17 Feb 21

Priorslee Lake

7.0°C > 8.0°C: Clearing after early showery rain. Light SSW wind . Good visibility.

Sunrise: 07:23 GMT

* = a photo today

Priorslee Lake: 06:35 - 09:40

(8th visit of the year)

Notes:

- As I arrived the adult Mute Swans were asleep at the W end and a single cygnet was at the E end. When the adults awoke they chased the cygnet around and it eventually flew strongly off to the E. Some 20 minutes later probably the same cygnet came back from the E to circle and land. The cob made sure it went back on the SW grass and provided it stayed there the cob lost interest.

- Only c.85 Black-headed Gulls flew in early from the W at 07:02. These soon mostly left to the SE with at least 70 more flying directly over in the same direction. Later a few more were noted flying S amongst the passage of large gulls. By the time I left c.50 birds had reassembled on the lake, seemingly from the SE so presumably returning birds. [I noted several large (>50) groups of Black-headed Gulls flying E over my Newport house during yesterday so perhaps they have started to leave for the continent.]

- All but four of the large gulls were moving S more or less throughout. A higher proportion of the Herring Gulls were (near) adults today. Again only one of the 92 Lesser Black-backed Gulls seemed to be an immature.

- Several small groups (max. 14) of Wood Pigeons noted flying rather high suggesting migration or post-hard weather return movement.

- Two Goldcrests seen. Good to know these managed to survive the cold snap.

- Having failed to locate any Long-tailed Tits on any previous visits this year I encountered two small groups of birds playing chase - sorting out breeding territories I suspect.

Birds noted flying over / near here:
- 6 Greylag Geese: three pairs
- 61 Wood Pigeons
- 76 Black-headed Gulls
- 25 Herring Gulls
- 92 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 1 Cormorant
- c.220 Jackdaws
- 14 Rooks
- 2 Redwings

Counts from the lake area:
- 2 + 1 Mute Swans (see notes)
- 4 (2♂) Mallard
- 2 (1♂) Tufted Duck
- 8 Moorhens
- 42 Coots
- 1 Little Grebes
- c.100 Black-headed Gulls
- 3 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 1 Grey Heron

My 2021 bird species list for here moves to 59 with the following additions today:
- Long-tailed Tit
- Jay
- Nuthatch

On / around the street lights pre-dawn

Nothing - too wet?

Noted later:

- my first flies of the year sunbathing on a lamp pole later. Not identified.

- plenty of Hazel catkins

Paddling past while still rather dark it is just possible to confirm this as one of 'our' 2020 cygnet with the ring '7JUE'.

Here presumably the same cygnet is returning from the E. I could not read the ring to be 100% positive of its identity, but ...

... here it is landing at the far end to regain the grass. Typically ignoring the 'No Swimming' sign!

Yesterday there were five drake Tufted Ducks together. Toady just a pair. Here is the drake. I have many photos of the rear end of the duck diving ...!

This adult Black-headed Gull is not yet showing any sign of acquiring the summer-plumage dark brown 'hood'....

 ... whereas this adult is well in to its head-moult. The most-extensive dark hood that I noted today.

One of the many adult Lesser Blacked Gulls that flew over this morning. Many, like this one, still with extensive winter-plumage dark heard-streaking.

Sometimes the camera amazes me. How did the autofocus ignore all those branches and do a pretty good job of homing in on the male (red nape) Great Spotted Woodpecker at one of his favourite drumming posts? I could find no clearer view through.

One of the ten Song Thrushes taking some time off from singing to go foraging for food.

This one not taking time off and singing away. Are those Willow buds just showing a hint of white? I do believe they are.

Also singing with gusto was this Dunnock.

 Seen from a slight angle the subtle grey and brown tones of this archetypal 'little brown job' are well seen.

Just a few of the many Hazel catkins around the area at the moment. These are the male flowers and their pollen is blown on to the tiny sea anemone-like female flower near the bud that I have enlarged ....

 ... here

(Ed Wilson)

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On this day

2020

Priorslee Lake

Today's Sightings Here

2019

Priorslee Lake

Today's Sightings Here

2015

Priorslee Lake

Today's Sightings Here

2014

Priorslee Lake

3 Scaup 

1 Grey Wagtail

8 Pochard

23 Tufted Duck

3 Great Crested Grebe

(Gary Crowder)

Telford Crematorium

2 Caspian Gull

c.500 Lesser Black-backed Gull

c.40 Herring Gull

(Gary Crowder)

2012

Priorslee Lake

Iceland Gull

(Jim Almond)

2006

Priorslee Lake

6 Great Crested Grebes

1 Heron

5 Cormorants

2 Gadwall

9 Pochard

18 Tufted Ducks

121 Coots

741 Wood Pigeon

289 Jackdaws

108 Rooks

290 Starlings

1 Sky Lark

18 Robins

19 Blackbirds again

11 Greenfinches

6 Siskins

23 Reed Buntings

(Ed Wilson)