap in the rain. So I gave it a go. Not much reward
Priorslee Lake: 06:25 – 09:20
(171st visit of the year)
Bird notes:
- the cygnet is no longer playing ‘gooseberry’ with the adult Mute Swans, sleeping well away from them. They are all together later though
- single drake Goosander circled low over at 08:00. Not the weather for over-flights
- the first 10 Black-headed Gulls arrived by 06:40. Numbers reached >450 by 07:35. Later just 12 still here. Some then started to drift back, as usual
- c.130 Jackdaws shot past the other side of Castle Farm Way at 07:40 when still very dark – the street-lights stayed on until after 08:00
Bird totals
Birds noted flying over or flying near the lake
- 13 Greylag Geese (single + 1 group)
- 1 (1♂) Goosander
- 17 Wood Pigeons
- c.130 Jackdaws
- 7 Redwings (1 group)
Birds leaving roosts around the lake
- >31 Magpies (partial count)
- 8 Redwings
The counts from the lake area:
in very poor light and light rain
- 2 + 1 Mute Swans again
- 8 (4♂) Gadwall again
- 13 (9♂) Mallard
- 9 (8♂) Pochard
- 78 (33♂) Tufted Ducks
- 3 Little Grebes
- 2 Great Crested Grebes
- 9 Moorhens
- [Coots not counted]
- >450 Black-headed Gulls
My log of other things was blank – all washed off the lamps?
(Ed Wilson)
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Flash: 09:25 – 09:50
(133rd visit of the year)
Abbreviated visit as mist descended and not possible to see across the water. All totals are ‘best effort’ in the conditions. Did not seem to affect the Goosanders and Cormorants – perhaps they could not see the workmen. Perhaps there were no workmen – I couldn’t see either
Bird notes from here
- did not see the cygnet: perhaps it was begging from the (unseen) workmen?
and
- the larger of the two moths noted together yesterday still present: November Moth-type or Northern Winter Moth? Unresolved
Birds noted flying over / near The Flash
None
The counts from the water
- 2 Mute Swans
- 2 Canada Geese
- 31 (19♂) Mallard
- 3 (2♂) Tufted Ducks
- 74 (12♂) Goosanders
- 2 Cormorants
- 2 Great Crested Grebes
- 2 Moorhens
- 8 Coots
- 37 Black-headed Gulls
(Ed Wilson)
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
On this day..........
2017Priorslee Lake
Today's Sightings Here
2016
Local Area
Today's Sightings Here
2015
Priorslee Lake
Today's sightings Here
2014
Priorslee Lake
Today's sightings Here
2012
Priorslee Lake
3 Gadwall.
9 Pochard
44 Tufted Ducks
1 Goldeneye
158 Coots
9 Herring Gulls
1 Great Black-backed Gull
27 Redwings
4 Fieldfares
(Ed Wilson)
Priorslee Flash
7 Pochard
71 Tufted Duck
5 Goosander
(Ed Wilson / John Isherwood)
2011
Priorslee Lake
5 Adult Great Black-backed Gulls
(John Isherwood)
2009
Priorslee Lake
4 Great Crested Grebes
36 Swans
15 Pochard
48 Tufted Ducks
1 Woodcock
300 Coots
c.1500 Black-headed Gulls
5 Stock Doves
5 Redwings
c.35 Goldfinches
c.10 Siskins
(Ed Wilson)
2006
Priorslee Lake
1 Wigeon
7 Pochard
58 Tufted Ducks
>1000 Black-headed Gulls
>2350 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
5 Herring Gulls
1 Yellow-legged Gull
20 Robins
20 Blackbirds
c.40 Fieldfares
4 Song Thrushes
6 Redwings
2 Willow Tits
190 Jackdaws
278 Rooks
7 Reed Buntings
(Ed Wilson)
2005
Priorslee Lake
2 Wigeon
12 Pochard
47 Tufted Duck
239 Coot
Golden Plover
c.1600 Black-headed Gulls
397 Jackdaws
261 Rooks
2 Meadow Pipits
3 Redwings
16 Robins
24 Blackbirds
62 Fieldfares
15 Wrens
2 Willow Tits
Redpolls
Siskins
(Ed Wilson)