7.0°C > 8.0°C: Medium overcast throughout, showing signs of clearing from N later. Early very low cloud soon cleared only for low-level mist to develop over the water, clearing after 08:30. Light W wind. Good visibility above the mist.
Sunrise: 08:17 GMT
* = a photo today
Priorslee Lake: 07:00 – 09:15
(10th visit of the year)
Generally a very quiet morning, not helped by the mist.
Bird notes:
- Two adult Mute Swans flew in from the NE at 08:55. They did not stay long being chased off by all five residents. The visitors left to the NE. Oddly a single adult was seen flying SW a few minutes later – one of these?
- A lone drake Gadwall today.
- One Woodcock unusually flew out of the small copse at the S end of the dam and headed off across Castle Farm Way.
- Gull arrival was masked by the mist covering much of the lake. Numbers are those that I saw arriving before they disappeared. Most had left by the time the mist cleared.
- Later a much smaller passage of large gulls with more of them dropping in for a quick bathe.
- A 'mist' of small birds seen to the far W was almost certainly a group of at least 100 Starlings. In such a tight group it would seem they had just left a roost – but where? The grounds of the University perhaps.
- At least 46 Redwings were in the trees alongside Teece Drive.
Overhead:
- 2 Stock Doves: together
- 7 Wood Pigeons only
- 15 Herring Gulls
- 17 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 89 Jackdaws
- 100+ Starlings: see notes
- 1 Redwing again
Birds seen leaving roosts around the lake:
- 1 Redwing
Counts from the lake area:
- *2 > 4 > 2 + 3 (1) Mute Swans: see notes
- 1 (1♂) Gadwall
- 5 (3♂) Mallard
- 18 (7♂) Tufted Duck
- 5 Moorhens
- 40 Coots
- >300 Black-headed Gulls
- 24 Herring Gulls
- 19 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 1 Cormorant: arrived as usual
- 1 Grey Heron
On / around the street lamps:
Moths:
- *1 probable Rusty Oak Button (Acleris ferrugana)
- *1 Mottled Umber (Erranis defoliaria)
- *1 Early Moth (Theria primaria)
Also
- several winter midges
- two different species of springtail, probably Dicyrtoma fusca and *Dicyrtomina ornata: see photo
Spiders:
- 1 Tetragnatha sp. stretch spider again
Later
Nothing noted:
Additions to my 2022 bird log for here:
None
Year to date: 57 bird species
The two Mute Swan strangers approach.
Undercarriage down.
Our resident cob was not happy!
Another Early Moth (Theria primaria).
While researching this tiny insect I now realise that these wingless and rather rounded insects are not barkflies but one type of springtail. I am used to seeing mainly red individuals which I now suspect are Dicyrtoma fusca. This mottled individual is distinctly different. It is likely Dicyrtomina ornata though this species is only separable from D. saundersi by whether the antennae are uniformly coloured – or not. It is not possible to see this from my photo of this 2mm long insect! Close-up lens anyone?
(Ed Wilson)
The Flash: 09:20 – 10:00
(Ed Wilson)
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The Flash: 09:20 – 10:00
(10th visit of the year)
Bird notes:
- Teal were heard calling and then paddled some distance apart from the island to the bottom end, disappearing as quickly as they had appeared.
- The Great Crested Grebes as bold as brass together in the middle of the water. Where were they hiding yesterday?
- A very loud and persistently singing Coal Tit.
Birds noted flying over here:
Bird notes:
- Teal were heard calling and then paddled some distance apart from the island to the bottom end, disappearing as quickly as they had appeared.
- The Great Crested Grebes as bold as brass together in the middle of the water. Where were they hiding yesterday?
- A very loud and persistently singing Coal Tit.
Birds noted flying over here:
None
On /around the water:
- 13 Canada Geese
- 3 + 2 (1 brood) Mute Swans
- 42 (28♂) Mallard
- 1 (1♂) all-white duck (Aylesbury Duck)
- 2 (1♂) Teal
- 45 (24♂) Tufted Duck
- 2 (0♂) Goosander
- 16 Moorhens
- 25 Coots once again
- 2 Great Crested Grebes
- 26 Black-headed Gulls
- *1 Grey Heron
On the street lamps or on / around the Ivy:
- 13 Canada Geese
- 3 + 2 (1 brood) Mute Swans
- 42 (28♂) Mallard
- 1 (1♂) all-white duck (Aylesbury Duck)
- 2 (1♂) Teal
- 45 (24♂) Tufted Duck
- 2 (0♂) Goosander
- 16 Moorhens
- 25 Coots once again
- 2 Great Crested Grebes
- 26 Black-headed Gulls
- *1 Grey Heron
On the street lamps or on / around the Ivy:
Nothing on any of them
Addition to my 2022 bird log for here:
Redwing: 2 in trees along squirrel alley
Year to date: 44 bird species
Redwing: 2 in trees along squirrel alley
Year to date: 44 bird species
Only this one Grey Heron this morning.
(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
2014
Priorslee Lake
3 Scaup
1 Common Gull
(Dave Tromans/Tom Lowe)
2013
Horsehay Pool
3 Yellow-legged Gulls
2 Common Gulls
2000 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
20+ Greater Black-backed Gulls
600 Herring Gulls
(Kris Webb and Jim Almond)
2010
Priorslee Lake
5 Bullfinch
4 Goosander
2 Water Rail
Common Snipe
Woodcock
4 Gadwall
Bittern
Peregrine
38 Swans
26 Pochard
57 Tufted Ducks
333 Coots
c.200 Black-headed Gulls
c.20 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
3 Herring Gulls
12 Siskins
(Ed Wilson, Martin Grant)
2008
Priorslee Lake
1 Glaucous Gull
(Paul King)
2007
Priorslee Lake
1 Little Grebe
11 Pochard
62 Tufted Ducks
5 Goosanders
>1000 Black-headed Gulls
10 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
16 Robins
13 Redwings
34 Magpies
378 Jackdaws
348 Rooks
3 Reed Buntings
(Ed Wilson)
2006
Priorslee Lake
c.20 Golden Plover
2 Gadwall
c.1100 Black-headed Gulls
145 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
52 Herring Gulls
3 Great Black-backed Gulls
11 Pochard
37 Tufted Duck
226 Coots
1 Water Rail
221 Jackdaws
392 Rooks
12 Siskins
13 Pied Wagtails
3 Reed Buntings
21 Robins
18 Blackbirds
1 Willow Tit
5 Bullfinches
(Ed Wilson)