4.0°C: Dull and overcast. Very light drizzle early, not enough to dampen anything. Calm. Very good visibility.
Sunrise: 08:06 GMT
* = a photo today
Priorslee Lake: 07:15 – 09:20
(21st visit of the year)
Two additions to my 2022 bird list for here:
- A Great Spotted Woodpecker was in trees by the Teece Drive gate. Strangely this species had been seen almost daily throughout December.
- A Linnet flushed off the dam-face
My year's total from here moves to 62
Bird notes:
- At least 200 Black-headed Gulls had arrived by 07:30 with at least 300 more flying in.
- As seem to be usual at the moment Herring Gulls mostly stop off for a bathe and drink whereas most of the Lesser Black-backed Gull fly over.
- A Cetti's Warbler was heard calling very intermittently near the Wesley Brook bridge.
- Six Song Thrushes heard singing.
Birds noted flying over here:
- 2 Canada Geese: inbound together
- 2 Greylag Geese: outbound together
- 13 Wood Pigeons
- 14 Black-headed Gulls
- 11 Herring Gulls
- 145 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 1 Cormorant
- 42 Jackdaws
Counts from the lake area:
- 3 Canada Geese: on the dam top
- 2 + 3 (1) Mute Swans
- no Gadwall
- 4 (1♂) Mallard
- 1 (1♂) Pochard
- 24 (12♂) Tufted Duck
- 3 Moorhens
- 41 Coots
- >500 Black-headed Gulls
- 29 Herring Gulls
- 1 Yellow-legged Gull
- 15 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 3 Cormorants: arrived separately from different directions
- 1 Grey Heron
On and around the lamps:
Moths:
This drake Goosander was a welcome bright spot in a very overcast morning. I found a 'low light' setting on the camera (I've only had this model about five years!) and it has produced a reasonable result in the circumstances.
This is the Early Moth (Theria primaria) I did not see yesterday. I was rather puzzled by the brown tone as all the photos on the web and book illustrations show it as a rather grey moth. There is no confusion species and the text suggests "some males are a pinkish-brown" (females are almost wingless).
(Ed Wilson)
Bird notes:
- At least 200 Black-headed Gulls had arrived by 07:30 with at least 300 more flying in.
- As seem to be usual at the moment Herring Gulls mostly stop off for a bathe and drink whereas most of the Lesser Black-backed Gull fly over.
- A Cetti's Warbler was heard calling very intermittently near the Wesley Brook bridge.
- Six Song Thrushes heard singing.
Birds noted flying over here:
- 2 Canada Geese: inbound together
- 2 Greylag Geese: outbound together
- 13 Wood Pigeons
- 14 Black-headed Gulls
- 11 Herring Gulls
- 145 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 1 Cormorant
- 42 Jackdaws
Counts from the lake area:
- 3 Canada Geese: on the dam top
- 2 + 3 (1) Mute Swans
- no Gadwall
- 4 (1♂) Mallard
- 1 (1♂) Pochard
- 24 (12♂) Tufted Duck
- 3 Moorhens
- 41 Coots
- >500 Black-headed Gulls
- 29 Herring Gulls
- 1 Yellow-legged Gull
- 15 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 3 Cormorants: arrived separately from different directions
- 1 Grey Heron
On and around the lamps:
Moths:
None
Also:
- *3 small midges
Spiders:
- 1 Tetragnatha sp. stretch spider
Also:
- *3 small midges
Spiders:
- 1 Tetragnatha sp. stretch spider
Just three of these small midges and a stretch spider were on the lamp poles this morning. One of the other midges had plumed antennae so was probably a male: this is likely therefore a female, all of the same species.
(Ed Wilson)
The Flash: 09:25 – 10:25
(20th visit of the year)
Bird notes:
- A pair of Goosander keeping together.
- A Great Crested Grebe present. Seemed to be a first-winter so perhaps a returning bird?
- A Cormorant flew in.
- A Greenfinch was calling from trees near the medical practice: my first of the year here. It moves my 2022 bird species total for here to 49.
Birds noted flying over here:
- 1 Lesser Black-backed Gull
On /around the water:
- 9 Canada Geese
- 6 Greylag Geese: flew in as a duo and quartet
- 3 + 2 (1 brood) Mute Swans
- 32 (22♂) Mallard
- [the all-white duck (Aylesbury Duck) not noted]
- 52 (30♂) Tufted Duck
- *2 (1♂) Goosander
- 18 Moorhens
- 26 Coots yet again
- 1 Great Crested Grebe
- 138 Black-headed Gulls
- 4 Herring Gulls: one third winter, and three first winters
- 2 Lesser Black-backed Gulls: one second winter and one adult
- 1 Cormorant: arrived
- 1 Grey Heron
On different street lamp poles:
- *2 Early Moths (Theria primaria)
Talking to one of the fishermen he thinks my Swan Mussel (Anadonta cygnea) identification yesterday was correct.
(Ed Wilson)
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Flash: 09:25 – 10:25
(20th visit of the year)
Bird notes:
- A pair of Goosander keeping together.
- A Great Crested Grebe present. Seemed to be a first-winter so perhaps a returning bird?
- A Cormorant flew in.
- A Greenfinch was calling from trees near the medical practice: my first of the year here. It moves my 2022 bird species total for here to 49.
Birds noted flying over here:
- 1 Lesser Black-backed Gull
On /around the water:
- 9 Canada Geese
- 6 Greylag Geese: flew in as a duo and quartet
- 3 + 2 (1 brood) Mute Swans
- 32 (22♂) Mallard
- [the all-white duck (Aylesbury Duck) not noted]
- 52 (30♂) Tufted Duck
- *2 (1♂) Goosander
- 18 Moorhens
- 26 Coots yet again
- 1 Great Crested Grebe
- 138 Black-headed Gulls
- 4 Herring Gulls: one third winter, and three first winters
- 2 Lesser Black-backed Gulls: one second winter and one adult
- 1 Cormorant: arrived
- 1 Grey Heron
On different street lamp poles:
- *2 Early Moths (Theria primaria)
Talking to one of the fishermen he thinks my Swan Mussel (Anadonta cygnea) identification yesterday was correct.
A Coal Tit singing away...
...or not.
(Ed Wilson)
Note:
Click Here to see Ed Wilson's visit to the Wirral on 20 Jan 22.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
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
5 Cormorants
3 Grey Herons
8 Pochard
8 Tufted Duck
1 Water Rail
1 Kingfisher
6 Redwings
391 Jackdaws
217 Rooks
(Ed Wilson)
The Flash
201 Tufted Ducks
2 Goosanders
(Ed Wilson)
Trench Lock Pool
4 Great Crested Grebes
(Ed Wilson)
Hortonwood
21 Redwings
(Dave Tromans)
2013
Priorslee Lake
Glaucous Gull
(Observer Unknown)
The Flash
Drake Scaup
(Richard Vernon)
2012
Priorslee Lake
1 Glaucous Gull
1 Caspian Gull
1 Yellow-legged Gull
(Observer Unknown)
2010
Priorslee Lake
2 Wigeon
55 Pochard
104 Tufted Duck
1 Common Gull
2 Ravens
22 Linnets
(Ed Wilson)
2009
Priorslee Lake
Iceland Gull
200 Black-headed Gulls
400 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
20 Herring Gulls
1 Yellow-legged Gull
Glaucous Gull
(Ed Wilson, Martin Adlam)
2008
Priorslee Lake
Iceland Gull
(Pete Nickless)
2007
Priorslee Lake
1 Little Grebe
3 Cormorant
5 Pochard
9 Tufted Duck
2 Kestrel
556 Wood Pigeon
27 Robin
23 Blackbird
1 Fieldfare
14 Redwing
47 Magpie
100 Jackdaw
96 Rook
16 Greenfinch
3 Reed Bunting
(Ed Wilson)
2006
Priorslee Lake
2 Little Grebes
6 Great Crested Grebes
1 Heron
2 Cormorants
9 Pochard
36 Tufted Ducks
3 Water Rails
c.420 Wood Pigeon
c.60 Starling
29 Pied Wagtails
23 Blackbirds
6 Greenfinches
17 Siskins
1 Redpoll
6 Reed Buntings
(Ed Wilson)