25 Dec 20

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******** MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL OUR READERS *********

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Priorslee Lake and The Flash

0.0°C > 1.0°C: Some wispy high cloud: otherwise clear and frosty. Almost calm. Very good visibility.

Sunrise: 08:21 GMT again

* = a photo today

More seasons greeting to all my readers.

Priorslee Lake: 06:53 – 09:22

(288th visit of the year)

Bird notes:
- An adult Mute Swan flew low W at 08:30. The residents didn't even bother to lift their wings.
- No Gadwall yesterday: three today, all drakes.
- More Black-headed Gulls than yesterday (here and at The Flash). 14 had arrived by 07:14 and at least 175 eventually arrived before they started leaving. 24 logged flying over were all passing S and amongst the over-flying Lesser Black-backed Gulls and seemed to have no connection with the lake.
- 39 of the 48 Wood Pigeons noted as fly-overs were in a loose group flying E overhead.
- No idea where the Jackdaws were this morning. A group of 14 low overhead at 07:46 was the first and largest group. Just a few small distant groups and a few singles very high overhead later. I would have expected to hear calls had there been any large groups close-by. Perhaps they delayed their departure as their feeding area would be frosted?

Birds noted flying over / near here:
- 1 Mute Swan: adult
- 2 Greylag Geese: singles outbound
- 2 Common Buzzards
- 24 Black-headed Gulls
- 43 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 2 Herring Gulls
- 3 Stock Doves: together
- 48 Wood Pigeons
- 34 Jackdaws only
- 2 Rooks

Birds seen / heard leaving roosts around the lake:
- 2 Starlings
- 1 Reed Bunting
Once again at least three Reed Buntings heard calling from roost area well before dawn: just one seen to leave and that looked to be going a short distance only

Counts from the lake area:
- 2 + 5 Mute Swans
- 3 (3♂) Gadwall
- 8 (5♂) Mallard
- 3 (3♂) Pochard again
- 42 (25♂) Tufted Duck
- 1 Cormorant: arrived
- 2 Grey Herons
- 3 Great Crested Grebes only
- 9 Moorhens again
- 142 Coots
- c.175 Black-headed Gulls
- 35 Lesser Black-backed Gulls: 28 pre-dawn; seven later
- 2 Herring Gulls: both later
- 1 Yellow-legged Gull: adult later
- 1 Caspian Gull: second winter later
- 2 puzzling gulls (see pix)

On / around the frosted street lights etc. pre-sunrise:
Nothing

Noted later:
Nothing

A sunrise worth braving the sub-zero temperature for.

A couple arrived with bread for the birds. Chaos ensued. All but one are Black-headed Gulls. The larger, darker bird has well-marked underwings suggesting an immature Lesser Black-backed Gull.

Not so. The upper left-hand wing is visible here and the extensive pale inner primaries surely means it is a Herring Gull. The heavily marked flanks tend to confirm this. The bill is not easy to see but looks mainly pale with only a dark tip which doesn't really fit any species too well.

A second-winter Herring Gull. Note the head-streaking; also the pale base and small pale tip to bill; and an obvious gonydeal-angle (the bend at the mid-point of the lower mandible).

Compare with this clean-headed and dark-eyed second-winter bird. I think our 'usual' Caspian Gull.

I'm not a 100% sure of this. The mantle is darker and the head a cleaner white than an adult winter Herring Gull. Possibilities are then Yellow-legged and Caspian. I think it is too pale for a Yellow-legged, though in bright sun tone is very hard to judge. That would suggest a Caspian Gull which might be confirmed by the rather gentle and round-headed appearance. Would Caspian ever look this pale-eyed though?

And another I am not going to be able to resolve adequately - the top middle bird that is. The mantle is clearly darker than the Black-headed Gull alongside it. The head looks white and unstreaked. The bill is at a bad angle: it looks large with a pale base and tip. That suggests Herring Gull. I surmise it is most likely a second-winter of the larger, darker Scandinavian race of Herring Gull though the pale-looking head remains a puzzle. Four adult Black-headed Gulls, two adult Lesser Black-backed Gulls and a drake Tufted Duck vie for attention.

(Ed Wilson)

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The Flash: 09:27 – 10:34

(270th visit of the year)

Small amount of thin ice by the Derwent Drive reedy area.

Bird notes:
- Cuan Wildlife Rescue were attempting to catch one of the cygnets. They took one away yesterday. It seems that they are not feeding properly. They have been noted just sitting listlessly on the water. I surmise that their frequently disinterested parents have not taught them how to feed themselves and the colder weather is taking its toll.
- A Grey Heron seen at the top end and later on the island. Same bird?
- At least three and perhaps four Collared Doves seen after very sporadic sightings for several months. One doing its full display flight and another calling.

Birds noted flying over / near The Flash:
- 1 Lesser Black-backed Gull
- 1 Stock Dove
- 2 Wood Pigeons
- 2 Jackdaws

Counts from the water:
- 3 + 6 (1 brood) Mute Swans: see notes
- 1 Greylag Goose
- 10 Canada Geese
- 42 (25♂) Mallard
- 6 (2♂) Pochard
- 96 (50♂) Tufted Duck
- 5 (3♂) Goosander: two ♂♂ departed
- 1 Grey Heron: perhaps a second
- 2 Great Crested Grebes again
- 10 Moorhens
- 37 Coots
- 51 Black-headed Gulls only
- 1 Lesser Black-backed Gull: unrecognisable for what it was long, long ago. Last report of this.

On the lamp poles and around the Ivy
Nothing

Noted later:
- 1 Grey Squirrel: I thought they were supposed to hibernate?

Looks as if I have just woken this Grey Heron from its slumber - all bleary-eyed and dishevelled. In fact it was preening and was pausing to look about. Plenty of breeding plumage plumes adorn this early-nesting species.

An adult winter Great Crested Grebe. At this time of year they have typically moulted out all the head plumes and the new feathers have yet to appear. The water looks like it does because the background is a mix of reflected houses and blue sky.

(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

2016
Priorslee Lake
Today's sightings Here

2015
Priorslee Lake
Today's sightings Here

2014
Priorslee Lake
Today's sightings Here

2013
Priorslee Lake
1st-winter female Great Scaup

Horsehay Pool
Kittiwake

2012
Priorslee Lake
4 Gadwall
14 Pochard
29 Tufted Ducks
3 Goosanders
178 Coots
2 Redwings
4 Siskin
(Ed Wilson)

The Flash
3 Pochard
44 Tufted Duck
28 Goosanders
(Ed Wilson)

Trench Lock Pool
30 Mute Swans
40 Tufted Duck
1 Goosander
161 Coots
1 Great Black-backed Gull
(Ed Wilson)

2009
Priorslee Lake
1 Little Grebe
1 Black-necked Grebe
18 Swans
4 Gadwall
41 Pochard
75 Tufted Ducks
2 Water Rails
311 Coots
600 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
2 Yellow-legged Gulls
12 Goldfinches
10 Siskins
(Ed Wilson/Dawn Balmer/Peter Wilson)

2006
Priorslee lake
2 Great Crested Grebe
3 Cormorants
32 Pochard
24 Tufted Ducks
1 Water Rail
64 Coots
c.100 Black-headed Gulls
23 Redwing
(Martin Adlam)

2005
Priorslee lake
10 Pochard
15 Tufted Duck
c.400 Black-headed Gulls
c.100 Lesser Black-backs
1 Water Rail
20 Pied Wagtails
365 Rooks
325 Jackdaw
1 Kingfisher
51 Siskin
7 Redpoll
13 Greenfinch 13
12 Reed Bunting
(Martin Adlam)
3 Redwing
c.50 Siskin
7 Redpoll
8 Reed Bunting
1 Willow Tit
(Martin Adlam)