4 Mar 23

Priorslee Lake and The Flash

4.0°C: Unrelieved low cloud again. Very light NE wind. Very good visibility.

Sunrise: 06:51 GMT

* = a species photographed today.

Priorslee Balancing Lake: 05:45 – 08:50

(53rd visit of the year)

Bird notes:
- A Pheasant was again calling, today in the south-west area. I also heard one crashing about there without calling so perhaps there is a female around as well.
- The adult Mute Swans showed no interest in chasing their offspring (or any of the Canada Geese).
- An additional drake Pochard today.
- Five Goosanders flew West at 06:45. It was too dark to attempt to sex them.
- I think two different Great Spotted Woodpeckers were drumming this morning. One near the Teece Drive gate where I have heard it for several days. And one drumming loudly opposite the last houses in Teece Drive. (The loudness of the drumming depends on the hollowness and size of the dead wood being used.)
- For several days the Magpies have been behaving rather differently. Usually once they leave their roost site their movements are very local. For some days groups of up to six birds have been flying around, often much higher up than usual. I am wondering whether this is last year's juveniles being chased away from their natal sites as the adults prepare for this year's breeding season. I have also read that roost gatherings at this time of year can be boosted by 'strangers' as birds pair up, helping to mix the gene pool.
- The only roost dispersal of Jackdaws and Rooks I noted today was an unseen noisy small group of Jackdaws passing low to the East of the lake at 06:15. Two Jackdaws were seen much later. The roost dispersal remains at the lowest level I can remember.
- Two Mistle Thrushes flew off together from the scrubby area at the West end. This seems rather unusual to me: when not feeding on open ground these birds are usually high up in tall trees.

Birds noted flying over here:
- 5 Goosanders: sexes not determined
- 2 Feral Pigeons: together
- 1 Stock Dove
- 18 Wood Pigeons
- 3 Black-headed Gulls: together
- 2 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 1 Sparrowhawk
- >2 Jackdaws: see notes

Counts from the lake area:
- 10 Canada Geese: of these three departed together
- 2 + 4 Mute Swans
- 4 (2♂) Gadwall
- 7 (4♂) Mallard
- 5 (4♂) Pochard
- 16 (11♂) Tufted Duck
- 10 Moorhens
- 68 Coots
- 5 Great Crested Grebes again
- 55 Black-headed Gulls
- 2 Herring Gulls: first years
- 1 Lesser Black-backed Gull: adult
- *2 Cormorants: arrived separately; one departed
- 2 Grey Herons: one departed

Noted on / around the street lamp poles pre-dawn:
- 1 male Dotted Border moth (Agriopis marginaria): same place on the same lamp pole as yesterday
- 1 'winter' midge sp.
- 1 stretch spider: almost the same place on the same lamp pole as yesterday

Later:

Nothing of note

Under the heavy cloud all I could find to photograph of interest was this breeding condition Cormorant.

(Ed Wilson)

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The Flash: 05:45 – 08:50

(49th visit of the year)

Bird notes:
- Just as there had been at the lake, there were several duos and trios of male Blackbirds aggressively chasing around, crashing through bushes seemingly putting them at risk of breaking a wing. Too much testosterone!

Birds noted flying over here:

None

Noted on / around the water
- 40 Canada Geese
- 1 Greylag Goose again
- 2 + 1 Mute Swans
- 38 (25♂) Mallard
- 1 all-white duck (Peking(?) Duck)
- 48 (28♂) Tufted Duck
- 1 (1♂) Goosander again
- 10 Moorhens only
- 33 Coots
- 1 Great Crested Grebe only
- 73 Black-headed Gulls
- 5 Herring Gulls: a fourth, a third, and three second years
- 2 Lesser Black-backed Gulls: immatures
- 1 Cormorant
- 1 Grey Heron

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

It was all about Long-tailed Tits again I am afraid. This one from a different area at the top end of the water amongst dead Buddleia flower-heads from last year.

One of the usual birds with more lichen for its nest.

Yes: a long tail indeed. Waiting until the coast is clear before going to the nest.

Say 'Ah!'

Swivelling around....

...more...

...and more.

(Ed Wilson)

Note:

Ed Wilson's visit to Venus Pool on 2 Mar 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

3 Great Crested Grebes

13 Cormorants

4 Greylag Geese

22 Tufted Duck

5 Sand Martins

6 Redwings

8 Chiffchaffs

>500 Jackdaws

(Ed Wilson)

The Flash

50 Tufted Ducks

4 Chiffchaffs

4 Siskins

(Ed Wilson)

2013

Priorslee Lake

1 Little Grebe

6 Great Crested Grebes

1 Cormorant

7 Wigeon 

2 Gadwall 

1 Pochard 

42 Tufted Ducks 

1 Great Black-backed Gull

Mediterranean Gull.

Ring-billed x Lesser Black-backed Gull.

>1500 Black-headed Gulls

2 Redwings

65 Magpies

25 Siskins

2 Reed Buntings

(Ed Wilson)

The Flash

2 Great Crested Grebes 

6 Swans

2 Pochard 

85 Tufted Duck 

(Ed Wilson)

2010

Priorslee Lake

3 Buzzards

1 Little Grebe 

5 Great Crested Grebe

4 Gadwall

36 Tufted Duck

c.160 Jackdaws

(Ed Wilson)

The Flash

4 Great Crested Grebe 

3 Greylag Geese 

32 Tufted Duck

Trench

1 Cormorant

43 Tufted Ducks

(Ed Wilson)

2007

Priorslee Lake

Little Ringed Plover

1 Cormorant

1 Mallard x Pintail

18 Tufted Duck

1 Ruddy Duck

1 Little Ringed Plover

1 Kittiwake

33 Wren

29 Robin

24 Blackbird

3 Chiffchaff

39 Magpie

3 Greenfinch

6 Reed Bunting

(Ed Wilson)

The Flash

8 Great Crested Grebe

2 Pochard

27 Tufted Duck

1 Snipe

3 Chiffchaff

2 Reed Bunting

(Ed Wilson)

2006

Priorslee Lake

1 Barn Owl

1 Little Grebe

5 Great Crested Grebes

1 Shoveler

30 Tufted Ducks

2 Water Rails

321 Wood Pigeons

2 Sky Larks

5 Meadow Pipits

33 Wrens

21 Robins

21 Blackbirds

1 Fieldfare

3 Redwings

1 Chiffchaff

1 Willow Tit

18 Greenfinches

8 Siskins

1 Linnet

6 Reed Buntings

1 Yellowhammer.

(Ed Wilson)