1 Mar 23

Priorslee Lake and The Flash

4.0°C > 6.0°C: Once again mostly cloudy with light showers. Moderate N wind. Very good visibility.

[Sunrise: 06:57 GMT]

* = a species photographed today.

Yet another dull and damp start to the day so another later visit.

Priorslee Balancing Lake: 10:50 – 11:45

(50th visit of the year)

Only viewing from the dam-top area once more.

Still quiet.

Bird notes:
- Only two Mute Swans cygnets remain.
- An extra pair of Gadwall.
- The Pochard quartet presumably back from The Flash.

Birds noted flying over here during my brief visit:
- 3 Wood Pigeons
- 1 Herring Gull

Counts from the lake area:
- 7 Canada Geese
- 2 + 2 Mute Swans
- 6 (3♂) Gadwall
- 1 (1♂) Mallard only
- 4 (3♂) Pochard: back from The Flash?
- *18 (12♂) Tufted Duck
- 8 Moorhens
- 72 Coots
- *6 Great Crested Grebes
- 4 Black-headed Gulls
- 1 Lesser Black-backed Gull: briefly
- 1 Cormorant: departed

A group of the Tufted Ducks here were swimming at speed as a group and calling quietly. This suggests to me that they are becoming restive to be on their way to their breeding sites. Some will stay in the UK but many will go to Scandinavia and beyond. A few pairs nest in the Midlands with a successful nest at The Flash in 2021.

A somewhat distant view of a Great Crested Grebe apparently adding material to its platform nest. These are usually constructed inside the reeds. An open nest like this is likely to be washed out (or away) by the water-skiers.

The pair that were nest-building. The nest can be seen behind the left-hand bird. To the right one of the three pairs of Gadwall present, the drake on the far right.

This Great Crested Grebe does not seem to be paired as yet.

(Ed Wilson)

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The Flash: 09:20 – 10:45

(46th visit of the year)

Bird notes:
- Jay(s) were heard calling at the top end again.
- *Long-tailed Tits were seen bringing nesting material to another location.
- A Bullfinch was heard giving its infrequently heard, quiet and unobtrusive song.
- A few Siskins were heard in Alders at the top end.

Birds noted flying over here:
None

Noted on / around the water
- 17 Canada Geese
- 2 + 1 Mute Swans
- *24 (15♂) Mallard only
- 1 all-white duck (Peking(?) Duck)
- no Pochard: gone back to the Balancing Lake
- 50 (35♂) Tufted Duck
- *3 (1♂) Goosander
- 14 Moorhens again
- 33 Coots again
- *2 Great Crested Grebes still
- 29 Black-headed Gulls
- *7 Herring Gulls: two first, four second and one third year birds
- *1 Lesser Black-backed Gull: adult again
- 1 Cormorant: arrived
- 1 Grey Heron again

On / around the street lamp poles
Nothing noted

Noted elsewhere:
- 1 Grey Squirrel
- 1 Brown Rat

A duck Mallard having a preen. Not flashy like the drake, just a complex mix of browns, relieved by its white-bordered bright blue speculum.

"Are you taking my photo?". If you look carefully you can see a few raindrops.

 In this view her eye is covered by the white nictating membrane, used to clean and protect the air.

An immature drake Goosander. The front of the head seems to be getting the bottle-green colour of adult drake's head.

One of the two Great Crested Grebes.

A first year Herring Gull.

And here are two of them.

A second year Herring Gull. The back is almost completely blue-grey toned. There are new adult-like inner primaries. Note also several plain tail feathers growing amongst the barred first year feathers.

A trio of second year Herring Gulls.

A smart adult Lesser Black-backed Gull with a second year Herring Gull behind it.

For a change a female Great Tit with a narrow black 'zip' down the belly. This bird is rather less yellow than many birds.

This bird was just a silhouette against the light. I took the photo as I thought this male Great Tit might be one of the Siskins I could hear wheezing away. Not so: but alongside the emerging willow catkins it makes an attractive picture.

Did someone mention Long-tailed Tits?

These birds bringing nesting material to a different site from those seen on Monday and yesterday.

A not so friendly Robin today, lurking behind twigs.

(Ed Wilson)

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
On this day can be found via the yearly links in the right-hand column.

Sightings from previous years without links are below

2014
Shirlett High Park
16 Crossbills
(Yvonne C)

2013
Priorslee Lake
1 Yellow-legged Gull
(JW Reeves)

Horsehay Pool 
1 Yellow-legged Gull
(JW Reeves)

2012
Priorslee Lake
4 Great Crested Grebes
2 Pochard
17 Tufted Duck 
(Ed Wilson)

Trench Lock
3 Pochard
50 Tufted Duck 
(Ed Wilson)

2009
Priorslee Lake
2 Gadwall
1 Water Rail
4 Linnets
(Ed Wilson)

2006
Priorslee Lake
10 Great Crested Grebes
4 Heron
3 Cormorants
5 Pochard
26 Tufted Ducks
107 Coots
2 Water Rails
606 Wood Pigeon
334 Jackdaws
156 Rooks
25 Starlings
11 Pied Wagtails
21 Fieldfare
1 Redwing
1 Willow Tit
26 Starlings
10 Greenfinches
69 Siskins
3 Redpolls
9 Reed Buntings
(Ed Wilson)
29 Pied Wagtails
23 Blackbirds
6 Greenfinches
17 Siskins
1 Redpoll
6 Reed Buntings
(Ed Wilson)