Priorslee Lake: 06:55 – 09:40
The Flash: 09:45 – 10:20
Trench Lock Pool: 10:30 – 10:40 // 11:30 – 11:50
Trench Middle Pool: 10:45 – 11:25
4.0°C > 8.0°C: Clear start. Cloud increasing from the W all the while. Moderate SSE wind. Good visibility.
Sunrise: 08:22 GMT
Highlight of the day was a Great White Egret leaving Trench Lock Pool as I arrived. Pink-footed Goose again at Trench Middle Pool
Priorslee Lake: 06:55 – 09:40
(2nd visit of the year)
Generally another quiet morning – apart from the traffic noise from the M54. First-day back at work for many folk and I had got used to the reduced level of traffic the last 10 days or so.
Bird notes:
- A lone Canada Goose among eight Greylags flying outbound.
- A pair of Goosander was seen taking off and departing to the W. Unsure how long they had been on the water.
- Five of the Cormorants arrived in a group. Most did not stay long – apart from the presumed usual bird sitting on one of the buoys.
- A lone Lapwing circling overhead for a while was unusual for this usually gregarious species.
- Just a single Wood Pigeon was noted in the trees – and that when it flushed pre-dawn. Where were they all?
Bird totals:
Birds noted flying over or flying near the lake:
- 8 Greylag Geese: outbound
- 29 Canada Geese: 1 with Greylags: 28 outbound in another group
- 11 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 4 Herring Gulls
- 12 Wood Pigeons
- >580 Jackdaws
- >135 Rooks
Birds logged leaving roosts around the lake:
- 9 Redwings
- 7 Reed Buntings
Counts from the lake area:
- 2 + 5 Mute Swans
- 8 (5♂) Gadwall
- 12 (8♂) Mallard
- 7 (6♂) Pochard
- 39 (23♂) Tufted Duck
- 2 (1♂) Goosanders
- 7 Cormorants
- 1 Grey Heron
- 2 Little Grebes
- 3 Great Crested Grebes
- 11 Moorhens
- 94 Coots only
Gulls:
The first Black-headed Gulls arrived at 07:40. Only c.200 arrived at this time and they soon dispersed.
A group of 24 Herring Gulls, mostly first-winter birds, arrived at 07:50 with just two Lesser Black-backed Gull. An unusual species ratio.
Early arrival counts
- c.200 Black-headed Gulls
- 2 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 24 Herring Gulls
After 08:00 at least 425 Black-headed Gulls arrived / re-arrived from the W / NW. Very few large gulls around.
Later arrivals
- >425 Black-headed Gulls
- 5 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 2 Herring Gulls
On the lamp pole pre dawn:
- 1 Mottled Umber moth (Erranis defoliaria)
No other sightings
Additional bird species recorded here this morning (in order logged)
38 Common Buzzard
39 Goosander
40 Little Grebe
41 Grey Wagtail
42 Jay
43 Coal Tit
44 Lapwing
45 Siskin
46 Mistle Thrush
The sunrise with an unexpected almost cloudless sky.
Another view. Did not stay cloudless for long.
On this different individual there is that slightly paler area around the inner primaries.
A group of four Gadwall went for a fly-around. We can tell the three drakes from their all-black bills.
The Mottled Umber moth (Erranis defoliaria) all covered in dew.
(Ed Wilson)
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The Flash: 09:45 – 10:20
(1st visit of the year)
Lower numbers due to many fishermen all around the water?
Bird notes from here:
- The Greylag Geese just flew over, without a pause.
- Song Thrush singing.
- Most unusually no Goldfinches noted
Birds noted flying over / near The Flash:
- 2 Greylag Geese
- 2 Wood Pigeons
- 1 Jackdaw
Counts from the water:
- 3 Mute Swans as ever
- 13 Canada Geese
- 34 (20♂) Mallard- 5 (5♂) Pochard only
- 37 (23♂) Tufted Duck
- [no Goosanders]
- 2 Great Crested Grebes
- 3 Moorhens
- 14 Coots
- 28 Black-headed Gulls
No other sightings:
The following bird species were noted this morning – in the order in which I first logged them (seen or heard)
1 Blackbird
2 Black-headed Gull
3 Tufted Duck
4 Mallard
5 Coot
6 Magpie
7 Wood Pigeon
8 Robin
9 Dunnock
10 Carrion Crow
11 House Sparrow
12 Jackdaw
13 Blue Tit
14 Pochard
15 Canada Goose
16 Chaffinch
17 Mite Swan
18 Great Tit
19 Song Thrush
20 Wren
21 Great Crested Grebe
22 Moorhen
23 Greylag Goose
(Ed Wilson)
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Trench Lock Pool: 10:30 – 10:40 // 11:30 – 11:50
(1st visit of the year)
As I was getting out of the car in the Blue Pig car park my attention was diverted by a commotion overhead. As I looked up a Great White Egret was being chased away by angry Black-headed Gulls. My first Great White Egret at this location.
Other bird notes from here:
- The Yellow-legged Gull probably the bird seen over Middle Pool.
- Song Thrush singing.
Birds noted flying over / near here [other than local Wood Pigeons and Jackdaws]:
- 1 Feral Pigeon
Counts from the water:
- 2 Mute Swans
- 18 Canada Geese
- 3 (3♂) Mallard
- 2 (1♂) Tufted Duck
- 6 (5♂) Goosanders
- 1 Little Grebe at least
- 1 Great White Egret: departed
- 1 Grey Heron: departed
- 4 Great Crested Grebes
- 1 Moorhen
- 7 Coots
- 51 Black-headed Gulls
- 8 Lesser Black-backed Gulls: all adults
- 1 Herring Gull: second-winter
- 1 Yellow-legged Gull: near adult
- 1 Kingfisher
The following bird species were noted this morning – in the order in which I first logged them (seen or heard)
1 Black-headed Gull
2 Blackbird
3 Mute Swan
4 Magpie
5 Great White Egret
6 Great Tit
7 Dunnock
8 Coot
9 Goosander
10 Canada Goose
11 Mallard
12 Grey Heron
13 Robin
14 Lesser Black-backed Gull
15 Great Crested Grebe
16 Tufted Duck
17 Wood Pigeon
18 Chaffinch
19 House Sparrow
20 Kingfisher
21 Blue Tit
22 Jackdaw
23 Wren
24 Long-tailed Tit
25 Feral Pigeon
26 Song Thrush
27 Moorhen
28 Little Grebe
29 Yellow-legged Gull
30 Herring Gull
(Ed Wilson)
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Trench Middle Pool: 10:45 – 11:25
(1st visit of the year)
Notes from here:
- After weeks of a lone bird there were a pair of Great Crested Grebes, displaying briefly.
- More Moorhens but fewer Coots
- Most of the Black-headed Gulls flew in when bread was in the offing. It seems they sit on the street-lamps around the Wombridge Interchange and keep watch.
- A Yellow-legged Gull was later at Trench Lock. I am almost certain this is what flew over here, though it is hard to check for this species as a fly-over.
Birds noted flying over / near here:
- 3 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 1 Yellow-legged Gull
Counts from the water:
- 1 Pink-footed Goose: with Greylags
- 124 Greylag Geese
- 37 Canada Geese
- 1 all-white feral Goose-type as usual
- 19 (13♂) Mallard
- 14 (7♂) Tufted Duck
- 3 (2♂) Goosanders
- 2 Great Crested Grebes
- 19 Moorhens
- 32 Coots
- 54 Black-headed Gulls
The following bird species were noted this morning – in the order in which I first logged them (seen or heard)
1 Wood Pigeon
2 Blue Tit
3 Pied Wagtail
4 Robin
5 Magpie
6 Canada Goose
7 Greylag Goose
8 Moorhen
9 Coot
10 Tufted Duck
11 Black-headed Gull
12 Great Crested Grebe
13 Goosander
14 Mallard
15 Lesser Black-backed Gull
16 Pink-footed Goose
17 Yellow-legged Gull
18 Goldfinch
19 Wren
20 Long-tailed Tit
21 Carrion Crow
22 Chaffinch
23 Great Tit
24 Blackbird
25 Grey Wagtail
A pair of Goosanders
(Ed Wilson)
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On this day..........
2019Priorslee Lake
Today's Sightings Here
2017
Local area
Today's Sightings Here
2016
Local Area
Today's Sightings Here
2015
Priorslee Lake
Today's Sightings Here
2013
Priorslee Lake
Drake Scaup still present.
2012
Priorslee Lake
1 Yellow-legged Gull
4 or 5 Great Black-backed Gulls
1 Caspian Gull
(Ed Wilson and et al)
2010
Priorslee Lake
c.1500 gulls
Adult winter Ring Billed Gull.
Adult Common Gull
3 adult Yellow-legged Gulls
Black-necked Grebe
(Ed Wilson and Rob Stokes)
2009
Priorslee Lake
Caspian Gull
Adult Yellow-legged Gull
Iceland Gull
(Dawn Balmer, Peter Wilson and et al)