19 Dec 22

Priorslee Lake and The Flash

12.0°C: Mostly cloudy with some light drizzle. No snow remaining on the ground. Fresh SSW breeze. Very good visibility

[Sunrise: 08:18 GMT]

* = a photo from today.

A walk around The Flash then a very quick view of the lake from the lay-by.

Priorslee Lake: 10:25 – 10:35

(255th visit of the year)

A very brief view from the Castle Farm Way lay-by before I had to dash off. Only time to see whether there was anything interesting. There did not seem to be.

Only some species partially counted.

Counts from the lake area:
- 1 Canada Goose
- 2 + 4 (1 brood) Mute Swans
- 7 (4♂) Gadwall
- 5 (4♂) Mallard
- 4 (2♂) Pochard
- = Tufted Duck
- = Moorhens
- = Coots
- 3 Great Crested Grebes
- c.150 Black-headed Gulls
- 2 Common Gulls: both adults
- c.8 Herring Gulls
- 1 Yellow-legged Gull
- c.100 Lesser Black-backed Gulls


Noted later.
Nothing else


(Ed Wilson)

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The Flash: 09:40 – 10:20

(246th visit of the year)

Still at least 70% still iced over.

Bird notes:
- A drake Pochard new in.
- It didn't take long for the Goosanders to return.

Noted flying over:
- 2 Redwings

Noted on / around the water
- 6 Canada Geese
- 2 + 4 (1 brood) Mute Swans
- 49 (31♂) Mallard
- 1 all-white duck (Peking(?) Duck)
- 1 (1♂) Pochard
- 16 (7♂) Tufted Duck
- 4 (2♂) Goosanders
- 22 Moorhens
- 52 Coots
- 30 Black-headed Gulls
- 2 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 1 Grey Heron

Of note.
Nothing else

Not much in rather dull conditions. One of the two drake Goosanders that had decided there was enough open water for them to go fishing.

The same drake.

(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
3 Gadwall 
7 Pochard
80 Tufted Ducks
231 Coots
268 Black-headed Gulls
8 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
11 Herring Gulls
27 Fieldfare
103 Redwings
356 Jackdaws
251 Rooks
2 Siskins
(Ed Wilson)

2012
Priorslee Lake
3 Gadwall
11 Pochard
44 Tufted Ducks
180 Coots
1 Great Black-backed Gull
2 Redwings
17 Siskins
(Ed Wilson)

2011
Priorslee Lake
1 adult Yellow-legged Gull
5 Great Black-backed Gull
10 Goosander
(John Isherwood)

Holmer Lake
14 Goosander
(John Isherwood)

2009
Priorslee Lake
Black necked Grebe
7 Great Crested Grebes 
45 Pochard
130 Tufted Duck
302 Coot
>3500 gulls
1 Great Black-backed Gull
20 Swans
1 Water Rail
15 Lapwing
15 Herring Gulls
5 Redwings
c.20 Goldfinches
7 Siskins
(Ed Wilson/ John Isherwood)

2006
Priorslee Lake
31 Pochard
33 Tufted Ducks
c.400 Black-headed Gulls
c.2800 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
31 Herring Gulls
1 Yellow-legged Gull
18 Pied Wagtails
2 Redpoll
7 Reed Buntings
(Martin Adlam)

2005
Priorslee Lake
c.400 Black-headed Gulls
150 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
9 Pochard
16 Tufted Duck
200 Coot
1 Water Rail
15 Pied Wagtails
243 Rooks
532 Jackdaw 532
Redwing with a full-blown song
31 Siskins
2 Redpoll
16 Reed Bunting
(Martin Adlam)