21 Jan 22

Priorslee Lake and The Flash

6.0°C: Overcast. Light / moderate W wind. Very good visibility.

[Sunrise: 08:08 GMT]

* = a photo today

Another late start to avoid some of the ice with a look at The Flash first.

Priorslee Lake:  13:55 – 14:20

(19th visit of the year)

<25% thin ice. Watching from the dam-top only.

Bird notes:
- Most of the large gulls were flying in as I arrived. Many of the Lesser Black-backed Gulls crowded together on the SW grass making an accurate count impossible and no doubt hiding a few more Herring Gulls.
- I only noted two Lesser Black-backed Gulls that were not (near) adults: in contrast at least a quarter of the Herring Gulls were immatures.

Counts from the lake area only:
- 2 Canada Geese
- 2 + 3 (1) Mute Swans
- 2 (1♂) Gadwall
- 4 (1♂) Mallard
- 1 (1♂) Pochard still
- 30 (15♂) Tufted Duck
- 3 Moorhens
- 43 Coots
- >85 Black-headed Gulls
- >26 Herring Gulls
- >250 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 3 Cormorants

(Ed Wilson)

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The Flash: 13:05 – 13:50

(18th visit of the year)

>50% thin ice.

Bird notes:
- My highest number of Canada Geese since their moult in July last year.
- The two Greylag Geese were well-separated and likely pairing with Canada Geese than each other.
- Also a big count of Moorhens.

Birds noted flying over here:

None

On /around the water:
- 101 Canada Geese
- 2 Greylag Geese
- 3 + 2 (1 brood) Mute Swans
- 2 (1♂) Teal
- 36 (26♂) Mallard
- 1 (1♂) all-white duck (Aylesbury Duck)
- no Shoveler
- 33 (18♂) Tufted Duck
- 19 Moorhens
- 26 Coots
- 117 Black-headed Gulls
- *5 Herring Gulls: two third winters, one second winter and two first winters
- *3 Lesser Black-backed Gull: one third winter and two adults
- 2 Grey Herons again

Also

Nothing else noted apart from:

- *More fungus though now I am unsure as to their identity.

A classic second winter Herring Gull with a combination of extensive pale grey on the back and extensive brown in the wings. The bill has extensive pale at the base and a pale tip (very small on this bird).

Is the same adult winter Lesser Black-backed Gull? I think not as there seems to be more black on the bill whereas at this date it should be losing the black as it comes in to breeding condition.

I was surprised to see that two new fruiting fungus bodies had appeared on the same tree where I photographed some on Wednesday. Then I thought they might be Chicken of the Woods (Laetiporus sulphureus). Today's were slightly lower down and enabled me to see the top surface. I now think they are not what I thought, not least because they have gills on the underside where as Chicken of the Woods is a polypore and so does not have gills. I cannot suggest what they might be. Interesting the fruiting bodies from Wednesday had more or less already withered away.

(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

2  Greater Scaup 

1 Velvet Scoter 

117 Coots

1 Great Black-backed Gull

4 Redwings 

c.274 Jackdaws

(Ed Wilson / Mike Stokes)

2013

Priorslee Lake

1 Little Grebe 

1 Greater Scaup 

1 Goldeneye

26 Wigeon 

4 Gadwall 

1 Shoveler 

22 Pochard 

76 Tufted Ducks 

157 Coots 

1 Common Gull

144 Lesser Black-backed Gulls

74 Herring Gulls

4 Great Black-backed Gulls

(Ed Wilson)

2010

Priorslee Lake

Adult Caspian Gull

1 Yellow-legged Gull

(Andy Latham)

2009

Priorslee Lake

Juvenile Glaucous Gull

Juvenile Iceland Gull

(Observer Unknown)

2007

Priorslee Lake

2 Pochard

36 Tufted Ducks

c.195 Black-headed Gulls

48 Lesser Black-backed Gulls

34 Herring Gulls

1 Yellow-legged Gull

3 Great Black-backed Gulls

(Ed Wilson)

2006

Priorslee Lake

2 Gadwall

5 Pochard

11 Tufted Duck

132 Coot

2 Water Rail

c.1600 Black-headed Gulls

1 Great Black-backed Gull

428 Jackdaws

438 Rook

300 Wood Pigeons

14 Robin

80 Fieldfare

30 Redwing

11 Blackbird

1 Willow Tits

6 Greenfinch

65 Siskins

6 Redpolls

8 Reed Buntings

(Ed Wilson)