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Species Records

20 Jan 23

Priorslee Lake

5.0°C > 3.0°C: Mainly clear. Light NNW wind. Very good visibility.

[Sunrise: 08:09 GMT]

* = a photo from today.

Yet another day deciding not to slip and slide around The Flash.

Priorslee Balancing Lake: 14:35 – 16:30

(17th visit of the year)

Main issue today was two unauthorised paddle-boarders on the water. They were probably the reason there were no Pochard and Tufted Duck.

Other bird notes:
- The cob Mute Swan was still chasing one of the cygnets.
- My initial count of the Coots was just 84. Once the paddle-boarders had gone many emerged from the reeds.

Birds logged flying over here:
None

Counts from the lake area:
- 2 Canada Geese
- 2 + 4 (1 brood) Mute Swan
- 7 (4♂) Gadwall
- 9 (6♂) Mallard
- no Pochard
- no Tufted Duck
- 8 Moorhens
- 128 Coots
- 2 Great Crested Grebes
- no Cormorants
- 1 Grey Heron

Gulls noted:
Early gulls were coming and going as they responded to the paddle-boarders. I made no count of these but did note:
- 1 Common Gull: first year
- 1 Yellow-legged Gull

These are the number of gulls seen later in the pre-roost gathering when I departed:
- 450 Black-headed Gulls
- 18 Herring Gulls
- 43 Lesser Black-backed Gulls

The only good thing about the paddle-boarders was they put the group of Gadwall to flight. From the right numbers 1, 3 and 6 can be seen to have pale bills and are the three ducks.

 Two pairs overhead with the drakes at the top.

 duck leads two drakes for splashdown.

And a drake with feet (well, one at least) out.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 

While not visiting The Flash I noted Redwings from my garden.

This one seemed to be looking rather disconsolate.

Now where did that berry come from?

Burp!

There it goes. Most odd. Perhaps too hard to digest?

(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
2  Greater Scaup 
1 Velvet Scoter 
117 Coots
1 Great Black-backed Gull
4 Redwings 
c.274 Jackdaws
(Ed Wilson / Mike Stokes)

2013
Priorslee Lake
1 Little Grebe 
1 Greater Scaup 
1 Goldeneye
26 Wigeon 
4 Gadwall 
1 Shoveler 
22 Pochard 
76 Tufted Ducks 
157 Coots 
1 Common Gull
144 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
74 Herring Gulls
4 Great Black-backed Gulls
(Ed Wilson)

2010
Priorslee Lake
Adult Caspian Gull
1 Yellow-legged Gull
(Andy Latham)

2009
Priorslee Lake
Juvenile Glaucous Gull
Juvenile Iceland Gull
(Observer Unknown)

2007
Priorslee Lake
2 Pochard
36 Tufted Ducks
c.195 Black-headed Gulls
48 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
34 Herring Gulls
1 Yellow-legged Gull
3 Great Black-backed Gulls
(Ed Wilson)

2006
Priorslee Lake
2 Gadwall
5 Pochard
11 Tufted Duck
132 Coot
2 Water Rail
c.1600 Black-headed Gulls
1 Great Black-backed Gull
428 Jackdaws
438 Rook
300 Wood Pigeons
14 Robin
80 Fieldfare
30 Redwing
11 Blackbird
1 Willow Tits
6 Greenfinch
65 Siskins
6 Redpolls
8 Reed Buntings
(Ed Wilson)