4 Dec 20

Priorslee Lake and The Flash

3.0°C: Cloudy with light rain showers. Moderate WNW wind. Good visibility.

[Sunrise: 08:04 GMT]

* = a photo today

Short visits between the worst of the rain.

Priorslee Lake:

(269th visit of the year)

Viewing from the E end lay-by only. Nothing seen flying over. Very few gulls around - all out feeding?

Counts from the lake area:
- 2 + 5 Mute Swans
- 3 Canada Geese
- 10 (6♂) Gadwall
- 8 (4♂) Mallard
- 2 (1♂) Pochard
- 54 (27♂) Tufted Duck
- 1 Cormorant
- no Grey Heron
- 8 Great Crested Grebes again
- 6 Moorhens
- 203 Coots
- 15 Black-headed Gulls
- 6 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 1 Herring Gull: immature
- 1 Yellow-legged Gull-type: immature. A large pale-headed bird with very restricted pale inner primaries but not seen well-enough to confirm
- *1 probable Caspian Gull: third winter

A very smart-looking gull. The colour of the mantle said 'Yellow-legged Gull' to me but I think not and that it is a Caspian Gull. It has a rather gentle expression and a dark eye. The extent of black on the bill suggests this is a third-winter bird rather than a full adult.

This seems to be the same bird though I did not see it fly to the buoy. It certainly does not have yellow legs but if I am right about its age - third-winter - that would not by itself rule out Yellow-legged Gull. The eye looks rather paler in close-up. The number of white spots in the folded wings suggests this is not a full adult which would show four such spots.

This similar view does not add much. Perhaps the mantle is too pale for Yellow-legged Gull. For me the very rounded-looking head clinches it as a Caspian Gull.

(Ed Wilson)

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The Flash: 11:03 – 12:04

(251st visit of the year)

A quick canter around in damp and cold conditions with nothing of note.

Birds noted flying over / near The Flash:
None

Counts from the water:
- 3 + 7 (1 brood) Mute Swans
- 28 Canada Geese
- 27 (18♂) Mallard
- 3 (3♂) Pochard
- 54 (27♂) Tufted Duck
- *7 (0♂) Goosanders
- no Grey Herons
- 2 Great Crested Grebes again
- 8 Moorhens
- 32 Coots
- 22 Black-headed Gulls
- 1 Lesser Black-backed Gull: adult [I forgot to check whether the dead body was still afloat]
- 1 Herring Gull: adult? briefly

On a lamp pole:
- 1 Leiobunum rotundum-type harvestman

On / around the Ivy or elsewhere
Nothing of note

A brownhead Goosander catches a Perch by the tail.

The same photo over(?) enlarged to show the serrations along the cutting-edge of the bill.

She appears to be laughing. I think it is the fish sliding down her gullet that gives that impression.

(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
Local Area
Today's Sightings Here

2015
Priorslee Lake
Today's sightings Here

2014
Priorslee Lake
Today's sightings Here

2012
Priorslee Lake
3 Gadwall
9 Pochard
20 Tufted Ducks
1 (1) Goosander
155 Coots
28 Herring Gulls
1 Great Black-backed Gull
14 Redwings
2 Fieldfares
c.368 Jackdaws
97 Rooks
(Ed Wilson)

2009
Priorslee Lake
3 Cormorant
33 Mute Swans
Water Rail
13 Pochard
85 Tufted Ducks 
274 Coots
1000 Black-headed Gulls
2000 Lesser Black-backs
3 Yellow-legged Gulls
1 Great Black-backed
5 Redwings
2 Willow Tit
c.325 Jackdaws
20 Siskins
4 Reed Buntings
(Ed Wilson/John Isherwood)

2006
Priorslee Lake
3 Cormorants
15 Pochard
45 Tufted Ducks
1 eclipse drake Ruddy Duck
2 Sparrowhawks
2 Buzzards
1 Kestrel
>700 Black-headed Gulls
324 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
8 Herring Gulls
1 Great Black-backed Gull
649 Wood Pigeons
25 Robins
22 Blackbirds
16 Fieldfares
4 Song Thrushes
6 Redwings
322 Jackdaws
224 Rooks
2 Siskins
5 Reed Buntings
(Ed Wilson)

2005
Priorslee Lake
140 Golden Plover
8 Cormorants
900 Black-headed Gulls
c.250 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
13 Pochard
43 Tufted Duck
2 Little Grebes
225 Coot
371 Jackdaws
313 Rooks
6 Redwings
32 Fieldfares.
8 Reed Buntings
19 Robins
30 Blackbirds
16 Greenfinches
(Ed Wilson)