9 Dec 20

Priorslee Lake and The Flash

5.0°C > 6.0°C: Early clear spells. Later a medium overcast. Light W wind. Very good visibility.

Sunrise: 08:10 GMT

* = a photo today

Priorslee Lake: 06:34 – 09:41

(274th visit of the year)

Bird notes:
- Four of the Mute Swan cygnets made an early flight along the length of the water. Their parents and sibling stayed sleeping for at least another 20 minutes.
- After several days with trios of Canada Geese it was a duo that stayed; and a quartet (with a Greylag) that flew off.
- Four Goosander flew W (two drakes), with one brownhead peeling off and flying back E. Later a group of 15 flew W to the N, too far away to sex.
- Large gulls started arriving at 07:37 and almost immediately began to move off. I only noted one (near) adult Herring Gull in this group: there could have been more.
- All but two of the 70 Lesser Black-backed Gulls overhead were flying S / SW. Just a single Herring Gull on the same line.
- I am rather bemused by the parties of Wood Pigeons flying N. Why go north in December - for the skiing? The first group of at least 110 birds seemed to be setting off from somewhere S of the lake with birds noted climbing to join the group.
- Almost all the Jackdaws were in two large single-species groups. I neither saw nor heard the recent high-level mixed species groups with Rooks.
- A Carrion Crow was seen relentlessly pursuing a lone Jackdaw. Odd.
- c.40 Starlings left the W end reeds in five small batches. Two birds had been seen leaving the NE reeds and another was seen to leave later. There could have been more: it is rather distant to see these birds if they leave anywhere other than to the W.
- Many calls from Reed Buntings in the W end roost. None seen leaving. Perhaps they sneaked out while my attention was elsewhere as all became quiet. The bird logged leaving a roost did so from the N side.

Birds noted flying over / near here:
- 2 (1♂) Mallard
- 19 Goosanders: see notes
- 1 Cormorant
- 70 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 1 Herring Gull
- 8 Feral Pigeons: together
- 5 Stock Doves: together
- >220 Wood Pigeons: >200 of these in three groups flying N again
- 2 Collared Doves: together
- c.350 Jackdaws
- 4 Rooks only
- 1 Starling
- 4 Redwings: one group
- 1 Pied Wagtail
- 3 Chaffinches

Birds seen leaving roosts around the lake:
- >43 Starlings
- 4 Redwings
- 1 Reed Bunting

Counts from the lake area:
- 2 + 5 Mute Swans
- 1 Greylag Goose: flew off with the Canada Geese
- 6 Canada Geese: four flew off with the Greylag Goose; two stayed throughout
- 12 (8♂) Gadwall
- 10 (7♂) Mallard
- 2 (1♂) Pochard
- 40 (22♂) Tufted Duck
- 1 Cormorant: arrived and departed
- 2 Grey Herons again
- 1 Little Grebe
- 5 Great Crested Grebes again
- 10 Moorhens
- 183 Coots
- c.125 Black-headed Gulls
- c.34 Lesser Black-backed Gulls: c.32 pre-dawn; again just two later
- 2 Herring Gulls: 1 (near) adult pre-dawn; different adult later.
- 1 Yellow-legged Gull: one second winter

On / around the street lights etc. pre-sunrise: a milder morning = a sighting bonanza.
- 11 Winter Moths (Operophtera brumata)
- *1 Scarce Umber moth (Agriopis aurantiaria): apparently not so 'scarce'
- >10 winter midges
- *1 tiny sawfly / wasp sp.
- 1 Tetragnatha stretch spider sp.
- 3 Paroligolophus agrestis harvestmen

Of note later:
- *Herb-Robert (Geranium robertianum) flowering at a rather late date

During one of the few clear spells the medium-level clouds lined up to produce this pattern in the sky.

 Today's 'interesting' gull. I think it is a second winter Yellow-legged Gull. A well-used buoy!

Attempting to keep its balance it allows the upper wing pattern to be seen. The inner primaries seem too extensively pale for a Yellow-legged Gull of this age. However the markings on the underwing look too well-defined for Caspian Gull and are a better fit for Yellow-legged Gull.

This is not likely to win anything other than the booby prize but does show the upper-wing pattern more 'clearly'(?!). Also of interest are the paler central tail feathers. The illustrations of Yellow-legged Gull in my gulls monograph is rather at variance with some of the photos. However there are two photos that show extensive pale inner primaries like this.

Another view of that well-marked underwing. For me: Yellow-legged Gull.

As noted above Scarce Umber moths (Agriopis aurantiaria) do not seem to be 'scarce' here at the moment. No idea who / what has draped what looks like black thread across one wing. Perhaps a remnant spider web blown there?

The, relatively, long antennae on this tiny insect point to a saw-fly or small gall wasp. I can find no reference to any species being on the wing in December so it will have to remain unidentified.

Not too many flowers around at the moment. Deep in cover I found this rather fresh-looking specimen of what I am sure is Herb-Robert (Geranium robertianum) even though I can see only three petals (there should be five). The leaf-shape rules out any other member of the crane's-bill family. Note the small spider. Had I seen it at the time I might have tried for a photos of it.

(Ed Wilson)

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The Flash: 09:44 – 10:50

(256th visit of the year)

Bird notes:
- 'Best effort' in sexing the 23 Tufted Ducks arrivals as they settled amongst the birds already present.

Birds noted flying over / near The Flash:
- 1 Lesser Black-backed Gull
- 1 Sparrowhawk
- 2 Common Buzzards
- 2 Feral Pigeons
- 6 Jackdaw
- 1 Raven
- 1 Starling
- 2 Redwings
- 1 Siskin

Counts from the water:
- 3 + 7 (1 brood) Mute Swans
- 2 Greylag Geese
- 19 Canada Geese: six of these flew in
- 34 (19♂) Mallard
- 4 (4♂) Pochard
- 101 (53♂) Tufted Duck: 23 of these flew in
- *15 (4♂) Goosanders: three of the drakes and 'some' of the ducks flew in
- 2 Grey Herons
- 2 Great Crested Grebes again
- 7 Moorhens
- 34 Coots
- 39 Black-headed Gulls
- 2 Lesser Black-backed Gulls: one adult and the usual body that still won't sink.

On the lamp pole and around the Ivy

Nothing on any of them

Best elsewhere:
- *1 male Bullfinch

Shower time for a duck Goosander.

Looks as if it might drown!

This splendid male Bullfinch popped up and stayed long-enough for one quick shot. Brightened what was by now another gloomy morning. Bottom right are the distinctive black buds of an Ash tree.

(Ed Wilson)

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On this day

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

2012

Priorslee Lake

1 Little Grebe

1 Little Egret

3 Gadwall

3 Pochard

34 Tufted Ducks

169 Coots

c.233 Wood Pigeons

6 Redwings

1 Fieldfare

c.800 Jackdaws

137 Rooks

16 Siskins

2 Linnets

1 Redpoll

(Ed Wilson)

Trench Lock Pool

39 Tufted Duck

1 Goldeneye

162 Coots counted again

(Ed Wilson)

2009

Priorslee Lake

1 Little Grebe 

4 Great Crested Grebes

38 Swans

34 Pochard

45 Tufted Ducks

2 Water Rails

c.1800 Black-headed Gulls

210 Lesser Black-backs

8 Herring Gulls

1 Great Black-backed Gull 

14 Redwings

1 Siskin flew over

(Ed Wilson)

2006

Priorslee Lake

1 Little Grebe

12 Pochard

56 Tufted Ducks

1 drake Ruddy Ducks

2 Goosanders

3 Lapwings

1 Snipe

>1700 Black-headed Gulls

865 Lesser Black-backed Gulls

22 Robins

22 Blackbirds

6 Redwings

243 Jackdaws

133 Rooks

1 Brambling

4 Reed Buntings

(Ed Wilson)

2005

Priorslee Lake

2500 Black-headed Gulls

250 Lesser Black-backed Gulls

2 Little Grebes

11 Pochard

34 Tufted Duck

237 Coot

2 Redpolls

24 Siskins

2 Redwings

3 Reed Buntings

(Ed Wilson)