Priorslee Lake and The Flash
5.0°C > 7.0°C: Broken cloud to E and S. Light rain gave way to persistent rain 07:30 – 09:00. Then cloudy. Moderate WSW wind, gusting strong. Very good visibility.
Sunrise: 07:29 GMT
* = a photo today
Priorslee Lake: 06:25 – 09:10
(40th visit of the year)
Bird notes:
- I am unsure whether the two Canada Geese are a permanent fixture at the moment or whether they arrive very early. They certainly roost away from the dam top where they spend most of the rest of the time.
- Despite repeated searches I could not find any Great Crested Grebes.
- All gulls were very late appearing: 16 Black-headed Gulls at 07:25 were the first, these peaking at c.100 but mostly quickly leaving.
- No large gulls on the water until after 08:30: all the earlier birds passed over without pausing.
- The Song Thrushes seemed happy with the wet weather: 13 noted in song.
- One of the two Pied Wagtails that are habitually on the dam top was also in song. My first song this year from this species.
- A finch flock containing at least 60 birds was over the lake c.08:55. I could only hear Siskin calls from this group. c.25 of them landed in the W end Alders where there were also Goldfinches. I think the Goldfinches were already present and were part of the big group.
Birds noted flying over here:
- 11 Wood Pigeons only
- 1 Common Buzzard
- 10 Black-headed Gulls
- 7 Herring Gulls
- 41 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 212 Jackdaws
- 3 Rooks
- c.60 Siskins: see notes
Counts from the lake area:
- 2 Canada Geese: present throughout?
- 2 + 3 (1 brood) Mute Swans
- 7 (5♂) Mallard
- 5 (3♂) Tufted Duck
- 7 Moorhens
- *36 Coots
- no Great Crested Grebes
- c.100 Black-headed Gulls
- 1 Herring Gull
- 2 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 2 Cormorants: arrived separately
- 1 Grey Heron: departed?
On and around the street lamps: rather breezy
- 1 small plumed midge
- 1 'winter cranefly'
- 1 springtail sp. of the Tomoceridae group
5.0°C > 7.0°C: Broken cloud to E and S. Light rain gave way to persistent rain 07:30 – 09:00. Then cloudy. Moderate WSW wind, gusting strong. Very good visibility.
Sunrise: 07:29 GMT
* = a photo today
Priorslee Lake: 06:25 – 09:10
(40th visit of the year)
Bird notes:
- I am unsure whether the two Canada Geese are a permanent fixture at the moment or whether they arrive very early. They certainly roost away from the dam top where they spend most of the rest of the time.
- Despite repeated searches I could not find any Great Crested Grebes.
- All gulls were very late appearing: 16 Black-headed Gulls at 07:25 were the first, these peaking at c.100 but mostly quickly leaving.
- No large gulls on the water until after 08:30: all the earlier birds passed over without pausing.
- The Song Thrushes seemed happy with the wet weather: 13 noted in song.
- One of the two Pied Wagtails that are habitually on the dam top was also in song. My first song this year from this species.
- A finch flock containing at least 60 birds was over the lake c.08:55. I could only hear Siskin calls from this group. c.25 of them landed in the W end Alders where there were also Goldfinches. I think the Goldfinches were already present and were part of the big group.
Birds noted flying over here:
- 11 Wood Pigeons only
- 1 Common Buzzard
- 10 Black-headed Gulls
- 7 Herring Gulls
- 41 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 212 Jackdaws
- 3 Rooks
- c.60 Siskins: see notes
Counts from the lake area:
- 2 Canada Geese: present throughout?
- 2 + 3 (1 brood) Mute Swans
- 7 (5♂) Mallard
- 5 (3♂) Tufted Duck
- 7 Moorhens
- *36 Coots
- no Great Crested Grebes
- c.100 Black-headed Gulls
- 1 Herring Gull
- 2 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 2 Cormorants: arrived separately
- 1 Grey Heron: departed?
On and around the street lamps: rather breezy
- 1 small plumed midge
- 1 'winter cranefly'
- 1 springtail sp. of the Tomoceridae group
An uninspiring start to the day / week!
It did get a bit better.
And red for a while in the clearer skies to the E.
Rain soon approached. Seems there might be a pot of gold in the sailing club's buoy!
Here is the Coot with the pale belly again. It is definitely not scum from the water. It must mean it is a first year bird though the white shield looks the same size as on any adult. Note the rain drops on its back.
The Flash: 09:15 – 10:15
(Ed Wilson)
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The Flash: 09:15 – 10:15
(38th visit of the year)
Bird notes:
- Two different Coal Tits singing and another seen.
- A few *Siskins and Goldfinches in the Alders above the top end.
Birds noted flying over here:
- 1 Lesser Black-backed Gull
On /around the water:
- 14 Canada Geese
- 3 + 2 (1 brood) Mute Swans
- 38 (25♂) Mallard
- 1 all-white duck (Aylesbury Duck)
- *2 (1♂) Teal
- 5 (5♂) Pochard again
- 82 (49♂) Tufted Duck
- 11 Moorhens again
- 24 Coots
- *2 Great Crested Grebes: displaying
- 28 Black-headed Gulls only
- *6 Herring Gulls
- no Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 2 Grey Herons again
On /around the street lamp poles or elsewhere:
Bird notes:
- Two different Coal Tits singing and another seen.
- A few *Siskins and Goldfinches in the Alders above the top end.
Birds noted flying over here:
- 1 Lesser Black-backed Gull
On /around the water:
- 14 Canada Geese
- 3 + 2 (1 brood) Mute Swans
- 38 (25♂) Mallard
- 1 all-white duck (Aylesbury Duck)
- *2 (1♂) Teal
- 5 (5♂) Pochard again
- 82 (49♂) Tufted Duck
- 11 Moorhens again
- 24 Coots
- *2 Great Crested Grebes: displaying
- 28 Black-headed Gulls only
- *6 Herring Gulls
- no Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 2 Grey Herons again
On /around the street lamp poles or elsewhere:
Nothing noted
I must not ignore his partner.
The Great Crested Grebes were displaying again.
They both then dived and one then emerged with a 'bunch of flowers' - well it is Valentine's Day!
Its partner with a not-quite-so-generous offering.
I realised that they were likely to do their 'weed dance' but switching the camera to video mode meant I missed the first few seconds. One bird dispenses with the weed almost immediately with the other following suit a few moments later. Head shaking like this would be no good if you had indulged in alcohol the previous evening!
The rather smudgy tail band is visible here.
Look! A female Siskin: and with a glint in her eye. Naturally there is a branch in the way.
(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
2012
Priorslee Lake
1 Iceland Gull
5 Great Black-backed Gull
(John Isherwood)
Priorslee Flash
1 Tundra Bean Goose
5 Goosander
(John Isherwood)
Holmer Lake
3 Goosander
(John Isherwood)
2010
Priorslee Lake
4 Gadwall
35 Pochard
80 Tufted Ducks
1 Water Rail
177 Coots
185 Jackdaws
42 Magpies
2 Siskins
39 Linnets
11 Reed Buntings
(Ed Wilson)
2009
Priorslee Lake
Glaucous Gull
(Observer Unknown)
2008
Priorslee Lake
7 Gadwall
1 Iceland Gull
2 Great Black-backed Gull
(Rich, Vernon, Andy, Ed Wilson and Jason)
2006
Priorslee Lake
10 Great Crested Grebes
6 Cormorants
7 Pochard
39 Tufted Ducks
140 Coots
880 Wood Pigeons
249 Jackdaws
155 Rooks
24 Robins
20 Blackbirds
11 Greenfinches
2 Reed Buntings
(Ed Wilson)