3 Jan 21

Priorslee Lake and The Flash

1.0°C: Variable amounts of cloud with some bright intervals. Light N wind. Very good visibility.

[Sunrise: 08:21 GMT: sunrise now starting to move]

* = a photo today

Priorslee Lake: 08:39 – 09:32

(3rd visit of the year)

- <10% thin ice

A later visit to avoid the icy roads

Bird notes:
- It has been noticeable for the last few days that the Mute Swan cygnets are spending more and more time separate from their parents. I have yet to see them fly outside the confines of the lake and indeed they seem less inclined to fly than they did back in October.
- Some of Pochard seemed to have returned to The Flash (q.v.).
- One of the Sparrowhawks was displaying overhead.
- More of the Lesser Black-backed Gulls were flying N (rather than S /SW as on previous days).

Birds noted flying over / near here:
- 7 Wood Pigeons
- 3 Black-headed Gulls
- 2 Herring Gulls
- 32 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 2 Sparrowhawks
- 1 Common Buzzard

Counts from the lake area:
- 2 Canada Geese
- 2 + 5 Mute Swans
- 1 (1♂) Gadwall
- 4 (2♂) Mallard
- 3 (3♂) Pochard
- 65 (35♂) Tufted Duck
- 4 Moorhens
- 110 Coots
- 1 Little Grebe
- 3 Great Crested Grebes again
- 32 Black-headed Gulls
- 6 Lesser Black-backed Gulls: all adults; arrived and departed
- 1 Cormorant
- 2 Grey Herons once more

My 2021 bird species list for here:

No additions, so remains at 44.

(Ed Wilson)

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The Flash: 09:38 – 10:21

(2nd visit of the year)

- <50% ice

Bird notes:
- With more open water at the top end - their favourite area - Pochard returned.

Birds noted flying over / near The Flash:
- 1 Herring Gull: immature
- 5 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 4 Redwings

Counts from the water:
- 12 Canada Geese again
- 3 + 5 (1 brood) Mute Swans
- 30 (17♂) Mallard
- 7 (5♂) Pochard
- 31 (9♂) Tufted Duck
- 6 Moorhens
- 25 Coots
- 85 Black-headed Gulls
- *1 Herring Gull: first-winter
- 5 Lesser Black-backed Gulls: all adults
- 1 Grey Heron again

On the lamp poles, around the Ivy or elsewhere.

Nothing of note

My 2021 bird species list for here:

With today's additions now stands at 34

Pochard
Redwing
Coat Tit
Nuthatch

It is not always easy to age immature Herring Gulls even when they present themselves as clearly as this. The extent of the pale on the mantle and, particularly, the scapulars looks too much for most first winters. However by this date a second winter would normally show more pale at the base of the bill and a pale tip. So I conclude it is an advanced first-winter. Of course gulls are already beginning to moult in to summer plumage. Not the black nails on its toes.

(Ed Wilson)

Note: Ed Wilson's Priorslee 2020 Newsletter can be found HERE.

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On this day

2020

Priorslee Lake

Today's Sightings Here

2019

Priorslee Lake

Today's Sightings Here

2017

Local area

Today's Sightings Here

2014

Priorslee Lake

Two 1st winter female Scaup present.

2012

Priorslee Lake

Adult Yellow-legged Gull

Adult Caspian Gull

(Ed Wilson)

2010

Priorslee Lake

A 2nd winter Caspian Gull

Adult Yellow-legged Gull

(Richard Vernon)

2008

Priorslee Lake

Evening - 6:15pm

A Barn Owl

(Martin Adlam)

Morning

Big gull roost with:

2000 Black-headed Gulls

500 Lesser Black-backed Gulls

160 Herring Gulls

Yellow-legged Gull

2 Great Black-backed Gulls

Also

At least 10000 Starlings left the roost somewhere to the S and flew N just before 8:00am.

(Ed Wilson)