4 Nov 19

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

Priorslee Lake:  11:50 – 12:55
The Flash:  11:05 – 11:45
Trench Lock Pool:  09:30 – 09:40 // 10:25 – 10:50
Trench Middle Pool:  09:50 –10:20

7.0°C > 11.0°C:  Low cloud and mist, clearing slowly. Light SE wind. Poor visibility, clearing later.

[Sunrise: 07:11 GMT]

Early rain and then low cloud and mist dictated a late start and commencement at Trench – the slightly lower altitude there meant it was just under the low cloud which was blanketing Priorslee.

Reports are presented in ‘traditional’ order rather than in time sequence

Priorslee Lake:  11:50 – 12:55

(262nd visit of the year)

Only looked from the E-end lay-by.

Bird notes:
- I spent much of the time searching for the first-winter Caspian Gull that I photographed badly on 30th October. It has apparently been an almost daily fixture since, departing c.15:00 to roost wherever. If it were present today it eluded me.

Bird totals:

Interesting birds flying over.
None

Counts from the lake area:
- 2 + 5 (1 brood) Mute Swans
- 4 (2♂) Gadwall
- 8 (5♂) Mallard
- 4 (3♂) Pochard
- 28 (13♂) Tufted Ducks
- 1 Cormorant
- 1 Grey Heron
- 2 Little Grebes
- 11 Great Crested Grebes
- 8 Moorhens
- 135 Coots
- 67 Black-headed Gulls
- 15 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 4 Herring Gull: one adult, 1 second winter; and two first winter birds

(Ed Wilson)

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The Flash:  11:05 – 11:45

(248th visit of the year)

Notes from here:
- Rather few Tufted Duck. Why?
- A party of at least 25 Goldfinches flying around. Several smaller groups assumed to be some of the same birds.

Birds noted flying over / near The Flash:
- 2 Wood Pigeons
- 18 Jackdaws
- 1 Pied Wagtail
- 1 Meadow Pipit again

Counts from the water:
- 3 Mute Swans
- 23 Canada Geese
- 33 (19♂) Mallard
- 17 (9?♂) Tufted Duck
- 2 (2♂) Goosander
- 2 Great Crested Grebes only
- 4 Moorhens
- 12 Coots
- 27 Black-headed Gulls

Other things:
- nothing on the usual lamp pole
- seen elsewhere
        - 1 November Moth-type (Epirrita sp.) on a lamp pole around the lake
        - 1 Common Stretch-spider (Tetragnatha extensa) on a lamp pole in squirrel alley
        - a few more Shaggy Ink-cap / Lawyer's Wig fungus (Coprinus comatus)
        - 2 Grey Squirrels

The two drake Goosanders were very different-looking. A good-looking bird in the foreground with a rather blotchy bird behind. As there is no brown in the head and the bill is red rather than orange I suspect this is a moulting adult bird rather than an immature acquiring its first adult plumage.

Moorhens are usually found skulking in the shady areas of the two cut-offs made by the footbridges. This one was relatively exposed and still. Thus I could take a reasonably crisp-looking shot. The blue and brown tones show well here in what is usually regarded as a black bird. Note the yellow tip to the red bill and shield. Note too the small red mark at the top of the leg – not too easy to see in the flesh.

In fact the bird was, as most birds are, continually looking around and this and the previous shot were the only two images where the head was sharp.

Perhaps I overlooked this yesterday. If not then this new Shaggy Ink-cap / Lawyer's Wig fungus (Coprinus comatus) has sprung up more or less overnight.

(Ed Wilson)

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Trench Lock Pool:  09:30 – 09:40 // 10:25 – 10:50

(48th visit of the year)

Notes from here:
- The adult Mute Swan is not ringed and therefore not the singleton seen a few weeks ago at Middle Pool.
- 2 Little Grebes perhaps gives some hope that things might improve here in the winter
-Yet another Great Crested Grebe: now seven. Mostly at the ‘far end’ (from wherever I was). They looked like two adults with all the rest immatures.
- Great Spotted Woodpecker flew out of wooded area near the Blue Pig: my first here since 07 July

Birds noted flying over / near here [other than local Wood Pigeons and Jackdaws].
- 8 Starlings

Counts from the water:
- 1 Mute Swan (unringed)
- 10 Canada Geese
- 8 (6♂) Mallard
- 2 Little Grebes
- 7 Great Crested Grebes
- [no Moorhens]
- 9 Coots
- 2 Black-headed Gulls
- 1 Lesser Black-backed Gull: departed
- 1 Kingfisher

(Ed Wilson)

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Trench Middle Pool:  09:50 –10:20

(48th visit of the year)

The footpath along the N side embankment was being temporarily (a few days) opened while I was present. The workman explained there was more to be done – divers needed to sort out a stuck valve on the sluice. He also explained some of the delay. A pipe due to be replaced was found to contain asbestos and the Health and Safety Executive had to be consulted (four weeks he said) to get specialist contractors called in.

Notes from here:
- A Greylag and Canada Goose flew in accompanied by four hybrid off-spring. Is this the family seen several times at The Flash? If so a juvenile has gone missing. However the young (only seen at a distance) did not look almost identical as the Flash family has done. Perhaps as they mature ....?
- The all-white bird not seen today.
- A good increase in Tufted Duck numbers
- Drake Goosanders continue to dominate this Autumn.
- A Jay heard calling my first here since 7th May despite their relative abundance this Autumn
and
- 1 Limonia nubeculosa cranefly on a lamp pole

Birds noted flying over / near here:
None

Counts from the water:
- 1 Greylag Goose
- 21 Canada Geese
- 4 Greylag x Canada Goose
- [no all-white feral Goose-type]
- 29 (21♂) Mallard
- 23 (16♂) Tufted Duck
- 6 (4♂) Goosander
- 2 Great Crested Grebes
- 14 Moorhens
- 43 Coots
- 14 Black-headed Gulls

Enhanced by the water patterns are these two Tufted Ducks. Bottom left is a drake moulting in to breeding plumage – the flanks will go pure white. The bird behind has a dark bill and is therefore an immature and cannot reliably be sexed. Its eye is also rather a dull brown, further indicating it is an immature.

Another almost ‘painted’ effect of the water here with a fine-looking drake Goosander swimming past a Canada Goose while a Coot sort of looks on.

A brownhead Goosander. The white stripe between the bill to just below the eye indicates this is an immature bird and that the sex cannot be reliably determined from the plumage.

This is a Limonia nubeculosa cranefly. There are several craneflies with patterned wings though this pattern is relatively distinctive. The two pale bands on the legs clinches the ID.

(Ed Wilson)

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

2018
Priorslee Lake
Today's Sightings Here

2016
Priorslee Lake
Today's Sightings Here

2015
Priorslee Lake
Today's Sightings Here

2014
Priorslee Lake
Today's Sightings Here

2013
Nedge Hill
50 Golden Plover
(Arthur Harper)

2011
Priorslee Lake
Yellow legged Gull
(John Isherwood)

2010
Priorslee Lake
16 Pochard
43 Tufted Duck
Yellow-legged Gull
Kingfisher
400+ Jackdaws
17 Fieldfare
7 Redwings
Siskins
(Ed Wilson)

The Flash
24 Pochard
81 Tufted Ducks
c.180 large gulls
5 Redwings here
(Ed Wilson)

Trench Lock Pool
Yellow-legged Gull
(Martin Grant)

2009
Priorslee Lake
17 Pochard
4 Wigeon
8 Tufted
42 Mute Swan
400+ Lesser Black-backed Gull
Yellow Legged Gull
(Mike Cooper)

Wrekin
Firecrest
2 Brambling
(Dave Barrow / Andy Latham)

2006
Priorslee Lake
23 Pochard
48 Tufted Ducks
1 Ruddy Duck
650+ Black-headed Gulls
1 Common Gull
134 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
450 Wood Pigeons
15 Pied Wagtails
18 Wrens
13 Dunnocks
25 Robins
18 Blackbirds
155 Fieldfares
5 Song Thrushes
85 Redwings
1 Mistle Thrush
14 Greenfinches
2 Siskins
4 Reed Buntings
(Ed Wilson)