28 Jan 23

Priorslee Lake and The Flash

4.0°C > 5.0°C:  Overcast at medium level again. More early very light rain. Light NNW wind. Good visibility.

Sunrise:  07:59 GMT

* = a photo from today.

Priorslee Balancing Lake:  06:45 – 09:10

(23rd visit of the year)

New Bird Species

Another addition to my 2023 bird species list from here:

- A Jay was in trees along the North side.

This takes my 2023 bird species total for here to 66.

Other bird notes:

- No sign of the additional Mute Swan cygnet. Two of 'our' cygnets went for an extended fly in circuits around the water but splashed back down. The cob is still chasing one of them intermittently.

- Every day the number of Gadwall seems to be different. Perhaps they are just good at hiding.

- *Two Great Crested Grebes were displaying in the north-west area – a traditional nest site. One of them seemed to be a first year bird!

- No Black-headed Gulls were present until the first eight arrived at 07:45. My maximum count was c.75 birds. A tight group of 23 flew over at 07:50 – migrating birds? A few more over later, all heading South.

- Both Jackdaws and Rooks on roost dispersal overhead remain in historically low numbers.

- The (or a) Cetti's Warbler alarm-called from the North side reeds this morning.

- Perhaps as many as eight Song Thrushes in song. Difficult to be certain as they are yet not at full volume and one or more may have been moving ahead of me. Three birds heard scolding may or may not have been different individuals.

- At least 30 Siskins in tree-tops, mostly near the Teece Drive gate.

Birds noted flying over here:

- 13 Canada Geese: outbound in two groups

- 8 Wood Pigeons

- 32 Black-headed Gulls

- 9 Herring Gulls

- 33 Lesser Black-backed Gull

- 3 Jackdaws

- 6 Rooks

Birds noted leaving roosts around the lake:

None

Counts from the lake area:

- 2 + 4 Mute Swans

- 33 Canada Geese: many of these departed

- 6 (4♂) Gadwall

- 4 (3♂) Mallard

- 3 (3♂) Pochard

- 19 (8♂) Tufted Duck

- 12 Moorhens

- 113 Coots

- *3 Great Crested Grebes

- c.75 Black-headed Gulls only

- 7 Herring Gulls

- 5 Lesser Black-backed Gulls

- 6 Cormorants: arrived as a single and later a group of five.

- 2 Grey Herons: one chased the other away

Noted on / around the street lamp poles pre-dawn:

- *1 Early Moth (Theria primaria)

- 1 'winter gnat'

Later:

Nothing of note

These two Great Crested Grebes were displaying. The bird on the left has the well-developed head-plumes of an adult. The bird on the right is not at the best of angles but obviously has few if any plumes and is a first-winter. Cradle-snatcher?

An even 'cleaner' specimen of Early Moth (Theria primaria).

(Ed Wilson)

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The Flash: 09:15 – 10:15

(20th visit of the year)

Bird notes:

- Just one Mute Swan cygnet noted.

- As I arrived I was told there were two Grey Herons present. I failed to see either, only one flying past in the distance.

- *Three Song Thrushes singing here.

Birds noted flying over here:

- 3 Herring Gulls

- 1 Grey Heron: distantly

- *1 Sparrowhawk

Noted on / around the water

- 36 Canada Geese

- 2 + 1 Mute Swans

- 40 (28♂) Mallard again

- 1 all-white duck (Peking(?) Duck)

- no Pochard

- 41 (17♂) Tufted Duck

- *5 (2?♂) Goosander

- 17 Moorhens

- 63 Coots

- 1 Great Crested Grebe

- 78 Black-headed Gulls

- *1 Herring Gull: departed

- no Grey Herons: see notes

- *3 Cormorants: two of these arrived together

Noted on / around the street lamp poles

- *1 Dotted Border moth (Agriopis marginaria)

Elsewhere

Nothing of note

Four of the five Goosanders that were present. The leading bird shows no white on the chin, a darker brown head with rather less well-developed head-plumes and whiter flanks indicating it is a first winter drake (as was the bird not photographed). The others are ducks.

Perhaps the same second winter Herring Gull that has been here for several days, seen here amongst a gaggle of adult winter Black-headed Gulls.

An identification puzzle for sure!

Slightly easier here. An adult Cormorant with very well-developed breeding condition head-plumes.

An immature Cormorant. This species shows a diminishing amount of white on the belly with age. Until they are a full adult they will not grow any head plumes. With just a few specs of white on its belly this is probably a third year bird.

The same bird with the slightly speckled belly somewhat clearer.

A Sparrowhawk flew over again.

Here with wings a-stretch. I did a maximum photo-edit to show as much detail as possible. No hint of rufous in the chest barring so this is a female, the larger of the two sexes.

Let's have another look.

A Song Thrush of course. Give us a song...

Thank you.

I found this Dotted Border moth (Agriopis marginaria) on one of the lamp poles in squirrel alley. It is a male. Not dissimilar to the Scarce Umber. The kink in the cross-line towards the wing tip is less pronounced and the two parallel cross-lines toward the front of the wing are closer together in that species.

(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

12 Pochard

63 Tufted Duck

3 Greater Scaup

Velvet Scoter

3 Great Black-backed Gulls

16 Redwings over

555 Jackdaws

345 Rooks

(Ed Wilson, Gary Crowder)

The Flash

120 Tufted Ducks

(Ed Wilson)

Trench Lock Pool

3 Pochard

34 Tufted Duck

(Ed Wilson)

Trench Middle Pool

2 Goosanders

(Ed Wilson)

2013

Priorslee Lake

31 Wigeon 

10 Gadwall 

11 Pochard 

44 Tufted Ducks 

1 Greater Scaup 

177 Coots again 

38 Herring Gulls

1 Yellow-legged Gull

9 Redwings

52 Magpies

3 Reed Buntings

(Ed Wilson)

The Flash

2 Shoveler 

4 Pochard 

57 Tufted Duck 

1 Goosander 

(Ed Wilson)

2012

Priorslee Lake

5 Great Crested Grebes

21 Pochard

38 Tufted Duck

150 Wood Pigeons

57 Redwings 

(Ed Wilson)

Priorslee Flash

36 Tufted Ducks

(Ed Wilson)

Trench Lock Pool 

7 Pochard

33 Tufted Ducks

(Ed Wilson)