22 Feb 22

Priorslee Lake and The Flash

7.0°C > 10.0°C: Broken cloud under high overcast. Some breaks developed after 08:00 then some showery rain c.09:30 for a while. Moderate SW wind. Very good visibility.

Sunrise: 07:12 GMT

* = a photo today

Priorslee Lake: 06:10 – 09:20

(44th visit of the year)

Bird notes:
- 17 is my highest count of Tufted Duck this month. This was rather surprising because after all the rain the whole lake is very muddy which must make their food – weed at the bottom of the lake – rather unappetizing.
- Two Great Crested Grebes, behaving as a pair (although no display seen), were inspecting the N side reeds. No sign of the pair seen 10 days ago in the NW area.
- A Woodcock flew low across the water at the rather late time of 06:45.
- No large gulls stopped off on the lake and very few overhead.
- The Cetti's Warbler was very vocal for over 10 minutes after 06:50 though the song was strangely muffled somehow.
- A mixed group of c.5 Fieldfare and c.10 Redwings were in trees near the Teece Drive gate.
- 13 Song Thrushes heard in song between the pedestrian crossing in Teece Drive and all around the lake. This seems to be a consistent number on fine days. Still only two Blackbirds in song early.

Birds noted flying over here:
- 6 Canada Geese: three duos outbound
- 4 Greylag Geese: two duos outbound
- 2 (1♂) Mallard
- 6 Feral Pigeons: single, duo and trio
- 4 Stock Doves: two duos
- 6 Wood Pigeons only again
- 1 Collared Dove
- 10 Black-headed Gulls
- 3 Herring Gulls
- 9 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 1 Sparrowhawk
- 1 Common Buzzard again
- 173 Jackdaws
- 1 Rook
- 1 Raven
- 5 Redwings: together
- 1 Pied Wagtail
- 1 Greenfinch

Counts from the lake area:
- 2 Canada Geese: throughout
- 2 + 3 (1 brood) Mute Swans
- 9 (7♂) Mallard
- 17 (10♂) Tufted Duck
- 3 Moorhens
- 39 Coots again
- 2 Great Crested Grebes
- 33 Black-headed Gulls
- no large gulls
- 1 Cormorant: arrived and departed
- 1 Grey Heron

On the street lamp poles:
- 1 barkfly sp.
- 1 springtail sp.
- 1 Nursery Web Spider (Pisaura mirabilis)

Otherwise noted:
- Blackthorn (Prunus spinosa) flowers

 "Red sky in the morning". Luckily there was rather little rain and the wind was no more than fresh.

Attractive for a while.

It is just about possible to separate the spots on the wing of this barkfly from the random markings on the lamp pole. It may be Ectopsocus briggsi agg. (three species that cannot be separated from photos).

Yet another attempt to get a satisfactory photo of one of the springtail sp. Probably Dicyrtomina saundersi.

A Nursery Web Spider (Pisaura mirabilis) in typical pose with the two front pairs of legs held together.

My first Blackthorn (Prunus spinosa) flowers of the year. Looks as if the flowers have been open for a few days. My earliest date for flowers remains 3 February 2016.

And an about to open 'pussy willow' - flowers of one of the many willow bushes around the lake.

In the foreground a cleared area of bushes and small trees. I was told that this has been done by the sailing club in order to increase the wind in the area around the slipway and the piers where they launch and retrieve their boats. I was assured that the planned task had been completed and no more vegetation will be touched.

Rather to my surprise this male Reed Bunting was still singing away in the area.

(Ed Wilson)

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The Flash: 09:25 – 10:15

(42nd visit of the year)

Bird notes:
- All the geese are now obviously paired. The cob Mute Swan has taken to chasing them.
- The pair of Teal still here
- Back to five drake Pochard with four together at the top end and one at the bottom end.
- Just one Great Crested Grebe noted.
- Very few gulls here as well.

Birds noted flying over here:

None

On /around the water:
- 26 Canada Geese: two of these flew off
- 3 + 2 (1 brood) Mute Swans
- 29 (19♂) Mallard
- 1 all-white duck (Aylesbury Duck)
- 2 (1♂) Teal
- 5 (5♂) Pochard
- 69 (40♂) Tufted Duck
- 5 Moorhens only
- 22 Coots
- 1 Great Crested Grebes only
- 11 Black-headed Gulls only

On /around the street lamp poles:

Nothing noted

Of interest elsewhere:
- Daffodils in flower
- First Cow Parsley (Anthriscus sylvestris) flowers just opening.

I am still trying to show the delicate vermiculations on the back and flanks of drake Pochard. Not too great here.

My best to date.

"Name that flower". "Daffodil". "Correct".

Rather too gloomy to get a sharp picture of these flowers. They are of Cow Parsley (Anthriscus sylvestris). This is the earliest umbellifer to flower in our area. It is characterised by umbels and individual flowers that are well-separated. My previous earliest date here is 29 March!

(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

3 Great Crested Grebes 

5 Cormorants 

1 Grey Heron 

7 Pochard 

3 Tufted Duck

11 Redwings

>800 Jackdaws

127 Rooks

9 Ravens

(Ed Wilson)

The Flash

1 Little Grebe 

1 Greylag x Canada x ? Goose 

172 Tufted Ducks 

3 Goosanders 

(Ed Wilson)

Telford Crematorium

Iceland Gull

(Observer Unknown)

2013

Priorslee Lake

23 Wigeon

4 Gadwall

(Martin Grant)

The Flash

Drake Scaup

(JW Reeves)

Horsehay Pool

Iceland Gull

(Jim Almond)

Little Wenlock, Candles Landfill Site

2 Iceland Gulls 

2 Glaucous Gulls

(Tom Lowe)

2012

Priorslee Lake

1 Great Black-backed Gull

(Martin Grant)

2010

Priorslee Lake

2 Teal

(Ed Wilson)

2007

Priorslee Lake

1 Mallard x Pintail

2 Shoveler

4 Pochard

4 Tufted Duck

2 Buzzard

1 Common Gull

5 Fieldfare

6 Redwing

41 Magpie

197 Jackdaw

13 Greenfinch

7 Reed Bunting

(Ed Wilson)

2006

Priorslee Lake

1 Little Grebe

7 Great Crested Grebes

2 Herons

4 Cormorants

6 Pochard

21 Tufted Ducks

116 Coots

1 Water Rail

627 Wood Pigeon

13 Pied Wagtails

28 Blackbirds

4 Willow Tits

10 Greenfinches

133 Siskins

1 Linnet

6 Reed Buntings

(Ed Wilson)