15 Jan 24

The Flash and Priorslee Balancing Lake

1.0°C > 2.0°C: Clear and sunny. Thin covering of snow. Light north-westerly breeze. Very good visibility.

[Sunrise: 08:15 GMT]

* = a species photographed today

A late start to avoid the earlier snow.

Priorslee Balancing Lake: 12:10 – 12:30

(14th visit of the year)

Very, very quiet. As is customary in cold weather I wimped out, looking only from the dam-top area.

No obvious ice.

Bird notes:
- Despite the total absence of Tufted Duck I was surprised to see a duck Goosander apparently happily fishing for its lunch.
- The general lack of other birds on the water may be partly the reason I counted more Coots. Perhaps ice on smaller water bodies had moved some here.
- Only five gulls!

Counts of birds noted flying over:
- 2 Cormorants

Counts from the lake area:
- 2 Canada Geese
- 2 + 2 Mute Swans
- 5 (3♂) Mallard
- no Tufted Duck
- 1 (0♂) Goosander
- 2 Moorhens
- 79 Coots
- 4 Black-headed Gulls
- 1 Herring Gull

That's all folks!

(Ed Wilson)

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The Flash: 10:35– 12:00

(14th visit of the year)

A small amount of ice in the sheltered areas.

Bird notes:
- Many of the Greylag Geese arrived while I was the "wrong side" of the island. By the time I had more visibility some had climbed inside the island. I was unable to get an accurate count. So far as I could tell there were no other species or hybrids with them.
- As I was preparing to leave I heard a drake Common Teal calling. Just as I found it close to the island it took off and flew to land amongst the throng of Canada Geese. I could not re-find it thereafter.
- Two Common Buzzard were in trees at the top end being mobbed by noisy Carrion Crows and Magpies. They eventually put the buzzards to flight.

Bird(s) noted flying over here:

None

Noted on / around the water:
- *121 Canada Geese
- *c.175 Greylag Geese: all but four arrived in several large groups
- 2 + 4 Mute Swans
- 30 (21♂) Mallard
- 1 (1♂) all-white feral duck
- 1 (1♂) Common Teal
- 6 (4♂) Pochard
- 99 (48♂) Tufted Duck
- 16 Moorhens
- 61 Coots
- 1 Great Crested Grebe
- *33 Black-headed Gulls
- 3 Herring Gulls: one third year and two adults
- 1 Lesser Black-backed Gull: adult

Noted on the Ivy bank:
- *1 fly sp. my first of the year here. Probably one of the Tachinid flies.

One of the many groups of Greylag Geese arrives.

Another group.

A puzzle. The Canada Goose in the foreground looks slightly smaller than its companion and also slightly more brown-toned. Amongst the genuine wild populations of Canada Geese there are various races / sub-species that differ from the 'standard'. There are also smaller birds that are recognised as different species. These birds do occasionally visit the UK in winter and get caught up in our 'feral' populations. I suspect this one is just 'natural variation' and likely a female: these average smaller than males.

One of the Common Buzzards flushed by the Magpies and Carrion Crows perched almost overhead.

This view clearly shows the banded tail-feathers.

The strong sunlight 'blew out' most details on the gulls I photographed. This first winter Black-headed Gull was an exception.

A fly sitting on the Ivy. I suspect it was just taking advantage of a sunny and sheltered location rather than looking for nectar from the Ivy. It appears to one of the Tachinid flies.

Plane(s) of the day #1. A trio of Eurofighter Typhoons headed to exercise over Wales from their base in Lincolnshire, probably Coningsby.

Here is the aircraft data from one of the flight tracker apps. It is unusual for military aircraft on such flights to have their transponders switched on: even more unusual for all the aircraft in the formation to do so. Their identities need to be treated with caution: it is not unknown for military aircraft to be transmitting incorrect transponder codes.

Plane of the day #2. Yet another product from Piper Aircraft of Lockhaven, Florida. This 1985-build PA-28-161 Warrior II is owned by Henshaw Aviation from Darlington. It was en route from Leeds East (RAF Church Fenton as was) to Shobdon Airfield in Herefordshire. From there it continued its day out to Duxford in Cambridge before returning to Leeds East.

(Ed Wilson)

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Sightings from previous years

2014
Priorslee Lake
1 Velvet Scoter
3 Scaup
10 Pochard
87 Tufted Duck
2 Goosander
121 Coot
23 Herring Gull
4 Great Black-backed Gull
181 Lesser Black-backed Gull
157 Black-headed Gull
Kingfisher
(Gary Crowder, Chris Cameron)

2013
Priorslee Lake
1 Greater Scaup
4 Gadwall
1 Goldeneye
82 Tufted Ducks
15 Pochard
143 Coots
1 Dunlin
1 Great Black-backed Gull
3 Redwings
1 Fieldfare
184 Jackdaws
4 Siskins
(Ed Wilson, Mike Cooper, John Isherwood)

The Flash
29 Tufted Duck
8 Goosanders
14 Goldfinches
(Ed Wilson)

Little Wenlock, Candles Landfill Site
Caspian Gull
Yellow-legged Gull.
(Observer Unknown)

2012
Priorslee Lake
5 Great Crested Grebes
19 Pochard
22 Tufted Duck
2 Goosanders
14 Magpie
1 Yellowhammer
(Ed Wilson)

2009
Priorslee Lake
Mediterranean Gull
2 Yellow legged Gulls
3 Great Black-backed Gulls
20 Herring Gull
100 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
80 Black-headed Gulls
c. 60 Tufted Duck
9 Pochard
(Mike Cooper, Andy Latham)

2008
Priorslee Lake
Glaucous Gull
(Geoff Holmes)

2007
Priorslee Lake
1 Little Grebe
8 Cormorants
11 Pochard
29 Tufted Ducks
>252 Black-headed Gulls
>66 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
23 Herring Gulls
200 Wood Pigeons
35 Robins
15 Blackbirds
76 Fieldfares
17 Redwings
1 Willow Tit
39 Magpies
217 Jackdaws
175 Rooks
11 Greenfinches
4 Reed Buntings
(Ed Wilson)

2006
Priorslee Lake
9 Cormorants
200 Wood Pigeons
11 Great Crested Grebes
11 Pochard
24 Tufted Duck
243 Coot
1 Water Rail
236 Jackdaws
216 Rooks
33 Siskins
15 Pied Wagtails
24 Robins
19 Blackbirds
8 Greenfinches
(Ed Wilson)