2 Dec 23

The Flash and Priorslee Balancing Lake

-2.0°C: Foggy, clearing somewhat from time to time, especially later. Very light easterly breeze. Moderate visibility: poor at times.

[Sunrise: 08:00 GMT]

Yet again a 'wrong way round' visit today avoiding the even colder early morning.

+ = my first sighting of this species at this site this year.
++ = new species for me at this site.
* = a species photographed today

Priorslee Balancing Lake: 11:20 – 12:00

(251st visit of the year)

Once more watching only from the Castle Farm Way lay-by and the dam top.

Still only a small amount of ice here. Mostly around the edges with one other small patch in the middle.

Bird notes:
- A pair of Gadwall back (assuming they ever went away). Pochard and Goosander not seen.
- I was surprised, given that all the Tufted Duck had left The Flash, that there were not more here.
- No Little Grebes today but two Great Crested Grebes (and adult and a first winter) among the gulls.
- Again the gull numbers were instantaneous counts. Many, mainly Lesser Black-backed Gulls, continued to come and go.

Birds noted flying over:
- 12 Canada Geese
- 2 Common Buzzards

Counts from the lake area:
- 17 Canada Geese: of these eight arrived together; eight others flew off in two groups.
- 2 + 2 Mute Swans
- 2 (1♂) Gadwall
- 9 (6♂) Mallard
- 75 (38♂) Tufted Duck
- 5 Moorhens
- Coots not counted
- 2 Great Crested Grebes
- 77 Black-headed Gulls
- 32 Herring Gulls
- >430 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 1 Grey Heron: departed

I was at the lake after The Flash. Here the mist was yet to lift.

Beginning to disperse. A Carrion Crow is sitting in the tree in the foreground. This is the South side.

And the North side.

Ice crystals deposited by the fog and mist.

A Moorhen skidding about.

Just a few of the many gulls on the water, mainly Lesser Black-backed Gulls and almost all adults.

An adult winter Lesser Black-backed Gull. This bird has just about the maximum amount of head-streaking I have ever seen on this species. Another gull with a similar head pattern in winter is the Azorean (or Azores) Gull. This has been seen in the UK on a very few occasions. Azorean Gull is more closely-related to Herring Gull and does not show the dark trailing edge to the underwing seen on this individual.

Gulls do not like Grey Herons when they fly over. A first winter Herring Gull leads the trio while an adult winter Lesser Black-backed Gull complains loudly.

Still complaining!

A male Pied Wagtail marching around on the ice.

The same bird posing.

(Ed Wilson)

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The Flash: 12:10 – 13:25

(235th visit of the year)

c.90% ice with most birds confined to a small area of open water by one of the footbridges.

Bird notes:
- With most things crammed together it was difficult to get accurate totals. Six of the Greylag Geese were noted inside the island, perhaps others unseen.

Bird(s) noted flying over here:
None

Noted on / around the water:
- 78 Canada Geese
- 42 Greylag Geese: of these at least 15 departed together
- 2 + 4 Mute Swans
- 40 (26♂) Mallard
- 1 (1♂) all-white feral duck
- no Tufted Duck: all flown off
- 11 Moorhens
- 47 Coots
- 3 Great Crested Grebes
- 56 Black-headed Gulls
- 2 Herring Gulls: first and third winter birds
- 6 Lesser Black-backed Gulls: all (near) adults
- 1 Grey Heron

Of interest elsewhere.
Nothing found

I arrived at The Flash just as the mist had lifted and the sun was occasionally breaking through. This is not a snowy scene. It is hoar frost from the freezing fog. A once in a decade occurrence like this.

I am sure everyone who was out with their camera this morning will have shots like this. No matter. Here is my offering.

An amazing sight.

 Again.

Weeping Willows are always elegant. The taxonomy of all willows is complex. Weeping Willow originated in China as Salix babylonica. Many of those grown in the UK are cross-bred cultivars, most often S. alba x babylonica.

The tower of St Georges church in the distance.

As well as general views I attempted to get close photos of the hoar frost crystals.

Note how the slight breeze had built the ice crystals in one direction.

Very spiky. Underneath are Oak leaves. It is probably a Pedunculate (or English) Oak (Quercus robur) though I did not check.

Probably my best attempt at the crystals.

I doubt the spider will be checking its web anytime soon.

Oh yes: it is supposed to be about the birds. They were mostly crammed in to this one small area of open water by one of the footbridges. Mostly Coots here – I make it 42 in this view. Canada Geese, Mallard, Great Crested Grebes and Black-headed Gulls complete the scene.

"I am wearing my hat and overcoat to try and stay warm. If I stand on one leg it helps too". A Grey Heron of course.

Two Great Crested Grebes pretending to be asleep. The bird on the left is a first winter yet to develop any head plumes. An adult on the right.

Another first winter Great Crested Grebe with a Coot.

Not asleep after all.

Oops. An adult winter Black-headed Gull skids to a halt.

This does not look very comfortable. An adult Lesser Black-backed Gull sitting on the ice.

I would think birds lose less heat when standing. On the left a first winter Herring Gull with two adult Lesser Black-backed Gulls.

A puzzle. What would have left these marks in the ice? My best suggestion that it was a Moorhen skidding along with a wing out to keep its balance, the wing sweeping across the ice and leaving the feather patterns.

(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
3 Gadwall.
8 Pochard.
51 Tufted Ducks
156 Coots.
1st-winter Great Black-backed Gull on the water.
35 Redwings
c.407 Jackdaws
82 Rooks.
4 Siskins
1 Redpoll
(Ed Wilson)

2011
Priorslee Lake
3 Yellow-legged Gull
2 Great Black-backed Gulls
Caspian Gull
(John Isherwood / Another Observer)

2009
The Wrekin
Firecrest
(Pete Nickless)

2006
Priorslee Lake
21 Pochard
50 Tufted Ducks
1 eclipse drake Ruddy Duck
73 Coots
>750 Black-headed Gulls
1904 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
1 Yellow-legged Gull
29 Robins
25 Blackbirds
1 Fieldfare
6 Song Thrushes
31 Redwings
1 Willow Tit
258 Jackdaws
248 Rooks
4 Reed Buntings
(Ed Wilson)

2005
Priorslee Lake
1 Cormorant
3200 Black-headed Gulls
700 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
1st-winter Great Black-backed Gull
7 Pochard
36 Tufted Duck
208 Coot
246 Jackdaws
83 Rooks
(Ed Wilson)