3.0°C > 8.0°C: Fog / mist coming and going. A few brighter / clear spells. Light SW wind. Poor / moderate / good visibility, depending.
Sunrise: 08:03 GMT
* = a photo from today.
Priorslee Balancing Lake: 06:50 – 09:35
(20th visit of the year)
Still about 50% ice-covered
Bird notes:
- Black-headed Gull numbers were difficult to count. There were four different ambulances on 'blues and twos' passing along Castle Farm Way and each time all the gulls went up and swirled around, all well before dawn.
- *At least 20 Redwings were in trees alongside Teece Drive by 09:30.
- There were no singing Song Thrushes when I arrived. One started up later.
- *At least 30 Siskins at the West end by 09:15.
Birds noted flying over here:
- 17 Canada Geese: three groups outbound
- 1 (1♂) Goosanders
- 5 Wood Pigeons only
- 11 Herring Gulls
- 8 Lesser Black-backed Gull
- 2 Jackdaws only
Counts from the lake area:
- *2 + 4 (1 brood) Mute Swan
- 13 Canada Geese: arrived in three groups; some departed
- *5 (2♂) Gadwall
- 7 (6♂) Mallard again
- 9 Moorhens
- Coots not counted
- *3 Great Crested Grebes
- c.800 Black-headed Gulls: all pre-dawn
- 22 Herring Gulls
- 2 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 2 Grey Herons: the second briefly
Noted on / around the street lamp poles pre-dawn:
Light rain probably moved most things on.
- *1 Early Moth (Theria primaria)
- several winter gnats
- *1 harvestman sp.
Another moth was seen in flight and likely another Early Moth.
Later:
If this is the same first year Great Crested Grebe that I photographed last week it has moulted out the remnant dark juvenile feathers in its cheek.
Six of the Redwings alongside Teece Drive. Bottom left is a Goldfinch and bottom centre is a mostly hidden Wood Pigeon.
My first Early Moth (Theria primaria) of the year. This species hold its wings at a more acute angle than the Winter Moth, the last few of which are probably still on the wing. This is not a very well-marked example but the dark spot in the centre of the forewing and the wavy subterminal band are just about visible.
I am not able to identify this harvestman. It has some of the characteristics of Paroligolophus agrestis though I am not sure that the basal parts of the legs are sufficiently enlarged. It also looks rather small and the marking on the abdomen does not really support this identification. There are normally no harvestmen active after the turn of the year and I would have expected the recent cold spell to have killed off any late survivors.
(Ed Wilson)
The Flash: 09:40 – 11:10
(17th visit of the year)
c.50% ice.
New Bird Species
A Goosander flapping her wings, showing that on the duck the white area of the wing does not extend across the depth of the wing.
I think the nearer bird is an immature drake with no apparent white under the bill and white in the folded wing.
(Ed Wilson)
- *1 Early Moth (Theria primaria)
- several winter gnats
- *1 harvestman sp.
Another moth was seen in flight and likely another Early Moth.
Later:
Nothing noted
A surprising late flush of colour this morning.
Another view.
The cob Mute Swan in the fiery water.
One of the pair of Gadwall, the duck nearest.
Again.
A distant female Siskin somewhat enlarged.
(Ed Wilson)
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The Flash: 09:40 – 11:10
(17th visit of the year)
c.50% ice.
New Bird Species
Another addition to my 2023 bird species list from here:
- *A drake Shoveler was tucked up against the island
This takes my 2023 bird species total for here to 44.
Bird notes:
- A Kingfisher was reportedly seen here this morning.
- Several of the Mute Swan cygnets were being chased by the resident cob as he tries to get them to leave.
- Six drake Pochard new in since yesterday afternoon.
- Three Song Thrushes very vocal here. Another two non-songsters seen.
Birds noted flying over here:
- 2 Herring Gulls
- 5 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 1 Sparrowhawk
- 1 Jackdaw
- 7 Starlings
Noted on / around the water
- 32 Canada Geese: 16 of these flew off
- 9 Greylag Geese: eight of these arrived
- 2 mainly white feral geese: arrived with the Greylags
- *2 + 4 (1 brood) Mute Swans
- *1 (1♂) Shoveler
- 37 (25♂) Mallard
- 1 all-white duck (Peking(?) Duck)
- 6 (6♂) Pochard
- 86 (43♂) Tufted Duck
-* 3 (1♂) Goosander again
- 13 Moorhens
- 61 Coots again
- 1 Great Crested Grebe again
- 76 Black-headed Gulls
- *1 Herring Gull: departed
- *1 Lesser Black-backed Gull: departed
- 1 Grey Heron
On / around the street lamp poles or elsewhere
- *A drake Shoveler was tucked up against the island
This takes my 2023 bird species total for here to 44.
Bird notes:
- A Kingfisher was reportedly seen here this morning.
- Several of the Mute Swan cygnets were being chased by the resident cob as he tries to get them to leave.
- Six drake Pochard new in since yesterday afternoon.
- Three Song Thrushes very vocal here. Another two non-songsters seen.
Birds noted flying over here:
- 2 Herring Gulls
- 5 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 1 Sparrowhawk
- 1 Jackdaw
- 7 Starlings
Noted on / around the water
- 32 Canada Geese: 16 of these flew off
- 9 Greylag Geese: eight of these arrived
- 2 mainly white feral geese: arrived with the Greylags
- *2 + 4 (1 brood) Mute Swans
- *1 (1♂) Shoveler
- 37 (25♂) Mallard
- 1 all-white duck (Peking(?) Duck)
- 6 (6♂) Pochard
- 86 (43♂) Tufted Duck
-* 3 (1♂) Goosander again
- 13 Moorhens
- 61 Coots again
- 1 Great Crested Grebe again
- 76 Black-headed Gulls
- *1 Herring Gull: departed
- *1 Lesser Black-backed Gull: departed
- 1 Grey Heron
On / around the street lamp poles or elsewhere
Nothing noted
The cob Mute Swan slides out across the ice in pursuit of one of the cygnets...
... which takes to the air. It did not go far.
Two Goosanders preening.
This view confirms the lack of white on the chin. He also has a less spiky crest.
This shows how the angle of the light affects the colouration. Here the immature drake is at the back.
Hiding away by the island was this drake Shoveler.
I am not sure I would want to join this Wood Pigeon in bathing in this muddy puddle.
A second winter / third summer Herring Gull.
Here from above.
And here being chased away by an adult Lesser Black-backed Gull.
(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
11 Pochard
61 Tufted Duck
2 Greater Scaup
1 Velvet Scoter
98 Coots
4 Redwings
c.735 Jackdaws
c.257 Rooks
4 Siskins
1 Redpoll
(Ed Wilson)
The Flash
92 Tufted Ducks
(Ed Wilson)
Trench Lock Pool
Peregrine
6 Pochard
54 Tufted Duck
(Ed Wilson)
2013
Priorslee Lake
31 Wigeon
12 Gadwall
1 Greater Scaup
>700 Black-headed Gulls
7 Common Gulls
>1500 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
>300 Herring Gulls
7 Great Black-backed Gulls.
(Ed Wilson, (John Isherwood)
2010
Priorslee Lake
Peregrine
1 Little Grebe
30 Swans
4 Gadwall
28 Pochard
86 Tufted Ducks
1 Buzzard
296 Coots
5 Redwings
27 Greenfinches
c.30 Siskins
(Ed Wilson)
2007
Priorslee Lake
Goldeneye
1 Water Rail
1 Redpoll
(Ed Wilson)
2006
Priorslee Lake
c.1300 Black-headed Gulls
c.120 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
c.45 Herring Gulls
10 Great Crested Grebes
2 Gadwall
24 Pochard
22 Tufted Ducks
152 Coot
1 Water Rail
c.48 Siskins
1 Redpoll
4 Reed Buntings
(Ed Wilson)