13 Mar 21

Priorslee Lake and The Flash

4.0°C: Squally showers on gusty fresh W wind. Very good visibility except in showers.

[Sunrise: 06:30 GMT]

* = a photo today

Priorslee Lake: 06:40 - 09:40

(32nd visit of the year)

The strong wind and heavy showers again meant I was in the car in the Castle Farm Way lay-by some of the time.

Birds notes:
- The resident pair of Mute Swans seen mating again.
- Both Great Crested Grebe pairs seen displaying.
- One Skylark singing over the fields to the E.

Birds noted flying over / near here:
- 2 Canada Geese: pair inbound
- 1 Stock Dove
- 10 Wood Pigeons
- 1 Common Buzzard
- 12 Black-headed Gulls
- 1 Herring Gull: immature
- 6 Lesser Black-backed Gulls: all(?) adults
- 9 Jackdaws
- 2 Rooks
- 2 Siskins

Counts from the water:
- 2 Canada Geese, briefly
- *2 Mute Swans
- 2 (2♂) Mallard
- 9 (5♂) Tufted Duck
- 7 Moorhens
- 27 Coots (but conditions difficult)
- *5 Great Crested Grebes
- >45 Black-headed Gulls
- 2 Herring Gulls: adult and second year
- 3 Lesser Black-backed Gulls: two adults and first year
- *1 Grey Heron

My 2021 bird species list for here remains 72.

Nothing else of note.

The Mute Swans were at it again - and very breezy it was on the dam top trying to hold the camera!

This pair of Great Crested Grebes were also having a bit of a display today ...

... with the wind behind what I assume is the male's head plumes.

They were displaying for long-enough for me to switch to video. It was more sheltered for me: they were having some difficulty staying in one spot - but you get the idea.

A very typical first year Lesser Black-backed Gull.

An instructive pair of photos. At first glance from the back colour this could pass for an adult Herring Gull or, perhaps more likely, a Yellow-legged Gull. But note the width of the white trailing edge of the secondaries.

Here is the same bird from a slightly different angle and it is quite clear it is an adult Lesser Black-backed Gull. The back tone of gulls can vary depending on the angle of the light and this can, as here, be accentuated by how the camera deals with the light and contrast. This variability makes both illustrating and then identifying gulls troublesome.

This Grey Heron looks rather surprised as it makes a wind-assisted departure.

(Ed Wilson)

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The Flash: 09:45 - 10:35

(22nd visit of the year)

I was dismayed to hear and see council contractors felling more than a dozen trees and clearing undergrowth in and around 'squirrel alley'. On the face of it there were no safety issues affecting the paths. Perhaps the council does not subscribe to the climate emergency or to the increasing loss of natural habitats. Badger your local councillors folks to get an explanation for what is going on and why. I probably should have taken photos but it upset me so much I could not bring myself to look.

Bird notes:
- The resident pair of Mute Swans seen mating again.
- Small influx of drake Tufted Ducks: either that or birds moved off the island by proximity to the noisy contractors.
- A Song Thrush seen at the top end. I have noted hardly any song from this species here this year. This bird was not singing either.
- *Two Siskins in Alders alongside the football pitch at the top end.

Birds noted flying over / near The Flash:
None

Counts from the water:
- 34 Canada Geese
- 3 Mute Swans
- 31 (20♂) Mallard
- 92 (53♂) Tufted Duck
- 4 Moorhens
- 26 Coots again
- 1 Great Crested Grebe: the usual
- 3 Black-headed Gulls: drifted in

My 2021 bird species list for here remains at 52.

Nothing else of note.

The Siskins had retreated high up in the trees today - still hanging upside down to get at those Alder cones. A male here.

(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

2014
Priorslee Lake
1st winter female Greater Scaup
20 Tufted Duck. 
1 Kingfisher
(Gary Crowder)

2013
Priorslee Lake
3 Great Crested Grebe
37 Tufted Duck
27 Wigeon
2 Gadwall
1 Cormorant
24 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
4 Herring Gull
1 Great Black-backed Gull
(Martin Grant)

2012
Priorslee Lake
1 Water Rail
(John Isherwood)

Priorslee Flash
1 Chiffchaff
(John Isherwood)

Nedge Hill
30 Fieldfare
1 Redwing
7 Lapwing
2 Stock Dove
(John Isherwood)

2010
Priorslee Lake
5 Great Crested Grebes
1 Heron
6 Gadwall
4 Pochard
48 Tufted Ducks
1 Lapwing
>1100 Black-headed Gulls
c.30 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
5 Herring Gulls, all on the water
(Ed Wilson)

2007
Priorslee Lake
Woodcock
5 Cormorant
6 Grey Heron
19 Tufted Duck
4 Stock Dove
25 Robin
22 Blackbird
8 Redwing
3 Chiffchaff
47 Magpie
143 Jackdaw
5 Reed Bunting
(Ed Wilson, Martin Adlam)

2006
Priorslee Lake
1 Little Grebe
4 Great Crested Grebes
7 Pochard
45 Tufted Ducks
2 Ruddy Ducks
1 Lapwing
148 Jackdaws
34+ Siskins
6 Redwings
14 Greenfinches
2 Reed Buntings
(Ed Wilson)