Priorslee Lake: 06:25 – 08:40
The Flash: 08:45 – 09:55
11.0°C > 9.0°C
Sunrise: 07:13 GMT
Priorslee Lake: 06:25 – 08:40
(39th visit of the year)
Best this morning was the male (on size) Peregrine that flew fast west at 07:20. It was pursued by a loudly calling first-winter Black-headed Gull – which did not seem a wise move. The Peregrine was new for the year here.
Bird notes:
- The pen Mute Swan took the four cygnets for a fly along the lake despite the strong and gusty wind. Later the cob was seen chasing the cygnets rather more aggressively than previously and as far as I could tell two of the cygnets had left later. The two adults were then seen near their nest site looking rather pleased with each other – I know ‘they’ say you should not anthropomorphise but I have never been sure why.
- Not sure where many of the Canada Geese were going – and I suspect they were not either, changing direction at the whim of the wind.
- The ‘party of seven’ geese split as it passed over the lake with two heading off in a slightly different direction.
- The two drake Mallard were having a real battle with bills locked together for several minutes while the lone duck looked on.
- Strange behaviour from the Coots today. As usual here were many on the SW grass early. Suddenly they all left as if flushed by a fox or such. However the Moorhens stayed put. Thereafter fewer Coots were found.
- The first eight Black-headed Gulls arrived at 07:05. With a maximum of c.200 there were rather fewer this morning, though numbers were hard to gauge as they battled the wind.
- Because of the very strong wind the Magpies were leaving their roost below tree-top height and many went uncounted.
- A Wren seen collecting nesting material.
Bird totals:
Birds noted flying over or flying near the lake:
- 16 Canada Geese (two pairs outbound; 12 unclear direction!)
- 7 unidentified geese (outbound)
- 1 male Peregrine
- 1 Common Buzzard yet again
- 16 Lesser Black-backed Gulls: 14 adults; two second-winters
- 10 Wood Pigeons
- c.230 Jackdaws
- 4 Pied Wagtails
Birds logged leaving roosts around the lake:
- 18 Magpies (see notes)
- 1 Redwing
Counts from the lake area:
- 2 + 4 Mute Swans (see notes)
- 3 (2♂) Mallard
- 5 (1♂) Tufted Duck
- 3 Cormorants
- 1 Grey Heron again
- 1 Great Crested Grebe again
- 8 Moorhens still
- 41 Coots only
- >200 Black-headed Gulls again
- 3 Lesser Black-backed Gulls: one adult; one second-winter; one first-winter
Nothing else of note
Additional bird species for my 2020 bird list at this site:
#65 Peregrine
The best it got today. Not very ‘red sky in the morning’ for the wind and soon-to-follow rain.
(Ed Wilson)
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The Flash: 08:45 – 09:55
(38th visit of the year)
Bird notes:
- The resident Mute Swans made a visit to last year’s nest site with the pen sitting for a while.
- Six of the 21 Canada Geese flew off just as I arrived. Later six flew in – the same?
- Many Mallard sheltering on the island and low numbers reflect this.
- One of the drake Goosanders a presumed first year bird still moulting.
- Initially only 31 Black-headed Gulls. A very large number spiralled down from high to the E and after they had settled I counted 293. Thereafter at least 60 more seen arriving. Later still at least 100 seen overhead, though unclear whether these were new arrivals or birds taking off from the lake. My largest non-roost count of the winter.
Birds noted flying over / near The Flash:
- 2 Common Buzzards
- 1 Feral Pigeon
- 2 Stock Doves
- 3 Jackdaws
Counts from the water:
- 3 Mute Swans
- 21+ Canada Geese (see notes)
- 26 (16♂) Mallard
- 7 (7♂) Pochard again
- 53 (27♂) Tufted Duck
- 5 (5♂) Goosander (see notes)
- 3 Cormorants: 1 arrived
- 2 Great Crested Grebes still
- 7 Moorhen
- 14 Coots
- >350 Black-headed Gulls (see notes)
- 2 Lesser Black-backed Gulls: both adults
- Kingfisher heard only
(Ed Wilson)
Note
Click Here for a few images from Venus Pool taken by Ed Wilson on Thursday 20 February.
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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
3 Great Crested Grebes
5 Cormorants
1 Grey Heron
7 Pochard
3 Tufted Duck
11 Redwings
>800 Jackdaws
127 Rooks
9 Ravens
(Ed Wilson)
The Flash
1 Little Grebe
1 Greylag x Canada x ? Goose
172 Tufted Ducks
3 Goosanders
(Ed Wilson)
Telford Crematorium
Iceland Gull
(Observer Unknown)
2013
Priorslee Lake
23 Wigeon
4 Gadwall
(Martin Grant)
The Flash
Drake Scaup
(JW Reeves)
Horsehay Pool
Iceland Gull
(Jim Almond)
Little Wenlock, Candles Landfill Site
2 Iceland Gulls
2 Glaucous Gulls
(Tom Lowe)
2012
Priorslee Lake
1 Great Black-backed Gull
(Martin Grant)
2010
Priorslee Lake
2 Teal
(Ed Wilson)
2007
Priorslee Lake
1 Mallard x Pintail
2 Shoveler
4 Pochard
4 Tufted Duck
2 Buzzard
1 Common Gull
5 Fieldfare
6 Redwing
41 Magpie
197 Jackdaw
13 Greenfinch
7 Reed Bunting
(Ed Wilson)
2006
Priorslee Lake
1 Little Grebe
7 Great Crested Grebes
2 Herons
4 Cormorants
6 Pochard
21 Tufted Ducks
116 Coots
1 Water Rail
627 Wood Pigeon
13 Pied Wagtails
28 Blackbirds
4 Willow Tits
10 Greenfinches
133 Siskins
1 Linnet
6 Reed Buntings
(Ed Wilson)