5.0°C: Clear spells early. More cloud later with a very light rain shower. Moderate S wind. Very good visibility.
Sunrise: 08:20 GMT still
* = a photo from today.
Priorslee Balancing Lake: 06:45 – 09:15
(6th visit of the year)
New Bird Species
None
Bird notes:
- A male Pheasant called from the south-east copse c.07:10.
- At least initially the cob Mute Swan was preventing the trio of Canada Geese from leaving the dam-top.
- I was again ostensibly well-positioned to see the roost dispersal flight of Jackdaws and Rooks. I noted just one pair of Jackdaws. Another pair and a single Rook was noted much later.
- The / a Cetti's Warbler sang for an unusually protracted period, today from the north-east area.
Birds noted flying over here:
- 1 Greylag Goose: outbound
- 2 Feral Pigeons: together
- 24 Wood Pigeons: six of these seen flying high North together
- 13 Herring Gulls
- 15 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 4 Jackdaws
- 1 Rook
- 1 Pied Wagtail
- 1 Siskin again
Birds noted leaving roosts around the lake:
- 5 Reed Buntings
Counts from the lake area:
- 3 Canada Geese
- 2 + 4 (1 brood) Mute Swan
- 3 (1♂) Gadwall: a pair and a duck on her own.
- 8 (4♂) Mallard
- 1 (1♂) Pochard
- 35 (16♂) Tufted Duck
- 1 Water Rail: heard only again
- 12 Moorhens
- 146 Coots
- 1 Great Crested Grebe again
- c.350 Black-headed Gulls
- 1 Herring Gull
- 1 Lesser Black-backed Gull
- 36 unidentified large gulls pre-dawn
- 3 Cormorants: arrived together; departed separately
- 1 Grey Heron again
On / around the street lamp poles pre-dawn after rain in the night.
Nothing found
Later
I was at the wrong end of the lake to get the best view of the sunrise reflected in the lake. This was an interesting cloud formation.
Bird notes:
- A male Pheasant called from the south-east copse c.07:10.
- At least initially the cob Mute Swan was preventing the trio of Canada Geese from leaving the dam-top.
- I was again ostensibly well-positioned to see the roost dispersal flight of Jackdaws and Rooks. I noted just one pair of Jackdaws. Another pair and a single Rook was noted much later.
- The / a Cetti's Warbler sang for an unusually protracted period, today from the north-east area.
Birds noted flying over here:
- 1 Greylag Goose: outbound
- 2 Feral Pigeons: together
- 24 Wood Pigeons: six of these seen flying high North together
- 13 Herring Gulls
- 15 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 4 Jackdaws
- 1 Rook
- 1 Pied Wagtail
- 1 Siskin again
Birds noted leaving roosts around the lake:
- 5 Reed Buntings
Counts from the lake area:
- 3 Canada Geese
- 2 + 4 (1 brood) Mute Swan
- 3 (1♂) Gadwall: a pair and a duck on her own.
- 8 (4♂) Mallard
- 1 (1♂) Pochard
- 35 (16♂) Tufted Duck
- 1 Water Rail: heard only again
- 12 Moorhens
- 146 Coots
- 1 Great Crested Grebe again
- c.350 Black-headed Gulls
- 1 Herring Gull
- 1 Lesser Black-backed Gull
- 36 unidentified large gulls pre-dawn
- 3 Cormorants: arrived together; departed separately
- 1 Grey Heron again
On / around the street lamp poles pre-dawn after rain in the night.
Nothing found
Later
Nothing noted
Mainly clear here on what developed in to another rather dreary morning ahead of more rain.
A quick scamper and I managed this view. Clouding up now.
The yellow light of dawn casting its rays on the bare trees along the North side against the backdrop of the encroaching clouds.
This is a good trick – being able to scratch yourself while standing on one leg. A Grey Heron demonstrates how to do it.
(Ed Wilson)
The Flash: 09:20 – 10:95
(Ed Wilson)
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The Flash: 09:20 – 10:95
(6th visit of the year)
New Bird species
Another addition to my 2023 bird species list from here:
- Two Siskins flew North overhead.
New Bird species
Another addition to my 2023 bird species list from here:
- Two Siskins flew North overhead.
This takes my 2023 species count from here to 38.
Other bird notes:
- Friday's drake Pochard gone again.
Birds noted flying over here:
- 26 Wood Pigeons: all in a tight group flying high East and clearly not local birds.
- 1 Lesser Black-backed Gull
- 2 Siskins
Noted on / around the water
- 8 Canada Geese
- 4 Greylag Geese
- 2 + 4 (1 brood) Mute Swans
- 43 (28♂) Mallard
- 1 all-white duck (Peking(?) Duck)
- no Pochard
- 47 (23♂) Tufted Duck
- 3 (0♂) Goosander
- 19 Moorhens
- 38 Coots again
- 1 Great Crested Grebe
- 63 Black-headed Gulls
- 3 Cormorants: two of these arrived
- 1 Grey Heron
On / around the street lamp poles or elsewhere:
Nothing noted
Other bird notes:
- Friday's drake Pochard gone again.
Birds noted flying over here:
- 26 Wood Pigeons: all in a tight group flying high East and clearly not local birds.
- 1 Lesser Black-backed Gull
- 2 Siskins
Noted on / around the water
- 8 Canada Geese
- 4 Greylag Geese
- 2 + 4 (1 brood) Mute Swans
- 43 (28♂) Mallard
- 1 all-white duck (Peking(?) Duck)
- no Pochard
- 47 (23♂) Tufted Duck
- 3 (0♂) Goosander
- 19 Moorhens
- 38 Coots again
- 1 Great Crested Grebe
- 63 Black-headed Gulls
- 3 Cormorants: two of these arrived
- 1 Grey Heron
On / around the street lamp poles or elsewhere:
Nothing noted
The Coots were fighting again as they begin to set up territories. One playing submarines here.
Time to call up reinforcements.
(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
2013
Priorslee Lake
Drake Scaup
Goldeneye
(Martin Grant)
Little Wenlock, Candles Landfill Site
Caspian Gull
2 Yellow-legged Gulls
(Observer Unknown)
2012
Priorslee Lake
Caspian Gull
41 Great Black-backed Gulls
11 Bullfinches
(Ed Wilson)
2010
Priorslee Lake
1 Little Grebe
29 Swans
4 Gadwall
c.22 Pochard
c.66 Tufted Duck
c.280 Coots
c.1500 Black-headed Gulls
c.500 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
c.60 Herring Gulls
Caspian Gull
2 Buzzards
1 Siskin over
(Ed Wilson/Unknown Observer)
2009
Priorslee Lake
Iceland Gull
(Paul King)
2008
Priorslee Lake
1 Yellow-legged Gull
500+ Lesser Black-backed Gulls
23 Herring Gulls
(Martin Adlam)
2007
Priorslee Lake
2 Great Crested Grebes
3 Pochard
28 Tufted Ducks
>1050 Black-headed Gulls
51 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
34 Herring Gulls
10 Great Black-backed Gulls
31 Robins
13 Blackbirds
32 Fieldfares
34 Redwings
5 Reed Buntings
(Ed Wilson)
2006
Priorslee Lake
2 Gadwall
1 Little Grebe
1 Kingfisher
1500 Black-headed Gulls
1 Common Gull
c.84 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
8 Herring Gulls
1 Great Black-backed Gull
22 Pochard
54 Tufted Duck
210 Coot
2 Water Rail
1 Reed Bunting
21 Robins
20 Blackbirds
10 Greenfinches
(Ed Wilson)