4 Mar 21

Priorslee Lake and The Flash

2.0°C > 4.0°C: Another morning of very low cloud. Very occasional light drizzle. Almost calm. Moderate, often poor, visibility.

Sunrise: 06:51 GMT

* = a photo today

Priorslee Lake: 06:00 - 09:05

(23rd visit of the year)

One that got away. At 08:55 what was clearly a hirundine was seen leaving to the NW. I only glimpsed it between branches and have to say it looked more long and loose-winged like a Barn Swallow than it did a Sand Martin. The latter species would be much more likely at this date. I will have to let it pass as my sighting was too brief.

Other notes:
- The two drake (Eurasian) Wigeon were with Mallard when I arrived. They went for short flights circling the water at 06:35 and 06:40 before leaving at 06:45.
- I could only find two pairs of Great Crested Grebes. Two Little Grebes appeared briefly but were mainly heard calling again.
- Several small(?) groups of Jackdaws heard prior to the first sighting at 06:26 so numbers under-recorded.
- A Redwing was in song near the Teece Drive gate.
- Two Mistle Thrushes seen noisily scolding Magpies again, this time high in trees alongside Teece Drive.
- A Chiffchaff seen in the same general area as before. Did not call or sing.
- A Grey Wagtail without any leg rings in the Wesley Brook again. It may have been the poor light but this bird seemed less colourful than the bird noted yesterday. Perhaps a female?
- Siskins again in trees at the W end with one male sitting up and singing.

Birds noted flying over / near here:
- 7 Greylag Geese: pair outbound; five together inbound
- 3 Black-headed Gulls
- 5 Herring Gulls
- 3 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 1 Common Buzzard
- 6 Wood Pigeons
- 1 Collared Dove
- >86 Jackdaws
- 2 Redwings
- 1 Lesser Redpoll

Counts from the water: best effort in poor conditions again
- 2 Mute Swans
- 2 Canada Geese: arrived and stayed
- 2 (2♂) (Eurasian) Wigeon: departed
- 6 (1♂) Mallard
- 7 (4♂) Tufted Duck
- 6 Moorhens
- 31 Coots
- 2 Little Grebes
- 4 Great Crested Grebes only
- 17 Black-headed Gulls
- 2 Yellow-legged Gulls: immatures, briefly
- 3 Lesser Black-backed Gulls: two adults, one first year, all separately and briefly
- 1 Cormorant: arrived
- 2 Grey Herons

My 2021 bird species list for here moves on to 67 with new today:
- (Eurasian) Wigeon
- Collared Dove

Also noted:
- A dead Carp (Cyprinus carpio).

An adult Black-headed Gull yet to complete its head moult: rather blotchy still.

Typically high in trees and hiding behind twigs was this Redwing. It had been singing earlier - I do sometimes hear song before they leave for Scandinavia and beyond to breed. Note that the breast is streaked rather than spotted as our resident thrushes are.

As noted the Redwing's breast is streaked. Mistle Thrushes are clearly spotted, often described as (upside down) heart-shaped spots.

This species usually adopts an upright stance.

But not always!

This was the only Long-tailed Tit I saw this morning. Behind twigs - of course. Where was the rest of the gang?

Not my best-ever photo of a Robin but about the only splash of colour on a gloomy morning.

This male Siskin seemed happy to sit on top of a small Alder tree and sing its wheezy song.

Allowing reasonably close approach. I didn't push my luck and go any closer.

Trapped by the sluice gate is a dead Carp (Cyprinus carpio). No obvious signs of any injury.

One for the council to explain. Why was the hedge flailed at all, chopping off all the berries for the birds to feed on? Why was it cut so severely? And why was the only bit that really mattered - where it overhangs the path - not trimmed at all?

(Ed Wilson)

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The Flash: 09:10 - 10:25

(13th visit of the year)

I talked to a tree inspector employed by the council who was checking the health of the trees around The Flash. He thought that 70% of the Ash trees - mainly around squirrel alley - would be lost to Ash tree dieback in the next few years. I was able to inform him of the whereabouts of the Nuthatch nest site in the big pollarded Ash. This was useful as he had submitted a recommendation that a further 10' be removed from it. He said he would now cancel that task.

Notes:
- The drake Gadwall seemed to be on its own.
- I could not find any Great Crested Grebes.
- What seemed to the same immature Herring Gull that I have seen on several previous days flew in enabling me to see the wing-pattern clearly. I would judge it to be a second winter bird.
- Just five Redpolls. These were along the W side today. No Siskins noted.

Birds noted flying over / near The Flash:

None

Counts from the water:
- 32 Canada Geese
- 3 Mute Swans
- 1 (1♂) Gadwall
- 31 (20♂) Mallard
- 73 (40♂) Tufted Duck
- 7 Moorhens
- 26 Coots
- no Great Crested Grebes
- 13 Black-headed Gulls
- 1 Herring Gull: second year, arrived

My 2021 bird species list for here remains at 52.

Also noted:
- 2 Grey Squirrels. Surprisingly my first of the year here!

The drake Gadwall stayed out 'in the middle' precluding much more than a record shot.

A trio of Black-headed Gulls. The front two with variable amounts of brown in the wing, orange legs and orange base to the bill are first year birds. They may, or may not, acquire some or all of a black hood. The back bird is an adult still mostly in winter plumage with blood-red legs and base to the bill. Whether it is simply late to moult in to summer plumage or whether it is a second year bird that may not fully moult is hard to say.

The middle bird of the trio on its own.

With the Siskins apparently having moved on it was just the Lesser Redpolls that provided a challenge today. At least the Alder cones are in focus!

Somewhat better. A female.

At least I think it is a female, getting stuck in to the cones here. Just along the wing edge is a hint of pink. It is also not very streaked on the flanks and underneath which could suggest it is an Arctic Redpoll. However I doubt it is: overall it does not appear pale enough for that species. I would have needed to get a clear view of an unmarked rump to be claim it as such.

This is clearly a male but also rather less streaked than I would have expected. It is many years since I saw an Arctic Redpoll but I recall them as having obviously tiny bills so I think we can rule that species out.

"Are you looking at me?". Pity about the twig across its right eye. With that dog-walkers appeared and the birds departed.

(Ed Wilson)

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On this day

2020

Priorslee Lake

Today's Sightings Here

2019

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

57 Herring Gull

154 Lesser Black-backed Gull

186 Black-headed Gull

1 Great Black-backed Gull

4 Cormorant

3 Great Crested Grebe

16 Tufted Duck

(Gary Crowder )

2010

Priorslee Lake

5 Great Crested Grebes 

1 Little Grebe

6 Gadwall 

36 Pochard

55 Tufted Duck

600 Black-headed Gulls

100 Lesser Black-backed Gulls

A leucistic Black-headed Gull

1 Great Black-backed Gull 

1 Common Gull 

1 Yellow-legged Gull 

7 Herring Gulls

(Ed Wilson, Mike Cooper)

2009

Priorslee Lake

9 Tufted Duck

1 Bittern

1 Heron 

1 Cormorant 

7 Swans

c.400 Black-headed Gulls 

1 Iceland Gull 

c.700 Lesser Black-backed Gulls 

c.70 Herring Gulls

Peregrine

46 Siskins

(Ed Wilson)

2008

Priorslee Lake

Glaucous Gull

(Paul King).

2006

Priorslee Lake

6 Great Crested Grebe

8 Pochard

81 Tufted Duck

3 Shoveler

1 Goosander

1 Cormorant

1 Water Rail

180 Lesser-black Backed Gulls

300 Black-headed Gulls

8 Siskin

2 Willow Tit

(Martin Adlam, Peter Parton)