Priorslee Lake and The Flash
4.0°C > 6.0°C: Very mixed: early low cloud cleared from the SW becoming misty under thin high cloud for a while. Later a cloud sheet moved in from the NW. Light S wind veered W and increased somewhat. Mainly good visibility.
4.0°C > 6.0°C: Very mixed: early low cloud cleared from the SW becoming misty under thin high cloud for a while. Later a cloud sheet moved in from the NW. Light S wind veered W and increased somewhat. Mainly good visibility.
Sunrise: 08:01 GMT
* = a photo today
Priorslee Lake: 06:30 – 09:25
Priorslee Lake: 06:30 – 09:25
(278th visit of the year)
Bird notes:
- Just the one Mute Swan again. I managed to read the ring today – 7JNU and so confirming that it is the erstwhile resident pen.
- I have no idea where all the local Wood Pigeons have gone – to my Newport back garden apparently!
- Only c.20 Black-headed Gulls were on the water by 07:00 with another c.300 arriving after 07:10.
- Another sizeable movement of large gulls S/SW, almost all Lesser Black-backed Gulls. Unlike yesterday when most were in one very large scattered group today there was an extended passage of small groups of no more than five birds (though there could be several concurrent groups on slightly different flight lines).
- An over-flying Skylark on an unusual date – Autumn passage is usually complete by end-October / very early November. I thought I heard this species twice earlier this week but I could not see them and I dismissed the idea. Today's was seen clearly.
- The Cetti's Warbler sang once to my right, from more or less in the middle of the N side. I was then surprised when I heard calls to my left without having seen it fly across the open gap. While I pondered whether it might be a second bird one called from where I had heard the song. Nothing more was heard to elucidate further.
- I positioned this morning to have the best chance of seeing the Redwings depart their roost. This may partly explain the low count of dispersing Pied Wagtails I heard, though I think there must have been many fewer birds.
- My position also meant I was unlikely to have seen or heard any Reed Buntings at their roosts. I did not see or hear any later either.
Overhead:
- 8 Wood Pigeons only
- 13 Black-headed Gulls
- 5 Herring Gulls
- 267 Lesser Black-backed Gulls: see notes
- 1 Sparrowhawk
- 236 Jackdaws
- 2 Rooks
- 1 Raven
- 1 Skylark
- 13 Redwing: two groups
- 4 Pied Wagtails only heard
- 1 Siskin
Birds noted leaving roosts around the lake:
- 10 Redwings
Warblers noted:
- 1 Cetti's Warbler: see notes
Counts from the lake area:
- 1 Mute Swan: blue Darvic ring 7JNU
- 5 (3♂) Gadwall still
- 7 (5♂) Mallard again
- no Pochard
- 50 (20♂) Tufted Duck
- 8 Moorhens
- 45 Coots
- 1? Little Grebe: heard only again
- c.300 Black-headed Gulls
- 4 Herring Gulls
- 35 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 1 Cormorant: arrived
At / around the street lamps pre-dawn:
Bird notes:
- Just the one Mute Swan again. I managed to read the ring today – 7JNU and so confirming that it is the erstwhile resident pen.
- I have no idea where all the local Wood Pigeons have gone – to my Newport back garden apparently!
- Only c.20 Black-headed Gulls were on the water by 07:00 with another c.300 arriving after 07:10.
- Another sizeable movement of large gulls S/SW, almost all Lesser Black-backed Gulls. Unlike yesterday when most were in one very large scattered group today there was an extended passage of small groups of no more than five birds (though there could be several concurrent groups on slightly different flight lines).
- An over-flying Skylark on an unusual date – Autumn passage is usually complete by end-October / very early November. I thought I heard this species twice earlier this week but I could not see them and I dismissed the idea. Today's was seen clearly.
- The Cetti's Warbler sang once to my right, from more or less in the middle of the N side. I was then surprised when I heard calls to my left without having seen it fly across the open gap. While I pondered whether it might be a second bird one called from where I had heard the song. Nothing more was heard to elucidate further.
- I positioned this morning to have the best chance of seeing the Redwings depart their roost. This may partly explain the low count of dispersing Pied Wagtails I heard, though I think there must have been many fewer birds.
- My position also meant I was unlikely to have seen or heard any Reed Buntings at their roosts. I did not see or hear any later either.
Overhead:
- 8 Wood Pigeons only
- 13 Black-headed Gulls
- 5 Herring Gulls
- 267 Lesser Black-backed Gulls: see notes
- 1 Sparrowhawk
- 236 Jackdaws
- 2 Rooks
- 1 Raven
- 1 Skylark
- 13 Redwing: two groups
- 4 Pied Wagtails only heard
- 1 Siskin
Birds noted leaving roosts around the lake:
- 10 Redwings
Warblers noted:
- 1 Cetti's Warbler: see notes
Counts from the lake area:
- 1 Mute Swan: blue Darvic ring 7JNU
- 5 (3♂) Gadwall still
- 7 (5♂) Mallard again
- no Pochard
- 50 (20♂) Tufted Duck
- 8 Moorhens
- 45 Coots
- 1? Little Grebe: heard only again
- c.300 Black-headed Gulls
- 4 Herring Gulls
- 35 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 1 Cormorant: arrived
At / around the street lamps pre-dawn:
Not much after a mostly wet night:
Moths:
None
Spiders and Harvestman:
- 1 Paroligolophus agrestis harvestman
Later:
Nothing noted
Typical of one of the many groups of Lesser Black-backed Gulls that flew over this morning.
You know I can't resist a close drake Gadwall.
A short video clip of all five Gadwall with the three drakes doing their head-tossing display.
(Ed Wilson)
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The Flash: 09:30 – 10:25
(254th visit of the year)
Bird notes:
- All four Teal seen together. But see photo – one looks rather odd.
- Seven of the drake Goosanders flew off in a tight group – a splendid site. Did not have time to get a picture, but likely it was too dull anyway.
- There seemed to be Moorhens everywhere today. 22 today; my previous highest count was 16 on 20 November.
- A Lesser Redpoll over. Latest research suggests that Lesser/Common/Arctic/Hoary/Hornemann's Redpolls are all one species and it doesn't really matter whether we call them Lesser or Common Redpolls. It saves a lot of confusion.
Birds noted flying over here:
- 4 Starlings: together
- 1 Lesser Redpoll
On /around the water:
- 5 Canada Geese
- 3 + 2 (1 brood) Mute Swans
- 35 (21♂) Mallard
- 4 (2♂) Teal
- no Pochard
- 31 (16♂) Tufted Duck
- 17 (11♂) Goosander
- 22 Moorhens: gulp
- 26 Coots
- 2 Great Crested Grebes
- 37 Black-headed Gulls again
- 2 Lesser Black-backed Gulls: adult and immature separately: both departed
- 2 Grey Herons
Around the Ivy:
Bird notes:
- All four Teal seen together. But see photo – one looks rather odd.
- Seven of the drake Goosanders flew off in a tight group – a splendid site. Did not have time to get a picture, but likely it was too dull anyway.
- There seemed to be Moorhens everywhere today. 22 today; my previous highest count was 16 on 20 November.
- A Lesser Redpoll over. Latest research suggests that Lesser/Common/Arctic/Hoary/Hornemann's Redpolls are all one species and it doesn't really matter whether we call them Lesser or Common Redpolls. It saves a lot of confusion.
Birds noted flying over here:
- 4 Starlings: together
- 1 Lesser Redpoll
On /around the water:
- 5 Canada Geese
- 3 + 2 (1 brood) Mute Swans
- 35 (21♂) Mallard
- 4 (2♂) Teal
- no Pochard
- 31 (16♂) Tufted Duck
- 17 (11♂) Goosander
- 22 Moorhens: gulp
- 26 Coots
- 2 Great Crested Grebes
- 37 Black-headed Gulls again
- 2 Lesser Black-backed Gulls: adult and immature separately: both departed
- 2 Grey Herons
Around the Ivy:
Nothing. Too dull and cool
Of note:
Of note:
Nothing else
(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
60 Golden Plover
6 Gadwall
3 Pochard
2 Shoveler
2 Teal
(John Isherwood)
2012
Priorslee Lake
3 Teal
3 Gadwall.
8 Pochard
19 Tufted Ducks
163 Coots
7 Redwings
c577 Jackdaws
c149 Rooks
8 Siskins
22 Goldfinches
(Ed Wilson)
2011
Priorslee Lake
Adult Caspian Gull
1 adult Yellow-legged Gull
4 Great Black-backed Gulls
(JW Reeves)
Priorslee Flash
Tundra Bean Goose
Great Black-backed Gull
8 Goosander.
(JW Reeves/Andy Latham /Tom Lowe)
2010
Priorslee Lake
2 Yellow-legged Gulls
3rd-winter Caspian Gull
(JW Reeves)
Wellington
Pair of Blackcaps in my garden
(JW Reeves)
2009
The Wrekin
Firecrest
(Pete Nickless)
2007
Priorslee Lake
8 Goosander
Woodcock
21 Greylag Geese
A drake Gadwall
6 Pochard
58 Tufted Duck
2 Buzzards
1 Kestrel
6 Meadow Pipits
14 Redwing
3 Fieldfares
31 Magpies
47 Siskins
12 Goldfinches
11 Reed Bunting
(Ed Wilson)
The Flash
22 Goosander
27 Pochard
16 Tufted Ducks
(Ed Wilson)
2006
Priorslee Lake
1 Little Grebe
27 Pochard
69 Tufted Ducks
4 Buzzards
68 Coots
1 Woodcock
528 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
20 Robins
22 Blackbirds
3 Song Thrushes
3 Redwings
1 Willow Tit
187 Jackdaws
168 Rooks
11 Greenfinches
10 Goldfinches
2 Reed Buntings
(Ed Wilson)
2005
Priorslee Lake
2 Little Grebes
5 Cormorants
8 Pochard
32 Tufted Duck
201 Coot
Water Rail
c.2100 Black-headed Gulls
c.175 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
440 Jackdaws
225 Rooks
1 Kestrel
2 Collared Dove
1 Sky Lark
18 Pied Wagtails
5 Meadow Pipits
5 Redwings
40 Fieldfare
1 Kingfisher
11 Robins
19 Blackbirds
2 Song Thrushes
2 Goldcrest
5 Redpolls
12+ Siskins
2 Yellowhammers
7 Reed Buntings
(Ed Wilson/Martin Adlam)