3 Mar 23

Priorslee Lake and The Flash

3.0°C > 4.0°C: Back to unrelieved low cloud. Light NE wind. Good visibility.

Sunrise: 06:53 GMT

* = a species photographed today.

Priorslee Balancing Lake: 05:40 – 09:15

(52nd visit of the year)

Another highlight today. I flushed a Eurasian Curlew off the dam c.07:40. Species #71 here this year for me. A typical date though as far as I can recall this is the first time I have recorded one 'on the ground' here. My previous three fly-overs were on 18 March 2019; 24 March 2021 and 05 March 2022.

Other bird notes:
- A Pheasant was calling at the West end again.
- 51 Black-headed Gulls arrived from the West c.06:50 with almost all of them immediately flying back. They were probably among the 110 birds I counted on the football field at 07:00.
- c.30 Starlings flew low along the S side. They were certainly setting off from a roost site but whether that was around the lake or nearby I could not determine.
- At least two Redwings were roosting along the North side. Later one, perhaps of these, was near the Teece Drive gate.
- Two Mistle Thrushes flew off together from the Ricoh copse alongside Teece Drive c.07:05. At c.08:00 two (other?) birds flew across Castle Farm Way and in to trees at the South end of the dam. No song was heard.

Birds noted flying over here:
- 2 Canada Geese: inbound together
- 2 Greylag Geese: inbound together
- 2 Stock Doves: together
- 8 Wood Pigeons
- 10 Black-headed Gulls: together
- 2 Herring Gulls
- 10 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 1 Common Buzzard
- 3 Jackdaws
- 2 Rooks again
- c.30 Starlings

Counts from the lake area:
- 2 Canada Geese: arrived together
- 2 + 4 Mute Swans
- *6 (3♂) Gadwall
- 9 (6♂) Mallard
- 4 (3♂) Pochard
- 17 (14♂) Tufted Duck
- 12 Moorhens again
- 49 Coots
- *5 Great Crested Grebes
- *1 Curlew: departed
- >110 Black-headed Gulls
- 2 Herring Gulls
- 9 Lesser Black-backed Gulls: seven adults
- *2 Grey Herons: one chased away
- 1 Kingfisher

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

Later:
Nothing of note

Bottoms up!

Ah! So that is what they are – a pair of Gadwall.

A Great Crested Grebe in threat posture against a pair encroaching on its territory.

"Didn't I do well". A celebration of seeing the others off.

A 'grab shot' of the Common Curlew as it flushed off the dam. I did not see this until it called as it left: I was concentrating on finding the Kingfisher that seemed as if it had settled somewhere along the dam. I did not see the Kingfisher again.

The curlew continued to circle overhead – sadly against the leaden sky. I have dome my best to 'tweak' these photos.

another view.

Again.

 Last one.

This was the Grey Heron that being chased away.

Not the best of conditions to try and take photos of small birds. A male Siskin on last year's Alder cones (amongst this year's catkins).

The background lamp post is vertical so it the sailing club's fence that it at an angle behind this male Siskin. Should you stand on your food?

 I assume this is a female Siskin and presume the apparent black crown is just shadow.

This one was very brave and allowed a slow close approach.

Today's male Dotted Border moth (Agriopis marginaria).

The stretch spider on one of the street lamp poles.

(Ed Wilson)

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The Flash: 09:20 – 10:35

(48th visit of the year)

A new bird for 2023 here was a Pied Wagtail that flew over. This species has been rather scarce this year. It is species #51 for my 2023 log here.

Other bird notes:
- The Mute Swan cygnet was around this morning. I assume I overlooked it yesterday.
- From now on its going to be 'best efforts' with Mallard counts. Birds are now chasing around and hard to keep track of. It is difficult to avoid double- or under-counting.

Birds noted flying over here:
None

Noted on / around the water
- 34 Canada Geese
- 1 Greylag Goose
- 2 + 1 Mute Swans
- 42 (31♂) Mallard
- 1 all-white duck (Peking(?) Duck)
- 40 (22♂) Tufted Duck
- *1 (1♂) Goosander
- 17 Moorhens
- 36 Coots
- 3 Great Crested Grebes again
- 79 Black-headed Gulls
- *4 Herring Gulls: a third, and three second years
- *1 Lesser Black-backed Gulls: second year
- 1 Kingfisher

On / around the street lamp poles
Nothing noted

Noted elsewhere:
- 2 Grey Squirrels.

This immature Goosander is definitely growing some adult-like flanks feathers.

One of today's second year Herring Gulls passes by.

A comparison between a second year Herring Gull, on the left; and a second year Lesser Black-backed Gull on the right.

Here again from underneath. Some bird guides suggest that separation of flying gulls of these species is possible with Lesser Black-backed Gulls having longer and narrower wings. This photo does tend to support this view though in practice I find it almost impossible to ascribe any particular bird: it much depends on the way the wings are being held.

Try the test here! Of course when you see a lone gull then... In this view the separation is trivial on plumage detail.

 I failed with Long-tailed Tit photos today!

Goldcrest is a species that is not easy to photograph: it is so hyperactive. What pink feet.

The gold 'crest' is visible here. Note the staring eye. The less frequently seen Firecrest has a black stripe through its eye. So despite Firecrest being superficially similar, Goldcrest is instantly identified by its staring eye.

(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
1 Caspian Gull
1 Iceland Gull
(Tom Lowe)

Little Wenlock, Candles Landfill Site
1 Iceland Gull
(Tom Lowe)

2010
Priorslee Lake
1 Little Grebe
5 Great Crested Grebes
6 Gadwall
33 Pochard
71 Tufted Duck
(Ed Wilson)

2009
Priorslee Lake
5 Great Crested Grebes
11 Mute Swans
10 Tufted Ducks
1 Iceland
1 Glaucous Gull
(Ed Wilson, Mike Cooper)