23 Jan 19

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

Priorslee Lake:  09:25 – 10:40
The Flash:  10:45 – 11:25
Trench Lock Pool:  11:35 – 11:40 // 11:15 – 12:10
Trench Middle Pool:  11:45 – 12:05

0°C > 1°C:  Some clear spells; some cloudy spells; some foggy spells all after overnight snow. Light NW wind. Mainly moderate visibility

Sunrise: 08:06 GMT

Priorslee Lake:  09:25 – 10:40

(23rd visit of the year)

Small amount of ice mainly in NE area

A late start due to poor road (and footpath) conditions earlier. Only birds on the water logged

Bird notes
- apparently only 1 Mute Swan today. Just possible the other was buried in the reeds along the N side where they have been lurking for some days now. Prospecting a nest site?
- certainly only 3 pairs of Gadwall now
- managed to track down the Little Grebes today: I am sure they are always here – lurking somewhere
- slightly higher Coot count. Likely because with the ice there were fewer places to hide. Possible some forced off smaller frozen waters in the area (Moorhens quite capable of hiding anyway)

Bird totals

The counts from the lake area:
- 1 Mute Swan
- 6 (3♂) Gadwall
- 13 (7♂) Mallard
- 8 (5♂) Pochard
- 43 (26♂) Tufted Ducks
- 1 Grey Heron
- 4 Little Grebes
- 2 Great Crested Grebes yet again
- 3 Moorhens
- 56 Coots
- 42 Black-headed Gulls

After last night’s snow it was out with the camera to catch some scenes: a view along the N side.

Also along the N side.

When the sun came out... Looking from the dam towards the N side you could hardly see there had been any snow.

Looking north along the dam with a strangely traffic-free Castle Farm Way.

Looking west along the S side.

The copse here is all new since I first visited some 20 years ago.

At the W end.

Also at the W end.

Here are some reeds laden down.

Greater Reedmace / Bulrushes (Typha latifolia) with snow up one side.

And a dead umbellifer head laden with snow – likely from last year’s Common Hogweed (Heracleum sphondylium).

There were some birds: a Magpie gives a study in black and white.

A Great Tit looking rather glum.

Interesting to see the white fringes to the primaries. Note too the width of the black ‘zip’ under the belly – wider on the male.

Complaining? Note the way the head-shape has changed while it calls.

Well that’s next year’s Christmas card sorted.

A Goldfinch of course.

(Ed Wilson)

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

The Flash:  10:45 – 11:25

(21st visit of the year)

c.25% ice mainly at S / W end

One bird species added to my 2019 log from here
42      Greylag Goose

Notes from here
- the 2 Greylag Geese took off and flew off NE. c.10 minutes later 2 birds flew SW – NE over, assumed to be different birds. First of year here
- many Mallard lurking inside island and hard to count
- no Pochard or Great Crested Grebe

Birds noted flying over / near The Flash
- 2 Greylag Geese

The counts from the water
- 2 + 1 Mute Swans
- 2 Greylag Geese
- 2 Canada Geese
- 2 (1♂) Gadwall
- 39 (23♂) Mallard
- 12 (3♂) Tufted Ducks
- 2 Grey Herons
- 3 Moorhens once again
- 26 Coots again
- 81 Black-headed Gulls

Nothing like an ‘arty’ shot. And this is nothing like an arty shot.

... nor is this.

... or this.

Picnic anyone? (I think I did this last year after the “beast from the east”).

A couple of drake Mallards having a set-to.

Lots of splashing.

The option if you are a Black-headed Gull seemed to be to stand in the snow and sun yourself on the roof-top ...

... or stand on the ice (so why don’t Penguins feet freeze?).

(Ed Wilson)

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

Trench Lock Pool:  11:35 – 11:40 // 11:15 – 12:10

(6th visit of the year)

Small amount of ice at the edges

Notes from here
- just the one Mute Swan again
- no geese
- Shoveler and Pochard also gone
- the only Goosander of the day here – “goodbye and thanks for all the fish”? [© Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy]
- same number of Black-headed Gulls (81) here as at The Flash

The counts from the water
- 1 Mute Swan only again
- 5 (4♂) Mallard
- 1 (1♂) Feral Mallard as usual
- 18 (9♂) Tufted Ducks
- 1 (0♂) Goosander
- 1 Grey Heron again
- 2 Little Grebes
- 1 Great Crested Grebe remains
- 2 Moorhens
- 76 Coots
- 81 Black-headed Gulls
- 2 Lesser Black-backed Gulls

(Ed Wilson)

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

Trench Middle Pool:  11:45 – 12:05

(6th visit of the year)

c.33% ice all along the S side

One bird species added to my 2019 log from here
29      Mute Swan

Notes from here
- Mute Swan unringed. Its bill was rather pale suggesting an immature bird even though the plumage was all-white
- last week’s displaying Great Crested Grebes gone
- where were all the gulls?

The counts from the water
- 1 Mute Swan
- 20 Canada Geese
- 26 (19♂) Mallard
- 2 (1♂) Tufted Ducks
- 1 Cormorant
- 15 Moorhens
- 41 Coots
- 1 Black-headed Gull, briefly
- 1 Lesser Black-backed Gull, equally briefly

(Ed Wilson)

Note:

1. Click Here for a Summary of the 2018 Priorslee Lake Report.

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

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

2018
Priorslee Lake
Today's Sightings Here

2017
Priorslee Lake
Today's Sightings Here

2016
Priorslee Lake
Today's Sightings Here

2014
Priorslee Lake
6 Pochard
42 Tufted Duck
A drake Scaup
1 Velvet Scoter
111 Coots
78 Black-headed Gulls
2 Lesser Black-backed Gull
8 Herring Gulls
1 Great Black-backed Gull
(Ed Wilson , Unknown Observer)

The Flash
1 Little Grebe
5 Pochard
116 Tufted Ducks
1 Goosander
8 Moorhens
5 Siskins
(Ed Wilson)

Trench Lock Pool
5 Pochard
64 Tufted Duck
1 Goosander
72 Coots
69 Black-headed Gulls
15 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
43 Herring Gulls
(Ed Wilson)

Trench Middle Pool
1 Willow Tit
1 Tufted Duck
4 Goosander
(Ed Wilson)

2013
Priorslee Lake
28 Wigeon 
8 Gadwall 
25 Pochard 
99 Tufted Ducks 
1 Greater Scaup 
169 Coots
>1500 Black-headed Gulls
3 Common Gulls
>500 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
c.100 Herring Gulls
8 Great Black-backed Gulls
(Ed Wilson)

2009
Priorslee Lake
1 Glaucous Gull
1 Yellow legged Gull
(Richard Vernon)

2008
Priorslee Lake
1 Yellow-legged Gull
200 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
1 Greater Black-backed Gull
27 Herring Gull
150 Black-headed Gulls.
(Martin Adlam)

2006
Priorslee Lake
2 Gadwall
10 Pochard
17 Tufted Ducks
149 Coot again
1 Water Rail
2 Lapwings
10 Robins
13 Blackbirds
1 Willow Tit
37 Siskins
2 Redpolls
4 Reed Buntings
(Ed Wilson)