23 Dec 24

Priorslee Balancing Lake and The Flash

3.0°C > 5.0°C: A clear start. Cloud from the West with several very light showers. Moderate north-westerly wind. Very good visibility.

Sunrise: 08:21 GMT

* = a species photographed today

Priorslee Balancing Lake: 06:30 – 09:20

(279th visit of the year)

Bird notes:
- the Canada Goose with the injured leg not seen again: it did not seem to be among the group of 10 on the dam-top.
- more movement among the Mute Swans. At first light there were 12 (near) adults. A trio was seen to leave to the North. Later I noticed two more had departed. The three first winters were present throughout.
- two drake Pochard were new arrivals as were some more Tufted Duck. Perhaps from The Flash where numbers were slightly reduced.
- at least 600 Black-headed Gulls were settled on the water by 07:15. I had not seen any arrive so could they have roosted here? Unusual. They were also even noisier than usual when most departed around 08:00.

Bird(s) noted flying over here:
- 2 Greylag Geese: outbound together
- 6 Wood Pigeons
- 6 Herring Gulls
- 15 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 1 Cormorant
- 92 Jackdaw
- 23 Rooks
- 4 Siskins

Counts from the lake area:
- 19 Canada Goose: of these eight departed and another arrived: 10 throughout
- 12 > 7 + 3 Mute Swans: see notes
- 3 (1♂) Gadwall
- 6 (4♂) Mallard
- *2 (2♂) Pochard
- 32 (20♂) Tufted Duck
- 6 Moorhens
- 265 Coots
- 3 Great Crested Grebes
- c.600 Black-headed Gulls
- 3 Herring Gulls
- 35 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 3 Cormorants: arrived separately; two departed together
- 1 Grey Heron
- 1 Great White Egret: arrived 07:35

Noted on the street lamps poles pre-dawn:
Yesterday blast of cold wind seemed to sent most things in to hiding:

Moths:
- none

Flies:
- none

Beetles:
- 1 Orange Ladybird Halyzia sedecimguttata: presumably hibernating by the warmth of the light (do LEDs emit significant heat?)

Spiders, harvestmen etc.:
- *1 spider, species not determined

Telford Sailing Club
Around the outside of the Telford Sailing Club HQ pre-dawn:

Barkflies:
- *1 short-winged female barkfly from Ectopsocus briggsi group
- *4 barkflies Valenzuela flavidus

Spiders, harvestmen etc.:
- 1 spider, species not determined

Later:

Nothing noted

I have concluded the waning Cold Moon is at this angle because of the relative position of the sun at this time of year and not because I was leaning over!

Wall-to-wall clear skies greeted my arrival.

Dark cloud spreading from the West suggested it would spoil any sunrise.

In fact the opposite. The cloud broke somewhat and coloured up.

Worth getting out of bed for. And you did not have to be up at silly o'clock: this just after 08:00.

One of two drake Pochard that were new in.

On the left is one of the barkflies Valenzuela flavidus. On the right what is likely a short-winged female of the barkfly Ectopsocus briggsi group. The NatureSpot web site makes it clear that only females are short-winged but not whether all females are so under-endowed or indeed whether an individual might be fully-winged at another time.

One that got away. A spider sprinting for cover – and who can blame it.

(Ed Wilson)

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In the Priorslee Avenue tunnel pre-dawn:

Absolutely nothing!

(Ed Wilson)

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The Flash: 09:25 – 10:35

(281th visit of the year)

Bird notes:
- when I arrived many of the Greylag Geese came off the island in to the water. Among them and the two mainly white feral geese was a single Pink-footed Goose. It is tempting to suggest it is the same bird that was here among the Greylags last December and in to January. But where has it been between times?

Bird(s) noted flying over here:
- 44 Wood Pigeons: flew North together
- 1 Herring Gull
- 3 Lesser Black-backed Gull

Noted on / around the water:
- 7 Canada Geese
- *>54 Greylag Geese
- *1 Pink-footed Goose
- 2 mainly white feral geese
- 6 + 2 (1 brood) Mute Swans
- 27 (17♂) Mallard
- 10 (>5♂) Pochard
- *79 (>48♂) Tufted Duck
- 22 Moorhens
- 75 Coots
- 29 Black-headed Gulls

Elsewhere:

Nothing noted

On the left one of the many Greylag Geese. On the right a smaller, darker goose with a mainly dark bill – a Pink-footed Goose. Geese always attract geese and it is always worth checking groups for strangers. This was taken at long range as birds paddled toward the bottom end of the water. Of course by the time I got round there for a closer shot they were back on the island.

A drake Tufted Duck keeping careful watch on me.

A party of Long-tailed Tits was seen again. Mostly against the bright sky.

Another individual who has already had too many mince pies.

With them a Blue Tit. I have seen Blue Tits with a 'gap' in the feathering around the nape before. I do not know what causes it. They should not be moulting at this time of year.

(Ed Wilson)

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2013
Priorslee Lake
1st-winter female Great Scaup

Horsehay Pool
Kittiwake

2012
Priorslee Lake
4 Gadwall
14 Pochard
29 Tufted Ducks
3 Goosanders
178 Coots
2 Redwings
4 Siskin
(Ed Wilson)

The Flash
3 Pochard
44 Tufted Duck
28 Goosanders
(Ed Wilson)

Trench Lock Pool
30 Mute Swans
40 Tufted Duck
1 Goosander
161 Coots
1 Great Black-backed Gull
(Ed Wilson)

2009
Priorslee Lake
1 Little Grebe
1 Black-necked Grebe
18 Swans
4 Gadwall
41 Pochard
75 Tufted Ducks
2 Water Rails
311 Coots
600 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
2 Yellow-legged Gulls
12 Goldfinches
10 Siskins
(Ed Wilson/Dawn Balmer/Peter Wilson)

2006
Priorslee lake
2 Great Crested Grebe
3 Cormorants
32 Pochard
24 Tufted Ducks
1 Water Rail
64 Coots
c.100 Black-headed Gulls
23 Redwing
(Martin Adlam)

2005
Priorslee lake
10 Pochard
15 Tufted Duck
c.400 Black-headed Gulls
c.100 Lesser Black-backs
1 Water Rail
20 Pied Wagtails
365 Rooks
325 Jackdaw
1 Kingfisher
51 Siskin
7 Redpoll
13 Greenfinch 13
12 Reed Bunting
(Martin Adlam)
3 Redwing
c.50 Siskin
7 Redpoll
8 Reed Bunting
1 Willow Tit
(Martin Adlam)

22 Dec 24

The Flash and Priorslee Balancing Lake

3.0°C > 5.0°C: A clear start. Clouding from the north-west ahead of rain showers. Keen and fresh westerly wind. Very good visibility.

[Sunrise: 08:20 GMT]

No photographs today

Another delayed start with The Flash first.

Priorslee Balancing Lake: 10:45 – 11:25

(278th visit of the year)

Just from the dam-top.

Bird notes:
- apparently another adult Mute Swans. I wonder whether I miscounted yesterday when a new cygnet had apparently arrived on its own.
- all the large gulls were only dropping in for a bathe and drink, among then a single adult Great Black-backed Gull.
- what was presumably the regular Great (White) Egret was flying in across Castle Farm Way as I arrived.

Counts from the lake area:
- 10 Canada Goose
- 14 + 3 Mute Swans
- 3 (1♂) Gadwall
- 5 (4♂) Mallard
- 27 (13♂) Tufted Duck
- 6 Moorhens
- 254 Coots
- 3 Great Crested Grebes
- 22 Black-headed Gulls
- 1 Great Black-backed Gull
- 14 Herring Gulls
- 4 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 3 Cormorants
- 1 Grey Heron
- 1 Great (White) Egret

(Ed Wilson)

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The Flash: 09:45 – 10:35

(280th visit of the year)

Bird notes:
- I think many birds must have been sheltering from the wind.

Bird(s) noted flying over here:

None

Noted on / around the water:
- 9 Canada Geese
- >24 Greylag Geese: many (more?) inside the island
- 6 + 2 (1 brood) Mute Swans
- 23 (15♂) Mallard
- 10 (>5♂) Pochard
- 92 (60♂) Tufted Duck
- 6 Moorhens
- 77 Coots
- 94 Black-headed Gulls
- 2 Herring Gulls: one adult; one second winter
- 1 Grey Heron

Noted elsewhere:

Spiders, harvestmen etc.:
- 1 Long-jawed Orb-web Spider Tetragnatha sp.
Rather it than me sitting motionless on a cold street lamp pole in this weather.

(Ed Wilson)

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2013
Priorslee Lake
5 Gadwall
2 Teal
6 Pochard
78 Tufted Ducks
1 female Greater Scaup
222 Coots counted
Caspian Gull
2 Fieldfare
17 Redwings
429 Jackdaws
173 Rooks
(Ed Wilson)

The Flash
1 Pochard
110 Tufted Ducks
17 Goosanders
(Ed Wilson)

Trench Lock Pool
11 Swans
1 Shoveler
c.115 Tufted Duck
7 Goosander
129 Coots
41 Black-headed Gulls
51 Lesser Black-backed Gull
1 Yellow-legged Gull
21 Herring Gulls
(Ed Wilson)

2012
Priorslee Lake
4 Gadwall
12 Pochard
26 Tufted Ducks
181 Coots
(Ed Wilson)

The Flash
3 Pochard
40 Tufted Duck
16 Goosanders
(Ed Wilson)

Trench Lock Pool
32 Swans
114 Canada Geese
39 Tufted Duck
1 Goldeneye
166 Coots counted
(Ed Wilson)

Little Wenlock, Candles Landfill Site
3rd-winter American Herring Gull
Caspian Gull
2 Yellow-legged Gulls
5 Yellow-legged Gulls
(Tom Lowe/Kriss Webb)

2011
Priorslee Lake
c.6000 Herring Gulls and Lesser Black-backed Gulls
7 Yellow-legged Gulls
6 Great Black-backed Gulls
Sparrowhawk
(Martin Adlam and Ian Grant)

2009
Priorslee Lake
1 Little Grebe
1 Black-necked Grebe
5 Great Crested Grebes
42 Swans
2 Gadwall
51 Pochard
132 Tufted Ducks
2 Water Rails
296 Coots
c.2000 Black-headed and Lesser Black-backed Gulls
30 Lapwings
50 Golden Plover
7 Redwings
8 Fieldfares
15 Goldfinches
11 Siskins
(Ed Wilson)

Priorslee Lake Icebound - 2009 (Martin Adlam)

2006
Priorslee lake
1 Great Crested Grebe
31 Pochard
33 Tufted Ducks
58 Coots
c.500 Black-headed Gulls
c.3200 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
12 Herring Gulls
2 Great Black-backed Gulls
15 Pied Wagtails
1 Redpoll
3 Reed Buntings
(Martin Adlam)

2005
Priorslee lake
c.600 Black-headed Gulls
c.100 Lesser Black-backs
11 Herring Gull
7 Pochard
14 Tufted Duck
1 Cormorant on the Lake.
200 Coot
1 Water Rail
18 Pied Wagtails
231 Rooks
323 Jackdaw
3 Redwing
c.50 Siskin
7 Redpoll
8 Reed Bunting
1 Willow Tit
(Martin Adlam)

21 Dec 24

The Flash and Priorslee Balancing Lake

9.0°C > 12.0°C: Very dull with light drizzle to start. Cleared from the north-west after 10:15, staying mostly cloudy. Moderate / fresh westerly wind. Very good visibility.

[Sunrise: 08:20 GMT]

* = a species photographed today

Yet another delayed start avoiding the early gloom and drizzle. So it was The Flash first again.

Priorslee Balancing Lake: 10:45 – 11:30

(277th visit of the year)

Just from the dam-top.

Bird notes:
- the Canada Goose with the injured leg did not seem to be with the 10 feeding on the grass on the dam-top.
- same number of adult Mute Swans as when I left yesterday but an additional cygnet / first winter bird.

Bird(s) noted flying over here:
- 1 Stock Dove
- 1 Wood Pigeon

Counts from the lake area:
- 10 Canada Goose
- 11 + 3 Mute Swans
- 3 (1♂) Gadwall
- 7 (5♂) Mallard
- 23 (7♂) Tufted Duck
- 8 Moorhens
- 266 Coots
- 2 Great Crested Grebes
- 17 Black-headed Gulls
- 12 Herring Gulls
- 29 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 2 Cormorants
- 1 Grey Heron

(Ed Wilson)

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The Flash: 09:30 – 10:35

(279th visit of the year)

Bird notes:
- many of the birds were moving around and also feeding avidly on the day with the least daylight, all making accurate numbers difficult. There did seem to be significantly fewer Coots from wherever I looked.

Bird(s) noted flying over here:
- 1 Herring Gull
- 1 Common Buzzard
- 2 Jackdaws

Noted on / around the water:
- 7 Canada Geese
- >24 Greylag Geese: many (more?) inside the island
- 2 mainly white feral geese
- 6 + 2 (1 brood) Mute Swans
- 35 (22♂) Mallard
- 8 (>5♂) Pochard
- *66 (>43♂) Tufted Duck
- 12 Moorhens
- 68 Coots
- 31 Black-headed Gulls
- 1 Herring Gulls: one second winter
- 1 Grey Heron

Noted elsewhere:

Spiders, harvestmen etc.:
- *1 female harvestman Leiobunum blackwalli

Many of the Tufted Ducks are now in breeding plumage and easy to sex – the drake at the back here. The duck, in front, show some remnant white around the base of her bill and that combined with the rather dull-looking eye may indicate she is a first winter bird. Her eye is never so bright as a breeding condition drake.

An adult Herring Gull closes in for a pass to try and persuade the Common Buzzard to move on.

Very dull under tree cover at the moment. My sharpest photo of a Coal Tit as it searches the moss and lichen for goodies.

Also not a brilliant photo from the same area was this Goldcrest. This species is always...

...on the go which does not help.

Unhelpfully near the top of one of the tall street lamp poles in squirrel alley was this female harvestman Leiobunum blackwalli. It is just possible to see the white surround to the eyes that separated this species from L. rotundum though in the females, as here, the shape of the darker area on the abdomen is also diagnostic.

(Ed Wilson)

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2013
Priorslee Lake
5 Gadwall
2 Teal
7 Pochard
74 Tufted Ducks
221 Coots
2 Fieldfare
65 Redwings
228 Jackdaws
119 Rooks
13 Siskins
(Ed Wilson)

2012
Priorslee Lake
4 Gadwall.
12 Pochard
12 Goosanders
51 Tufted Ducks
145 Coots
c.280 Black-headed Gulls
2 Great Black-backed Gulls
c.265 Jackdaws
5 Reed Buntings
(Ed Wilson/John Isherwood)

The Flash
12 Goosanders
4 Pochard
38 Tufted Duck
12 Goosanders
7 Coots
42 were Herring Gulls
44 Black-headed Gulls only on the water
(Ed Wilson/John Isherwood)

Trench Lock Pool
32 Mute Swans
42 Tufted Duck
168 Coots counted
1 Great Black-backed Gull.
(Ed Wilson)

2009
Priorslee Lake
Black-necked Grebe
Little Grebe
8 Great Crested Grebes
22 Swans
1 Gadwall
51 Pochard
148 Tufted Ducks
1 Water Rail
1 Snipe
1 Woodcock
274 Coots
8000+ gulls
2 Yellow-legged Gulls
7 Redwings
16 Goldfinches
13 Siskins
3 Reed Buntings
(Ed Wilson/Martin Adlam/Jim Almond)

2005
Priorslee lake
9 Pochard
16 Tufted Duck
c.2000 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
c.500 Black-headed Gulls
5 Great Black-backed Gulls
11 Herring Gull.
c.200 Coot
1 Water Rail
15 Pied Wagtails
243 Rooks
532 Jackdaw
31 Siskin
2 Redpoll
16 Reed Bunting
(Martin Adlam)

20 Dec 24

Priorslee Balancing Lake and The Flash

3.0°C > 4.0°C: Slight ground frost. Excellent sunrise. Increasing high cloud after a few early clear spells. Light south-westerly wind increasing moderate. Very good visibility.

Sunrise: 08:19 GMT

* = a species photographed today

Priorslee Balancing Lake: 06:25 – 09:25

(276th visit of the year)

Highlight was seeing a Water Rail wandering and poking about in one drainage channels that only contains water after significant rainfall.

Bird notes:
- the Canada Goose with the injured leg was sleeping on one of fishing platforms. Later it was hobbling on the south-west grass again.
- some movement among the Mute Swans. At first light there were 20 (near) adults, four more than on most recent days. Later there were only 11 (I did not notice any leave). As I was walking up Teece Drive to depart to The Flash there were three adults flying around the over the lake: coming? going? flying around? The two cygnets/first winters were present throughout.
- the trio of Gadwall seen again. I suspect they are just hiding on visits where I fail to see them.
- probably more Black-headed Gulls that I have tabulated. Something spooked them before it was light-enough to get an accurate count and many did not settle back.

Bird(s) noted flying over here:
- 2 Goosander: sex not determined
- 13 Wood Pigeons
- 8 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 76 Jackdaw
- 105 Rooks
- 1 Mistle Thrush
- 2 Siskins

Counts from the lake area:
- 1 Canada Goose
- *20 > 11 + 2 Mute Swans: see notes
- 3 (1♂) Gadwall
- 4 (2♂) Mallard
- 14 (6♂) Tufted Duck
- *1 Water Rail
- 10 Moorhens
- 235 Coots
- 2 Great Crested Grebes
- >200 Black-headed Gulls
- 8 Herring Gulls
- 1 Yellow-legged Gull
- 65 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 2 Cormorants: arrived separately
- 1 Grey Heron

Noted on the street lamps poles pre-dawn:

Moths:
- *1 male Winter Moth Operophtera brumata

Flies:
- 1 female plumed midge
- 1 gnat
- *1 fly, possibly Scoliocentra villosa
- 2 winter craneflies Trichocera sp.

Beetles:
- 1 Orange Ladybird Halyzia sedecimguttata

Telford Sailing Club
Around the outside of the Telford Sailing Club HQ pre-dawn:

Flies:
- 1 male plumed midge

Barkflies:
- *2 barkflies Ectopsocus briggsi agg.
- 7 barkflies Valenzuela flavidus

Springtails:
- 1 globular springtail from the Dicyrtomina group

Spiders, harvestmen etc.:
- 3 spiders, species not determined

Later:

Nothing noted

Slightly fuzzy as the waning Cold Moon was shining through a thin layer of high cloud.

The early sky did not show much promise.

It soon got better.

Even better.

Much better

A group of the Mute Swans decided to crash the photos so...

 ...I decided to make a feature of them.

Record shots only. The Water Rail was deep in cover and there were very many twigs and leaves in the way. The long red bill and the two shades of brown on the back can be seen.

The best of a not very inspiring bunch. As far as I can recall this is the first time I have managed to photograph this species here.

The only Winter Moth, a male, Operophtera brumata today.

This fly is possibly Scoliocentra villosa. The red eyes, grey thorax and orange abdomen point to this species.

One of two barkflies of the Ectopsocus briggsi aggregate.

I wonder what this is? It felt almost rubbery. I tried to move it from the street lamp pole in to my palm but it fell to the ground and I could not relocate it. I am sure it is not the Serotine (bat) that Obsidentify is confident it is. All the (many) suggestions from Google Lens show a segmented body. So I suspect it is not "animal" but quite what I have no idea.

(Ed Wilson)

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In the Priorslee Avenue tunnel pre-dawn:

Flies:
- 2 unidentified gnats

Spiders, harvestmen etc.:
- 1 spider only, species not determined

(Ed Wilson)

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The Flash: 09:30 – 10:35

(278th visit of the year)

Bird notes:
- when I arrived there were at least 48 Greylag Geese inside and around the island with the two white feral geese. Later 43 more arrived in three groups.
- numbers of Tufted Duck and Pochard again "best effort" with many birds continually diving and moving around.
- no Great Crested Grebe (or Little Grebe) noted.

Bird(s) noted flying over here:
- 1 Lesser Black-backed Gull

Noted on / around the water:
- 7 Canada Geese
- *91 Greylag Geese: see notes
- 2 mainly white feral geese
- *6 + 2 (1 brood) Mute Swans
- 33 (22♂) Mallard
- 13 (>6♂) Pochard
- 86 (>56♂) Tufted Duck
- 15 Moorhens
- 86 Coots
- 11 Black-headed Gulls
- 6 Herring Gulls: two adults; four second winters
- 1 Lesser Black-backed Gull: adult briefly

Elsewhere:

Nothing noted

Once again the four non-resident adult Mute Swans went for a fly around together. Later they were as two well-separated pairs as usual.

 24 – count them – Greylag Geese arrive with some of the lowering their undercarriage.

Splash down.

Zoomed in on part of the group. Worryingly the bird top dead-centre seems to be slightly smaller and to have a small and partly dark bill. These features might indicate it to be a Pink-footed Goose. I think not: there is too much pale showing in the wing. I cannot pick this bird out in any of the other photos I took of this group.

I know we are not supposed to anthropomorphise but this Song Thrush look glum.

(Ed Wilson)

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2013
Priorslee Lake
5 Gadwall
2 Teal
6 Pochard
94 Tufted Ducks
10 Goosander
1 Water Rail
229 Coots
2 Fieldfare
85 Redwings
(Ed Wilson)

The Flash
1 Little Grebe
151 Tufted Ducks
1 Greater Scaup
2 Goosanders
(Ed Wilson)

Trench Lock Pool
1 Little Grebe
1 Shoveler
1 Pochard
95 Tufted Duck
133 Coots
54 Black-headed Gulls
4 Lesser Black-backed Gull
1 Yellow-legged Gull
7 Herring Gulls
(Ed Wilson)

Horsehay Pool
Iceland Gull
Yellow-legged Gull
(Tom Lowe)

2010
Priorslee Lake
1 Mallard x Pintail
c.200 Black-headed Gulls
1 Common Gull
110 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
6 Herring Gulls
1 Redwing
4 Fieldfare
5 Siskins
(Ed Wilson)

2009
Priorslee Lake
Little Grebe
Black-necked Grebe
Water Rail
>3000 Black-headed Gulls
28 Swans
2 Gadwall
52 Pochard
112 Tufted Ducks
287 Coots
10 Redwings
199 Jackdaws
6 Siskins
(Ed Wilson)

2006
Priorslee Lake
31 Pochard
33 Tufted Ducks
c.400 Black-headed Gulls
c.2800 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
31 Herring Gulls
1 Yellow-legged Gull
18 Pied Wagtails
2 Redpolls
7 Reed Buntings
(Martin Adlam)

19 Dec 24

No sightings in today.

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2013
Priorslee Lake
3 Gadwall
7 Pochard
80 Tufted Ducks
231 Coots
268 Black-headed Gulls
8 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
11 Herring Gulls
27 Fieldfare
103 Redwings
356 Jackdaws
251 Rooks
2 Siskins
(Ed Wilson)

2012
Priorslee Lake
3 Gadwall
11 Pochard
44 Tufted Ducks
180 Coots
1 Great Black-backed Gull
2 Redwings
17 Siskins
(Ed Wilson)

2011
Priorslee Lake
1 adult Yellow-legged Gull
5 Great Black-backed Gull
10 Goosander
(John Isherwood)

Holmer Lake
14 Goosander
(John Isherwood)

2009
Priorslee Lake
Black necked Grebe
7 Great Crested Grebes
45 Pochard
130 Tufted Duck
302 Coot
>3500 gulls
1 Great Black-backed Gull
20 Swans
1 Water Rail
15 Lapwing
15 Herring Gulls
5 Redwings
c.20 Goldfinches
7 Siskins
(Ed Wilson/ John Isherwood)

2006
Priorslee Lake
31 Pochard
33 Tufted Ducks
c.400 Black-headed Gulls
c.2800 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
31 Herring Gulls
1 Yellow-legged Gull
18 Pied Wagtails
2 Redpoll
7 Reed Buntings
(Martin Adlam)

2005
Priorslee Lake
c.400 Black-headed Gulls
150 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
9 Pochard
16 Tufted Duck
200 Coot
1 Water Rail
15 Pied Wagtails
243 Rooks
532 Jackdaw 532
Redwing with a full-blown song
31 Siskins
2 Redpoll
16 Reed Bunting
(Martin Adlam)

18 Dec 24

The Flash and Priorslee Balancing Lake

11.0°C: Mostly overcast with a few brighter moments. Strong south-westerly wind. Very good visibility.

[Sunrise: 08:18 GMT]

* = a species photographed today

Another delayed start. The forecast was rain: it didn't. It also said the strong wind would ease after 08:00. It didn't: well not much until after 12:00. Pah!

So as usual with late starts it was The Flash first.

Priorslee Balancing Lake: 11:40 – 12:20

(275th visit of the year)

Just from the dam-top. The model boat club were using the West end of the water.

Bird notes:
- the Canada Goose with the injured leg was trying to get sympathy from the model boat club members who were using the West end of the water. The goose was hobbling between the cars parked on the south-west grass.

Bird(s) noted flying over here:
- 1 Jackdaw

Counts from the lake area:
- 1 Canada Goose
- 16 + 2 Mute Swans
- 2 (1♂) Mallard
- 1 (0♂) Tufted Duck
- no Moorhens
- 242 Coots
- 4 Great Crested Grebes
- 36 Black-headed Gulls
- *24 Herring Gulls
- 35 Lesser Black-backed Gulls

Not much of note here this morning. This first winter gull caught my eye. The wing pattern with paler inner primaries point to it being a Herring Gull as does the mottling on the upper tail. The tail band itself looks unusually wide and neat for this species. This combination would point to a first winter Caspian Gull if the head was white. I have concluded "just a Herring Gull".

(Ed Wilson)

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The Flash: 10:35 – 11:30

(277th visit of the year)

Bird notes:
- as yesterday most of the Greylag Geese were inside the island and hard to count. Two white feral geese were with them again.
- a pair of (Common) Teal were lurking alongside the island again.
- numbers of Tufted Duck and Pochard "best effort" with many birds continually diving and moving around.
- a Great Crested Grebe was new in. Which reminds me I forgot to note the calling Little Grebe yesterday. I did not see or hear it today.
- an adult Yellow-legged Gull is a species I do not see here very often. One on 27 January was my only other record this year.

Bird(s) noted flying over here:
- 1 Lesser Black-backed Gull

Noted on / around the water:
- 7 Canada Geese
- >40 Greylag Geese
- 2 mainly white feral geese
- 6 + 2 (1 brood) Mute Swans
- 38 (22♂) Mallard
- *2 (1♂) Common Teal
- 13 (>7♂) Pochard
- 83 (>52♂) Tufted Duck
- 13 Moorhens
- 89 Coots
- *1 Great Crested Grebe
- 93 Black-headed Gulls
- *3 Herring Gulls: one adult; two second winters
- *1 Yellow-legged Gull: adult
- 1 Grey Heron

Noted elsewhere:
- just one unidentified fly around the Ivy bank. Warm-enough but too cloudy and windy.

A challenge: spot the pair of (Common) Teal.

The newly-arrived Great Crested Grebe. My last sighting here was of two birds on 14 November.

The very clean-headed adult gull on the left must be a Yellow-legged Gull. Note how much darker it looks than the adult winter Herring Gull on the right. In this photo it almost looks dark-enough to be a Lesser Black-backed Gull: in 'real life' it was too pale. On average Yellow-legs should be slightly smaller than Herrings with males of both species averaging larger than females. That would suggest we are looking at a male Yellow-leg and a female Herring. But "on average"...

Plane of the day: this is the West Midlands Air Ambulance on another mission from its base alongside RAF Cosford. This Airbus Helicopters EC 145T2 (originally designated a MBB-Bk 117 D-2) was away on annual maintenance for much of November with one of the 'spare' air ambulance helicopters from Gloucestershire Airport substituting.

(Ed Wilson)

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5 Gadwall
7 Pochard
48 Tufted Ducks
233 Coots
324 Black-headed Gulls
19 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
11 Herring Gulls
1 Great Black-backed Gull
6 Fieldfare
151 Redwings
284 Jackdaws
156 Rooks
4 Siskins
(Ed Wilson)

2012
Priorslee Lake
1 Little Grebe.
4 Gadwall.
12 Pochard.
43 Tufted Ducks.
182 Coots
189 Wood Pigeons
20 Redwings
184 Jackdaws
3 Siskins
(Ed Wilson)

2009
Priorslee Lake
1 Black-necked Grebe
4 Great Crested Grebes
29 Swans
42 Pochard
2 Water Rails
c.900 Black-headed Gulls
c.2200 large gulls
127 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
12 Redwings
2 Fieldfare
16 Siskins
(Ed Wilson)

2008
Priorslee Lake
3 Gadwall
13 Pochard
(John Isherwood)

2005
Priorslee Lake
c.2500 Black-headed Gulls
c.200 Lesser Black-backs
20 Pochard
58 Tufted Duck
A drake Wigeon
6 Great Crested Grebe
2 Little Grebe
c.200 Coot
2 Water Rail
202 Rooks
247 Jackdaws
11 Pied Wagtails
23 Siskin
5 Redpoll
19 Reed Bunting
(Martin R Adlam)

17 Dec 24

Priorslee Balancing Lake and The Flash

6.0°C > 9.0°C: Overcast with cloud lowering and slight drizzle after c.10:00. Light southerly wind. Good visibility except in drizzle.

Sunrise: 08:17 GMT again

* = a species photographed today

Priorslee Balancing Lake: 06:30 – 09:30

(274th visit of the year)

Bird notes:
- a strange absence of ducks this morning but three unidentified sighting of flying birds:
- 7 seen in flight and leaving to the East at 07:40 might just have been local Mallard flying off.
- 6 birds circled over a few minutes later before leaving to the West. Slightly smaller than Mallard and calling quietly. Too dark to see any plumage details and the calls did not ring any bells.
- - 3 birds flew fast West at 07:50, almost certainly Tufted Duck or Pochard, again while it was too dark to see any details.
- the large gulls were back in some number with many settling on the water before any of the Black-headed Gulls arrived.
- no Great White Egret today.

Bird(s) noted flying over here:
- 2 Greylag Geese: inbound together
- 13 unidentified dabbling ducks: see notes
- 4 Tufted Duck: two duos, sexes not determined
- 3 Tufted/Pochard-type ducks: see notes
- 40 Wood Pigeons: of these a group of 22 flew south-west
- 3 Herring Gulls
- 11 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 76 Jackdaws
- 81 Rooks
- c.35 Starling: one group

Counts from the lake area:
- 1 Canada Goose
- 16 + 2 Mute Swans
- 7 (4♂) Mallard
- 8 Moorhens
- 247 Coots
- 4 Great Crested Grebes
- c.400 Black-headed Gulls
- 26 Herring Gulls
- c.175 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 1 Grey Heron

Birds noted leaving roosts around the lake:

None

Noted on the street lamps poles pre-dawn:
It had been a clear night and there was much dew on the poles even though it was now cloudy

Moths:
- *1 male Winter Moth Operophtera brumata
- *2 male Mottled Umber Erranis defoliaria

Bees, wasps etc.:
- *1 female Oak Apple Gall Wasp Biorhiza pallida

Flies:
- 1 plumed midge
- 1 winter cranefly Trichocera sp.

Beetles:
- 1 Orange Ladybird Halyzia sedecimguttata

Spiders, harvestmen etc.:
- 1 Stout Sac Spider Clubiona sp.
- 1 Long-jawed Orb-web Spider Tetragnatha sp.

Telford Sailing Club
Around the outside of the Telford Sailing Club HQ pre-dawn:

Flies:
- *1 Muscid fly

Barkflies:
- 2 barkflies Valenzuela flavidus

Springtails:
- 3 globular springtails from the Dicyrtomina group

Bug:
- *1 planthopper, just perhaps Acericerus heydenii

Spiders, harvestmen etc.:
- 11 spiders:
- *1 Stout Sac Spider Clubiona sp.
1 Long-jawed Orb-web Spider Tetragnatha sp.
9 others, species not determined

Later:

Nothing noted

Hand-held very much pre-dawn as the cloud rolled across the sky and was about to obscure the last of the sunrise.

Brightening a dull morning is a male Bullfinch.

A male Winter Moth Operophtera brumata caught as it was about to reposition on the street lamp pole.

Yet another male Mottled Umber moth Erranis defoliaria, this with pale and indistinct cross-bars not helped by a spattering of dew.

If I got the previous one correct this is another female Oak Apple Gall Wasp Biorhiza pallida.

One of those "well, I suppose they have to sleep somewhere" photos. This Muscid fly was on the underside of the guttering around the Telford Sailing Club HQ.

A dew-bespattered insect on a wall of the Telford Sailing Club HQ. It looks to be a species of froghopper.

Later what I assume is the same planthopper, now having lost some of its dew: it has turned 180 degrees. Obsidentify is 100% sure it is the planthopper Acericerus heydenii. Checking with NatureSpot I wonder whether the dew spots have misled the app. The Shropshire recorder agrees that this cannot be positively identified.

Also on a wall of the Telford Sailing Club HQ was an approachable Stout Sac Spider Clubiona sp.

(Ed Wilson)

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In the Priorslee Avenue tunnel pre-dawn:

Flies:
- 5 midges of various species

Spiders, harvestmen etc.:
- 6 spiders, species not determined

(Ed Wilson)

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The Flash: 09:35 – 11:00

(276th visit of the year)

Bird notes:
- most of the Greylag Geese were inside the island until I was about to leave when they all dropped in to the water. There were two mainly white feral geese with them.

Bird(s) noted flying over here:
- 3 Lesser Black-backed Gulls: singles

Noted on / around the water:
- 8 Canada Geese
- *70 Greylag Geese
- *2 mainly white feral geese
- 6 + 2 (1 brood) Mute Swans
- 28 (20♂) Mallard
- 8 (5♂) Pochard
- 81 (>46♂) Tufted Duck
- 13 Moorhens
- 93 Coots
- 22 Black-headed Gulls
- 1 Herring Gull: second winter
- *1 Grey Heron

Noted elsewhere:
- *berries from a Hypericum sp. (St. John's-wort)

Two white feral geese were with the Greylags. Greylag flocks have been frequent here recently: it is some weeks since I have noted any of the five or so white geese that associate with them.

The Grey Heron alongside one of the footbridges. The long trailing feathers are a sign it is coming in to breeding condition. It does not seem to care about the litter

I spent some time photographing a very confiding party of Long-tailed Tits. The light was poor and the birds typically active so not all this random selection of some of the best are as sharp as I would like.

How could I resist?

In best "badger" mode.

This one looks to have been indulging in too much Xmas pud.

"I am watching you"

Another sweetie.

One that is camera-shy.

Definitely too much Xmas pud.

A female Chaffinch. This species has a surprisingly pointed bill. Apart from when the males are singing in late Spring I do not see this species here frequently.

I am being watched!

These are berries from one of the several species of Hypericum (St. John's-wort) that grow beside squirrel alley. I cannot identify the species from the berries. What I can tell you is that you should not eat them. All parts of these plants are toxic to some extent, the berries particularly so. Unlikely to kill you: but don't eat.

(Ed Wilson)

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2013
Priorslee Lake
40 Golden Plover
4 Great Black-backed Gulls
5 Gadwall
2 Teal
4 Siskins
2 Redpolls
8 Pochard
83 Tufted Ducks
249 Coots
83 Fieldfare
54 Redwings
216 Jackdaws
(Ed Wilson/John Isherwood)

The Flash
Greater Scaup
1 Little Grebe
179 Tufted Ducks
1 Goosander
(John Isherwood/Ed Wilson)

Holmer Lake
30 Goosander
1 Little Grebe
(John Isherwood)

2012
Priorslee Lake
4 Gadwall
11 Pochard
48 Tufted Ducks
Snipe
1 Water Rail
163 Coots
6 Redwings
227 Jackdaws
3 Redpolls
2 Siskin
(Ed Wilson)

The Flash
2 Pochard
33 Tufted Duck
30 Goosanders
(Ed Wilson)

2009
Priorslee Lake
Black-necked Grebe
5 Great Crested Grebes
29 Swans
36 Pochard
97 Tufted Ducks
3 Water Rails
291 Coots
6 Redwings
c.230 Jackdaws
c.30 Goldfinches
7 Siskins
(Ed Wilson)

2006
Priorslee Lake
18 Pochard
41 Tufted Ducks
35 Fieldfare
19 Redwings
216 Jackdaws
132 Rooks
11 Greenfinches
2 Redpoll
7 Reed Buntings
(Martin Adlam)

2005
Priorslee Lake
c.1500 Black-headed Gulls
c.400 Lesser Black-backs
18 Pochard
77 Tufted Duck
7 Shoveler
5 Great Crested Grebe
2 Dabchick
3 Water Rail
1 Snipe
40 Siskin
2 Redpoll
19 Reed Bunting
(Martin Adlam)