8 Jan 22

Priorslee Lake and The Flash

5.0°C > 6.0°C: Cloudy and very dull with spells of rain after 07:45. Moderate SSE wind. Good visibility, moderate in heaviest rain.

Sunrise: 08:19 GMT

* = a photo today

Priorslee Lake: 07:05 – 08:50

(7th visit of the year)

Thanks to Tom Lowe, the Shropshire Gull expert, for feedback on my suspect Caspian Gull from yesterday. He notes that the mantle colour is more reminiscent of Yellow-legged Gull. That species is a possibility or it may be, to quote his words, "another Telford weirdo"!

Rather little noted once the rain started: no Wood Pigeons seen flying over!

Bird notes:
- All the regular gull species turned up in larger numbers. Why?
- Slightly milder weather tempted three Song Thrushes back in to song – they have been silent for the last two days.

Overhead:
- no Wood Pigeons
- 4 Herring Gulls
- 84 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 2 Cormorants
- 2 Common Buzzards
- c.160 Jackdaws
- 1 Pied Wagtail

Counts from the lake area:
- 2 + 3 (1) Mute Swans
- 7 (5♂) Mallard again
- 1 (1♂) Pochard
- 21 (13♂) Tufted Duck
- 6 Moorhens
- 44 Coots
- >800 Black-headed Gulls
- 10 Herring Gulls
- 69 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 1 Cormorant: arrived
- 1 Grey Heron

On around the street lamps:

Moths
None

Also:
- *1 small red-eyed fly
- *1 smaller dark-eyed fly
- *1 plumed midge
- *2 small 'winter craneflies'
- 1 barkfly

Spiders:
- *2 Tetragnatha sp. stretch spiders

Later:
Nothing noted

Additions to my 2022 bird log for here:
None

Year to date: 56 bird species

All today's photos come from the lamp poles just before the rain set in. To start a small red-eyed fly. This species has its eyes at the side of its head. The wings look to be brown toned. The body looks to have a rounded end.

An even smaller fly, this one with black eyes. I cannot recall seeing either of these species previously but there are so many flies that I cannot be certain.

Generally individuals of each insect species are very similar in size, though not infrequently males and females can differ in size and, in some instances, form. This very small plumed midge (and hence a male) is less than half the size of the usual species I record.

 One of two 'winter craneflies' that ventured out in the milder conditions.

Not easy to see this Tetragnatha sp. stretch spider against the moss and lichen on one of the lamp posts. I am being watched by the spider's two rows of four eyes.

(Ed Wilson)

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The Flash: 08:55 – 09:35

(7th visit of the year)

Bird notes:
- The all-white Aylesbury duck was seen in brief, but competent, flight.
- A pair of Teal put in a brief appearance before disappearing under overhanging vegetation.
- The drake Pochard not located.
- Moorhens back in full force: perhaps because the rain had kept most of the dog-walkers at home?

Birds noted flying over here:
- 1 Herring Gull
- 17 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 1 Jackdaw

On /around the water:
- 8 Canada Geese
- 3 + 2 (1 brood) Mute Swans
- 43 (26♂) Mallard
- 1 (1♂) all-white duck (Aylesbury Duck)
- 2 (1♂) Teal
- 37 (20♂) Tufted Duck
- 1 (0♂) Goosander
- 15 Moorhens
- 24 Coots
- 2 Great Crested Grebes
- 16 Black-headed Gulls
- 1 Lesser Black-backed Gull: adult again
- 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:
Jackdaw

Year to date: 40 bird species

(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
Drake Scaup
Goldeneye
(Martin Grant)

Little Wenlock, Candles Landfill Site
Caspian Gull
2 Yellow-legged Gulls
(Observer Unknown)

2012
Priorslee Lake
Caspian Gull
41 Great Black-backed Gulls
11 Bullfinches
(Ed Wilson)

2010
Priorslee Lake
1 Little Grebe
29 Swans
4 Gadwall
c.22 Pochard
c.66 Tufted Duck 
c.280 Coots 
c.1500 Black-headed Gulls
c.500 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
c.60 Herring Gulls
Caspian Gull
2 Buzzards 
1 Siskin over
(Ed Wilson/Unknown Observer)

2009
Priorslee Lake
Iceland Gull
(Paul King)

2008
Priorslee Lake
1 Yellow-legged Gull
500+ Lesser Black-backed Gulls
23 Herring Gulls
(Martin Adlam)

2007
Priorslee Lake
2 Great Crested Grebes
3 Pochard
28 Tufted Ducks
>1050 Black-headed Gulls
51 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
34 Herring Gulls
10 Great Black-backed Gulls
31 Robins
13 Blackbirds
32 Fieldfares
34 Redwings
5 Reed Buntings
(Ed Wilson)

2006
Priorslee Lake
2 Gadwall
1 Little Grebe
1 Kingfisher
1500 Black-headed Gulls
1 Common Gull
c.84 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
8 Herring Gulls
1 Great Black-backed Gull
22 Pochard
54 Tufted Duck
210 Coot
2 Water Rail
1 Reed Bunting
21 Robins
20 Blackbirds
10 Greenfinches
(Ed Wilson)