0.0°C: Initially a few breaks in medium overcast. Later low cloud and snow. Light NW wind. Good visibility; poor in snow.
Sunrise: 08:22 GMT
* = a photo today
Another Met Office triumph. Forecast was for fog and low cloud: no snow until late morning.
Priorslee Lake: 06:51 – 09:30
(292nd visit of the year)
Bird notes:
- All the Mute Swans flew the length of the water at 07:20 when still dark.
- Gadwall gone again.
- A splendid pair of Goosanders present by 07:30 - perhaps they were here over-night. Departed to the E at 08:00
- Four of the five Great Crested Grebes spent time in close proximity and even more time as two pairs.
- Many of the Coots were spooked out of their roost area in the NW reeds c.07:15. Cound not see any reason.
- Large gulls were all in before 07:30. Too dark to specifically identify the five paler Herring-types.
- Just one group of c.175 Jackdaws. After that three singles seen
- Big group of c.150 Starlings seen flying E to the S on roost dispersal - from where?
- The weather seemed have quelled the Song Thrushes.
Birds noted flying over / near here:
- 2 Canada Geese: duo outbound
- 1 Cormorant
- 19 Black-headed Gulls
- 23 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 1 Herring Gull
- 15 Wood Pigeons
- 2 (or 4) Collared Doves
- c.175 Jackdaws
- 3 Rooks only
- c.150 Starlings
- 1 Redwing
- 1 Pied Wagtail
- 1 Linnet
Birds seen / heard leaving roosts around the lake:
None
The Magpie roost is proving a challenge to count at the moment as many birds are not using any of the usual post-roost gathering trees.
Counts from the lake area:
- 2 + 5 Mute Swans
- no Gadwall
- 8 (5♂) Mallard
- 2 (2♂) Pochard
- 63 (39♂) Tufted Duck
- 2 (1) Goosander: departed
- 1 Grey Heron
- Little Grebe heard
- 5 Great Crested Grebes
- 9 Moorhens
- 119 Coots
- <60 Black-headed Gulls
- 36 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 5 Herring-type Gulls
On / around the street lights etc. pre-sunrise:
- 1 winter gnats
- 1 flea beetle.
Noted later:
This seems to be a different tiny 'flea-beetle' from those I photographed recently. This looks striped black and brown (though that may be partly due to my brighter new torch). It also looks more elongated and lacks the swollen rear femur of a typical flea-beetle. Cannot provide an ID
The Magpie roost is proving a challenge to count at the moment as many birds are not using any of the usual post-roost gathering trees.
Counts from the lake area:
- 2 + 5 Mute Swans
- no Gadwall
- 8 (5♂) Mallard
- 2 (2♂) Pochard
- 63 (39♂) Tufted Duck
- 2 (1) Goosander: departed
- 1 Grey Heron
- Little Grebe heard
- 5 Great Crested Grebes
- 9 Moorhens
- 119 Coots
- <60 Black-headed Gulls
- 36 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 5 Herring-type Gulls
On / around the street lights etc. pre-sunrise:
- 1 winter gnats
- 1 flea beetle.
Noted later:
Nothing
Before the snow. The forecast was low cloud / fog. A rather uninspiring view.
(Ed Wilson)
The Flash: 09:36 – 10:08
(274th visit of the year)
A rather quick canter around in the snow. All totals 'best effort' in poor conditions
Bird Notes:
- The first-winter ringed Grey Wagtail with the colour rings traced to Middleton Nature Reserve near Heysham in Lancashire was seen again. No chance of a picture in the snow
Birds noted flying over / near The Flash:
- Jackdaw(s) heard
Counts from the water:
- 3 + 5 (1 brood) Mute Swans
- 6 Canada Geese
- 42 (24♂) Mallard
- 6 (5♂) Pochard
- 68 (38♂) Tufted Duck
- 1 (0♂) Goosander
- 2 Great Crested Grebes
- 4 Moorhens only
- Coots not counted
- 84 Black-headed Gulls
- 2 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
Also noted.
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(274th visit of the year)
A rather quick canter around in the snow. All totals 'best effort' in poor conditions
Bird Notes:
- The first-winter ringed Grey Wagtail with the colour rings traced to Middleton Nature Reserve near Heysham in Lancashire was seen again. No chance of a picture in the snow
Birds noted flying over / near The Flash:
- Jackdaw(s) heard
Counts from the water:
- 3 + 5 (1 brood) Mute Swans
- 6 Canada Geese
- 42 (24♂) Mallard
- 6 (5♂) Pochard
- 68 (38♂) Tufted Duck
- 1 (0♂) Goosander
- 2 Great Crested Grebes
- 4 Moorhens only
- Coots not counted
- 84 Black-headed Gulls
- 2 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
Also noted.
Nothing else
(Ed Wilson)
(Ed Wilson)
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On this day
2019
Priorslee Lake
Today's Sightings Here
2018
Priorslee Lake
Today's Sightings Here
2012
Priorslee Lake
Drake Scaup
2 Yellow-legged Gulls
3 Great Black-backed Gulls
(Martin Grant)
2011
Priorslee Lake
4 Yellow legged Gull
22 Great Black-backed Gulls
(John Isherwood)
Priorslee Flash
Tundra Bean Goose
(John Isherwood)
Holmer Lake
9 Goosander
(John Isherwood)
2009
Priorslee Lake
1 Black-necked Grebe
4 Gadwall
2 Water Rail
2 Caspian Gull
Yellow-legged Gull
Ring-billed Gull
(John Isherwood/Richard Vernon/Dawn Balmer/Peter Wilson)
2007
Priorslee Lake
1 Cormorant
3 Wigeon
30 Tufted Duck
4 Pochard
180+ Coot
3 Yellow-legged Gulls
4000+ Lesser Black-backed Gulls
65 Herring Gulls
1000+ Black-headed Gulls
(Martin Adlam)
2006
Priorslee lake
1 Little Grebe
3 Pochard
10 Tufted Ducks
1 Lapwing
>550 Black-headed Gulls
>108 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
1 Great Black-backed Gull
c.40 Redwings
(Ed Wilson)
2005
Priorslee lake
c.3200 Lesser black-backed Gulls
c.1700 Black-headed Gulls
c100 Herring Gulls
8 Great Black-backed Gulls
4 Yellow-legged Gull
(Martin Adlam/Ed Wilson/John Isherwood)