15 Feb 19

Priorslee Lake and The Flash

Priorslee Lake:  06:20 – 09:15 again: then 13:05 – 13:15
The Flash:  09:20 – 10:10

1.0°C > 2.0°C:  Clear and frosty start with mist and fog developing. Light / moderate SE wind. Good visibility, becoming poor, even very poor

Sunrise: 07:29 GMT

Great Crested Grebes were missing from both locations

Priorslee Lake:  06:20 – 09:15 // 13:05 – 13:15

(43rd visit of the year)

 Bird notes
- no Mute Swans when I arrived. First noted at 07:45: did not see them fly in. When one up-ended I could see it had a BTO-type metal ring – too far away to read. The other swan either had a longer neck or was feeding in shallower water and had no need to upend
- one pair of Gadwall found (not see later, though I did not look very hard)
- I flushed a Grey Heron off the dam at 06:35: whether that is what put c.350 Black-headed Gulls up or whether they were already circling around I cannot say. None of the gulls settled on the water before 07:05 and, as usual, most had gone 15 minutes later ....
- ... thereafter 104 Black-headed Gulls flew high from the west and passed over the lake and away to the east
- a Collared Dove singing from a tree inside (just) my recording area – very unusual for them to leave the confines of the estate except to shoot overhead
- all c.500 Jackdaws shot over in multiple concurrent groups with one group flying straight in to the circling Black-headed Gulls and completing at least one orbit before carrying on
- good count of 9 Reed Buntings leaving the W end roosts. At least 3 more calling from reeds and another in song

Bird totals

Birds noted flying over or flying near the lake
- 104 Black-headed Gulls
- 2 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 1 Stock Dove
- 35 Wood Pigeons
- c.500 Jackdaws
- 1 Redwing
- 4 Pied Wagtails
- 1 Greenfinch

Birds recorded leaving roosts around the lake
- 9 Reed Buntings

The counts from the lake area taken 06:30 – 09:00:
- 2 Canada Geese
- 2 Mute Swans (arrived)
- 9 (7♂) Mallard
- 2 (1♂) Gadwall
- 1 Cormorant again
- 1 Grey Heron
- 1 Water Rail
- 8 Moorhens
- 31 Coots
- c.350 Black-headed Gulls
- 1 Lesser Black-backed Gull

The lamp poles were frosted over: just
- 1 probable Pale Brindled Beauty

A post script from my brief view while passing at lunchtime
- Canada Geese gone
- 6 (5♂) Tufted Ducks new in
- 2 Little Grebes now showing themselves – I assume they were hiding earlier
- 24 Black-headed Gulls only

There was no real mist early, just some haze to provide a soft scape behind these reeds.

It looked like it would be a great day again – it was once the fog that rolled in later dispersed.

And looking west pre-dawn.

Too many drakes and not enough ducks. These two Mallard having a scrap while two more look on.

The scrap continued out of the water.

When they can open their beaks as wide as this it is not surprising that Wrens make a loud noise.

This moth is sitting at an unhelpful angle and is devoid of obvious markings. There are some clues: the body is relatively stout and the antenna relatively obvious. I am pretty sure that it is a Pale Brindled Beauty.

Will it be long before this pussy willow opens? Not if it stays this mild.

(Ed Wilson)

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The Flash:  09:20 – 10:10

(38th visit of the year)

Notes from here:
- despite my comment last week that the geese seem to be paired up there were apparently 3 singles amongst the 13 Canadas
- the drake Goosander was a pleasant surprise
- Bullfinch heard singing again
and
- another different species of fungus found on the main grass

Birds noted flying over / near The Flash
- 1 Sparrowhawk
- 6 Feral Pigeons

The counts from the water
- 2 + 1 Mute Swans
- 13 Canada Geese
- 2 (1♂) Gadwall again
- 40 (25♂) Mallard
- 1 (1♂) Shoveler again
- 4 (4♂) Pochard
- 48 (23♂) Tufted Ducks
- 1 (1♂) Goosander
- 1 Cormorant again
- 4 Moorhens
- 23 Coots
- 37 Black-headed Gulls

A gathering of Tufted Duck. Looking at these it seems improbable that in October / November time it is almost impossible to sex these birds.

The drake Goosander today. I see he has the same trouble as me with a runny nose in cold weather.

The answer to the question “how does a Cormorant scratch its neck”: carefully.

This fungus is quite distinctive – with the knurled edging. It had obviously pushed up through the grass and some leaf litter. I did try removing the black leaf but it was firmly stuck and to do so would have damaged the fruiting body.

As much ‘gardening’ as I could to allow a photo from underneath – gill structure and whether the stem has a collar are important aids to ID. That is aids to ID by experts. There is a group of toadstools called ‘rollrims’: this is not one of them as in that group the rim is rolled under rather than over as here.

(Ed Wilson)

Notes
1. Update on ringed Lesser Black-backed Gull seen on 13 Feb 19 Here.- 'I have been sent details of the ringed Lesser Black-backed Gull at Trench. It is full adult and this year will see its 8th birthday. In summary it was evidently born in 2011 and ringed in February 2012 in the port of Málaga, Spain (in its 2nd calendar year). In July 2012 it was seen in Norfolk. In February 2013 it was seen several times around Madrid city. In May 2013 it was seen in Leicestershire. Where it has been since then is a mystery. It is interesting that such an old bird shows so much black on its bill: all my bird books show only red on the bill after the third winter.'

2. A few photos from Belvide on 10 Feb Here.

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On this day..........
2015
Priorslee Lake
Today's Sightings Here

 2014
Priorslee Lake
Velvet Scoter
3 Scaup
(Observer Unknown)

 2013
Priorslee Lake
 Scaup
1 Yellow legged Gull
3 Great Black-backed Gulls
8 Gadwall
30 Wigeon
(John Isherwood)

 The Flash
1 Little Grebe
(John Isherwood)

 Holmer Lake
7 Goosander
(John Isherwood)

 2012
Priorslee Lake
50 Tufted Duck
23 Pochard
1 Caspian Gull
575 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
80 Herring Gulls
650 Black-headed Gulls
(Mike Shurmer, Martin Grant)

 Holmer Lake
39 Goosander
(Martin Grant)

 2010
Priorslee Lake
6 Great Crested Grebes
4 Gadwall
33 Pochard
71 Tufted Ducks
164 Coots
243 Jackdaws
9 Redwings
3 Siskins
(Ed Wilson)

 2006
Priorslee Lake
8 Great Crested Grebes
4 Cormorants
2 Gadwall
10 Pochard
24 Tufted Ducks
129 Coots
c.660 Wood Pigeons
310 Starlings
20 Robins
25 Blackbirds
1 Willow Tit
11 Greenfinches
17 Siskins
4 Redpolls
2 Reed Buntings again
(Ed Wilson)