15 Nov 21

Priorslee Lake and The Flash

7.0°C: Mist and fog meant a delayed start and it was 11:00 before the mist lifted somewhat around the lake. Light winds. Moderate visibility at best.

[Sunrise: 07:32 GMT]

* = a photo today

Priorslee Lake: 10:20 – 11:25

(261st visit of the year)

Viewing only from the dam-top area.

Bird notes:
- Nothing much to say: a few gulls coming and going.

Overhead:
- c.75 Starlings: one group

Count from the lake area:
- 5 (3♂) Gadwall
- 15 (11♂) Mallard
- 28 (17♂) Tufted Duck
- 2 Moorhens
- 57 Coots
- 32 Black-headed Gulls
- 6 Herring Gulls
- 44 Lesser Black-backed Gulls

Another plant still noted in flower:
- Common Groundsel (Senecio vulgaris)

A short video that includes all five of the Gadwall with the three drakes in the middle doing their head-throwing display.

Common Groundsel (Senecio vulgaris) in flower. This is another plant that can be seen flowering in all but the harshest winters.

(Ed Wilson)

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The Flash: 09:25 – 10:15

(234th visit of the year)

Bird notes:
- All five Mute Swans – three adults and two cygnets – flew together the length of the water.
- Another 'duck day'. The pair of Teal were both visible against the island and joined by a full plumage drake Wigeon. There were also two brownhead Goosanders.

Birds noted flying over here:
- 1 Lesser Black-backed Gull

On /around the water:
- 5 Canada Geese only
- 3 + 2 (1 brood) Mute Swans
- 1 (1♂) (Eurasian) Wigeon
- 29 (19♂) Mallard
- 2 (1♂) Teal
- 29 (17♂) Tufted Duck
- 2 (0♂) Goosander
- 11 Moorhens
- 24 Coots
- 2 Great Crested Grebes
- 13 Black-headed Gulls
- 1 Grey Heron

On its usual lamp pole:
- 1 Dicranopalpus ramosus/caudatus harvestman

On / around the Ivy.
Nothing and even the wasps had given up today.

Nothing else of note.

Not a stunning photo but at least it shows that today's (Eurasian) Wigeon was an adult drake with its yellow crown.

Even less exciting is this record shot of the pair is Teal (behind and between the Black-headed Gulls). Note the yellow flash on the side of the tail of the drake and the much thinner white flash at the side of the tail on the duck.

(Ed Wilson)

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On this day can be found via the yearly links in the right-hand column.


Sightings from previous years without links are below

2013
Priorslee Lake
1 Little Grebe 
1 Wigeon 
5 Gadwall 
2 Teal 
77 Tufted Duck 
230 Coots 
c.650 Black-headed Gulls
c.450 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
21 Herring Gulls
36 Fieldfare
2 Redwings
(Ed Wilson)

2012
Priorslee Lake
3 Wigeon
1 Shoveler 
3 Pochard 
11 Tufted Ducks 
c.35 Redwings
c.175 Jackdaws
36 Rooks
(Ed Wilson)

2011
Priorslee Lake
4 Yellow-legged Gulls
(John Isherwood)

2006
Priorslee Lake
1 Little Grebes
30 Pochard
75 Tufted Ducks
50 Coots
>550 Black-headed Gulls
1329 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
7 Herring Gulls
1 Yellow-legged Gull
242 Wood Pigeons
36 Robins
22 Blackbirds
72 Fieldfares
22 Redwings
1 Redpoll
3 Reed Buntings
(Ed Wilson)