21 Nov 19

Priorslee Lake and The Flash

Priorslee Lake:  10:25 –11:30
The Flash:  09:40 – 10:20

3.0°C:  Very low cloud. Moderate E wind. Moderate visibility.

[Sunrise: 07:42 GMT]

First tentative visit after my hospital stay. Will be a while before I am present at dawn

Priorslee Lake:  10:25 –11:30

(269th visit of the year)

Bird notes:
- Although I could not read the Darvic rings on the swans it appeared the adults and the four flying cygnets had returned. A fifth – probably the non-flying local-bred bird, was at the opposite end of the water.
- Two ‘challenging’ white-headed Herring Gull types, neither of which stayed long-enough for me to get a positive identification beyond ‘Herring Gull’.
- The group of c.45 Fieldfare overhead was perhaps the most exciting sighting on a very grey day.

Bird totals:

Birds noted flying over or flying near the lake:
- 1 Common Buzzard
- c.45 Fieldfares: two groups

Counts from the lake area:
- 2 + 5 Mute Swans (see notes)
- 2 (1♂) Gadwall
- 11 (8♂) Mallard only
- 4 (3♂) Pochard again
- 36 (20♂) Tufted Ducks
- 2 Cormorants: arrived
- 1 Grey Heron
- 2 Little Grebes
- 8 Great Crested Grebes
- 3 Moorhens
- 139 Coots
- c.110 Black-headed Gulls
- >113 Lesser Black-backed Gulls: mostly adults; most arrived
- 9 Herring Gulls: mostly adults; most arrived
- 1 Caspian Gull: first winter, arrived

You can almost see its tongue hanging out the corner of its mouth as this first-winter Herring Gull concentrates hard getting its landing right. Poor light conditions I am afraid.

After feedback from one of my readers (thanks Steve) I can confirm that the pale-headed first-winter Herring Gull-type on the left is indeed a first-winter Caspian Gull, likely one of the birds that has been in the area for several weeks. In contrast the bird on the right a very typical adult winter Lesser Black-backed Gull with extensive head-streaking.

(Ed Wilson)

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The Flash:  09:40 – 10:20

(255th visit of the year)

Notes from here:
- >50 Goldfinches swirling over the island.

Birds noted flying over / near The Flash:
- 1 Common Buzzard
- 7 Lesser Black-backed Gulls

Counts from the water: quiet again.
- 3 Mute Swans as ever
- 2 Canada Goose: arrived
- 29 (19♂) Mallard
- 5 (5♂) Pochard
- 41 (?♂) Tufted Duck
- 1 (1♂) Goosander: flew off
- 1 Great Crested Grebe
- 4 Moorhens
- 9 Coots only
- 54 Black-headed Gulls
- 2 Lesser Black-backed Gulls: briefly: 1 adult; 1 2nd winter
- 2 Herring Gulls: briefly: 1 1st winter; 1 2nd winter
- 1 Kingfisher

(Ed Wilson)

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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
Local area
Today's Sightings Here

2013
Priorslee Lake
5 Gadwall 
1 Pochard 
125 Tufted Duck
3 Water Rails 
15 Moorhens 
221 Coots counted again 
1 Snipe 
23 Fieldfare
8 Redwings 
196 Jackdaws
4 Rooks
2 Ravens
Redpoll
(Ed Wilson)

2012
Priorslee Lake
3 Gadwall 
8 Pochard 
27 Tufted Ducks 
9 Moorhens 
142 Coots 
(Ed Wilson)

2011
Priorslee Lake
2 Yellow-legged Gulls
1st winter Great Black-backed Gull
3 female Goosander
3 Wigeon
(John Isherwood)

2008
Priorslee Lake
7 Great Crested Grebes
2 Cormorants
30 Greylag Gees
16 Pochard
166 Tufted Duck
3 Goosander
Water Rail
148 Coot
c.700 Black-headed
c.1300 Lesser Black-backed
<20 Herring Gulls
93 Redwings
c.500 Starlings left a roost
(Ed Wilson)

2006
Priorslee Lake
3 Great Crested Grebes
33 Pochard
69 Tufted Ducks
6 Buzzards
>1750 Black-headed Gulls
2251 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
26 Robins
32 Blackbirds
96 Fieldfares
4 Song Thrushes
13 Redwings
384 Jackdaws
216 Rooks
22 Greenfinch
2 Siskins
2 Reed Buntings
(Ed Wilson)