6.0°C > 6.0°C: A VERY heavy shower c.06:00. Thereafter mainly broken high cloud. Moderate S breeze. Excellent visibility except during shower.
Sunrise: 06:55 GMT
* = a photo today.
Priorslee Lake: 05:40 – 08:54
(230th visit of the year)
Another birdwatcher reported the arrival of and the quick departure by a Shag – the smaller salt-water cousin of our Cormorants. Frustratingly this happened while I was walking along the N side where there are very intermittent views of the lake. This species is rare inland though one has been resident at Bartley Reservoir in the West Midlands for a month or so. I first saw one here on 2nd September 1992 (gulp! 29 years ago). I do not recall one since that date. Drat and drat again!
Other bird notes:
- A lower Coot count could reflect their tardy departure from the reeds after the absolute deluge c.06:00.
- I was told that the daily arrival of Lesser Black-backed Gulls from the N / NW are birds that have roosted on factory roofs in Hortonwood. Mystery solved.
- Notwithstanding the hour change gulls were very early arriving with c.250 Black-headed and c.100 Lesser Black-backed Gull flying around low over the water by 06:00. I counted another 201 Lesser Black-backs arriving and 35 flying over between 07:13 and 07:20
- Just 15 Lesser Black-backed, two Herring Gulls and the same second winter Caspian Gull arrived from the E after 08:20.
- A very noisy octet of Black-headed Gulls circling over the sailing club HQ caused me to investigate their concern – and a female Sparrowhawk shot out of the tree ahead of me.
- Only 42 Wood Pigeons recorded overhead. 32 of these were in a single migrant party heading S. Additionally at least 25 flew away from the trees around the lake in small groups, flying very quickly and climbing away to the S as if these might have been roosting here while migrating.
- House Sparrows made a rare appearance away from the estate and were in the hedge alongside the academy.
- Just two Pied Wagtails noted flying overhead from wherever they roost. Numbers have been dropping the last few days. It is their roosting or feeding areas that have changed?
Birds noted flying over / near here:
- 2 Greylag Geese: singles outbound concurrently
- 8 Canada Geese: one group outbound
- *8 Cormorants: party of seven and single
- 1 Common Buzzard yet again
- >35 Lesser Black-backed Gulls (see notes)
- 4 Feral Pigeons: single and trio
- 42 Wood Pigeons (see notes)
- c.400 Jackdaws
- 8 Rooks
- 1 Raven
- c.35 Starlings
- 41 Fieldfares: two groups
- 25 Redwings: three groups
- 2 Pied Wagtails only
- 1 Chaffinch
- 11 Siskins: group of eight; three singles
Birds seen leaving roosts around the lake:
- >250 Starlings
- 27 Redwings
- 6 Reed Buntings
Counts from the lake area:
- *2 + 5 Mute Swans
- 7 (4♂) Gadwall remain
- 14 (8♂) Mallard
- 7 (6♂) Pochard
- 27 (>20♂) Tufted Duck: six of these flew off
- [1 Shag reported (see introduction)]
- 1 Grey Heron
- 2 Little Grebes
- 11 Great Crested Grebes
- 9 Moorhens
- 113 Coots (see notes)
- c.250 Black-headed Gulls
- c.300 Lesser Black-backed Gulls (see notes)
- *2 Herring Gulls: both immatures
- *1 Caspian Gull: second winter
Birds on playing fields c.07:25:
[Wood Pigeons and Magpies excluded]
- 92 Black-headed Gulls on the football field (none on the academy flaying fields)
On / around the street lights etc. pre-sunrise:
- 4 November Moth-types (Epirrita sp.): three of these on lamp poles. Another flying around presumed this species.
- 1 plumed midge (Chironomus plumosus)
- 1 winter gnat (Trichocera sp.)
Noted later
Nothing
Comparing the marking on this gull with photos I took yesterday this is the same second winter Caspian Gull in rather better light.
After the deluge there was an interesting sky ahead of the next much lighter shower.
Three of the Mute Swan cygnets set off in their first flight of the day.
"No cheating. I don't want to see any feet on the water"
That's more like it.
Sadly I could not turn any of these Cormorants in to the Shag that was seen – but not by me: grrr!
Another chance to see the Caspian...
(Ed Wilson)
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(215th visit of the year)
Bird notes:
- Four of the cygnets went for a short flight. One of the others seems to spend much of the time on its own – I assume it is always the same one.
- A single Cormorant visited briefly. My last one actually on the water here was as far back as March 23rd though I have seen several fly over since.
Birds noted flying over / near The Flash:
- 36 Wood Pigeons (one groups)
- 3 Jackdaws
- 2 Skylarks
- 1 Starling
Counts from the water:
- 3 + 7 (1 brood) Mute Swans
- 4 Greylag Geese
- 13 Canada Geese
- 33 (18♂) Mallard
- 80 (?♂) Tufted Duck – not sexed
- 6 brownhead Goosanders
- 1 Cormorant, briefly
- 2 Great Crested Grebes
- 7 Moorhens
- 36 Coots
- 53 Black-headed Gulls
- 1 Lesser Black-backed Gull: first-winter again
On the usual lamp pole:
- 1 Common Wasp (Vespula vulgaris)
On / around the Ivy:
- >50 Common Wasps (Vespula vulgaris)
- proportionally fewer unidentified flies
No hoverflies found.
Elsewhere
- 1 Grey Squirrel
Trench Lock Pool: 10:04 – 10:25
(32nd visit of the year)
I remember now why I have not visited much recently: very, very quiet.
Bird notes:
- Five cygnets with the adult Mute Swans. The other doing its own thing.
Birds noted flying over / near here:
- 3 + 7 (1 brood) Mute Swans
- 4 Greylag Geese
- 13 Canada Geese
- 33 (18♂) Mallard
- 80 (?♂) Tufted Duck – not sexed
- 6 brownhead Goosanders
- 1 Cormorant, briefly
- 2 Great Crested Grebes
- 7 Moorhens
- 36 Coots
- 53 Black-headed Gulls
- 1 Lesser Black-backed Gull: first-winter again
On the usual lamp pole:
- 1 Common Wasp (Vespula vulgaris)
On / around the Ivy:
- >50 Common Wasps (Vespula vulgaris)
- proportionally fewer unidentified flies
No hoverflies found.
Elsewhere
- 1 Grey Squirrel
(Ed Wilson)
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(32nd visit of the year)
I remember now why I have not visited much recently: very, very quiet.
Bird notes:
- Five cygnets with the adult Mute Swans. The other doing its own thing.
Birds noted flying over / near here:
None
[The local Wood Pigeons and Jackdaws not included]
Counts from the water:
- 2 + 6 (1 brood) Mute Swans
- 1 Great Crested Grebe
- 13 Coots
- 8 Black-headed Gulls
Also noted:
- 1 Brown Rat (Rattus norvegicus): my first here for three years (if that matters)
Trench Middle Pool: 10:30 – 10:55
[The local Wood Pigeons and Jackdaws not included]
Counts from the water:
- 2 + 6 (1 brood) Mute Swans
- 1 Great Crested Grebe
- 13 Coots
- 8 Black-headed Gulls
Also noted:
- 1 Brown Rat (Rattus norvegicus): my first here for three years (if that matters)
(Ed Wilson)
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(32nd visit of the year)
Bird notes:
- One of the Goosanders was a splendid drake.
- Juvenile Great Crested Grebes still being fed. Because they are a second brood perhaps not too surprising.
- Grey Wagtail again
Birds noted flying over / near here:
Bird notes:
- One of the Goosanders was a splendid drake.
- Juvenile Great Crested Grebes still being fed. Because they are a second brood perhaps not too surprising.
- Grey Wagtail again
Birds noted flying over / near here:
None
Counts from the water:
Accurate totals hard to take as it seemed to be "feed the ducks" day and the birds were milling about and scoffing.
- 2 Mute Swans
- 72 Canada Geese
- 1 all-white feral goose as ever
- 19 (13♂) Mallard
- 14 (7♂) Tufted Duck
- 3 (1♂) Goosander
- 2 + 3 (1 brood) Great Crested Grebes
- 13 Moorhen
- 48 Coots
- 44 Black-headed Gulls
- 1 Lesser Black-backed Gull
Priorslee Lake
Today's Sightings Here
2018
Priorslee Lake
Today's Sightings Here
2017
Priorslee Lake
Today's Sightings Here
2016
Priorslee Lake
Today's Sightings Here
2010
Priorslee Lake
Little Grebe
5 Lapwings
1487 Fieldfare logged, mostly flying W. 7 of the flocks estimated at between 110 and 130 birds
25 Redwings
Raven
56 Goldfinch
(Ed Wilson)
2009
Priorslee Lake
62 Swans
5 Wigeon
14 Pochard
22 Tufted Ducks
231 Coots
Great Black-backed Gull
3 Buzzards
1 Kestrel
27 Redwings
Chiffchaff
c.250 Starlings
8 Siskins
c.15 Goldfinches
(Ed Wilson)
2006
Priorslee Lake
1 Cormorant
25 Pochard
72 Tufted Ducks
1 Kestrel
1 Kingfisher
20 Robins
17 Blackbirds
15 Song Thrushes
59 Redwing
3 Mistle Thrushes
1 Chiffchaff
1 Blackcap
5 Goldcrests
(Martin Adlam)
Counts from the water:
Accurate totals hard to take as it seemed to be "feed the ducks" day and the birds were milling about and scoffing.
- 2 Mute Swans
- 72 Canada Geese
- 1 all-white feral goose as ever
- 19 (13♂) Mallard
- 14 (7♂) Tufted Duck
- 3 (1♂) Goosander
- 2 + 3 (1 brood) Great Crested Grebes
- 13 Moorhen
- 48 Coots
- 44 Black-headed Gulls
- 1 Lesser Black-backed Gull
(Ed Wilson)
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
On this day
2019Priorslee Lake
Today's Sightings Here
2018
Priorslee Lake
Today's Sightings Here
2017
Priorslee Lake
Today's Sightings Here
2016
Priorslee Lake
Today's Sightings Here
2010
Priorslee Lake
Little Grebe
5 Lapwings
1487 Fieldfare logged, mostly flying W. 7 of the flocks estimated at between 110 and 130 birds
25 Redwings
Raven
56 Goldfinch
(Ed Wilson)
2009
Priorslee Lake
62 Swans
5 Wigeon
14 Pochard
22 Tufted Ducks
231 Coots
Great Black-backed Gull
3 Buzzards
1 Kestrel
27 Redwings
Chiffchaff
c.250 Starlings
8 Siskins
c.15 Goldfinches
(Ed Wilson)
2006
Priorslee Lake
1 Cormorant
25 Pochard
72 Tufted Ducks
1 Kestrel
1 Kingfisher
20 Robins
17 Blackbirds
15 Song Thrushes
59 Redwing
3 Mistle Thrushes
1 Chiffchaff
1 Blackcap
5 Goldcrests
(Martin Adlam)