5.0°C > 6.0°C: Fine and clear. Moderate westerly wind, still gusty after overnight gales. Very good visibility.
Sunrise: 08:02 GMT
* = a species photographed today
Priorslee Balancing Lake: 06:40 – 09:35
(25th visit of the year)
Bird notes:
- *A trio of Mute Swans made a fleeting visit, circling low and returning to the East rather than face the threatening resident cob. Probably an adult pair with a first winter cygnet.
- A Cetti's Warbler was heard giving its explosive call noted (not song) and also seen towards the north-east area. Later perhaps another was giving contact 'tac' calls in the south-west area. Male and female?
- Just three Song Thrushes in voice on this slightly cooler morning.
- *A flock of at least 25 Siskins were in Alder by the Wesley Brook bridge
Counts of birds noted flying over:
- 46 Canada Geese: outbound in seven groups
- 12 Greylag Geese: outbound in two groups
- *3 [2 + 1] Mute Swans
- 12 Wood Pigeons
- 7 Black-headed Gulls:
- 1 Herring Gull
- 20 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 2 Cormorants: together
- 1 Common Buzzard
- 50 Jackdaws
- 11 Rooks
- 1 Pied Wagtail
Birds seen leaving roosts around the lake:
- 9 Redwings
Counts from the lake area:
- 2 + 2 Mute Swans
- 2 Canada Geese: arrived
- 8 (5♂) Mallard
- 19 (10♂) Tufted Duck
- 1 (0♂) Goosander
- 9 Moorhens
- 69 Coots
- 82 Black-headed Gulls:
- 12 Herring Gulls
- 4 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 3 Cormorants: arrived separately
- 2 Grey Heron: perhaps three as after usual chase two noted still present
On or around the street lamp poles pre-dawn or elsewhere later.
Nothing at all noted
Just over 12 hours since the Wolf Moon was full. Just the hint of craters in the 5 o'clock position.
A large number of Siskins were in the Alders alongside the Wesley Brook bridge. Here are two males.
Makes my head ache to look at how these birds like to feed.
They obviously have a different metabolism.
Another male.
A male with a paler and streakier female behind him.
The male bottom left shows a very scaly crown.
Another male. There did not seem to be many fewer females.
Prising open another cone for a seed.
Munch, munch.
From the other side.
Another male.
One more. Not often I get the opportunity to get such a number of photos.
At last: a female!
(Ed Wilson)
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The Flash: 09:35– 10:35
(24th visit of the year)
Bird notes:
- A drake Common Teal was heard calling: I could not locate it.
- Three Coal Tits chasing around near the medical centre. A presumed different bird in song at the top end.
Bird(s) noted flying over here:
None
Noted on / around the water:
- 22 Canada Geese
- 4 Greylag Geese
- 2 + 4 Mute Swans
- 2 (1♂) Gadwall
- 47 (32♂) Mallard
- 1 (1♂) all-white feral duck
- 1 (1♂) Common Teal: heard only
- 5 (3♂) Pochard
- 61 (33♂) Tufted Duck
- 2 (1♂) Goosander
- 16 Moorhens
- 49 Coots
- 1 Great Crested Grebe
- 32 Black-headed Gulls
- 1 Lesser Black-backed Gull: adult
Noted on / around the water:
- 22 Canada Geese
- 4 Greylag Geese
- 2 + 4 Mute Swans
- 2 (1♂) Gadwall
- 47 (32♂) Mallard
- 1 (1♂) all-white feral duck
- 1 (1♂) Common Teal: heard only
- 5 (3♂) Pochard
- 61 (33♂) Tufted Duck
- 2 (1♂) Goosander
- 16 Moorhens
- 49 Coots
- 1 Great Crested Grebe
- 32 Black-headed Gulls
- 1 Lesser Black-backed Gull: adult
A Great Tit hanging from a street light as it searches for spiders and the like.
Of course there was a Robin....
...or two...
...or three.
So that is what you had for breakfast.
(Ed Wilson)
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Sightings from previous years
2014
Priorslee Lake
Velvet Scoter
2 Scaup
(Martin and Ian Grant)
2013
Priorslee Lake
39 Wigeon
8 Gadwall
24 Pochard
74 Tufted Ducks
1 Greater Scaup
173 Coots
169 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
18 Herring Gulls
1 Great Black-backed Gull
(Ed Wilson)
2008
Priorslee Lake
Iceland Gull
(Observer Unknown)