26 Jan 19

Priorslee Lake only

7°C:  Mostly overcast and with some light drizzle at times. Mainly light SW wind. Very good visibility

Sunrise: 08:02 GMT

Priorslee Lake:  06:55 – 09:25

(26th visit of the year)

Highlight this morning was 2 Little Egrets that flew E at 08:10 – and not even new for the year here!

Other bird notes
- I read the ring on the lone Mute Swan this morning and confirmed it is the cob that successfully raised the three cygnets last year. Another Mute Swan arrived c.08:30 but was soon dismissed – I assume it was another cob looking for a territory
- the frequent gang of 10 geese not seen: 3 Greylags were on their own today. None of the subsequent Canada Geese groups numbered seven birds
- Tufted Duck particularly mobile and hard to get an accurate count
- a second Grey Heron was chased away
- just 14 Jackdaws at the normal outbound time: a small group and two singles later
- 6 singing Song Thrushes today
- Chaffinch heard giving partial song – often the last few days of January sees this species start to sing occasionally

Bird totals

Birds noted flying over or flying near the lake
- 3 Greylag Geese [1 group outbound]
- 22 Canada Geese [6 groups outbound]
- 2 Little Egrets
- 3 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 1 Herring Gull
- 6 Wood Pigeons only
- 21 Jackdaws only

Birds recorded leaving roosts around the lake
- >31 Magpies (incomplete)
- 7 Reed Buntings

The counts from the lake area:
- 2 Mute Swan
- 6 (3♂) Gadwall still
- 9 (6♂) Mallard again
- 5 (3♂) Pochard
- 40 (24♂) Tufted Ducks
- 2 Grey Herons
- 1 Great Crested Grebe
- 1 Water Rail
- 10 Moorhens
- 49 Coots
- c.325 Black-headed Gulls

Still mild but the lamp poles were empty
- a few Winter Gnats, likely Trichocera regelationis, flying about

Perhaps my worst photo (so far!). A record shot of the two Little Egrets flying over. There is just about enough here to dismiss thoughts of Great White Egret (too small) and Cattle Egret (bill too dagger-like with no jowl underneath). Well it was still quite dark at 08:10 on a dull morning ....!

The largely white crown, the almost wholly pink bill and the ‘aigrettes’ hanging down on both the breast and down the back all indicate this is an adult Grey Heron in breeding condition. This species nests as early as February in colonies – ‘heronries’.

(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

2014
Priorslee Lake
Velvet Scoter
2 Scaup
(Martin and Ian Grant)

2013
Priorslee Lake
39 Wigeon
8 Gadwall 
24 Pochard 
74 Tufted Ducks 
1 Greater Scaup 
173 Coots
169 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
18 Herring Gulls
1 Great Black-backed Gull
(Ed Wilson)

2008
Priorslee Lake
Iceland Gull
(Observer Unknown)