1 Dec 22

Priorslee Lake and The Flash

5.0°C: Low overcast with mist. Light SSE wind. Moderate / poor visibility

[Sunrise: 07:58 GMT]

* = a photo from today.

Priorslee Lake: 10:25 – 11:25

(245th visit of the year)

Once again viewing only from the Castle Farm Way lay-by and dam-top.

Bird notes:
- An extra drake Gadwall noted.
- I could not find the duck Common Teal but visibility was not good for finding small ducks.
- Many fewer Tufted Duck than yesterday – vide the increase at The Flash.
- As yesterday there was a steady movement of large gulls dropping in to bathe and drink before carrying on.

Counts from the lake area:
- 25 Canada Geese: 23 of these flew in together
- 2 + 4 (1 brood) Mute Swans
- 6 (4♂) Gadwall
- 10 (7♂) Mallard
- 1 (1♂) Common Teal
- 3 (2♂) Pochard
- 46 (27♂) Tufted Duck
- 14 Moorhens
- 184 Coots
- 2 Great Crested Grebes
- 71 Black-headed Gulls
- 12 Herring Gulls
- 1 Yellow-legged Gull
- 102 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 1 Cormorant

Noted later.
Nothing

One of the Canada Geese that flew in had a very restricted white chin-strap. Here it is alongside an ordinary bird. None of rest of the plumage suggests there are any genes from other goose species.

Here is the other side showing that the restricted white chin-strap is identical both sides.

(Ed Wilson)

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The Flash: 09:35 – 10:20

(238th visit of the year)

Bird notes:
- A significant increase in the number of Tufted Duck, matching the decrease at the Balancing Lake.
- One of the drake Goosanders is already showing the delicate salmon-pink tones they acquire in full breeding plumage.
- A Song Thrush was just about managing a few quiet song phrases.

Birds noted flying over here:
- 2 Jackdaws

Noted on / around the water
- 1 Canada Goose
- 2 + 4 (1 brood) Mute Swans
- 43 (30♂) Mallard
- 1 all-white duck (Peking(?) Duck)
- 48 (18♂) Tufted Duck
- 11 (4♂) Goosander
- 10 Moorhens only
- 26 Coots
- 3 Great Crested Grebes again
- 34 Black-headed Gulls
- 7 Cormorants
- 1 Grey Heron

On / around the street lamp poles or later around the Ivy bank:
Nothing noted

An example of the problem I face with Tufted Ducks. Is this is a drake or not? I rather suspect it is due to some pale appearing in the flanks and the pale area on the bill behind the dark tip. But there is no 'tuft'. So?

How about this one? The white around the base of the bill indicates it is a first winter bird. Not much else to go with again no tuft. I do not include these puzzling individuals in the "drake" totals, only those with bright white flanks.

(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
3 Gadwall 
7 Pochard 
29 Tufted Ducks
1 Goldeneye 
1  Goosander
142 Coots
33 Redwings
2 Fieldfares
203 Jackdaws
50 Rooks
3 Siskins
1 Redpoll
(Ed Wilson)

2010
Priorslee Lake
1st-winter Mediterranean Gull
500 Black-headed Gulls
Yellow-legged Gull
800 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
3 Great Black-backed Gulls
30 Herring Gulls
A drake hybrid Mallard x Pintail
(Tom Lowe)

Overdale
11 Waxwing
(Observer Unknown)

Granville Country Park
10 Waxwing
100+ Redwing 
6 Bullfinch 
20+ Redpoll 
1 Tawny Owl
3 Sparrowhawk 
1 hovering Buzzard
(Stuart Edmunds)

2009
Priorslee Lake
Yellow-legged Gull
(Richard Vernon)

The Wrekin
Firecrest
(Observer Unknown)

2006
Priorslee Lake
1 Little Grebe
3 Great Crested Grebes
23 Pochard
58 Tufted Ducks
65 Coots
>450 Black-headed Gulls
1128 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
30 Robins
29 Blackbirds
46 Fieldfares
6 Song Thrushes
19 Redwings
2 Mistle Thrushes
168 Jackdaws
122 Rooks
1 Siskin
15 Linnets
4 Reed Buntings
(Ed Wilson)

2005
Priorslee Lake
10 Reed Buntings
A duck Wigeon
3500 Black-headed Gulls
2000 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
6 Herring Gulls
2 Pochard
53 Tufted Duck
228 Coot
496 Jackdaws
193 Rooks
(Ed Wilson)