0.0°C > 6.0°C: Started frosty and clear. Areas of fog soon rolled in and were slow to clear to mist. Clear at Trench. Calm start with light S wind developing. Very poor visibility but good at Trench.
Sunrise: 07:47 GMT
* = a photo today (fewer in mist).
Priorslee Lake: 06:16 – 09:05
(259th visit of the year)
Best effort in mist and fog.
Bird notes:
- Four of the cygnets slept well apart from their parents and the fifth sibling. When they all came together later there was much raising of necks vertically in apparent greeting.
- The four inbound Canada Geese were noted less than two minutes after four had flown outbound - same birds given up in the fog?
- Nine Gadwall seen in flight together. Two pairs seen on the water later assumed to have been in this fly-around.
- Only c.75 Black-headed Gulls could be discerned on the water. At least this number flew directly over SE towards Bayliss Pools. On a clear day these would likely have stopped off.
Birds noted flying over / near here:
affected by the mist/fog
- 19 Canada Geese: 15 outbound in two groups: quartet inbound
- >75 Black-headed Gulls: see notes
- 5 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 17 Wood Pigeons
- 213 Jackdaws
- 34 Rooks
- 3 Pied Wagtails
Birds seen leaving roosts around the lake:
- 53 Starlings: one group from N side
- 1 Fieldfare: amongst, or concurrently with, the Starlings
- 10 Redwings
- 1 Reed Bunting
I was nowhere near the Reed Bunting roost at their usual departure time.
Counts from the lake area:
also affected by the mist/fog
- 2 + 5 Mute Swans
- 9+ (?♂) Gadwall
- 10 (6♂) Mallard
- 4 (3♂) Pochard
- 35 (21♂) Tufted Duck
- 2 Grey Herons
- no Little Grebes
- 9 Great Crested Grebes
- 8 Moorhens
- no meaningful count of Coots possible
- >75 Black-headed Gulls
- 48 Lesser Black-backed Gulls: all pre-dawn
- 2 Herring-gull types: all 'immatures' not seen well-enough to ascribe a positive ID.
On / around the frost covered lamp poles etc. pre-sunrise:
Nothing
Noted later:
Nothing
The Flash: 09:10 – 10:00
(243rd visit of the year)
Still rather misty here
Bird notes:
- Not 100% sure whether the Greylag Geese arrived or flew straight over - the island was in the way.
Birds noted flying over / near The Flash:
- 2 Feral Pigeons: duo again
Counts from the water:
- 3 + 7 (1 brood) Mute Swans
- 4 Greylag Geese
- 12 Canada Geese
- 38 (22♂) Mallard
- 53 (22♂) Tufted Duck: same number of obvious drakes as Mallard
- 11 (>2♂) Goosanders
- 1 Grey Heron
- 2 Great Crested Grebes again
- 11 Moorhens
- 39 Coots
- 37 Black-headed Gulls
- 1 Lesser Black-backed Gull: the mortal remains still not yet sunk.
On the lamp pole, around the Ivy or elsewhere
Trench Middle Pool: 10:35 – 11:05
(36th visit of the year)
Bird notes:
- *Confiding Long-tailed Tits
- *A Song Thrush was my first here since 23 March.
- A Pied Wagtail heard. Not located - was it running around somewhere or a fly-over?
Birds confirmed flying over / near here:
Very much as good as it got between areas of fog. Nothing else photographable here.
(Ed Wilson)
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The Flash: 09:10 – 10:00
(243rd visit of the year)
Still rather misty here
Bird notes:
- Not 100% sure whether the Greylag Geese arrived or flew straight over - the island was in the way.
Birds noted flying over / near The Flash:
- 2 Feral Pigeons: duo again
Counts from the water:
- 3 + 7 (1 brood) Mute Swans
- 4 Greylag Geese
- 12 Canada Geese
- 38 (22♂) Mallard
- 53 (22♂) Tufted Duck: same number of obvious drakes as Mallard
- 11 (>2♂) Goosanders
- 1 Grey Heron
- 2 Great Crested Grebes again
- 11 Moorhens
- 39 Coots
- 37 Black-headed Gulls
- 1 Lesser Black-backed Gull: the mortal remains still not yet sunk.
On the lamp pole, around the Ivy or elsewhere
Nothing on anything
Trench Lock Pool: 10:08 – 10:30 // 11:10 - 11:30
(36th visit of the year)
Bird notes:
- The Black Swan saga has been revised. One of the fishermen thought it had been the subject of a "send three and fourpence we are going to a dance" (look it up if you don't know). Stories of a £500 pound bounty for its original capture are likely false and its temporary absence more likely explained by sightings elsewhere locally.
- The Canada Goose with some albino-type extensions to its white chin-strap that was seen on my previous visit to Middle Pool was here today. It is likely this is the bird that I thought had an all-white head as it flew over Priorslee Lake yesterday.
- My first sighting of a Goosander here this season.
- *Grey Wagtail once more.
Birds noted flying over / near here:
[The local Wood Pigeons and Jackdaws not included]
- 2 Lesser Black-backed Gulls: one adult and one immature.
- 12 Starlings
Counts from the water:
- 1 Mute Swan: the resident cob
- *1 Black Swan: escape
- 72 Canada Geese
- 7 (5♂) Mallard
- 2 (0♂) Tufted Duck
- 1 (1♂) Goosander
- 1 Great Crested Grebe still
- *3 Moorhens
- 14 Coots
- 8 Black-headed Gulls only
(Ed Wilson)
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Trench Lock Pool: 10:08 – 10:30 // 11:10 - 11:30
(36th visit of the year)
Bird notes:
- The Black Swan saga has been revised. One of the fishermen thought it had been the subject of a "send three and fourpence we are going to a dance" (look it up if you don't know). Stories of a £500 pound bounty for its original capture are likely false and its temporary absence more likely explained by sightings elsewhere locally.
- The Canada Goose with some albino-type extensions to its white chin-strap that was seen on my previous visit to Middle Pool was here today. It is likely this is the bird that I thought had an all-white head as it flew over Priorslee Lake yesterday.
- My first sighting of a Goosander here this season.
- *Grey Wagtail once more.
Birds noted flying over / near here:
[The local Wood Pigeons and Jackdaws not included]
- 2 Lesser Black-backed Gulls: one adult and one immature.
- 12 Starlings
Counts from the water:
- 1 Mute Swan: the resident cob
- *1 Black Swan: escape
- 72 Canada Geese
- 7 (5♂) Mallard
- 2 (0♂) Tufted Duck
- 1 (1♂) Goosander
- 1 Great Crested Grebe still
- *3 Moorhens
- 14 Coots
- 8 Black-headed Gulls only
I might get away with this as a 'Chinese painting' if Black Swans occurred anywhere near China.
Would be better without the feather stuck to its bill.
Say aah!
A Moorhen shows how big feet can be used to walk across the metal grid of the boat launching platform.
Just about a permanent fixture - a Grey Wagtail.
.......and a quizzical look.
(Ed Wilson)
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Trench Middle Pool: 10:35 – 11:05
(36th visit of the year)
Bird notes:
- *Confiding Long-tailed Tits
- *A Song Thrush was my first here since 23 March.
- A Pied Wagtail heard. Not located - was it running around somewhere or a fly-over?
Birds confirmed flying over / near here:
None
Counts from the water:
- 2 Mute Swans
- 13 Greylag Geese
- 84 Canada Geese
- 1 all-white feral goose: the usual
- 27 (17♂) Mallard
- 14 (7♂) Tufted Duck
- 2 (1♂) Goosander again
- 1 + 1 Great Crested Grebes again
- 12 Moorhens
- 53 Coots again
- *55 Black-headed Gulls
- 1 Lesser Black-backed Gull: adult again
Of note
Counts from the water:
- 2 Mute Swans
- 13 Greylag Geese
- 84 Canada Geese
- 1 all-white feral goose: the usual
- 27 (17♂) Mallard
- 14 (7♂) Tufted Duck
- 2 (1♂) Goosander again
- 1 + 1 Great Crested Grebes again
- 12 Moorhens
- 53 Coots again
- *55 Black-headed Gulls
- 1 Lesser Black-backed Gull: adult again
Of note
Nothing else
I am not sure what the right collective noun for Black-headed Gulls is. 'A melee'?
Perhaps 'a squabble'?
Oops: a bit too close and the tip of the tail of this Long-tailed Tit would not fit!
Oops again: zoomed the wrong way!
There's no need to be like that about it.
What a sweetie.
Yes you.
Come on: pay attention Mr. (or Mrs.) Song Thrush.
That's better.
(Ed Wilson)
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On this day
2018Priorslee Lake
Today's Sightings Here
2017
Priorslee Lake
Today's Sightings Here
2016
Priorslee Lake
Today's Sightings Here
2014
Priorslee Lake
Today's Sightings Here
2013
Priorslee Lake
2 Gadwall
2 Pochard
123 Tufted Duck
1 Goosander
2 Water Rails
15 Moorhens
227 Coots counted
1 Snipe
2 Yellow-legged Gulls
600 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
5 Great Black-backed Gulls
2 adult hybrid Lesser Black-backed x Herring Gulls
102 Fieldfare
39 Redwings
266 Jackdaws
Redpolls
Siskins
(Ed Wilson/Tom Lowe)
Trench Middle Pool
22 Swans
6 Shoveler
14 Tufted Duck
183 Coots
61 Black-headed Gulls
14 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
17 Herring Gulls
Caspian/Yellow-legged Gull
2 Ravens
1 Redwing
(Ed Wilson)
Little Wenlock, Candles Landfill Site
Adult + 1st winter Yellow-legged Gulls
1500 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
(Tom Lowe)
2012
Priorslee Lake
30 Greylag
3 Gadwall
6 Pochard.
21 Tufted Ducks
3 Goosander
153 Coots
c.640 Wood Pigeons
8 Redwings again.
453 Jackdaws
61 Rooks logged.
2 Siskins
(Ed Wilson)
2011
Priorslee Lake
6 Yellow-legged Gulls
(Andy Latham)
2008
Priorslee Lake
2 Cormorants
>60 Greylag Geese
14 Pochard
177 Tufted Duck
1 Lapwing
1 Snipe
2 Water Rails
159 Coot
c.1300 Black-headed Gulls
c.100 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
5+ Herring Gulls
74 Redwings
c.60 Fieldfare
132 Jackdaws
166 Rooks
c.1750 Starlings
c.30 Siskin
(Ed Wilson)