13 Mar 23

Priorslee Lake and The Flash

11.0°C (but 9.0°C in shower): Intermittent light rain with a heavy squally shower around 08:30. Strong and sometimes gusty SW wind. Very good visibility, less in the shower.

Sunrise: 06:30 GMT

* = a species photographed today.

Priorslee Balancing Lake: 05:30 – 08:55

(61st visit of the year)

We were all hunkered down against the wind and, at times, rain.

Birds that got away: a party of 10 geese was noted flying high North. I did not hear them call, likely because of the road noise from the wet M54. They were well passed before I saw them. I did wonder whether these might be Pink-footed Geese on return migration: it is about the right time. But I will never know.

Bird notes:
- The cob Mute Swan was on the warpath with one of last year's cygnets in particular. At the moment the cob seems to catch hold of the cygnet, gives it a peck and then moves away. I am rather mystified as to why none of the cygnets now seems to want to fly from the advancing cob when they all flew away strongly a fortnight ago and stayed away two days.
- The pen was on the nest for some of the time. I have no idea whether she has started to lay her eggs: it seems rather early as the RSPB web-site gives late-April as the date to start egg-laying. In any event she will not sit full-time until the clutch of up to 10 eggs is complete. That may take about a fortnight. She is largely responsible for incubation of the completed clutch. This takes up to 35 days during which time she will only briefly leave the nest to feed.
- Weekend disturbance is probably the reason duck numbers were reduced.
- The Cetti's Warbler sang just once from the north-west area.
- Two Starlings were seen leaving the reeds just after dawn.
- At least 40 Siskins flew low West over the sailing club shelter where I was – sheltering. Not sure where they went.

Birds noted flying over here:
- 4 Canada Geese: pair outbound; pair inbound
- 1 Greylag Goose: outbound
- 10 unidentified geese sp.
- 10 Wood Pigeons again
- 1 Herring Gull
- 2 Lesser Black-backed Gulls again
- 1 Common Buzzard
- 5 Jackdaws again
- 2 Rooks
- 1 Pied Wagtail again

Counts from the lake area:
- 6 Canada Geese: of these four arrived, one of which then departed
- 2 + 4 Mute Swans
- 2 (1♂) Gadwall only
- 10 (7♂) Mallard
- 4 (2♂) Tufted Duck only
- 13 Moorhens
- [Coots not counted]
- 5 Great Crested Grebes
- *c.150 Black-headed Gulls
- *1 Cormorant: arrived
- 1 Grey Heron

Noted on the street lamp poles pre-dawn:
- *1 small insect, possibly a fungus gnat
- *1 Nursery Web Spider (Pisaura mirabilis)

Noted later.
- *first flowers of Coltsfoot (Tussilago farfara)

This was as good as the weather got this morning. Indeed the photo shows it as rather brighter than it really was.

A gathering of Black-headed Gulls around dawn - hence the rather poor quality. What struck me was the preponderance of birds now with black heads. It seems only a few days ago I was taking photos of the first birds to acquire this breeding plumage.

I found what was likely the same rather small-looking individual. It could easily be spotted on size and also by its more dynamic aerial manoeuvres, probably enabled by its smaller size. Here it passes by me confirming beyond any doubt that it is a first year Black-headed Gull.

For good measure here it is again.

An immature Cormorant drying its wings in the rain! There is an alternative hypothesis that this pose is associated with digestion. I am not sure the argument has been resolved. The extent of the white on the belly suggests this is a first year bird.

My best thought about this small insect is that it is one of the many fungus gnats. There are over 16000 known species of gnat...

I did not expect to see anything on the street lamp poles as it was very windy and starting to rain. This Nursery Web Spider (Pisaura mirabilis) was on a different lamp pole to the rather wounded one I photographed yesterday. It was not there for long: when I looked a few minuted later it had either scurried off or, more likely, dropped to the ground.

My first flowers of Coltsfoot (Tussilago farfara) this year. This plant is unusual in that the flowers appear before any leaves are evident – what you see here are grasses and the first leaves of nettles.

(Ed Wilson)

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

The Flash: 09:00 – 10:00

(56th visit of the year)

A rather quick canter around to avoid getting caught in another shower.

Bird notes:
- Last year's Mute Swan immature was eventually seen lurking inside the island. The adults are also spending time inside the island and may well be preparing to nest there. The cob had been noted preparing a platform at two sites around the water: the pen does not seem interested in either location.
- A higher count of Tufted Ducks. Probably birds displaced from the Balancing Lake.

Birds noted flying over here:
- 1 Sparrowhawk
- 15 Jackdaws

Noted on / around the water
- 11 Canada Geese only
- 2 + 1 Mute Swans
- 31 (21♂) Mallard
- 1 all-white duck (Peking(?) Duck)
- 58 (38♂) Tufted Duck
- 5 (1♂) Goosander again
- 12 Moorhens
- [Coots not counted]
- 4 Great Crested Grebes
- 42 Black-headed Gulls
- 2 Herring Gulls: one third year, one second year
- 1 Lesser Black-backed Gull: second year?
- 3 Cormorants

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

The quick canter to avoid the impending rain produced just this Blue Tit photo.

(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
Priorslee Lake
1st winter female Greater Scaup
20 Tufted Duck. 
1 Kingfisher
(Gary Crowder)

2013
Priorslee Lake
3 Great Crested Grebe
37 Tufted Duck
27 Wigeon
2 Gadwall
1 Cormorant
24 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
4 Herring Gull
1 Great Black-backed Gull
(Martin Grant)

2012
Priorslee Lake
1 Water Rail
(John Isherwood)

Priorslee Flash
1 Chiffchaff
(John Isherwood)

Nedge Hill
30 Fieldfare
1 Redwing
7 Lapwing
2 Stock Dove
(John Isherwood)

2010
Priorslee Lake
5 Great Crested Grebes
1 Heron
6 Gadwall
4 Pochard
48 Tufted Ducks
1 Lapwing
>1100 Black-headed Gulls
c.30 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
5 Herring Gulls, all on the water
(Ed Wilson)

2007
Priorslee Lake
Woodcock
5 Cormorant
6 Grey Heron
19 Tufted Duck
4 Stock Dove
25 Robin
22 Blackbird
8 Redwing
3 Chiffchaff
47 Magpie
143 Jackdaw
5 Reed Bunting
(Ed Wilson, Martin Adlam)

2006
Priorslee Lake
1 Little Grebe
4 Great Crested Grebes
7 Pochard
45 Tufted Ducks
2 Ruddy Ducks
1 Lapwing
148 Jackdaws
34+ Siskins
6 Redwings
14 Greenfinches
2 Reed Buntings
(Ed Wilson)