11 Jan 24

Priorslee Balancing Lake and The Flash

3.0°C > 5.0°C: Mainly low / medium overcast. Light north-easterly breeze. Very good visibility.

Sunrise: 08:18 GMT

* = a species photographed today

Priorslee Balancing Lake: 06:30 – 09:30

(11th visit of the year)

New Bird Species
Despite the low numbers of most birds I managed to add three species to my year list from here. In sighting order:
#52: a Bullfinch was seen and heard flying toward the West end from the south-west area. Not a species I see every day but 11 days is an unusually long gap between sightings.
#53: Today I noted that some feral / roof pigeons have colonised the houses to the East of Castle Farm Way. I do not include distant "roof pigeons" in my log, only when Feral Pigeons that fly across the lake – as an all-white bird did today.
#54 Two, presumably a pair of, Collared Doves flew from the other side of the M54 across the West end, as they often do when I am in the right place at the right time
My year list here is still missing Nuthatch, Starling and Greenfinch from the commonly seen species.

Other bird notes:
- I am sure the birds know what they are doing and why. Yesterday there were >500 Black-headed Gulls with arrivals as early as 06:45. Today the first arrivals were at 08:15 and I noted only 67 on the water.
- One Cormorant was seen apparently leaving a roost somewhere in the north-east area to fish at the West end and then sit on a buoy there. Another flew over and much later another arrived.
- Two (perhaps a pair) of Mistle Thrushes flew East out of trees by the Teece Drive gate. Two other birds, also presumably a pair, were sitting at the top of adjacent trees beside Teece Drive opposite the football field. Seeing two pairs is not common.

Counts of birds noted flying over:
- 2 Canada Geese: outbound together
- 1 Feral Pigeon
- 2 Wood Pigeons only
- 2 Collared Doves
- 5 Herring Gulls
- 12 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 1 Cormorant
- 2 Jackdaws
- 1 Rook
- 1 Pied Wagtail

Birds seen leaving roosts around the lake.

None

Counts from the lake area:
- 2 Canada Geese: departed
- 2 + 2 Mute Swans
- 2 (1♂) Gadwall
- 8 (5♂) Mallard
- 14 (6♂) Tufted Duck
- 8 Moorhens
- 75 Coots
- 67 Black-headed Gulls
- 1 Herring Gull
- 5 Lesser Black-backed Gull
- 2 Cormorants: see notes
- 1 Grey Heron

Noted on or around the street lamp poles pre-dawn:

Flies:
- 1 winter cranefly Trichocera sp.
- *1 barkfly Ectopsocus sp.

Other insects:
- 1 globular springtail

Noted elsewhere
- *flowers of Daisy (Bellis perennis)
- leaf-mines of the Golden Pigmy moth Stigmella aurella

On the Teece Drive fence.

Nothing noted

An adult male Blackbird looking rather belligerent.

The only unusual insect found on the street lamp poles was this barkfly Ectopsocus sp.

This is the first flower I have noted here this year: a Daisy Bellis perennis. These flowers can be seen on any day during the year.

(Ed Wilson)

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The Flash: 09:35 – 10:40

(11th visit of the year)

All yesterday's ice gone.

Bird notes:
- A pair of Gadwall and a quartet of Pochard new in since yesterday.
- An improbably high count of Mallard, especially drakes. Perhaps some flew around without me noticing and get double-counted?
- *I initially thought the Great Crested Grebe seemed to be differently-marked from the two birds I photographed yesterday. Comparison shows otherwise.
- Two Jays calling at the top end became bird species #46 for me here this year.

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

Noted on / around the water:
- 22 Canada Geese
- 3 Greylag Geese
- 2 + 4 Mute Swans
- 2 (1♂) Gadwall
- 53 (37♂) Mallard
- 1 (1♂) all-white feral duck
- 4 (3♂) Pochard
- *70 (35♂) Tufted Duck
- 20 Moorhens
- 73 Coots
- *1 Great Crested Grebe
- 7 Black-headed Gulls
- 1 Lesser Black-backed Gull: adult
- 1 Grey Heron: arrived
- *1 Kingfisher

Of interest elsewhere
- *leaf-mines of the Golden Pigmy moth Stigmella aurella
- *Hazel Corylus avellana flowers and buds

I wonder why they are called Tufted Ducks! A drake in full breeding plumage with gleaming white flanks and a long crest.

Today's Great Crested Grebe.

I had thought this was a different bird from the two I photographed yesterday: a comparison collage shows it is likely the left-most lower bird.

A Grey Heron arrives with its head plumes blowing the breeze. Note the erect feather at the mid-point of the forewing. This is known as the alula and is extended when the bird is preparing to land to allow it to aid manoeuvrability at low speed. It is replicated on all modern aircraft as wing leading-edge flaps (or slats) which are extended on landing and take-off.

 Note the claws on its feet.

Yet another! The Kingfisher was keeping its distance again.

A kind person has hung a half coconut alongside the path. Here a Blue Tit tucks in. When seen closely there are many tones of blue in the plumage.

What can I say. A Robin looking for handouts.

Fluffed up against the cold.

"Feed me"

A different Robin eyeing up the coconut.

Not something you see too often: two Robins close together. These are likely paired and will therefore tolerate each other. Normally the red breast would trigger and aggressive response.

The larva of some insects (moths and flies) feed on the cellulose between the surfaces of leaves of their chosen food-plant. As they progress they leave trails or mines. The mines of some species are distinctive and can identify the occupant. This is a leaf-mine of the Golden Pigmy moth Stigmella aurella here on its favourite food, Bramble [Blackberry] Rubus sp. The adults are rarely seen unless they are hatched in captivity. A better example than the one I photographed at the Balancing Lake.

The complete set of things Hazel Corylus avellana. Two male catkins; one female flower (this will become the nut); and three leaf buds.

(Ed Wilson)

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Sightings from previous years

2014
Priorslee Lake
3 Scaup
1 Common Gull
(Dave Tromans/Tom Lowe)

2013
Horsehay Pool
3 Yellow-legged Gulls
2 Common Gulls
2000 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
20+ Greater Black-backed Gulls
600 Herring Gulls
(Kris Webb and Jim Almond)

2010
Priorslee Lake
5 Bullfinch
4 Goosander
2 Water Rail
Common Snipe
Woodcock
4 Gadwall
Bittern
Peregrine
38 Swans
26 Pochard
57 Tufted Ducks
333 Coots
c.200 Black-headed Gulls
c.20 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
3 Herring Gulls
12 Siskins
(Ed Wilson, Martin Grant)

2008
Priorslee Lake
1 Glaucous Gull
(Paul King)

2007
Priorslee Lake
1 Little Grebe
11 Pochard
62 Tufted Ducks
5 Goosanders
>1000 Black-headed Gulls
10 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
16 Robins
13 Redwings
34 Magpies
378 Jackdaws
348 Rooks
3 Reed Buntings
(Ed Wilson)

2006
Priorslee Lake
c.20 Golden Plover
2 Gadwall
c.1100 Black-headed Gulls
145 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
52 Herring Gulls
3 Great Black-backed Gulls
11 Pochard
37 Tufted Duck
226 Coots
1 Water Rail
221 Jackdaws
392 Rooks
12 Siskins
13 Pied Wagtails
3 Reed Buntings
21 Robins
18 Blackbirds
1 Willow Tit
5 Bullfinches
(Ed Wilson)