17 Jan 24

The Flash and Priorslee Balancing Lake

0.0°C: Mist and fog lifted after c.11:15. Light northerly breeze. Very poor visibility, becoming moderate / good.

[Sunrise: 08:13 GMT]

* = a species photographed today

Yet another late start giving the mist a chance to clear.

Priorslee Balancing Lake: 10:45 – 11:55

(16th visit of the year)

c.50% ice. Initially very poor visibility. Birds gradually emerged from the fog.

Bird notes:
- The duck Goosander still present.
- I took my tripod and telescope with me today so of course there were no gulls with rings for me to read.

Birds noted flying over:

None

Counts from the lake area:
- 2 + 2 Mute Swans
- 7 (5♂) Mallard
- 53 (30♂) Tufted Duck
- 1 (0♂) Goosander
- 7 Moorhens
- 72 Coots
- 33 Black-headed Gulls
- 2 Great Black-backed Gulls: adult and second winter
- 23 Herring Gulls
- 1 Yellow-legged Gull
- 64 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 2 Cormorants

(Ed Wilson)

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The Flash: 09:55– 10:40

(16th visit of the year)

>80% ice. Poor visibility gradually became very poor. The East side of the island not seen.

Bird notes:
- Very few Moorhens noted: they do not like to feed on the frozen grass and hide away.
- *A Great Spotted Woodpecker was seen excavating its potential nest hole.
- I had expected that the ice and cold would bring Fieldfare and Redwing in to more urban areas. I did see or hear any.

Bird(s) noted flying over here:

None

Noted on / around the water:
- 3 Canada Geese
- ? Greylag Geese: at least one heard only
- 2 + 4 Mute Swans
- 48 (30♂) Mallard
- 1 (1♂) all-white feral duck
- 13 (6♂) Tufted Duck
- 5 Moorhens
- 40 Coots
- 1 Great Crested Grebe
- 26 Black-headed Gulls
- 1 Lesser Black-backed Gull: adult

Elsewhere.

Nothing else of note

A female Great Spotted Woodpecker alongside the nest hole she was busily excavating – the noise was what caught my attention. A female because males have red on their nape.

Nest hole at the bottom with the female Great Spotted Woodpecker shinning up the tree.

Here she is in close-up.

Talking of close-up. I was rather too close to this Robin busily extracting the fat provided in coconut half-shells.

At least it all fits in: just. My only contributions on a foggy morning.

(Ed Wilson)

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Sightings from previous years

2014
Priorslee Lake
57 Magpies
10 Pochard
64 Tufted Duck
119 Coots counted
>500 Black-headed Gulls
1 Great Black-backed Gull
18 Redwings
>1500 Jackdaws
>325 Rooks
(Ed Wilson)

The Flash
1st-winter female Velvet Scoter
102 Tufted Ducks
(Ed Wilson and Unknown Observer)

2013
Priorslee Lake
2 Wigeon
4 Gadwall
21 Pochard
80 Tufted Ducks
1 Greater Scaup
1 Goldeneye
155 Coots
Snipe
Woodcock
Kingfisher
113 Redwing
30 Siskins
(Ed Wilson, Mike Cooper)

The Flash
31 Tufted Duck
50 Goldfinches
1 Redpoll.
(Ed Wilson)

Little Wenlock, Candles Landfill Site
Caspian Gull
Yellow-legged Gull
(Tom Lowe)

2012
Priorslee Lake
2 Shoveler
21 Pochard
95 Tufted Duck
3 Yellow-legged Gulls
15 Great Black-backed Gulls
117 Redwings
12 Greenfinches
(Ed Wilson / John Isherwood)

The Wrekin
6 Marsh Tit
2 Brambling
(Ed Wilson)

2007
Priorslee Lake
4 Cormorants
4 Pink-footed Geese
3 Greylag Geese
16 Pochard
35 Tufted Ducks
1 Goldeneye
>600 Black-headed Gulls
>487 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
94 Herring Gulls
1 Great Black-backed Gull
24 Robins
11 Blackbirds
8 Redwings
1 Willow Tit
39 Magpies
205 Jackdaws
76 Rooks
12 Greenfinches
3 Reed Buntings
(Ed Wilson)

2006
Priorslee Lake
12 Great Crested Grebes
2 Gadwall
11 Pochard
11 Tufted Duck
213 Coot
1 Water Rail
c.360 Black-headed Gulls
1 Great Black-backed Gull
169 Jackdaws
117 Rooks
220 Wood Pigeons
21 Robins
20 Blackbirds
2 Willow Tits
41 Siskins
4 Reed Buntings
(Ed Wilson)