21 Feb 23

Priorslee Lake and The Flash

8.0°C > 9.0°C: Mostly cloudy, beginning to lift and break after 09:30. Light SW wind. Excellent visibility.

Sunrise: 07:15 GMT

* = a species photographed today.

A very quiet morning once again.

Priorslee Balancing Lake: 06:00 – 09:05

(43rd visit of the year)

Bird notes:
- The adult Mute Swans chased the cygnets in to the air for them to make another extended fly-around before returning. Afterwards peace seemed to have been declared.
- All eight Great Crested Grebes appeared on the water together for a short while. I assume they have been here everyday recently and avoided my gaze.
- No large gulls on the water or seen overhead.
- Four Blackbirds were heard singing.
- Two Mistle Thrushes flew West over the lake c.07:45. At c.09:00 one was noted in trees at the West end, probably one of these birds. These are my first for over a week. I have not heard any song this month.
- Despite an earlier arrival I still seem to have missed most of the overhead roost dispersal of Jackdaws and Rooks.

Mystery Birds
Mystery birds the last two mornings. Yesterday c.06:40 two birds flew past me along the North side and seemed to disappear toward and apparently in to the north-east copse. In was still quite dark and the brief view I had suggested two Jackdaws. But Jackdaws do not fly low like this and certainly not without calling. This morning one dark shape was seen diving down from medium height, wings held at its side, to disappear to the same area. Some five minutes later another passed me twisting this way and that, again heading to the north-east area. The way the birds flew did not seem to fit either Sparrowhawk or Woodcock which are the only two species I can think of that match the impression of size and might be flying so early. Puzzling.

Birds noted flying over here:
- 2 Canada Geese: inbound together
- 5 Wood Pigeons only
- no gulls
- 2 Cormorants: together
- 9 Jackdaws
- 6 Rooks

Counts from the lake area:
- 7 Canada Geese: of these five arrived together
- *2 + 4 Mute Swans
- 2 (1♂) Gadwall again
- 9 (6♂) Mallard
- 17 (11♂) Tufted Duck
- 10 Moorhens
- 85 Coots
- 8 Great Crested Grebes
- *c.125 Black-headed Gulls
- no large gulls
- 1 Cormorant: arrived
- *1 Grey Heron again

Noted on / around the breezy street lamp poles pre-dawn:
- *2 Common Flat-body moths (Agonopterix heracliana)
- 1 plumed midge
- *several 'winter midges'

Of note later:
- *Shepherd's-purse (Capsella bursa-pastoris) in flower

The cob Mute Swan was making a determined effort to chase this cygnet away. Only this one took to the air this morning...

 ...and soon returned anyway.

Well it was 07:15 on a dull morning and I am surprised how well the camera did to show this Grey Heron with its small fish.

A gaggle of (or whatever the correct collective noun is for...) Black-headed Gulls. A first winter bird on the left is complaining as perhaps is the one at the middle-back (though it could be yawning). One towards the right is in almost full summer plumage.

A rather distant view of a Redwing, There is still a small party in the trees in the Ricoh copse most mornings. The white eyebrow identifies this at long-range when the red on the flanks and underwing is not visible.

This Song Thrush was scattering dead leaves as it searched for food in a shady area. Brown tips to the flight feathers will wear off in the hectic breeding season ahead.

Last of a trio of thrushes was this Mistle Thrush, lurking in a tree near the Teece Drive gate. Apart from its larger size (not apparent from a photo) the pale edges to the flight feathers and the almost circular spots identify.

The white specks in the middle of the wing identify this as a Common Flat-body moth (Agonopterix heracliana)

Although this specimen lacks the obvious white marks and there are several similar species I believe this to be another Common Flat-body moth

Another chance to see... an "is it a midge or a cranefly?". It is a 'winter midge' in the log.

Shepherd's-purse (Capsella bursa-pastoris) flowers with just about discernible a couple of seed-cases that give the species its name. It has been in flower for a few days now but once I have had Paul's coffee I have simply forgotten about it.

(Ed Wilson)

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The Flash: 09:10 – 10:20

(39th visit of the year)

Bird notes:
- A pair of Common Teal by the island. I suspect these have still been present but hiding the last few days,
- Two Great Crested Grebes located today.
- The presumed second year Lesser Black-backed Gull was seen resting on the ground inside the island for a while. It soon emerged and seemed to be alert enough. We do not need bird 'flu!
- A Sparrowhawk was doing its 'elastic wings' display flight overhead as I was parking the car. On size it seemed to be a female which strikes me as odd. Do females usually display on their own?
- *At least 20 Siskins were in trees at the top end.

Birds noted flying over here:
- 1 Sparrowhawk again

Noted on / around the water
- *38 Canada Geese
- 1 Greylag Goose
- 2 + 1 Mute Swans
- 37 (24♂) Mallard
- 1 all-white duck (Peking(?) Duck)
- 2 (1♂) Common Teal
- 2 (2♂) Pochard again
- *45 (23♂) Tufted Duck
- 2 (1♂) Goosander
- 16 Moorhens again
- 39 Coots
- *2 Great Crested Grebes
- 41 Black-headed Gulls
- 1 Lesser Black-backed Gull: second(?) year
- 2 Cormorants

On / around the street lamp poles or of note elsewhere.
Nothing noted

Some of the Canada Geese were arriving and, as here, departing.

A fierce-looking duck Tufted Duck. The earlier white around the base of her bill has almost moulted out.

And a well-tufted drake Tufted Duck.

This Great Crested Grebe is clearly a first year bird lacking head plumes.

Whereas this one has adult-like head plumes.

One of the parties of Long-tailed Tits is nest-building right alongside the footpath. If only we could have a sunny morning.....

Two Robins square-off. A few moments before they had been sky-pointing with bills held vertically. They are possibly pairing up. The red breast triggers an aggressive response in Robins of both sexes but they have to come to some accommodation to get together to breed.

A Dunnock photographed out of the car window. The pale tips to its wing coverts will also wear away during the breeding season.

Rather disappointing. A group of Siskins was drinking in the stream that enters the top end but something spooked them before I could get a photo and they went and sat in the tops of the trees. This male was the closest bird I could find.

(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

5 Cormorants

1 Grey Heron

7 Pochard

2 Tufted Duck

14 Redwing

c.600 Jackdaws

268 Rooks

17 Siskins

(Ed Wilson)

The Flash

1 Greylag x Canada x ? Goose

180 Tufted Ducks

2 Goosanders

(Ed Wilson)

The Wrekin

1 Raven

2 groups of Fallow Deer.

(Ed Wilson)

2013

Priorslee Lake

 1 Iceland Gull 

1 Yellow-legged gull

(JW Reeves)

Little Wenlock, Candles Landfill Site / Buildwas

2 Caspian Gull

Herring x Lesser Black-backed Gull hybrid

A leucistic Herring Gull

8 Yellow-legged Gulls

1 Common Gull

(Tom Lowe)

2012

Priorslee Lake

33 Tufted Duck

8 Pochard

175 Black-headed Gulls

160 Lesser Black-backed Gulls

11 Herring Gulls

5 Great Black-backed Gull

1 Iceland Gull

35+ Redwing

(Martin Grant, John Isherwood)

Holmer Lake

7 Goosander

1 Sparrowhawk

(John Isherwood)

2007

Priorslee Lake

12 Tufted Ducks

2 Buzzards

2 Kestrels

1 Water Rail

269 Wood Pigeons

25 Blackbirds

11 Song Thrushes

4 Redwings

58 Magpies

140 Jackdaws

4 Reed Buntings

(Ed Wilson)

2006

Priorslee Lake

2 Gadwall

5 Pochard

19 Tufted Ducks

116 Coots

1 Water Rail

1 Great Black-backed Gull

403 Wood Pigeons

Barn Owl

228 Jackdaws

88 Rooks

1 Skylark

35 Pied Wagtails

31 Blackbirds

1 Fieldfare

10 Song Thrushes

1 Redwing

2 Willow Tits

16 Greenfinches

49 Siskins

2 Redpolls

13 Reed Buntings

(Ed Wilson)