11.0°C > 12.0°C: Overcast and very dull with the Telford 'hat' of very low cloud prominent (there were blue patches at Newport). Light drizzle throughout. Moderate SSE wind, freshening somewhat. Good visibility.
Sunrise: 08:18 GMT
No photos today
Priorslee Lake: 06:42 – 09:08
(281st visit of the year)
Bird notes:
- Six small geese flew N to the E at 08:25. Too small for Canada Geese. They seemed to have no obvious pale on the upper-wing so I am unsure what they might have been.
- All change with the Gadwall again: four pairs and no spare drakes today.
- A drake Goosander flew SE at 08:05
- Unclear why Coot numbers were so low. I was using my telescope this morning so I should not have missed any.
- At least 250 Black-headed Gulls were present by 07:00. They could well have arrived very early as there was enough light pollution from the town to guide them. By 07:30 when the light was better (a relative term) there were at least 750 though I had not seen any arrive. Further estimation of numbers was not possible because the local and over-flying Buzzards were continually disturbing them.
- Not sure where the Rooks were. Those I saw preceded any Jackdaws and there were no mixed parties. The first Jackdaws were almost 25 minutes later than yesterday.
Birds noted flying over / near here:
- 2 Greylag Geese: duo outbound; single inbound
- 6 unidentified geese (see notes)
- 1 (1♂) Goosander
- 1 Common Buzzard
- 44 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 8 Wood Pigeons only
- c.535 Jackdaws
- 5 Rooks only
- 7 Redwing: one group
Birds seen / heard leaving roosts around the lake
None, I was at the wrong end
Counts from the lake area:
- 2 + 5 Mute Swans
- 1 Greylag Goose: arrived
- 1 Greylag x Canada Goose: arrived
- 5 Canada Geese: two arrived early or were already present; three arrived with the Greylag and the hybrid
- 8 (4♂) Gadwall
- 5 (3♂) Mallard
- 2 (2♂) Pochard once more
- 42 (20♂) Tufted Duck
- 1 Cormorant: arrived and departed
- 2 Grey Herons
- 4 Great Crested Grebes
- 9 Moorhens
- 140 Coots
- >750 Black-headed Gulls
- 44 Lesser Black-backed Gulls: 33 pre-dawn; just six again later
- 5 Herring Gulls: three immatures pre-dawn; adult and second-winter
- 1 Yellow-legged Gull: second-winter later
- 1 Caspian Gull: second-winter later
On / around the street lights etc. pre-sunrise:
Rather little despite the mild weather. Probably partly due to the overnight rain; also the rather breezy conditions. Just:
- 1 Tetragnatha stretch spiders sp.
Noted later:
Nothing
(Ed Wilson)
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The Flash: 09:13 – 10:03
(263rd visit of the year)
Bird notes:
- All the cygnets located. Six of them went for a short flight to grab some food being proffered.
- c.10 drake Tufted Duck missing since yesterday. Not apparently at the lake where there were more ducks than yesterday.
- Cormorant again seen only as I arrived. Was it something I said?
- While searching in vain for a second Great Crested Grebe I found a Little Grebe. My second record this year after one on the unusual date of 8th August.
Birds noted flying over / near The Flash:
- 4 Lesser Black-backed Gulls: all single adults
Counts from the water:
- 3 + 7 (1 brood) Mute Swans
- 2 Greylag Geese
- 19 Canada Geese: three of these departed
- 29 (17♂) Mallard
- 1 (1♂) Pochard only
- 73 (33♂) Tufted Duck
- 2 (0♂) Goosanders again
- 1 Cormorant: presumed departed
- 1 Grey Heron again
- 1 Little Grebe
- 1 Great Crested Grebe
- 4 Moorhens only
- 31 Coots
- 43 Black-headed Gulls
- 1 Lesser Black-backed Gull: the usual unsinkable body
- 1 Herring Gull: second winter: departed
(Ed Wilson)
(263rd visit of the year)
Bird notes:
- All the cygnets located. Six of them went for a short flight to grab some food being proffered.
- c.10 drake Tufted Duck missing since yesterday. Not apparently at the lake where there were more ducks than yesterday.
- Cormorant again seen only as I arrived. Was it something I said?
- While searching in vain for a second Great Crested Grebe I found a Little Grebe. My second record this year after one on the unusual date of 8th August.
Birds noted flying over / near The Flash:
- 4 Lesser Black-backed Gulls: all single adults
Counts from the water:
- 3 + 7 (1 brood) Mute Swans
- 2 Greylag Geese
- 19 Canada Geese: three of these departed
- 29 (17♂) Mallard
- 1 (1♂) Pochard only
- 73 (33♂) Tufted Duck
- 2 (0♂) Goosanders again
- 1 Cormorant: presumed departed
- 1 Grey Heron again
- 1 Little Grebe
- 1 Great Crested Grebe
- 4 Moorhens only
- 31 Coots
- 43 Black-headed Gulls
- 1 Lesser Black-backed Gull: the usual unsinkable body
- 1 Herring Gull: second winter: departed
On the lamp pole, around the Ivy or elsewhere
Nothing of note
(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
2015
Priorslee Lake
Today's sightings Here
2014
Local Area
Today's sightings Here
2013
Priorslee Lake
5 Gadwall
7 Pochard
48 Tufted Ducks
233 Coots
324 Black-headed Gulls
19 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
11 Herring Gulls
1 Great Black-backed Gull
6 Fieldfare
151 Redwings
284 Jackdaws
156 Rooks
4 Siskins
(Ed Wilson)
2012
Priorslee Lake
1 Little Grebe.
4 Gadwall.
12 Pochard.
43 Tufted Ducks.
182 Coots
189 Wood Pigeons
20 Redwings
184 Jackdaws
3 Siskins
(Ed Wilson)
2009
Priorslee Lake
1 Black-necked Grebe
4 Great Crested Grebes
29 Swans
42 Pochard
2 Water Rails
c.900 Black-headed Gulls
c.2200 large gulls
127 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
12 Redwings
2 Fieldfare
16 Siskins
(Ed Wilson)
2008
Priorslee Lake
3 Gadwall
13 Pochard
(John Isherwood)
2005
Priorslee Lake
c.2500 Black-headed Gulls
c.200 Lesser Black-backs
20 Pochard
58 Tufted Duck
A drake Wigeon
6 Great Crested Grebe
2 Little Grebe
c.200 Coot
2 Water Rail
202 Rooks
247 Jackdaws
11 Pied Wagtails
23 Siskin
5 Redpoll
19 Reed Bunting
(Martin R Adlam)