28 Feb 19

Priorslee Lake and The Flash

Priorslee Lake:  05:50 – 08:55
The Flash:  09:00 – 09:40

6.0°C > 7.0°C:  Areas of high cloud at dawn; low cloud and rain for a while after 08:00. Calm start with light W wind ahead of rain before dying away again. Moderate visibility but poor in and after rain and very dull

Sunrise: 07:00 GMT

Priorslee Lake:  05:50 – 08:55

(55th visit of the year)

Bird notes from today
- the Tufted Duck were very much ‘as pairs’ with some display
- very strange behaviour by the Black-headed Gulls. c.30 came from the W after 06:50 but circled around and left to the W again without settling. Then >40 spiralled down from beyond visual range, circled and left to the E, again without settling. Next c.100 came high from the E with half of them flying through, the other half spiralling down to the water but settled only momentarily before they too left to the W. Later up to 32 were on the water – presumed some of these birds?
- an unknown number of additional Jackdaws passed below my sight-line this morning
- Chiffchaff heard in sporadic song at two locations: could well have been the same mobile bird
- after several weeks with as many as 13 singing Song Thrushes numbers have reduced in the last few day to five or six birds. Have some migrants moved away?
- had as good a scout around as the rain would allow for yesterday’s Stonechat without success

Bird totals

Birds noted flying over or flying near the lake
- 16 Canada Geese (all outbound)
- >100 Black-headed Gulls (see notes)
- 2 Lesser Black-backed Gull
- 47 Wood Pigeons
- c.300 Jackdaws
- 35 Rooks
- 1 Pied Wagtail again
- 5 Siskins

Birds recorded leaving roosts around the lake
None

The counts from the lake area:
- 2 Canada Geese
- 6 (4♂) Mallard again
- 4 (2♂) Tufted Duck
- 1 Grey Heron again
- 3 Great Crested Grebes again
- 13 Moorhens
- 31 Coots
- >32 Black-headed Gulls (see notes)

Nothing on the lamp poles and nothing else of note

It was supposed to be cloudy so this waning moon was a surprise – a surprise that did not last too long. This is just about the ‘thinnest’ moon that I can persuade the camera to see.

Well pre-dawn the start of deterioration is evident.

From another angle.

And while swimming (not really!).

The sun just about made it before the rain. Two Wood Pigeons on the wires.

Sky looking angry here.

Not (quite) all sunrise photos: here are some willow buds opening as ‘pussy willow’.

(Ed Wilson)

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The Flash:  09:00 – 09:40

(50th visit of the year)

Notes from here:
- last year’s cygnet seen, keeping well away from the adults
- a pair of Gadwall back(?) again
- pair of Mallard on one of the roofs today
and
- 1 Dotted Border moth on a lamp pole where I have previously not recorded any moths

Birds noted flying over / near The Flash
- 1 Feral Pigeon

The counts from the water
- 2 + 1 Mute Swans
- 18 Canada Geese
- 2 (1♂) Gadwall
- 21 (12♂) Mallard
- 1 (1♂) Shoveler
- 35 (19♂) Tufted Ducks
- 1 Cormorant
- 2 Great Crested Grebes
- 4 Moorhens again
- 31 Coots

A couple of footnotes from earlier days
- I have had confirmation that the bumblebee I photographed on 22 February was indeed a Tree Bumblebee (Bombus hypnorum). This species was first recorded in the UK as recently as 2001. It has now spread as far as the southern part of Scotland. It frequently nests in bird-boxes and has been known to ‘evict’ Blue Tits
- the conifer in which I photographed the Goldcrest yesterday seems, on the basis of the cones, to have been a Norway Spruce (Picea abies). I was misled by the length of the needles on this huge tree – I am used to seeing it as the classic 6 foot Christmas tree and not the 50 foot monster here

(Ed Wilson)

Note:
1. A few photos from Venus Pool - 24 Feb - Click Here
2. A few photos from Belvide - 23 Feb. Click Here

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

2017
Priorslee Lake
Today's Sightings Here

2015
Priorslee Lake
Today's Sightings Here

2014
Little Wenlock, Candles Landfill Site
2 Iceland Gulls
(Observer Unknown)

2013
Priorslee Lake
31 Wigeon 
7 Gadwall 
5 Pochard 
18 Tufted Ducks 
1 Greater Scaup
2 Lapwings
c.1600 Black-headed Gulls
c.800 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
c.100 Herring Gulls
1 Iceland
1 Glaucous Gull
1 Caspian Gull
1 Yellow-legged Gull
38 Redwings
2 Fieldfare
15 Siskins
(Ed Wilson, Martin Grant, Tom Lowe)

The Flash
1 Little Grebe
10 Pochard 
123 Tufted Duck 
(Ed Wilson)

Trench Lock Pool
21 Tufted Duck 
1 Goosander 
(Ed Wilson)

Horsehay Pool
1 Yellow-legged Gull
(Tom Lowe)

Little Wenlock, Candles Landfill Site
2 Yellow-legged Gulls.
(Tom Lowe)

2012
Priorslee Lake
4 Great Crested Grebes
3 Pochard
32 Tufted Duck
4 Curlew
2 Siskins
(Ed Wilson)

Trench Lock
26 Tufted Duck 
9 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
13 Herring Gulls
1 Yellow-legged Gull
(Ed Wilson)

2010
Priorslee Lake
1 Little Grebe as noted 
6 Great Crested Grebes
4 Gadwall
39 Pochard
57 Tufted Ducks
99 Coots 
29 Blackbirds
4 Redwing
8 Song Thrushes
22 Siskins
3 Reed Buntings
(Ed Wilson)

2009
Priorslee Lake
Common Gull
6 Ravens
(Ed Wilson)

Woodhouse Lane
Stonechat
(John Isherwood)

2007
Priorslee Lake
4 Cormorant
2 Pochard
15 Tufted Duck
1 Ruddy Duck
1 Peregrine Falcon
26 Robin
11 Redwing
63 Magpie
196 Jackdaw
12 Greenfinch
10 Reed Bunting
(Ed Wilson)

2006
Priorslee Lake
2 Little Grebes
6 Great Crested Grebes
2 Cormorants
7 Pochard
35 Tufted Ducks
1 Water Rail
800 Wood Pigeon
142 Starlings
14 Pied Wagtails
18 Robins
20 Blackbirds
11 Fieldfare
10 Song Thrushes
2 Willow Tits
15 Greenfinches
11 Siskins
7 Reed Buntings 
(Ed Wilson)

27 Feb 19

Priorslee Lake and The Flash

Priorslee Lake:  05:50 – 09:25
The Flash:  09:30 – 10:15

2.0°C > 9.0°C:  Fine and clear after frosty start. Calm / light E wind. Moderate / good visibility in haze

Sunrise: 07:02 GMT

Priorslee Lake:  05:50 – 09:25

(54th visit of the year)

Bird species added to my 2019 log from here
64      Great White Egret
65      Stonechat
Not sure which of these sightings I regard as the ‘best’ for today
- Great White Egret is always a good record even if this was a high-level fly-over at 07:15. I have seen this species from here on at least 4 occasions with four birds together, briefly, at the lake on 6th November 2018
- a female Stonechat was briefly on the bushes alongside the W end footpath at 08:55. It flew off towards the lake and I was unable to relocate it. As I recall this is only my second-ever sighting of this species here. It must be well over 10 years ago that there was an individual for several Autumn days in scrub at the W end of the lake
The Stonechat gets my vote. Some reward after a rather ‘thin’ few weeks

Other bird notes from today
- as has happened several times recently a pair of Canada Geese flew in. Later another pair arrived and there was disharmony
- a third Great Crested Grebe today with a pair along the N side
- pair of Sparrowhawks displaying before settling in a tree in NW area: hassled off by Magpies
- Woodcock seen yet again
- a lone Lesser Black-backed Gull arrived after 09:00 and landed on the buoy used by a bird that arrived early with the Black-headed Gulls. Same bird? Or is there something about the colour of that buoy?
- 16 of the Wood Pigeons flying high N in singles and very loose groups
- Jackdaws even harder to count today as half the groups passed to the W of the lake and half to the E. As I have remarked I am not Janus and the birds to the W are against still-dark skies
- Chiffchaff seen as well as heard today
- 4 Mistle Thrushes having a set-to around their usual nest area

Bird totals

Birds noted flying over or flying near the lake
- 11 Canada Geese (all outbound)
- 1 Great White Egret
- 27 Black-headed Gulls
- 5 Lesser Black-backed Gull
- 1 Stock Dove
- 170 Wood Pigeons
- c.710 Jackdaws
- 10 Rooks
- 1 Starling
- 1 Pied Wagtail
- 1 Siskin

Birds recorded leaving roosts around the lake
- [Magpies not counted]
- 1 Redwing
- 5 Reed Buntings again

The counts from the lake area:
- 4 Canada Geese
- 6 (4♂) Mallard
- 4 (4♂) Pochard once again
- 6 (3♂) Tufted Duck
- 1 Grey Heron
- 3 Great Crested Grebes
- 9 Moorhens
- 29 Coots
- 14 Black-headed Gulls
- 1 Lesser Black-backed Gull

Other things
- 1 Dotted Border moth on a lamp post early
then
- 1 Nursery Web Spider on a lamp post later
- another spider appeared on the lamps later: I think a Mouse Spider (Scotophaeus blackwalli)
- 11 small and unidentified flies on the same lamp post

The weather was exactly the same today as yesterday and I could have shown the same sunrise. Instead I chose a different angle.

One of the Canada Geese involved in this morning’s argument.

By the time I engaged brain and camera the Great White Egret was some way away – indeed it was well past before I saw it. On full enlargement we see the white wings and the long legs, sufficient for a positive ID.

Well pre-dawn these two Great Crested Grebes bid each other good morning.

The main point of this shot is to highlight the size difference between male (on the left) and female Sparrowhawks. As it most birds of prey the female is the larger bird. Note too the males rufous breast (can’t do much about the twig across his face).

This Grey Wagtail forsook the gloom of the Wesley Brook – for the gloom of the shady edge of the dam! Some black marks appearing on the chest.

Better seen here.

This sprite was very flighty this morning so I was well-pleased with this Chiffchaff shot. Hopefully will do better when the residents get here and pose while singing.

Here are two of the Mistle Thrushes having a bit of a set-to. Note the very white underwing, often visible at long range on flying birds.

A very distinctive spider. It looks to me like a Mouse Spider (Scotophaeus blackwalli).

The council-planted Daffodils on the verge outside the Castle Farm Way gate are just open.

(Ed Wilson)

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The Flash:  09:30 – 10:15

(49th visit of the year)

Notes from here:
- last year’s cygnet not seen. Has been lurking deep inside the island sometimes recently so may have been overlooked. Having got rid of the hybrid goose the cob was at peace with the Canadas present
- two drake Mallard on different roofs
- two Great Spotted Woodpeckers drumming in squirrel alley: one of them the female I saw on Monday drumming on the same branch: could not locate the other to check its sex but likely the other of a pair
and
- 2 Grey Squirrels

Birds noted flying over / near The Flash
- 2 Black-headed Gulls

The counts from the water
- 2 Mute Swans
- 17 Canada Geese
- 23 (15♂) Mallard
- 1 (1♂) Shoveler remains
- 38 (20♂) Tufted Ducks
- 2 Great Crested Grebes remain
- 4 Moorhens
- 32 Coots

“My roof”.

“This roof is mime”. Why they do this is a mystery. Perhaps their mates are nesting in the gardens here and they are standing guard. Perhaps they like the view!

Nuthatches acquire more obvious rufous flanks in the breeding season.

Goldcrests are for ever on the move a very hard to photograph. Here is one trying to battle its way through the long needles of this pine tree.

Separation of Goldcrest and Firecrest is not, in practice too hard. The staring eye as shown by this Goldcrest is usually very obvious in contrast to the dark line through the eye of Firecrest. You would also be unlikely to find Firecrest high up in a tree and they are usually close to water.

Here we see the yellow crown stripe. When excited the feathers are raised to reveal red bases which can cause momentary confusion with Firecrest.

(Ed Wilson)

Note:
1. A few photos from Venus Pool - 24 Feb - Click Here
2. A few photos from Belvide - 23 Feb. Click Here

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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
Little Wenlock, Candles Landfill Site
2 Iceland Gulls
1 Caspian Gull
(Observer Unknown)

2013
Priorslee Lake
6 Great Crested Grebes
1 Greater Scaup
26 Wigeon
4 Gadwall 
33 Tufted Ducks 
84 Coots 
c.800 Black-headed Gulls
c.450 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
c.60 Herring Gulls
1 Great Black-backed Gull 
(Ed Wilson)

Horsehay Pool
1 Glaucous Gull
(J W Reeves )

2012
Priorslee Lake
4 Great Crested Grebes
1 Shelduck
4 Pochard
30 Tufted Duck
35 Robins
24 Wrens
15 Dunnocks 
(Ed Wilson)

Priorslee Flash
3 Great Crested Grebes
9 Pochard
53 Tufted Duck 
(Ed Wilson)

2010
Priorslee Lake
1 Little Grebe 
6 Great Crested Grebes
1 Heron 
4 Gadwall
35 Pochard
51 Tufted Ducks
1 Water Rail
103 Coots 
c.700 Black-headed Gulls
c.225 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
27 Herring Gulls
Common Gull
Great Black-backed Gull
2 Willow Tit
124 Jackdaws
86 Rooks
1 Linnet
14 Siskins
2 Reed Bunting
(Ed Wilson)

2009
Priorslee Lake
1 Glaucous Gull
1 Iceland Gull
(Ed Wilson)

2007
Priorslee Lake
4 Pochard 
19 Tufted Duck
1 Ruddy Duck
600 Black-headed Gulls
100 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
1 Herring Gull
1 Great Black-backed Gull
36 Wren
28 Robin
7 Redwing
20 Magpie
134 Jackdaw 
8 Greenfinch
4 Reed Bunting
(Ed Wilson, Martin Adlam)

2006
Priorslee Lake
6 Great Crested Grebes
1 Heron
2 Cormorant
2 Gadwall
7 Pochard
42 Tufted Ducks
110 Coots
150 Starlings
23 Pied Wagtails
21 Wrens
15 Robins
17 Blackbirds
2 Redwings
1 Willow Tit
16 Greenfinches
38 Siskins
1 Redpoll
4 Reed Buntings
(Ed Wilson)

26 Feb 19

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

Priorslee Lake:  05:50 – 09:15
The Flash:  09:20 – 10:10
Trench Lock Pool:  10:25 – 10:40 // 11:20 – 11:45
Trench Middle Pool:  10:45 – 11:15

2.0°C > 14.0°C:  Fine and clear after frosty start. Calm / light E wind. Moderate / good visibility in haze

Sunrise: 07:04 GMT


Priorslee Lake:  05:50 – 09:15

(53rd visit of the year)

Bird notes from today
- Sparrowhawk seen in display flight again before settling briefly on tree along N side
- 10 Black-headed Gulls arrived at 06:20, circling around until 06:45 when they left to the E without having settled. Presumably the same 10 flew in from the E later to join just 3 on the water
- some of the Wood Pigeons were flying very high. Almost all singly and not in any specific direction as if they might be migrants
- the big wintering groups of Long-tailed Tits seem to have started to break up into smaller breeding groups. I usually see 2 or 3 groups: yesterday and today 5 groups

Bird totals

Birds noted flying over or flying near the lake
- 5 Canada Geese (3 outbound; 2 inbound)
- 6 (5♂?) Goosanders
- 1 Cormorant
- 26 Black-headed Gulls
- 3 Lesser Black-backed Gulls again
- 1 Feral Pigeon
- 2 Stock Doves
- 165 Wood Pigeons
- c.650 Jackdaws
- 34 Rooks
- 13 Starlings

Birds recorded leaving roosts around the lake
- [Magpies not counted]
- 5 Reed Buntings

The counts from the lake area:
- 7 (5♂) Mallard
- 4 (4♂) Pochard again
- 4 (2♂) Tufted Duck
- 1 Cormorant
- 2 Grey Herons
- 2 Great Crested Grebes
- 11 Moorhens
- 32 Coots
- 13 Black-headed Gulls

Other things
- 2 Dotted Borders moth on a lamp post early
- 1 Nursery Web spider on a lamp post early
- 1 unidentified spider on a lamp post early
then
- 2 different Nursery Web spiders on a lamp post later
- unidentified fungus

The start of another splendid winter’s(?) day if somewhat hazy again.

The light was not helpful to show this Cormorant to best effect. The breeding season white head-plumes and thigh patch can be seen: we can also just about see the orange bare-skin around the gape, also acquired by adults.

One of many Long-tailed Tits this morning – all in smaller groups than I have been seeing since last Autumn.

Another one.

A Dunnock singing.

One of two Dotted Border moths today. This specimen was at rest with wings partly open showing that the ‘dotted border’ extends across the underwing as well. Not at all sure what is lurking on its right. The flash makes it hard to discern even how many legs it has.

“come in number 9”. This Dotted Border was quite happy to remain in full sunlight.

This spider on a frosted lamp pole shows some eye-shine, reflection of the camera flash. Shaped somewhat like a Nursery-web Spider though quite differently marked.

These two Nursery-web Spiders came out to sunbathe later.

I can get nowhere identifying this row of small fungus. I am sure these were not frosted and really looked like this: they were well-buried in the under storey.

(Ed Wilson)

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The Flash:  09:20 – 10:10

(48th visit of the year)

Bird species added to my 2019 log from here
55      Chiffchaff
singing from squirrel alley. My earliest-ever here

Notes from here:
- I assume the Canada Goose build-up is of birds hoping to nest on the island. The cob Mute Swan thinks otherwise
- one pair of Mallard on roof in Derwent Drive; another pair in a front garden here
- single drake Shoveler still here
- the lone Black-headed Gull was also on a roof in Derwent Drive
and
- 3 Grey Squirrels
- 1 wasp sp.: I thought rather too small to be a queen, but certainly diving in the Ivy so perhaps looking for a nest site

Birds noted flying over / near The Flash
- 2 Jackdaws

The counts from the water
- 2 + 1 Mute Swans
- 1 Greylag x Canada Goose
- 38 Canada Geese
- 16 (11♂) Mallard
- 1 (1♂) Shoveler still
- 35 (21♂) Tufted Ducks
- 1 Cormorant
- 2 Great Crested Grebes
- 6 Moorhens
- 27 Coots
- 1 Black-headed Gull

The cob Mute Swan was unhappy with the geese in general. With 39 to choose from he spent most of the time chasing (to the edge of my picture) this Greylag x Canada Goose – a long-term visitor here and paired with a regular Canada Goose at the moment. Note the orange bill on the goose – exactly like a Greylag. There is also some pale in the wing and a rather washed-out chin-strap.

And here he is having another go.

The only Black-headed Gull today was this bird on the ridge tiles of one of the houses in Derwent Drive.

(Ed Wilson)

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Trench Lock Pool:  10:25 – 10:40 // 11:20 – 11:45

(12th visit of the year)

Today’s notes from here
- five Mute Swans when I arrived: a pair was quickly dispatched with the remaining ‘extra’ bird not being chased. However it had gone by the time I returned from Middle Pool with two unringed birds remaining
- two Black-headed Gulls arrived while I was at Middle Pool: the only gulls
also
- what was probably a Buff-tailed Bumblebee: seen too briefly to positively ID

Birds noted flying over / near here [other than local Wood Pigeons and Jackdaws]
None

The counts from the water
- 5 > 3 > 2 Mute Swans
- 13 Canada Geese
- 2 (1♂) Mallard
- 1 (1♂) feral Mallard
- 1 (1♂) Pochard
- 19 (11♂) Tufted Ducks
- 1 Little Grebe
- 1 Great Crested Grebe as ever
- 3 Moorhens again
- 26 Coots
- 0 > 2 Black-headed Gulls only

(Ed Wilson)

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Trench Middle Pool:  10:45 – 11:15

(12th visit of the year)

Bird species added to my 2019 log from here
38      Jay
39      Bullfinch

Notes from here
- rather few Black-headed Gulls here as well as elsewhere this morning
- 1 Grey Wagtail again

Birds noted flying over / near here
- 1 Common Buzzard

The counts from the water
- 5 Greylag Geese
- 49 Canada Geese
- 20 (15♂) Mallard
- 2 (1♂) Tufted Ducks
- 1 Cormorant again
- 2 Great Crested Grebes again
- 9 Moorhens again
- 30 Coots
- 25 Black-headed Gulls

(Ed Wilson)

Note:
1. A few photos from Venus Pool - 24 Feb - Click Here
2. A few photos from Belvide - 23 Feb. Click Here

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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
4 Great Crested Grebes 
3 Cormorants 
1 Grey Heron 
8 Pochard 
4 Tufted Duck 
164 Black-headed Gulls
78 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
9 Herring Gulls
1 Yellow-legged Gull
16 Fieldfare
18 Redwings
c.800 Jackdaws
 >250 Rooks
20 Siskins
(Ed Wilson, Gary Crowder)

The Flash
1 Little Grebe 
185 Tufted Ducks
(Ed Wilson)

Little Wenlock, Candles Landfill Site
2 Iceland Gulls
3 Caspian Gull
(Observer Unknown)

2013
Priorslee Lake
6 Great Crested Grebes 
33 Wigeon 
1 Common Teal 
4 Gadwall 
33 Tufted Ducks 
89 Coots 
c.650 Black-headed Gulls
c.410 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
41 Herring Gulls
1 Great Black-backed Gull
(Ed Wilson / John Isherwood)

The Flash
1 Little Grebe
9 Pochard 
89 Tufted Duck 
1 Greater Scaup
(Ed Wilson, John Isherwood)

2010
Priorslee Lake
6 Great Crested Grebes 
18 Swans 
4 Gadwall
35 Pochard
44 Tufted Duck
96 Coots 
c.650 Black-headed Gulls 
c.220 Lesser Black-backed Gulls 
12 Herring Gulls 
1 other 'strange gull'!
(Ed Wilson)

2009
Priorslee Lake
Iceland Gull
2 Curlew
(Ed Wilson)

2007
Priorslee Lake
1 Water Rail
2 Sky Larks
(Ed Wilson)

2006
Priorslee Lake
1 Little Grebe
6 Great Crested Grebes
1 Heron
1 Cormorant
2 Gadwall
6 Pochard
45 Tufted Ducks
96 Coots
c.1000 Black-headed Gulls
274 Wood Pigeon
135 Jackdaws
111 Rooks
78 Starlings
45 Pied Wagtails
20 Robins
17 Blackbirds
10 Song Thrushes
4 Redwings
2 Willow Tits
20 Greenfinches
6 Siskins
5 Reed Buntings
(Ed Wilson)

25 Feb 19

Priorslee Lake and The Flash

Priorslee Lake:  05:55 – 09:20
The Flash:  09:25 – 10:10

1.0°C > 8.0°C:  Clear and rather hazy again. Some mist over the water for a while. Frost early. Light SE wind. Moderate visibility

Sunrise: 07:06 GMT

Priorslee Lake:  05:55 – 09:20

(52nd visit of the year)

Bird species added to my 2019 log from here
63      Chiffchaff
A bird singing along the N side was my first for the year. Fine days in February often persuade otherwise silent over-wintering birds to start singing. However given the weather vector for the last week and more this is as likely a genuine migrant

Bird notes from today
- Mute Swans gone again!
- Sparrowhawk seen three times passing with languid wing-beats – display flight
- yet another Woodcock seen flying to roost – different location this time
- most Black-headed Gulls flew straight through W to E. Seven was the maximum count on the water
- a female Great Spotted Woodpecker heard and seen drumming: I did not know that females drummed. Not very loudly, but certainly drumming
- more Jackdaws went out below my sight-line across the fields to the E
- in addition to the 9 Reed Buntings leaving the roost there were two others singing and one more calling later

Bird totals

Birds noted flying over or flying near the lake
- 3 Greylag Geese (outbound)
- 18 Canada Geese (16 outbound; 2 inbound)
- 47 Black-headed Gulls
- 3 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 1 Herring Gull again
- 108 Wood Pigeons
- >740 Jackdaws
- 51 Rooks
- 1 Siskin

Birds recorded leaving roosts around the lake
- [Magpies not counted]
- 9 Reed Buntings

The counts from the lake area:
- 2 Canada Geese (arrived)
- 9 (6♂) Mallard
- 4 (4♂) Pochard
- 5 (3♂) Tufted Duck
- 1 Grey Heron
- 2 Great Crested Grebes again
- 9 Moorhens again
- 29 Coots
- 7 Black-headed Gulls only

Other things
- 1 Dotted Border moth on a lamp post early
- 1 Nursery Web spider on a lamp post later

A very early pre-dawn view.

Early mist did not stay around too long – unlike yesterday.

Sun just rising through the mist.

A few minutes later.

If I cannot get the man-made structure out of the photo I might as well exploit it.

The early light looking west.

This Great Spotted Woodpecker was drumming on the dead wood. Drumming softly, but drumming it was. Strange as there is no red on the nape so it is a female. I had always assumed it was only the males that drummed to claim their territory – much like most birds where it is only the males that sing.

Certainly no red on the nape.

Managed to find a dark background to contrast these sunlit Hazel catkins.

(Ed Wilson)

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The Flash:  09:25 – 10:10

(47th visit of the year)

Notes from here:
- where have many of the Mallard gone?
- Great Spotted Woodpecker drumming in squirrel alley
- Treecreeper seen in squirrel alley

Birds noted flying over / near The Flash
- 3 Black-headed Gulls
- 2 Jackdaws

The counts from the water
- 2 + 1 Mute Swans
- 1 Greylag Goose (arrived)
- 21 Canada Geese (13 of these arrived)
- 15 (9♂) Mallard only
- 1 (1♂) Shoveler still
- 41 (20♂) Tufted Ducks
- 2 Great Crested Grebes
- 7 Moorhens
- 29 Coots

(Ed Wilson)

Note:
1. A few photos from Venus Pool - 24 Feb - Click Here
2. A few photos from Belvide - 23 Feb. Click Here

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

2016
Priorslee Lake
Today's Sightings Here

2015
Priorslee Lake
Today's Sightings Here

2014
Priorslee Lake
8 Pochard 
5 Tufted Duck
5 Cormorant
1 Kittiwake
1 Great Black-backed Gull.
1 Iceland Gull
1 Caspian Gull
23 Redwings
c.800 Jackdaws
 >300 Rooks
 9 Siskins
(Ed Wilson, J.Reeves, P.Jordan, John Isherwood, Gary Crowder)

The Flash
1 Little Grebe
215 Tufted Ducks
2 Goosanders
(Ed Wilson)

Trench Middle Pool
11 Tufted Duck
(Ed Wilson)

Telford Crematorium
Cackling Goose
300 Lesser Black-backed Gull
c.20 Herring Gull
500 Black-headed Gull 
1 Great Black-backed Gull
(Gary Crowder)

Nedge Hill
1 Stonechat
(John Isherwood)

2013
Priorslee Lake
3 Great Crested Grebes
25 Wigeon
4 Gadwall
17 Tufted Ducks
(Ed Wilson)

The Flash
Greater Scaup
50 Tufted Duck
12 Pochard
(Jim Shannon)

2012
Priorslee Lake
5 Redpoll

Priorslee Flash
1 Goosander

Nedge Hill
8 Lapwing
(John Isherwood)

2010
Priorslee Lake
1 Little Grebe 
5 Great Crested Grebes
4 Gadwall
47 Pochard
55 Tufted Duck
c.550 Black-headed Gulls
c. 800 Lesser Black-backed Gulls 
56 Herring Gulls
(Ed Wilson)

2007
Priorslee Lake
1 Little Grebe
7 Pochard
7 Tufted Duck
1 Ruddy Duck
2 Kestrel
1 Peregrine Falcon
1 Lapwing
3 Grey Wagtail
26 Wren
28 Robin
21 Blackbird
15 Redwing
53 Magpie
14 Greenfinch
6 Reed Bunting
(Ed Wilson)

2006
Priorslee Lake
1 Little Grebe
6 Great Crested Grebes
2 Gadwall
9 Pochard
56 Tufted Ducks
5 Cormorants
121 Coot
1 Mediterranean Gull
c.1100 Black-headed Gulls
211 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
33 Herring Gulls.
741 Wood Pigeon
289 Jackdaws
108 Rooks
290 Starlings
21 Reed Bunting
1 Sky Lark
11 Greenfinches
6 Siskins
23 Reed Buntings
(Ed Wilson)

24 Feb 19

No Sightings in today.

Note:
1. A few photos from Venus Pool - 24 Feb - Click Here
2. A few photos from Belvide - 23 Feb. Click Here

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

2016
Priorslee Lake
Today's Sightings Here

2015
Priorslee Lake
Today's Sightings Here

2014
Priorslee Lake
4 Cormorant
8 Pochard
6 Tufted Duck
1 Iceland Gull
3 Yellow-legged Gull.
650 Lesser Black-backed Gull.
450 Black-headed Gull.
110 Herring Gull.
10 Great Black-backed Gull
Common Gull
2 Lapwing
2 Redwings
353 Jackdaws
134 Rooks
(Ed Wilson, Gary Crowder)

The Flash
1 Little Grebe 
207 Tufted Ducks
1 Scaup
(Ed Wilson, Martin Grant)

2013
Priorslee Lake
Glaucous Gull
(Observer Unknown)

The Flash
Scaup
(Dave Tromans)

2012
Priorslee Lake
20 Tufted Duck
6 Pochard
2 Great Black-backed Gulls
184 Lesser Black-backed Gull
20 Herring Gull
320 Black-headed Gull
(Martin Grant)

2010
Priorslee Lake
Woodcock
4 Gadwall
47 Pochard
94 Tufted Ducks
2 Redwings
8 Siskins
(Ed Wilson)

2009
Priorslee Lake
1 Glaucous Gull
Iceland Gull
Yellow-legged Gull
600+ Black-headed Gulls
(Jason Buckley, John Isherwood, et al)

2007
Priorslee Lake
1 Little Grebe
9 Cormorant
3 Pochard
13 Tufted Duck
281 Wood Pigeon
16 Blackbird
1 Fieldfare
8 Redwing
31 Magpie
(Ed Wilson)

2006
Priorslee Lake
2 Cormorants
2 Gadwall
7 Pochard
47 Tufted Ducks
15 Blackbirds
5 Redwings
8 Siskins
4 Redpolls
8 Reed Buntings
(Ed Wilson)