22 Dec 19

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

Priorslee Lake:  07:05 – 08:50
The Flash:  08:55 – 09:40
Trench Lock Pool:  09:50 – 10:00 // 10:40 – 11:00
Trench Middle Pool:  10:05 – 10:35

5.0°C > 7.0°C:  Clearing after yet more overnight rain: still mostly cloudy. Light WSW wind. Very good visibility.

Sunrise: 08:20 GMT

Priorslee Lake:  07:05 – 08:50

(291st visit of the year)

I only visited the W end this morning. It had been my intention to return to check the rest of the lake on the way back from Trench. My chosen route passed the Asda store. The traffic chaos was such that I diverted straight home.

Bird notes:
- The Magpie roost seems to be impossible to count at the moment. It is much smaller than in previous years with birds no longer gathering on their usual three different post-roost trees. Many fly directly out of the roost and do so at a time when it is still too dark to see many of them.
- Big Jackdaws passage. 10 minute gap between the first c.475 and the final big group of c.150. A few stragglers as usual.
- Three Song Thrushes and one Mistle Thrush in song.
- I was pleased to see the flock of 16 Siskins fly over. This species has been rather scarce so far this winter.
- I conclude that the calling Reed Buntings are only the resident birds and that there is no longer a roost at the W end.

Bird totals:

Birds noted flying over or flying near the lake:
- 9 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 1 Herring Gull
- 39 Wood Pigeons
- c.650 Jackdaws
- 3 Rooks
- 16 Siskins
- 1 Linnet

Birds logged leaving roosts around the lake:
- 1 Redwing
- 8 Starlings

Counts from the lake area:
- 2 + 5 Mute Swans
- 8 Canada Geese: groups of six and then two arrived
- 2 (1♂) Gadwall again
- 5 (3♂) Mallard again
- 13 (4♂) Tufted Duck [partial count]
- 1 Grey Heron
- [no Little Grebes]
- 2 Great Crested Grebes [partial count]
- 9 Moorhens [partial count]
- [Coots not counted]

Gulls:
No birds before 07:15. The first group of c.50 Black-headed Gulls arrived at 07:20. These were seen skimming across the water from the NE corner, as were almost all the first c.700. So where have these come from? Then c.150 more arrived shortly afterwards from the W. The few large gulls spiralled down from high over and it was not clear from which direction they originated.

Early gull arrival counts
- c.850 Black-headed Gulls
- 2 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 5 Herring Gulls

By 08:25 only these remained
- 7 Black-headed Gulls
- 1 Herring Gull

Also: on lamp poles pre dawn:
- 2 Winter Moths (Operophtera brumata)
- 1 Paroligolophus agrestis harvestman

No other sightings

With the sun very far to the SE at this time of year it is almost impossible to capture the sunrise reflecting on the water. There haven’t exactly been many visible sunrises anyway. This will have to suffice.

Both of the Winter Moths (Operophtera brumata) were, as here, at rest with their wings closed. Most unusual. Can only suggest they were caught by the overnight rain and decided it was best to ‘sit tight’.

(Ed Wilson)

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The Flash:  08:55 – 09:40

(276th visit of the year)

Bird notes from here:
- Single group of 91 geese flew in. Amongst the 88 arriving Canada Geese were two Greylag Geese and one hybrid goose.
- Larger than usual count of Mallard. It would be good to get a few different species of dabbling duck. for a change.
- A Song Thrush in full song back at the top end where I have heard it most often.

Birds noted flying over / near The Flash:
- 4 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 1 Herring Gull
- 19 Feral Pigeons (2 groups)
- 1 Rook

Counts from the water:
- 3 Mute Swans
- 0 > 2 Greylag Geese
- 0 > 1 Greylag x Canada Goose
- 2 > 90 Canada Geese
- 54 (31♂) Mallard
- 9 (8♂) Pochard
- 20 (11♂) Tufted Duck
- 14 (2♂) Goosander
- 2 Great Crested Grebes
- 6 Moorhens
- 14 Coots
- 31 Black-headed Gulls
- 2 Lesser Black-backed Gulls: both first-winters
- 1 Kingfisher again

Other sightings
- on one of the lamp poles in squirrel alley
- 2 Winter Moths (Operophtera brumata)

(Ed Wilson)

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Trench Lock Pool:  09:50 – 10:00 // 10:40 – 11:00

(55th visit of the year)

Notes from here:
- Larger than usual number of Mallard amongst nothing much.
- No Little Grebes found.
- Another very low count of Coots. One was observed collecting nesting material!
- A Song Thrush in song

Birds noted flying over / near here [other than local Wood Pigeons and Jackdaws].
- 8 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 1 Herring Gull

Counts from the water:
- 1 Mute Swan: unringed
- 0 > 4 > 29 Canada Geese
- 21 (14♂) Mallard
- 1 (0♂) Tufted Duck: arrived and then departed
- 7 (3♂) Goosander
- 1 Grey Heron: departed
- [no Little Grebes]
- 5 Great Crested Grebes again
- 1 Moorhen
- 4 Coots only
- 18 Black-headed Gulls
- 2 Lesser Black-backed Gulls: both adults

(Ed Wilson)

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Trench Middle Pool:  10:05 – 10:35

(54th visit of the year)

Paths open all around.

Notes from here:
- The arriving geese flew in from the N, the Greylags a few minutes ahead of the Canadas
- A Great Tit singing loudly – bit early to herald the return of the sun.

Birds noted flying over / near here:
- 1 Lesser Black-backed Gull

Counts from the water:
- 2 > 92+ Greylag Geese
- 4 > 14 Canada Geese
- 1 all-white feral Goose-type
- 21 (15♂) Mallard
- 15 (6♂) Tufted Duck
- [no Goosanders]
- 1 Grey Heron: departed
- 1 Great Crested Grebe again
- 14 Moorhens
- 39 Coots
- 41 Black-headed Gulls
- 1 Lesser Black-backed Gulls

When the flock of Greylag Geese flew in they continued to ‘honk’. Atmospherics were just right and we can see their breath here.

(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

2015
Priorslee Lake
Today's sightings Here

2014
Priorslee Lake
Today's sightings Here

2013
Priorslee Lake
5 Gadwall 
2 Teal 
6 Pochard 
78 Tufted Ducks 
1 female Greater Scaup
222 Coots counted
Caspian Gull
2 Fieldfare
17 Redwings 
429 Jackdaws
173 Rooks
(Ed Wilson)

The Flash
1 Pochard 
110 Tufted Ducks 
17 Goosanders
(Ed Wilson)

Trench Lock Pool
11 Swans 
1 Shoveler 
c.115 Tufted Duck 
7 Goosander
129 Coots 
41 Black-headed Gulls
51 Lesser Black-backed Gull
1 Yellow-legged Gull
21 Herring Gulls
(Ed Wilson)

2012
Priorslee Lake
4 Gadwall
12 Pochard
26 Tufted Ducks
181 Coots
(Ed Wilson)

The Flash
3 Pochard
40 Tufted Duck
16 Goosanders
(Ed Wilson)

Trench Lock Pool
32 Swans
114 Canada Geese
39 Tufted Duck
1 Goldeneye
166 Coots counted
(Ed Wilson)

Little Wenlock, Candles Landfill Site
3rd-winter American Herring Gull
Caspian Gull
2 Yellow-legged Gulls
5 Yellow-legged Gulls
(Tom Lowe/Kriss Webb)

2011
Priorslee Lake
c.6000 Herring Gulls and Lesser Black-backed Gulls
7 Yellow-legged Gulls
6 Great Black-backed Gulls
Sparrowhawk
(Martin Adlam and Ian Grant)

2009
Priorslee Lake
1 Little Grebe 
1 Black-necked Grebe 
5 Great Crested Grebes 
42 Swans
2 Gadwall
51 Pochard
132 Tufted Ducks
2 Water Rails
296 Coots
c.2000 Black-headed and Lesser Black-backed Gulls
30 Lapwings
50 Golden Plover
7 Redwings
8 Fieldfares
15 Goldfinches
11 Siskins
(Ed Wilson)

Priorslee Lake Icebound - 2009 (Martin Adlam)

2006
Priorslee lake
1 Great Crested Grebe
31 Pochard
33 Tufted Ducks
58 Coots
c.500 Black-headed Gulls
c.3200 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
12 Herring Gulls
2 Great Black-backed Gulls
15 Pied Wagtails
1 Redpoll
3 Reed Buntings
(Martin Adlam)

2005
Priorslee lake
c.600 Black-headed Gulls
c.100 Lesser Black-backs
11 Herring Gull
7 Pochard
14 Tufted Duck
1 Cormorant on the Lake.
200 Coot
1 Water Rail
18 Pied Wagtails
231 Rooks
323 Jackdaw
3 Redwing
c.50 Siskin
7 Redpoll
8 Reed Bunting
1 Willow Tit
(Martin Adlam)