16 Jan 23

Priorslee Lake and The Flash

2.0°C: Another morning with unexpected early rain. Then mostly low cloud and dull from the Telford 'hat' - clear skies could be seen in the distance. Brisk-feeling moderate NW wind. Very good visibility.

Sunrise: 08:14 GMT

* = a photo from today.

Priorslee Balancing Lake: 06:50 – 09:30

(13th visit of the year)

New Bird Species

One addition to my 2023 bird species list from here:
- A single Goldcrest was seen in two separate locations. Neither bird was heard to call.

This takes my 2023 bird species total for here to 58.

Other bird notes:
- A lone duck Gadwall has been here for some days. Usually there is an excess of drakes.
- A Woodcock flew across the lake to roost at 07:30.
- I did not brave standing on the dam-top to count the Coots in the cutting wind. What a wimp!
- None of the c.100 Black-headed Gulls arrived until 07:50 (the Monday morning feeling?). As usual most had gone again by 08:00.

Birds noted flying over here:
- 1 Canada Goose: inbound
- 6 Wood Pigeons
- 2 Herring Gulls
- 1 Lesser Black-backed Gull
- 1 Common Buzzard
- 12 Jackdaws
- 30 Rooks

Counts from the lake area:
- 2 Canada Geese: arrived
- 2 + 4 (1 brood) Mute Swan
- 3 (1♂) Gadwall
- 10 (6♂) Mallard again
- 4 (4♂) Pochard again
- 29 (17♂) Tufted Duck
- 16 Moorhens
- Coots not counted
- *3 Great Crested Grebes again
- c.100 Black-headed Gulls again
- 8 Herring Gulls: all briefly
- 1 Yellow-legged Gull: adult, briefly
- 4 Lesser Black-backed Gulls: all briefly
- 2 Cormorants: arrived

On / around the street lamp poles in the pre-dawn rain.
Nothing found

Noted later:
- 2 Grey Squirrels

The only one of the three Great Crested Grebes that was close-enough to photograph was this one. It is also the bird with the most-developed breeding plumage head plumes.

There was nothing else close in the very dull conditions so we had better take another look.

(Ed Wilson)

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The Flash: 09:35 – 10:20

(13th visit of the year)

Bird notes:
- There were two Mute Swan cygnets on the island this morning. One where it has been for some days and the other a short distance away but clearly 'separate'.
- The second Grey Heron thought about settling on the island but the Black-headed Gulls had others ideas and chased it away.

Birds noted flying over here:
- 1 Herring Gull
- *1 Grey Heron

Noted on / around the water
- 9 Canada Geese
- 2 + 4 (1 brood) Mute Swans
- 43 (30♂) Mallard
- 1 all-white duck (Peking(?) Duck)
- 44 (22♂) Tufted Duck
- 3 (0♂) Goosander
- 16 Moorhens
- 61 Coots again
- 1 Great Crested Grebe
- 24 Black-headed Gulls
- *2 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 1 Cormorant
- 1 Grey Heron

On / around the street lamp poles or elsewhere
Nothing noted

One of the two winter-plumaged Lesser Black-backed Gulls present. The extent of black on the bill suggests it is a second winter bird but the rest of the plumage does not support that. Perhaps a third winter?

This is the other winter-plumaged Lesser Black-backed Gull. The extent of the black on the bill of this bird is typical of a third winter bird though again the rest of he plumage seems to suggest an adult.

It had dropped in for a drink.

This Grey Heron thought about landing on the island but was chased away by the Black-headed Gulls.

 With legs dangling and head-plume streaming the wind away it flies.

Presumably a pair of Collared Doves. The one on the right seems to be wondering whether the chimney would be a good place to nest. I would not think so. These rather wonky-looking chimneys are on the building next to the medical practice.

Shuffling about – as they do – is a Dunnock, also called Hedge Sparrow. This species is an accentor: a family of bird species that are most often found on European and Asian mountain-sides. They are not related to 'our' House- and Tree- Sparrows which are themselves related to the weaver birds of Africa.

(Ed Wilson)

NOTE:

Venus Pool - 14 Jan 23 Here

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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

4 Great Black-backed Gulls

(Gary Crowder/Ed Wilson)

2013

Priorslee Lake

Drake Scaup

1 adult Yellow legged Gull

6 Great Black-backed Gulls

1 Goldeneye

(Ed Wilson/ Jim Almond / John Isherwood)

2010

Priorslee Lake

Bittern

2006

Priorslee Lake

2 Great Black-backed Gull

1 Yellow-legged Gull

(Ed Wilson)