26 Dec 19

Priorslee Lake and The Flash

Priorslee Lake:  11:40 – 12:10
The Flash:  12:15 – 13:05

5.0°C > 6.0°C:  Low overcast. Occasional light drizzle. Light ESE wind. Moderate visibility.

[Sunrise: 08:21 GMT still]

Priorslee Lake:  11:40 – 12:10

(295th visit of the year)

A later visit avoiding the early wind and rain. Observation from the E end lay-by and dam-top only

Bird notes:
- The fifth cygnet Mute Swan remains well-separated. Another cygnet is increasingly spending time away from its parents and siblings.
- Both Pochard and lone Goosander new arrivals.
- Moorhen numbers always low when disturbance flushes them away from their preferred feeding area on the SW grass.
- Rather few gulls and almost no further arrivals while I was present

Bird totals:

Counts from the lake area only:
- 2 + 5 Mute Swans
- 8 (4♂) Gadwall
- 6 (4♂) Mallard
- 2 (1♂) Pochard
- 43 (20♂) Tufted Duck
- 1 (0♂) Goosander
- 2 Cormorants again
- 1 Little Grebe
- 3 Great Crested Grebes again
- 2 Moorhens
- 133 Coots
- 52 Black-headed Gulls
- 17 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 5 Herring Gulls
- 1 Kingfisher

No other sightings

(Ed Wilson)

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The Flash:  12:15 – 13:05

(280th visit of the year)

Bird notes from here:
- A noisy Greylag x Canada Goose present throughout.
- Despite diligent searching all areas with overhanging vegetation I could find no Great Crested Grebes.
- All the large gulls were arrivals. Most left before I did.
- At least 50 finches flying over and around the island. No calls heard: presumed Goldfinches.

Birds noted flying over / near The Flash:
None

Counts from the water:
- 3 Mute Swans
- 1 Greylag x Canada Goose
- 2 Canada Geese
- 38 (22♂) Mallard
- 12 (12♂) Pochard
- 18 (9♂) Tufted Duck
- 7 (0♂) Goosander
- 1 Grey Heron again
- [no Great Crested Grebes]
- 4 Moorhens again
- 12 Coots again
- 74 Black-headed Gulls
- 3 Lesser Black-backed Gulls: 2 adults; 1 first-winters again
- 3 Herring Gulls: 2 first-winters; 1 second winter
- 1 Kingfisher heard only

No other sightings

 In the mid-winter gloom the haircut on this brownhead Goosander caught my eye.

One of its companions looked distinctly ‘soggy’ in comparison. In the very dull light it is hard to be certain: the eye colour on this bird looks browner than the previous bird. There is a hint of a pale line between the bill-base and the eye: and some white showing in the flanks. I suspect this is an immature drake beginning to moult in to its first adult plumage.

(Ed Wilson)

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

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

2018
Priorslee Lake
Today's Sightings Here

2017
Priorslee Lake
Today's Sightings Here

2013
Priorslee Lake
Two 1st-winter female Scaup
(Unknown)

2012
Priorslee Lake
A drake Scaup
4 Gadwall
10 Great Black-backed Gull
(Kriss Webb)

2009
Priorslee Lake
1 Black-necked Grebe
5 Great Crested Grebes
4 Gadwall
26 Pochard
97 Tufted Ducks
3 Goosander
327 Coots
5 Redwings
4 Fieldfare
10 Goldfinches 
14 Siskins
(Ed Wilson)