18 Feb 20

Priorslee Lake and The Flash

Priorslee Lake:  06:30 – 09:00
The Flash:  09:05 – 09:45

4.0°C > 5.0°C:  Clear start and just frosted. Cloud and then showers later. Moderate SW wind. Good visibility.

Sunrise: 07:21 GMT

Priorslee Lake:  06:30 – 09:00

(35th visit of the year)

Bird notes:
- Three of the Cormorants stayed less than two minutes. The other bird stayed until after I departed.
- Many Coots are joining the Moorhens on the SW grass for breakfast. I noted 42 at 07:10.
- A lone Black-headed Gulls arrived at 07:08. Thereafter low numbers, all arriving or passing over in very loose groups.
- At least 150 Wood Pigeons put up from fields to E by a passing Buzzard. They all settled back in to the fields. I did not hear any bird-scarers this morning so perhaps that is why there were more than I have seen for several weeks.

Bird totals:

Birds noted flying over or flying near the lake:
- 4 Greylag Geese (single and trio outbound)
- 2 Canada Geese (pair outbound)
- 7 geese: family party outbound?
- 2 Common Buzzards
- 24 Black-headed Gulls
- 27 Lesser Black-backed Gulls: all adults
- 1 Herring Gull: immature
- 16 Wood Pigeons
- c.450 Jackdaws
- 3 Rooks
- 7 Pied Wagtails
- 17 Redwings

Birds logged leaving roosts around the lake:
- 31 Magpies

Counts from the lake area:
- 2 + 4 Mute Swans
- 2 Canada Geese: one pair arrived; soon departed
- 3 (2♂) Mallard
- 6 (2♂) Tufted Duck
- 4 Cormorants
- 1 Grey Heron
- 4 Great Crested Grebes
- 10 Moorhens
- 50 Coots
- c.50 Black-headed Gulls
- 4 Lesser Black-backed Gulls: all adults
- 2 Herring Gulls: one adult; one first winter

Also noted
- first buds of Dog's Mercury (Mercurialis perennis)

Early on the skies were mostly clear with just some thin high cloud catching some colour from the soon-to-rise sun.

 Here colouring up rather more.

Makes a change to see the sunrise – even if it didn’t last.

The best colour was behind this rather unattractive pylon – but hey ho!

A gathering of 34 Coots (and three Moorhens) on the frosted SW grass having breakfast.

I am always amazed how quickly Black-headed Gulls acquire their breeding hood. Only the area immediately around the bill is yet to go black on this bird. Note too the bill goes a darker red in the breeding season.

An acrobatic Blue Tit hangs at the very end of these male catkins of an Alder tree. With the light shining through the spread tail it looks as if these feathers are pale. It is just a trick of the light – it is the Great Tit that has white outer tail-feathers.

Not sure I have ever noted a Greenfinch eating buds – as here. Normally it is Bullfinches that are seen doing this.

Another male Greenfinch. He looks rather aggressive with the black surround to the eyes and the large pale bill.

Here is the Dog's Mercury (Mercurialis perennis). Still in bud though its flowers are very inconspicuous. Cannot be certain whether it is a bug or a growth on one of the buds.

(Ed Wilson)

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The Flash:  09:05 – 09:45

(34th visit of the year)

Bird notes:
- One Canada Goose still sitting at the same place on island.
- Some of the Mallard pairs have taken to the surrounding wet grassy areas. Egg laying?
- Three very noisy Kingfishers all flew from the SW area towards the island.
- My first Chaffinch song of the year for here.

Birds noted flying over / near The Flash:
- 3 Lesser Black-backed Gulls

Counts from the water:
- 3 Mute Swans
- 11 Canada Geese
- 31 (19♂) Mallard
- 8 (8♂) Pochard
- 39 (20♂) Tufted Duck
- 1 (0♂) Goosander
- 2 Cormorants again
- 2 Great Crested Grebes
- 7 Moorhen
- 12 Coots
- 11 Black-headed Gulls only
- 1 Herring Gull: immature
- 3 Kingfishers

This is a very immature Cormorant with so much white on the breast and belly. It looks like a juvenile but it is too early in the season so it has to be a 2019 immature.

(Ed Wilson)

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

2019
Priorslee 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

2014
Priorslee Lake
2 Scaup
20 Tufted Duck 
7 Pochard
1 Cormorant
2 Buzzards
2 Redwings
162 Jackdaws
140 Rooks
(Ed Wilson, Gary Crowder)

The Flash
1 Pochard 
192 Tufted Ducks 
2 Goosander
(Ed Wilson)

2010
Priorslee Lake
38 Pochard
88 Tufted Ducks
2 Water Rails
136 Coots
3 Redwings
12 Siskins
(Ed Wilson)

2006
Priorslee Lake
6 Great Crested Grebes
2 Gadwall
5 Pochard
6 Tufted Ducks
1 Water Rail.
600 Starlings
21 Robins
18 Blackbirds
1 Willow Tit
4 Siskins
1 Redpoll
5 Reed Buntings.
(Ed Wilson)