3.0°C: Overcast at medium level and scattered at low level. Some early light rain and then light drizzle in the air at times later. Light NNW wind. Mostly good visibility.
Sunrise: 08:00 GMT
* = a photo from today.
Priorslee Balancing Lake: 06:45 – 09:25
(22nd visit of the year)
No ice remaining.
New Bird Species
Two additions to my 2023 bird species list from here:
- A Little Grebe was lurking in the reeds along the North side.
- Several House Sparrows had ventured from the estate in to the hedge alongside the academy and hence within my recording area.
This takes my 2023 bird species total for here to 65.
Other bird notes:
- I could not locate yesterday's Canada x Greylag Goose amongst all the geese on the water. The Canada Goose with the restricted white chin-strap was noted.
- What seemed to be yesterday's additional Mute Swan cygnet was seen again. I did not see it leave yesterday and I did wonder whether it had taken refuge in the West end reeds. It was from there that it seemed to emerge this morning. It took the resident adults rather longer than I expected to notice it and commence the chase. This was still going on as I departed.
- *A group of six Eurasian Wigeon circled high overhead at 08:25 eventually deciding against coming in and climbed higher and higher eventually disappearing from view.
- At least 500 Black-headed Gulls were circling around and around over the water by 07:10. They settled only briefly a few times before dispersing. Only nine large gulls joined them. No large gulls visited later.
- Redwings were in trees alongside Teece Drive again.
- The (or a) Cetti's Warbler alarm-called from the South side reeds this morning.
- At least 20 Siskins were with Goldfinches in Alders near the Teece Drive gate.
Birds noted flying over here:
- *6 (2♂?) Eurasian Wigeon
- 3 Stock Doves: together
- 3 Wood Pigeons only: these seem rather scarce this year
- 2 Collared Doves: together
- 17 Black-headed Gulls
- 8 Herring Gulls
- 39 Lesser Black-backed Gull
- 1 Sparrowhawk again
- 4 Jackdaws
- 18 Rooks
Birds noted leaving roosts around the lake:
- A Little Grebe was lurking in the reeds along the North side.
- Several House Sparrows had ventured from the estate in to the hedge alongside the academy and hence within my recording area.
This takes my 2023 bird species total for here to 65.
Other bird notes:
- I could not locate yesterday's Canada x Greylag Goose amongst all the geese on the water. The Canada Goose with the restricted white chin-strap was noted.
- What seemed to be yesterday's additional Mute Swan cygnet was seen again. I did not see it leave yesterday and I did wonder whether it had taken refuge in the West end reeds. It was from there that it seemed to emerge this morning. It took the resident adults rather longer than I expected to notice it and commence the chase. This was still going on as I departed.
- *A group of six Eurasian Wigeon circled high overhead at 08:25 eventually deciding against coming in and climbed higher and higher eventually disappearing from view.
- At least 500 Black-headed Gulls were circling around and around over the water by 07:10. They settled only briefly a few times before dispersing. Only nine large gulls joined them. No large gulls visited later.
- Redwings were in trees alongside Teece Drive again.
- The (or a) Cetti's Warbler alarm-called from the South side reeds this morning.
- At least 20 Siskins were with Goldfinches in Alders near the Teece Drive gate.
Birds noted flying over here:
- *6 (2♂?) Eurasian Wigeon
- 3 Stock Doves: together
- 3 Wood Pigeons only: these seem rather scarce this year
- 2 Collared Doves: together
- 17 Black-headed Gulls
- 8 Herring Gulls
- 39 Lesser Black-backed Gull
- 1 Sparrowhawk again
- 4 Jackdaws
- 18 Rooks
Birds noted leaving roosts around the lake:
None
Counts from the lake area:
- 2 + 5 Mute Swans: another cygnet again: see notes
- 66 Canada Geese: most of these departed
- 3 Greylag Geese: all departed
- 2 (1♂) Gadwall
- 5 (4♂) Mallard
- 2 (2♂) Pochard
- 12 (6♂) Tufted Duck
- 11 Moorhens again
- 121 Coots
- 2 Great Crested Grebes
- >500 Black-headed Gulls
- 4 Herring Gulls
- 1 Yellow-legged Gull
- 4 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 2 Cormorants: one arrived and then departed with a few minutes; a different bird arrived later and stayed.
- 2 + 5 Mute Swans: another cygnet again: see notes
- 66 Canada Geese: most of these departed
- 3 Greylag Geese: all departed
- 2 (1♂) Gadwall
- 5 (4♂) Mallard
- 2 (2♂) Pochard
- 12 (6♂) Tufted Duck
- 11 Moorhens again
- 121 Coots
- 2 Great Crested Grebes
- >500 Black-headed Gulls
- 4 Herring Gulls
- 1 Yellow-legged Gull
- 4 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 2 Cormorants: one arrived and then departed with a few minutes; a different bird arrived later and stayed.
Noted on / around the street lamp poles pre-dawn:
- *2 Early Moths (Theria primaria)
- 1 small red-eyed fly.
Later:
Despite taking many photos of the circling Eurasian Wigeon this is the only one that showed the upper wing markings. The back bird is the only one to show the large white panel in the forewing that indicates it is an adult drake. Some of the others show a faint white area which is perhaps more extensive than the white bar shown by ducks. This might suggest they are first-winter drakes though it is rather late for them to not have moulted in to adult plumage even if they may not breed this year.
- *2 Early Moths (Theria primaria)
- 1 small red-eyed fly.
Later:
Nothing noted
And another, arguably even more clearly marked though rather obscured by the street lamp pole's identification number and lichen.
(Ed Wilson)
The Flash: 09:30 – 10:25
(19th visit of the year)
No ice remains.
New Bird Species
(Ed Wilson)
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The Flash: 09:30 – 10:25
(19th visit of the year)
No ice remains.
New Bird Species
One more addition to my 2023 bird species list from here:
- A single Jay was seen flying between trees at the top end
This takes my 2023 bird species total for here to 45.
Other bird notes:
- It is noticeable that the Canada Geese are now all in pairs with the notable exception of the bird with the 'angel wing' deformity.
- I only noted three Mute Swan cygnets and two of these took to the air and flew strongly around and may well have departed. I could not find them afterwards though they may have been around the other side of the island.
- With the ice having melted I expected the Coot to have dispersed to their breeding areas. Not so: there were even more visible: too many to all nest around the water here.
Birds noted flying over here:
- 2 Greylag Geese
- 1 Lesser Black-backed Gull
- 2 Jackdaws
Noted on / around the water
- 17 Canada Geese
- 2 + 3 Mute Swans: see notes
- 40 (28♂) Mallard
- 1 all-white duck (Peking(?) Duck)
- 2 (2♂) Pochard
- 71 (33♂) Tufted Duck
- no Goosander
- 19 Moorhens
- 68 Coots
- 1 Great Crested Grebe
- 33 Black-headed Gulls
- 2 Herring Gulls: both departed; one of these a full adult
- 1 Lesser Black-backed Gull
- 2 Grey Herons: one departed
On / around the street lamp poles or elsewhere.
Nothing noted
- A single Jay was seen flying between trees at the top end
This takes my 2023 bird species total for here to 45.
Other bird notes:
- It is noticeable that the Canada Geese are now all in pairs with the notable exception of the bird with the 'angel wing' deformity.
- I only noted three Mute Swan cygnets and two of these took to the air and flew strongly around and may well have departed. I could not find them afterwards though they may have been around the other side of the island.
- With the ice having melted I expected the Coot to have dispersed to their breeding areas. Not so: there were even more visible: too many to all nest around the water here.
Birds noted flying over here:
- 2 Greylag Geese
- 1 Lesser Black-backed Gull
- 2 Jackdaws
Noted on / around the water
- 17 Canada Geese
- 2 + 3 Mute Swans: see notes
- 40 (28♂) Mallard
- 1 all-white duck (Peking(?) Duck)
- 2 (2♂) Pochard
- 71 (33♂) Tufted Duck
- no Goosander
- 19 Moorhens
- 68 Coots
- 1 Great Crested Grebe
- 33 Black-headed Gulls
- 2 Herring Gulls: both departed; one of these a full adult
- 1 Lesser Black-backed Gull
- 2 Grey Herons: one departed
On / around the street lamp poles or elsewhere.
Nothing noted
Not all the Song Thrushes encountered were in song. This one was looking for food.
And stopped to check me out.
(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
13 Pochard
63 Tufted Duck
2 Greater Scaup
1 Velvet Scoter
101 Coots counted
31 Herring Gulls
3 Great Black-backed Gulls
7 Redwings
522 Jackdaws
335 Rooks
71 Magpies
4 Siskins
(Ed Wilson)
The Flash
111 Tufted Ducks
(Ed Wilson)
2013
Priorslee Lake
26 Wigeon
10 Gadwall
14 Pochard
56 Tufted Ducks
1 Greater Scaup
177 Coots
4 Redwings
30 Siskins
(Ed Wilson, Dave Tromans)
The Flash
1 Little Grebe
4 Goosander
(Dave Tromans)