Priorslee Lake: 06:00 – 08:50
The Flash: 08:55 – 09:55
1.0°C > 6.0°C: Increasing mainly medium-level cloud. Light and variable wind. Very good visibility.
Sunrise: 06:48 GMT
Priorslee Lake: 06:00 – 08:50
(49th visit of the year)
Bird notes from here:
- A near adult Mute Swan appeared over at 07:00 and, wisely, decided that the residents looked too threatening and flew off N.
- The drake Goosander arrived after 08:00 and stayed.
- Six Great Crested Grebes seen, with five of them sparring.
- No large parties of Jackdaws seen or heard. One bird was calling from the tree used by the Magpies for post-roost gatherings.
- Three Ravens seen over – most unusually apparently silent birds.
- Strange goings on with Mistle Thrush(es) today. One heard singing from the E of Castle Farm Way, close to where I saw one yesterday. Later one was singing from its usual tree alongside Teece Drive. This was rudely interrupted by the arrival of a gang of seven Redwings and four larger thrushes – from my location I was unable to decide whether they too were Mistle Thrushes or perhaps Fieldfares. I heard no calls to help me identify them. By the time I got closer only the Redwings remained and they too flew off.
- After yesterday’s Siskin fly-over there were several birds in the Alders briefly – at least one male and two females seen.
Birds noted flying over / near here:
- 1 Mute Swan: near adult
- 2 Greylag Geese (pair outbound)
- 10 Canada Geese (nine outbound in two groups; one flew N)
- 4 (3♂) Mallard
- 2 Cormorants
- 14 Black-headed Gulls
- 2 Lesser Black-backed Gulls: both adults
- 4 Herring Gulls: three adults; one immature
- 1 Stock Dove
- 37 Wood Pigeons
- 19 Jackdaws only
- 11 Rooks
- 3 Ravens
- 2 Starlings
- 2 Redwings again
Birds logged leaving roosts around the lake:
- 42 Magpies
Counts from the lake area:
- 2 + 2 Mute Swans
- 4 Canada Geese: two pairs arrived
- 3 (3♂) Mallard
- 1 (♂) Goosander
- 1 Grey Heron again
- 2 Little Grebes again
- 6 Great Crested Grebes
- 10 Moorhens
- 43 Coots
- 27 Black-headed Gulls
- 2 Lesser Black-backed Gull: 2 adults briefly
Additional bird species for my 2020 bird list at this site:
#68 Raven
A few images from the sunrise. Here before the street-lights went out.
And later.
A sliver of colour to the far East.
Today’s Long-tailed Tit photo.
A rather splendid male Siskin. One of at least three birds that stopped in the Alders briefly.
(Ed Wilson)
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The Flash: 08:55 – 09:55
(48th visit of the year)
Bird notes:
- As the breeding season starts the Mallard were flying around and hard to keep track of. ‘Best effort’ with the totals.
- I normally wait until I move to the E side of the lake before I count the Black-headed Gulls. Today all but one had left by then. I estimate c.20 earlier.
- A pair of Kingfishers seen together near the concrete sluice exit. Later one or more, presumably of these, heard at the ‘top’ end. Later a male in the original area.
- My, rather belated, first Great Spotted Woodpecker of the year here. Seen in the NW area.
- A Green Woodpecker heard somewhere near the primary academy.
- A Mistle Thrush in song near the surgery. Later presumably the same bird singing from across the other side of Priorslee Avenue. Perhaps the bird alongside Teece Drive earlier?
Birds noted flying over / near The Flash:
- 1 Sparrowhawk
- 1 Common Buzzard
- 1 Wood Pigeon
- 1 Jackdaw
- 1 Starling
Counts from the water:
- 3 Mute Swans as ever
- 24 Canada Geese: 10 of these arrived
- 36 (22♂) Mallard
- 5 (5♂) Pochard
- 69 (36♂) Tufted Duck
- [no Goosander]
- 2 Cormorants
- 2 Great Crested Grebes again
- 8 Moorhens
- 18 Coots
- c.20? Black-headed Gulls
- 2 Kingfishers
Additional bird species for my 2020 bird list at this site:
#52 Green Woodpecker
#53 Great Spotted Woodpecker
#54 Mistle Thrush
Two more Canada Geese arrive to cause the Mute Swan grief.
And seconds later. Same bird calling. I wonder which sex it is?
A male Tufted Duck. Now at ‘maximum tuft’ as they acquire full breeding plumage.
The Great Crested Grebes were displaying.
How do they do that? I can’t make my beard stand on end!
Later just the male was present. I had heard one (or more) at the top end in between.
(Ed Wilson)
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On this day..........
2019Priorslee Lake
Today's Sightings Here
2017
Priorslee Lake
Today's Sightings Here
2016
Priorslee Lake
Today's Sightings Here
2015
Priorslee Lake
Today's Sightings Here
2014
Priorslee Lake
57 Herring Gull
154 Lesser Black-backed Gull
186 Black-headed Gull
1 Great Black-backed Gull
4 Cormorant
3 Great Crested Grebe
16 Tufted Duck
(Gary Crowder )
2010
Priorslee Lake
5 Great Crested Grebes
1 Little Grebe
6 Gadwall
36 Pochard
55 Tufted Duck
600 Black-headed Gulls
100 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
A leucistic Black-headed Gull
1 Great Black-backed Gull
1 Common Gull
1 Yellow-legged Gull
7 Herring Gulls
(Ed Wilson, Mike Cooper)
2009
Priorslee Lake
9 Tufted Duck
1 Bittern
1 Heron
1 Cormorant
7 Swans
c.400 Black-headed Gulls
1 Iceland Gull
c.700 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
c.70 Herring Gulls
Peregrine
46 Siskins
(Ed Wilson)
2008
Priorslee Lake
Glaucous Gull
(Paul King).
2006
Priorslee Lake
6 Great Crested Grebe
8 Pochard
81 Tufted Duck
3 Shoveler
1 Goosander
1 Cormorant
1 Water Rail
180 Lesser-black Backed Gulls
300 Black-headed Gulls
8 Siskin
2 Willow Tit
(Martin Adlam, Peter Parton)