Priorslee Lake, The Flash, Trench Lock Pool and Trench Middle Pool [in an unusual order]
Priorslee Lake: 07:00 – 09:30
The Flash: 11:05 – 11:45
Trench Lock Pool: 09:40 – 09:55 // 10:35 – 11:05
Trench Middle Pool: 10:00 – 10:30
4.0°C > 5.0°C: Very low cloud soon breaking up with clear spells. Then after 09:15 fogged in at Priorslee – so off to Trench where clear. Stayed clear. Light / variable, mainly S breeze. Moderate / good visibility, poor at Priorslee for a while.
Sunrise: 08:22 GMT still
Best of the day was the Pink-footed Goose that arrived at Trench Middle Pool (q.v.)
Priorslee Lake: 07:00 – 09:30
(299th visit of the year)
Bird notes:
- The fifth Mute Swan cygnet again went for a fly on its own.
- Two Canada Geese on the water when I arrived. Another two flew in c.08:00. All stayed until 09:20 when two left.
- Another challenging day with the Jackdaws and Rooks. >1000 birds streaming past together at 07:38 in multiple mixed groups. Several small groups later.
- A strange morning with Wood Pigeons. Firstly nine birds flew high N in a very loose group. Then 13 flew high E. 22 more flew E before two groups of 68 and 21 respectively flew high W, the larger group containing a Stock Dove. A few singles over as well. Finally 43 were noted descending in to trees around the ‘football’ field, just as I was about to leave and as it fogged in. None of these movements seemed to be initiated by the bird scarers in the fields to the E.
- Five singing Song Thrushes.
- I initially assumed the two Pied Wagtails overhead were making their way to their usual E-end lay-by feast. They were not there.
- Reed Buntings left the roost in three small groups, with the final three at 08:25 – later than I have stayed to check on previous days. Strangely two birds were seen to fly in to the roost area from nearby prior to any birds departing.
Bird totals:
Birds noted flying over or flying near the lake:
- 8 Greylag Geese: outbound
- 1 Greylag x Canada Goose: outbound with Canadas
- 12 Canada Geese: outbound in three groups
- 32 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 1 Stock Dove
- 158 Wood Pigeons (see notes)
- 3 Collared Doves: singles
- c.1100 Jackdaws
- c.100 Rooks
- 1 Starling
- 2 Redwings
- 2 Pied Wagtails
Birds logged leaving roosts around the lake:
- 8 Redwings
- 8 Reed Bunting (three groups)
Counts from the lake area:
- 2 + 5 Mute Swans
- 4 Canada Geese
- 4 (2♂) Gadwall still
- 9 (6♂) Mallard
- 3 (2♂) Pochards
- 37 (20♂) Tufted Duck
- 2 Cormorants
- 1 Grey Heron
- 2 Little Grebes
- 3 Great Crested Grebes
- 13 Moorhens
- 121 Coots
Gulls:
The first Black-headed Gulls arrived at 07:35. Only c.250 arrived at this time and they soon dispersed in all directions. After 08:00 I logged c.325 arriving from the W / NW, with many barely pausing before they moved off E. As usual I have no way of telling how many of these were new arrivals.
Very few large gulls came and went
Arrival counts
- >325 Black-headed Gulls
- 6 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 6 Herring Gulls
On the lamp pole pre dawn:
- 1 Common Stretch-spider (Tetragnatha extensa)
No other sightings
Early low cloud clearing away.
The bank of fog in the distance.
A drake Gadwall. After the magnificent Pintail this is my second-favourite duck.
(Ed Wilson)
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The Flash: 11:05 – 11:45
(284th visit of the year)
Some unusual disturbance from one of the fishermen today who appeared to be throwing a weighty object on a rope in to the water and pulling it out. I know nothing about fishing but apart from possibly stunning some accidentally I have no idea what he was doing. Birds were staying well away.
Bird notes from here:
- Usual problem with Great Crested Grebes. Certainly two together. One seen in a different location but then I could relocate neither of the others.
- Lower number of Pochard.
Birds noted flying over / near The Flash:
- 2 Jackdaws
Counts from the water:
- 3 Mute Swans as ever
- 2 Greylag Geese
- 31 Canada Geese
- 44 (27♂) Mallard
- 8 (8♂) Pochard only
- 31 (15♂) Tufted Duck
- 10 (0♂) Goosander: departed
- 1 Grey Heron yet again
- 3? Great Crested Grebes
- 1 Moorhen again
- 12 Coots again
- 27 Black-headed Gulls only: and 15 of these left as I arrived
- 1 Lesser Black-backed Gull: leaving as I arrived
- 1 Kingfisher seen on the island
Other sightings:
- c.10 Muscid sp. flies on the Ivy bank
A slightly better shot of the Kingfisher lurking on the island.
One of the Muscid flies on the Ivy bank.
(Ed Wilson)
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Trench Lock Pool: 09:40 – 09:55 // 10:35 – 11:05
(58th visit of the year)
Bird notes from here:
- Bright and low sun prevented me looking in to the vegetation where the Little Grebes often hide.
- Some of the recent Great Crested Grebes seem to have moved out.
- More Coots than for many weeks.
Birds noted flying over / near here [other than local Wood Pigeons and Jackdaws].
None
Counts from the water:
- 2 Mute Swans again
- 35 Canada Geese: 32 of these arrived in two groups
- 7 (5♂) Mallard
- 1 (1♂) Goosanders: departed
- [Little Grebes not seen]
- 1 Grey Heron
- 3 Great Crested Grebes only
- 3 Moorhens
- 11 Coots
- 31 Black-headed Gulls again
- 2 Lesser Black-backed Gulls: both adults
- 1 Herring Gull: second-winter
- 1 Kingfisher again
The Canada Goose formation team comes in to land.
Touch down!
This group floating in seem rather reluctant to lower their undercarriage.
A drake Goosander, its bill ploughing through the water.
Same bird now in the sun.
(Ed Wilson)
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Trench Middle Pool: 10:00 – 10:30
(57th visit of the year)
The arriving Pink-footed Goose was a surprise. However not new here in 2019 – I logged one on 04 March. I noted today’s bird as I scanned the geese just after they landed and managed a quick confirmatory shot before it joined all the others behind the island. I could not re-find the bird on the water when I walked around to view the other side: many of the Greylag Geese had climbed on to the island and could not be seen. It must have done so too. The photos I took of the geese arriving shows this bird somewhat better.
Notes from here:
- So why did the gulls all get up and leave? They swirled around for a while but never re-settled.
Birds noted flying over / near here.
None
Counts from the water:
- 1 Pink-footed Goose: arrived with Greylags
- 136 Greylag Geese: 120 of these arrived
- 19 Canada Geese
- 1 all-white feral Goose-type as usual
- 28 (19♂) Mallard
- 18 (7♂) Tufted Duck
- 5 (3♂) Goosanders
- 1 Grey Heron
- 1 Great Crested Grebe again
- 14 Moorhens
- 42 Coots
- 18 Black-headed Gulls: all departed as I arrived
- 1 Herring Gulls: departed as I arrived
Here the unusual bird is right in the middle. Note the black neck and upper breast.
... and bottom right here ....
... and bottom left here. We can even see the pink feet on this bird – a Pink-footed Goose.
(Ed Wilson)
Note:
Click Here for the FoPL 2019 Summary
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On this day..........
2018Priorslee Lake
Today's Sightings Here
2016
Priorslee Lake
Today's Sightings Here
2014
Priorslee Lake
Today's Sightings Here
2013
Priorslee Lake
2 female Scaup
1 Yellow-legged Gull
3 Great Black-backed Gulls
7 Gadwall
(John Isherwood/Dawn Balmer)
The Flash
5 Goosander
(John Isherwood)
Little Wenlock, Candles Landfill Site
Yellow-legged Gull
(Dawn Balmer)
Horsehay Pool
12 Goosander
(Dawn Balmer)
2012
Priorslee Lake
4 Yellow-legged Gulls
(Jim Almond/Chris Ballance)
2011
Priorslee Lake
1 adult Yellow-legged Gull
9 Great Black-backed Gulls
Water Rail
(John Isherwood)
2010
Priorslee Lake
Yellow-legged Gull
Redpoll
(Ed Wilson)
2009
Priorslee Lake
Caspian Gull
(Jason)
2006
Priorslee lake
2 Great Crested Grebes
19 Pochard
34 Tufted Ducks
>300 Black-headed Gulls
>298 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
12 Herring Gull
33 Robins
13 Blackbirds
10 Fieldfares
45 Redwings
3 Reed Buntings
(Ed Wilson)
2005
Priorslee lake
2 Little Grebes
11 Great Crested Grebes
1 Cormorant
2 Mute Swans
35 Pochard
84 Tufted Duck
243 Coot
c.250 Black-headed Gulls
c.700 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
1 Yellow-legged Gull
32 Herring Gulls
(Ed Wilson)