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)