9 Jan 24

The Flash and Priorslee Balancing Lake

0.0°C > 2.0°C: Fine and clear. Keen and gusty north-easterly wind. Very good visibility.

[Sunrise: 08:19 GMT]
* = a species photographed today

Priorslee Balancing Lake: 09:20 – 10:05

(9th visit of the year)

Bird notes:
- An odd numbered date so a Pochard again: how strange.
- A few more Coots: perhaps easier to see in the fine and bright conditions.
- The preponderance of Herring Gulls is difficult to explain. This evening the strong north-easterly winds meant over 500 gulls passed over my house en route to roost at Aqualate, just over the border in Staffordshire. Every single one of them was a Lesser Black-backed Gull and almost all of these were adults.

Counts from the lake area:
- 2 + 2 Mute Swans
- 8 (5♂) Mallard
- 1 (0♂) Pochard
- 22 (13♂) Tufted Duck
- 1 Moorhen
- 82 Coots
- 1 Great Crested Grebe
- 10 Black-headed Gulls
- 1 Great Black-backed Gull: first winter
- 9 Herring Gulls
- 2 Lesser Black-backed Gull
- 3 Cormorant
- 2 Grey Herons

The Great Crested Grebe that has (re-) appeared here recently. The lack of any sign of head plumes suggests that this is a first winter bird.

A first winter Great Black-backed showing off its massive bill. Other notable features are the scaly appearance of the inner part of the wing. This arises because its pale-fringed feathers are larger than on the otherwise similarly-marked first winter Lesser Black-backed Gull.

A very typical first winter Herring Gull.

Here a third winter Herring Gull. Black on the bill and also on the forewing at the bend indicate the age. Unusually this bird shows no remnant dark-tipped feathers in the tail.

And an adult winter Herring Gull. The bill has no black only the red spot that the fledglings instinctively peck to persuade the adult to regurgitate partially digested fish. Don't try this at home.

The only bird flying over I noted was this Common Buzzard.

And again.

(Only) plane of the day. Another Grob G115E Tutor T.1 from the fleet owned by Babcock Aerospace Ltd. based at Bournemouth International Airport and operated by various University Air Squadrons (UASs) giving air experience flights to potential RAF pilots. This aircraft is one of ten based at Cosford used by Birmingham UAS.

(Ed Wilson)

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The Flash: 10:10 – 11:00

(8th visit of the year)

A quick walk around in chilly conditions.

Bird notes:
- A party of 12 Goldfinches feeding in Alders around the small football field was about the best I could find.

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

Noted on / around the water:
- 9 Canada Geese
- 2 Greylag Geese
- 2 + 4 Mute Swans
- 45 (29♂) Mallard
- 1 (1♂) all-white feral duck
- 55 (23♂) Tufted Duck
- 1 (0♂) Goosander
- 15 Moorhens
- 71 Coots
- 2 Great Crested Grebes
- 5 Black-headed Gulls
- 1 Lesser Black-backed Gull: adult
- 1 Grey Heron

On the street lamp poles:
Nothing noted

Of interest elsewhere
- Netted Crust Byssomerulius corium

(Ed Wilson)

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Sightings from previous years

2014
Priorslee Lake
2 female Scaup
10 Pochard
79 Tufted Duck
1 Great Crested Grebe
39 Herring Gulls
85 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
4 Great Black-backed Gulls
296 Black-headed Gulls
(Gary Crowder)

2013
Priorslee Flash
A drake Scaup
(Observer Unknown)

2012
Priorslee Lake
14 Pochard
12 Tufted Duck
5 Yellow-legged Gulls
36 Great Black-backed Gulls
A dark-mantled Scandinavian Herring Gulls
Common Gull
c.550 Black-headed Gulls
39 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
88 Herring Gulls
32 Redwings
(Ed Wilson, Tom Lowe, John Isherwood)

Priorslee Flash
3 Great Crested Grebes
7 Pochard
78 Tufted Duck
233 Black-headed Gulls,
1 Lesser Black-backed Gull
1 Herring Gull
1 Great Black-backed Gull
1 Reed Bunting
(Ed Wilson)

Holmer Lake
71 Goosander,
(John Isherwood)

2010
Priorslee Lake
Bittern
15 Wigeon
1 Common Gull
2 Great Black-backed Gulls
46 Magpies
39 Swans
4 Gadwall
28 Pochard
89 Tufted Ducks
3 Goosander
3 Water Rail
1 Snipe
303 Coots
>1000 Black-headed Gulls
c.50 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
2 Yellow legged Gull
c.15 Herring Gulls
3 Redwings
2 Willow Tits
126 Jackdaws
10+ Siskins
(Ed Wilson, Jim Almond, John Isherwood)

2009
Priorslee Lake
2 Great Black-backed Gull
1 Common Gull
2 Raven
(John Isherwood)

2007
Priorslee Lake
16 Pochard
47 Tufted Ducks
>670 Black-headed Gulls
>515 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
43 Herring Gulls
1 Caspian Gull
3 Yellow-legged Gulls
7 Great Black-backed Gulls
22 Robins
3 Fieldfares
50 Redwings
351 Jackdaws
264 Rooks
(Ed Wilson, Paul King)

2006
Priorslee Lake
2 Gadwall
8 Pochard
63 Tufted Duck
1200 Black-headed Gulls
21 Robins
19 Blackbirds
28 Greenfinches
28 Siskins
1 Reed Bunting
(Ed Wilson)