26 Feb 23

Priorslee Lake and The Flash

1.0°C > 5.0°C: As yesterday with areas of medium-level cloud and some clear spells. Lighter N wind. Very good visibility.

Sunrise: 07:04 GMT

* = a species photographed today.

Priorslee Balancing Lake: 06:00 – 08:45

(47th visit of the year)

Bird notes:
- A male Pheasant was calling from the West end scrub at 06:15 and several times thereafter.
- The Mute Swan cygnets seem to have really gone. Fishermen present throughout after their departure at 07:45 yesterday reported no sightings.
- One of the Great Crested Grebes seen was an immature lacking head plumes. It is unlikely to be the individual seen recently at The Flash as that one was there today. I have not seen an immature here for several weeks, all the displaying birds having plumes.
- A Great Spotted Woodpecker was heard and also seen drumming.
- Not only did I heard a Cetti's Warbler singing but I saw it – very briefly in flight between two stands of reeds

Birds noted flying over here:
- 2 Canada Geese: South together
- *3 (?♂) Goosander
- 1 Feral Pigeon
- 1 Stock Dove
- 13 Wood Pigeons
- 8 Black-headed Gulls
- 4 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 3 Cormorants: a single and a duo
- 2 Jackdaws
- 3 Rooks

Counts from the lake area:
- 11 Canada Geese: of these four arrived; five and then two departed
- 1 Greylag Goose: arrived and departed
- 2 Mute Swans: cygnets gone
- 4 (2♂) Gadwall again
- 4 (2♂) Mallard
- 4 (3♂) Pochard
- 12 (9♂) Tufted Duck
- 11 Moorhens
- 68 Coots
- 4 Great Crested Grebes
- 28 Black-headed Gulls
- 3 Herring Gulls
- 1 Lesser Black-backed Gull
- *1 Grey Heron: arrived
- 1 Kingfisher again

Noted on / around the frosted street lamp poles pre-dawn:
- *1 male Dotted Border moth (Agriopis marginaria): different lamp pole to yesterday
- 1 spider sp.

Of note later:
- *my first Dandelion (Taraxacum officinale agg.) flower of the year.

Too much early cloud for a decent sunrise.

A very small amount of colour later.

A 'grab shot' as the trio of Goosanders flew across. About all I can say is that none of them is an adult drake.

This Grey Heron seems relatively unfazed by me. It is keeping a careful watch.

A Dunnock singing its cheery song.

A male Chaffinch trying to hide at the top of one of the tallest trees around the lake.

At least he had the decency to turn around.

Another chance to see.... a different Dotted Border moth (Agriopis marginaria) with the clearest 'dotted border' yet. Once again the photo seems to include a springtail (by the outer cross-line on the left forewing)

The first Dandelion (Taraxacum officinale agg.) flower I have noted here this year. The 'agg.' in the scientific name is short for 'aggregate'. The taxonomy of Dandelions is extremely complex with over 250 distinct (to some people) forms. What is known is that these forms do not hybridise, each plant producing seeds that develop in to clones of the parent. A question arises in my mind: "how did so many forms develop?"

(Ed Wilson)

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The Flash: 08:50 – 09:55

(43rd visit of the year)

Bird notes:
- A Sparrowhawk shot in to a tree right next to me and immediately shot out again.

Birds noted flying over here:
- 1 Lesser Black-backed Gull
- 2 Jackdaws

Noted on / around the water
- 26 Canada Geese
- 1 Greylag Goose
- 2 + 1 Mute Swans
- *31 (21♂) Mallard
- 1 all-white duck (Peking(?) Duck)
- 64 (40♂) Tufted Duck
- 1 (0♂) Goosander
- 16 Moorhens
- 37 Coots
- 2 Great Crested Grebes
- 58 Black-headed Gulls
- 2 Herring Gulls: a third and a first year
- 2 Lesser Black-backed Gulls: adult and first year
- 3 Cormorants

On / around the street lamp poles
Nothing noted

Noted elsewhere:
- 1 Brown Rat (Rattus norvegicus)

The bank of Ivy was in full sun but apparently devoid of insects. I presume the ambient temperature was still too low.

A pair of Mallard flew in very close. In this frame I just about captured the duck.

And here the drake with feet out for splash-down.

This Long-tailed Tit is preparing to...

 ...take off.

Very close-by was this Long-tailed Tit bringing nesting material to a different nest.

(Ed Wilson)

Note:

Ed Wilson's visit to the Wirral on 22 Feb 23 can be found Here.

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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

4 Great Crested Grebes 

3 Cormorants 

1 Grey Heron 

8 Pochard 

4 Tufted Duck 

164 Black-headed Gulls

78 Lesser Black-backed Gulls

9 Herring Gulls

1 Yellow-legged Gull

16 Fieldfare

18 Redwings

c.800 Jackdaws

 >250 Rooks

20 Siskins

(Ed Wilson, Gary Crowder)

The Flash

1 Little Grebe 

185 Tufted Ducks

(Ed Wilson)

Little Wenlock, Candles Landfill Site

2 Iceland Gulls

3 Caspian Gull

(Observer Unknown)

2013

Priorslee Lake

6 Great Crested Grebes 

33 Wigeon 

1 Common Teal 

4 Gadwall 

33 Tufted Ducks 

89 Coots 

c.650 Black-headed Gulls

c.410 Lesser Black-backed Gulls

41 Herring Gulls

1 Great Black-backed Gull

(Ed Wilson / John Isherwood)

The Flash

1 Little Grebe

9 Pochard 

89 Tufted Duck 

1 Greater Scaup

(Ed Wilson, John Isherwood)

2010

Priorslee Lake

6 Great Crested Grebes 

18 Swans 

4 Gadwall

35 Pochard

44 Tufted Duck

96 Coots 

c.650 Black-headed Gulls 

c.220 Lesser Black-backed Gulls 

12 Herring Gulls 

1 other 'strange gull'!

(Ed Wilson)

2009

Priorslee Lake

Iceland Gull

2 Curlew

(Ed Wilson)

2007

Priorslee Lake

1 Water Rail

2 Sky Larks

(Ed Wilson)

2006

Priorslee Lake

1 Little Grebe

6 Great Crested Grebes

1 Heron

1 Cormorant

2 Gadwall

6 Pochard

45 Tufted Ducks

96 Coots

c.1000 Black-headed Gulls

274 Wood Pigeon

135 Jackdaws

111 Rooks

78 Starlings

45 Pied Wagtails

20 Robins

17 Blackbirds

10 Song Thrushes

4 Redwings

2 Willow Tits

20 Greenfinches

6 Siskins

5 Reed Buntings

(Ed Wilson)