4.0°C: Low cloud descending to become mist and eventually fog . Light E wind. Moderate visibility, becoming poor.
Sunrise: 08:21 GMT
* = a photo today
Another depressingly dull morning with most of yesterday's changes having gone
Priorslee Lake: 07:10 – 09:15
(299th visit of the year)
All the rain meant the entry sluices from under the academy and the housing development were all running brown, tainting almost half of the water. Possibly the reason why the Pochard and some of the Tufted Duck had departed. As usual the Wesley Brook itself
Bird notes:
- The Black-headed Gulls had a Sunday / Boxing Day lie-in and only arrived at 07:44. Again at least 500 arrived.
- Many fewer large gulls arrived early. The cloud and mist meant very few were noted later even if the were there.
- Two Blackbirds were seen having a real scrap, tumbling over and over as a spinning ball of feathers looking intent on murder.
- A party of 28 Siskins flew E over the dam. Probably some / all of the birds in the W end Alders earlier.
Overhead:
- 2 Wood Pigeons
- 1 Common Buzzard again
- 3 Herring Gull
- 4 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 77 Jackdaws
- 3 Pied Wagtails heard
- 28 Siskin: see notes
Birds leaving roost sites around the lake:
None
Warblers noted:
Warblers noted:
None
Counts from the lake area:
- 1 (1♂) Gadwall
- 6 (5♂) Mallard again
- 35 (14♂) Tufted Duck
- 5 Moorhens
- 49 Coots again
- >500 Black-headed Gulls again
- 3 Herring Gull
- 16 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
Around the lamps:
- 1 (1♂) Gadwall
- 6 (5♂) Mallard again
- 35 (14♂) Tufted Duck
- 5 Moorhens
- 49 Coots again
- >500 Black-headed Gulls again
- 3 Herring Gull
- 16 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
Around the lamps:
After a very wet night.
Nothing
(Ed Wilson)
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The Flash: 09:20 – 10:05
(274th visit of the year)
Bird notes:
- The cob Mute Swan was, for a time, being aggressive toward the 'spare' adult
- The all-white duck gave better view today. I am sure there is drake Mallard in its genes and similar to what is often known as Aylesbury Duck.
- Four Siskins in Alders along the E side.
Birds noted flying over here:
None
On /around the water:
- 7 Canada Geese
- 3 + 2 (1 brood) Mute Swans
- 39 (24♂) Mallard
- *1 (?♂) all-white duck (Aylesbury Duck)
- 1 (1♂) Pochard
- 34 (14♂) Tufted Duck
- 9 (3♂) Goosander
- 8 Moorhens only
- 24 Coots
- 2 Great Crested Grebes
- 28 Black-headed Gulls
- 1 Lesser Black-backed Gull
- 1 Grey Heron again
On a street lamps:
- *1 Garden Spider (Arameus diadematus): moribund or dead?
- 7 Canada Geese
- 3 + 2 (1 brood) Mute Swans
- 39 (24♂) Mallard
- *1 (?♂) all-white duck (Aylesbury Duck)
- 1 (1♂) Pochard
- 34 (14♂) Tufted Duck
- 9 (3♂) Goosander
- 8 Moorhens only
- 24 Coots
- 2 Great Crested Grebes
- 28 Black-headed Gulls
- 1 Lesser Black-backed Gull
- 1 Grey Heron again
On a street lamps:
- *1 Garden Spider (Arameus diadematus): moribund or dead?
I found this spider on a lamp pole. I is a Garden Spider (Arameus diadematus). It seemed to be 'hanging by a thread'. I could not tell whether this was by accident or design. It was not moving and may well have been either moribund or dead.
(Ed Wilson)
(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
Two 1st-winter female Scaup
(Unknown)
2012
Priorslee Lake
A drake Scaup
4 Gadwall
10 Great Black-backed Gull
(Kriss Webb)
2009
Priorslee Lake
1 Black-necked Grebe
5 Great Crested Grebes
4 Gadwall
26 Pochard
97 Tufted Ducks
3 Goosander
327 Coots
5 Redwings
4 Fieldfare
10 Goldfinches
14 Siskins
(Ed Wilson)