2 Oct 20

Priorslee Lake and The Flash

8.0°C > 10.0°C: Medium-high overcast, lowering all the while with light rain after 09:30. Moderate / fresh NE wind. Good visibility.

Sunrise: 07:14 BST

* = a photo today.

Priorslee Lake: 05:47 – 09:37

(209th visit of the year)

One of those days which proves that in many ways birding in Autumn can be more rewarding than in Spring:

- A brownhead Goosander dropped in at 06:55. Presumably the same bird was seen circling over at 07:00. It was not seen here again.

- An eclipse drake Pintail was found in the NE area at 08:00. This species is far from annual here and my first here in 2020: species #104.

- While checking a trio of drake Tufted Duck a drake (Eurasian) Wigeon came out of the reeds. Annual here but not seen this Spring so species #105.

- The Cetti's Warbler has presumably relocated as it was singing, rather more intermittently, from the NE area.

Other bird notes:

- Two Little Grebes seen: unable to see the age of these.

- On a rather dark and gloomy morning 231 Lesser Black-backed Gulls were counted flying from the N / NW between 06:38 and 06:55. At least 10 of these flew straight over. Again just three on the water at 07:40

- Later 17 large gulls arrived comprising 15 Lesser Black-backs and three Herring Gulls.

- The roost-dispersal Rooks came over in several groups between 06:45 and 07:10 rather than the one large group seen yesterday. Apart from two small groups of Jackdaws flying with the Rooks I noted no large numbers.

- A Blackbird heard quietly singing.

Birds noted flying over / near here:

- 4 Canada Geese (two duos outbound)
- ?? Lesser Black-backed Gulls (see notes)
- 34 Wood Pigeons
- 15 Jackdaws only
- 122 Rooks
- 2 Pied Wagtails
- 1 Linnet

Count of warblers logged (singing birds in brackets):

- 1 (1) Cetti's Warbler
- 2 (0) Chiffchaffs

Counts from the lake area:

- 2 + 5 Mute Swans
- 1 (1♂) (Eurasian) Wigeon
- 6 (7♂) Mallard
- 1 (1♂) Pintail
- 3 (3♂) Tufted Duck
- 1 (0♂) Goosander
- 1 Grey Heron
- 2 Little Grebe
- 18 Great Crested Grebes again
- 5 Moorhens again
- 124 Coots
- >150 Black-headed Gulls
- >225 Lesser Black-backed Gulls (see notes)
- >3 Herring Gulls
- 1 Kingfisher

The playing fields

Not visited

On / around the street lights etc. pre-sunrise:

With the fresh wind blown on to the lamps very little noted:

- 1 Paroligolophus agrestis harvestman

Nothing else noted.

Birds in dull weather do not make for a good photographs. The best I could do with a drake (Eurasian) Wigeon. A very characteristic tone, rounded head, dark bill and dark area around the eye.

Distant ducks in dull weather make for even worse photographs. This should be regarded as a record shot of what I think is an eclipse drake Pintail. It is the best I could do to edit the original. Separation of eclipse drakes from ducks is not easy but my identification is based on the long-looking scapulars. A duck should show the lower part of the neck paler than the breast which this doesn't.

Even further away. Note the flanks are coarsely marked. The long tail is also clear here – the 'pin' of the drake Pintail is only present during the breeding season. My last sighting of this species here was on 27th September 2015 though I am aware of a sighting in mid-March 2018.

The only inhabitant of the lamp poles this morning was this Paroligolophus agrestis harvestman. This was taken by torch-light and the shadow of the legs show the distinctive feature of this small harvestman – the legs are characteristically thicker in the 40% or so nearest the body.

(Ed Wilson)

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The Flash: 09:39 – 10:26

(193rd visit of the year)

Bird notes:

- The first Goosander of the season here as well as at the lake – perhaps the same bird? From a photo seems to be an eclipse drake.

Birds noted flying over / near The Flash:

- 1 Common Buzzard again
- 2 Jackdaws

Count of warblers logged (singing birds in brackets):

- 2 (0) Chiffchaffs

Counts from the water:

- 3 + 7 (1 brood) Mute Swans
- 7 Greylag Geese
- 17 Canada Geese
- 42 (27♂) Mallard
- 79 (>16♂) Tufted Duck
- 1 (1♂) Goosander
- 1 Grey Heron
- 2 Great Crested Grebes
- 10 Moorhens
- 37 Coots
- 17 Black-headed Gulls

On the same lamp pole:

- 4 Common Wasps (Vespula vulgaris)

Three of these were crawling around the light-sensor as I last noted over 10 days ago. The reason for this behaviour has flummoxed the collective wisdom of the bees, wasps and ants Facebook group.

Nothing elsewhere:

A brownhead Goosander unusually close to provide a reasonable photo even in the dull weather. I suspect the very dark feathers on the back suggest this is an eclipse drake.

(Ed Wilson)

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On this day

2019

Priorslee Lake

Today's Sightings Here

2018

Priorslee Lake

Today's Sightings Here

2017

Priorslee Lake

Today's Sightings Here

2013

Candles Landfill Site

1st winter Caspian Gull

2nd winter Yellow-legged Gull.

(Tom Lowe)

2012

Priorslee Lake

Redwing

Swallow

(Ed Wilson)

2008

Priorslee Lake

2 Great Black-backed Gulls

(Mike Cooper)

2006

Priorslee Lake

1 Swallow

1 Chiffchaff

(Ed Wilson)