0.0°C: Medium-high overcast, lowering gradually. Lower cloud after 07:30 and light snow after 08:10. Brisk East wind. Very good visibility becoming moderate after start of snow.
Sunrise: 06:42 GMT
Bird photos today.
Sunrise: 06:42 GMT
Bird photos today.
None
With snow starting just after 08:00 (and not, as my weather app. said, at 12:00) I decided to head back home.
Priorslee Balancing Lake: 05:30 – 08:30
(57th visit of the year)
Bird notes:
- A Pheasant was heard calling across the East side of Castle Farm Road.
- Fewer Moorhens noted, likely because they don't like eating the grass when it is frosted.
- I again failed to see or hear any Jackdaws or Rooks on their pre-dawn roost dispersal. Two single Rooks were seen much later.
- At least 15 Siskins flying around and calling.
- A Reed Bunting flew high East over the dam. Whether this had emerged from the roost site at the West end I am unsure. As there is a singing bird on territory there he might not tolerate anyone roosting there.
Birds noted flying over here:
- 7 Canada Geese: a duo and a quintet outbound
- 1 Greylag Goose: outbound
- 6 Feral Pigeons: together
- 13 Wood Pigeons
- 5 Herring Gulls
- 6 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 1 Cormorant
- 2 Rooks
- 3 Starlings: together
- 1 Reed Bunting: see notes
Counts from the lake area:
- 13 Canada Geese: a single departed; a duo arrived
- 2 + 4 Mute Swans
- 6 (3♂) Gadwall
- 7 (5♂) Mallard
- 1 (0♂) Pochard only
- 24 (16♂) Tufted Duck
- 11 Moorhens
- 58 Coots
- 4 Great Crested Grebes
- 33 Black-headed Gulls
- 1 Lesser Black-backed Gull: adult
- 1 Cormorant: arrived
- 1 Grey Heron
On the street lamp poles pre-dawn, in the Priorslee Avenue tunnel later or elsewhere.
Nothing of note
A Home Bargains lorry stopped briefly in the Castle Farm Way lay-by. This pile of snow slid off the front on to the ground. The lorry drove over it as it left. At the time it was just cloudy and dull at the lake. It soon started to slow lightly and I decided to leave!
(Ed Wilson)
With snow starting just after 08:00 (and not, as my weather app. said, at 12:00) I decided to head back home.
Priorslee Balancing Lake: 05:30 – 08:30
(57th visit of the year)
Bird notes:
- A Pheasant was heard calling across the East side of Castle Farm Road.
- Fewer Moorhens noted, likely because they don't like eating the grass when it is frosted.
- I again failed to see or hear any Jackdaws or Rooks on their pre-dawn roost dispersal. Two single Rooks were seen much later.
- At least 15 Siskins flying around and calling.
- A Reed Bunting flew high East over the dam. Whether this had emerged from the roost site at the West end I am unsure. As there is a singing bird on territory there he might not tolerate anyone roosting there.
Birds noted flying over here:
- 7 Canada Geese: a duo and a quintet outbound
- 1 Greylag Goose: outbound
- 6 Feral Pigeons: together
- 13 Wood Pigeons
- 5 Herring Gulls
- 6 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 1 Cormorant
- 2 Rooks
- 3 Starlings: together
- 1 Reed Bunting: see notes
Counts from the lake area:
- 13 Canada Geese: a single departed; a duo arrived
- 2 + 4 Mute Swans
- 6 (3♂) Gadwall
- 7 (5♂) Mallard
- 1 (0♂) Pochard only
- 24 (16♂) Tufted Duck
- 11 Moorhens
- 58 Coots
- 4 Great Crested Grebes
- 33 Black-headed Gulls
- 1 Lesser Black-backed Gull: adult
- 1 Cormorant: arrived
- 1 Grey Heron
On the street lamp poles pre-dawn, in the Priorslee Avenue tunnel later or elsewhere.
Nothing of note
(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
2012
Priorslee Lake
1 Iceland Gull
2 Great Black-backed Gulls
(John Isherwood)
Holmer Lake
1 Goosander
(John Isherwood)
2011
Priorslee Lake
13 Pochard
41 Tufted Ducks
1 Oystercatcher
(Ed Wilson)
2007
Priorslee Lake
9 Cormorant
15 Tufted Duck
1 Woodcock
311 Wood Pigeon
36 Robin
24 Blackbird
10 Redwing
53 Magpie
5 Reed Bunting
(Ed Wilson)
2006
Priorslee Lake
1 Ruddy Duck
1 Little Grebe
4 Great Crested Grebes
2 Herons
1 Cormorant
6 Pochard
42 Tufted Ducks
2 Ruddy Ducks
103 Coots
1 Water Rail
1 Ring-billed Gull
141 Wood Pigeon
142 Jackdaws
23 Blackbirds
11 Song Thrushes
1 Redwing
14 Greenfinches
6 Reed Buntings.
(Ed Wilson and et al)