Priorslee Lake: 06:40 – 09:05
The Flash: 09:10 – 10:05
Trench Lock Pool: 10:15 – 10:30 // 11:05 – 11:30
Trench Middle Pool: 10:35 – 11:00
4.0°C > 6.0°C: Broken cloud with a few light showers. Moderate S wind. Very good visibility.
Sunrise: 07:31 GMT
Priorslee Lake: 06:40 – 09:05
(31st visit of the year)
With gull numbers fast diminishing I have reincorporated their numbers in the main totals
Bird notes:
- Many geese are noticeably in pairs now.
- The four Great Crested Grebes were behaving as two pairs and were seen in rather desultory display on several occasions.
- The first two Black-headed Gulls arrived at 07:12. By this time six unidentified large gulls had paused overhead but carried on. No large gulls stopped off.
Bird totals:
Birds noted flying over or flying near the lake:
- 3 Greylag Geese (pair outbound; single inbound)
- 27 Canada Geese (26 in 9 pairs / groups outbound; single inbound)
- 7 unidentified geese outbound – the mixed family again?
- 1 Cormorant
- 1 Common Buzzard
- 6 Black-headed Gulls
- 18 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 1 Herring Gull again
- 6 unidentified large gulls
- 1 Stock Dove
- 18 Wood Pigeons
- c.725 Jackdaws
- 2 Redwing
Birds logged leaving roosts around the lake:
- 38 Magpies
nothing else noted
Counts from the lake area:
- 2 + 4 Mute Swans
- 1 Greylag Goose: departed
- 5 Canada Geese: 1 throughout; 2 pairs arrived at different times
- 2 (2♂) Mallard
- 7 (2♂) Tufted Duck
- 2 Grey Herons
- 4 Great Crested Grebes
- 9 Moorhens
- 57 Coots
- 58 Black-headed Gulls
- 1 Kingfisher
Nothing else of note.
As the BBC would say “another chance to see ....” the relatively full moon complete with craters and ‘seas’.
(Ed Wilson)
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The Flash: 09:10 – 10:05
(30th visit of the year)
Bird notes:
- The adult Mute Swans spent some while at the traditional nest site on the island – though of course last year they did not use that site.
- Initially three Greylag Geese. When two flew over the lone bird flew off after them. It or another flew in a few minutes later. And then flew off.
Birds noted flying over / near The Flash:
- 2 Greylag Geese
- 5 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 3 Feral Pigeons
- 1 Jackdaw
- 2 Ravens
Counts from the water:
- 3 Mute Swans
- 3 or 4 Greylag Geese
- 14 Canada Geese
- 37 (21♂) Mallard
- 5 (5♂) Pochard
- 43 (21♂) Tufted Duck
- 5 (2♂) Goosander
- 2 Cormorants
- 2 Great Crested Grebes again
- 5 Moorhen
- 16 Coots
- 25 Black-headed Gulls
- 1 Lesser Black-backed Gull
- 1 Kingfisher again
A Greylag Goose in typical pose – mouth open making a lot of noise.
Touch-down.
Well: splash-down really.
The same bird in typical fishing pose – half-submerged.
A camera-shy Long-tailed Tit.
Just peering behind it to check what I am doing.
A better behaved Long-tailed Tit.
“Perhaps I should fly up there ...”
This one is checking me out as well.
Not often Bullfinches sit up like this. Pity about the light conditions.
(Ed Wilson)
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Trench Lock Pool: 10:15 – 10:30 // 11:05 – 11:30
(12th visit of the year)
Bird notes from here:
- No Canada Geese is somewhat unusual at this date.
- Six Tufted Ducks flew out.
- Just five Great Crested Grebes: two birds seen displaying.
Birds noted flying over / near here [other than local Wood Pigeons and Jackdaws]:
- 1 Starling
Counts from the water:
- 2 Mute Swans
- [no Canada Geese]
- [no Mallard]
- 7 (7♂) Pochard
- 21 (13♂) Tufted Ducks
- 2 (2♂) Goosander
- 1 Grey Heron
- 5 Great Crested Grebes
- 1 Moorhen again
- 7 Coots as usual
- 25 Black-headed Gulls
- 3 Lesser Black-backed Gulls: adults
- 1 Herring Gull: adult
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(12th visit of the year)
Notes from here:
- Both Great Crested Grebes seen, though not taking too much interest in each other.
- Two ‘real’ Herring Gulls: no sign of any Yellow-legged Gull.
- First Great Spotted Woodpecker here this year. Heard calling.
- My first Goldcrest here this year. It was also my first singing Goldcrest of the year.
- A single Redwing flew out of the trees.
Birds noted flying over / near here:
- 1 Rook
Counts from the water:
- 2 Mute Swans
- 1 Greylag Goose
- 38 Canada Geese
- 1 all-white feral duck?-type
- 27 (19♂) Mallard
- 5 (2♂) Tufted Duck
- 2 (1♂) Goosander
- 2 Great Crested Grebes
- 16 Moorhens
- 28 Coots
- 33 Black-headed Gulls
- 2 Herring Gulls
Additional bird species for my 2020 bird list at this site:
#36 Great Spotted Woodpecker
#37 Goldcrest
#38 Redwing
(Ed Wilson)
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On this day..........
2019Priorslee Lake
Today's Sightings Here
2016
Priorslee Lake
Today's Sightings Here
2015
Priorslee Lake
Today's Sightings Here
2014
Priorslee Lake
1 Velvet Scoter
3 Greater Scaup
(Observer Unknown)
2013
Candles landfill / Horsehay Pool
1 Iceland Gull
3 Caspian Gull
8 Yellow-legged Gull
Herring x Lesser Black-backed gull hybrid
(Tom Lowe)
2012
Priorslee Lake
1000+ large gulls
2 Iceland Gulls
3 Yellow-legged Gulls
(Tom Lowe)
2010
Priorslee Lake
1 Little Grebe
4 Great Crested Grebes
4 Gadwall
39 Pochard
84 Tufted Duck
1 Water Rail
173 Coots
1 Siskin
(Ed Wilson)
2009
Priorslee Lake
Iceland Gull
(Observer Unknown)
2008
Priorslee Lake
Glaucous Gull
(Geoff Holmes)
2006
Priorslee Lake
10 Pink-footed Geese
c.70 Golden Plover
80 Fieldfares
10 Great Crested Grebes
10 Pink-footed Geese
10 Pochard
38 Tufted Ducks
151 Coots
1 Water Rail
1065 Wood Pigeons
273 Jackdaws
186 Rooks
400 Starling
27 Robins
23 Blackbirds
10 Song Thrushes
11 Greenfinches
48 Siskins
1 Redpoll
10 Reed Buntings
(Ed Wilson).