26 Feb 24

Priorslee Balancing Lake and The Flash

1.0°C > 5.0°C: Scattered cloud early with only broken cloud later. Keen northerly wind. Very good visibility.

Sunrise: 07:05 GMT

* = a species photographed today

Priorslee Balancing Lake: 06:05 – 09:20

(42nd visit of the year)

Highlight today was a party of 39 Golden Plover that flew fast West at 07:45. This is a species I do not see here every year (I did not see any last year). When I do see them they are usually in large groups flying in very characteristic formation, high above fields far to the East. I have once seen a single bird on the south-west grass amongst Lapwings (Lapwings: those were the days). I have only occasionally seen flocks overhead. My 64th bird species here this year

Other bird notes:
- both adult Mute Swans were chasing the only cygnet I noted. It either flew away without my noticing or went and hid in the reeds.
- *two Great Crested Grebes cleared paired and touring their estate.
- very few Jackdaws or Rooks passing and the few seen were at extreme range.
- two *Mistle Thrushes were noted on the football field. Strangely I have not recorded this species singing since 2 January. I heard it singing in both November and December and I suppose it paired up and established its territory early.
- at least 50 Siskins flying over and around with some or all of these heard later in trees near the Teece Drive gate.
- two Reed Buntings singing today.

Counts of birds noted flying over:
- 8 Canada Geese: six flew South together; a pair inbound
- 3 Greylag Geese: a single and pair outbound
- 7 Goosander: flew West 06:45
- 18 Wood Pigeons
- 39 Golden Plover as highlighted
- 1 Herring Gull
- 1 Lesser Black-backed Gull
- 5 Cormorants: a trio and a duo
- 6 Jackdaws
- 1 Rook
- 7 Redwings
- 1 Greenfinch

Counts from the lake area:
- 2 + 1 Mute Swans
- 3 Canada Geese: duo and single
- 5 (3♂) Mallard
- 27 (17♂) Tufted Duck
- 7 Moorhens
- 36 Coots
- 1 Little Grebe: heard only
- *2 Great Crested Grebes
- c.110 Black-headed Gulls
- 1 Herring Gull
- 4 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- *3 Cormorants: arrived separately; one departed again

Noted on or around the street lamp poles pre-dawn:
A cold breeze on the lamp poles and just:

Spider:
- *1 Nursery Web Spider Pisaura mirabilis

Later.

Nothing of note

The (just) waning Snow Moon. I still can't see the moon lander...

The pair of punk Great Crested Grebes patrolling the lake.

One of the three Cormorants that arrived separately was an adult – this one showing breeding conditions white neck plumes and, just visible, a white thigh-patch.

One of a pair of Mistle Thrushes searching for food on the football field. The spots on this species are more like blotches than they are on the smaller Song Thrush. Another distinction seen here is the pale fringes on several of the feather tracts. The Song Thrush lacks pale fringes.

The sailing club employed contractors late last year to cut weed growing in the lake. The cut weed was dumped in piles on the bank at various locations. These are now rotten and stinking heaps that attract flies which in turn have attracted this Grey Wagtail.

There is no sign of a dark throat on this bird so it seems it is a female. I think a first year male would be showing some black by now. Older females can also have black throats.

The Nursery Web Spider Pisaura mirabilis on a street lamp pole pre-dawn stayed there allowing me a better photo later.

Plane of the day. This is a 2017-build Tecnam P2006T registered to 3GRComm Ltd. of Hereford. Built near Naples in Italy this twin-engined aircraft seats just four (including the pilot). As such it is unlike any other aircraft currently available. The aircraft operates out of Gloucestershire Airport (formerly known as Staverton). The aircraft's high wing and relatively low-power engines apparently provide a stable platform for its survey tasks using on-board lasers.

(Ed Wilson)

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The Flash: 09:25– 10:25

(44th visit of the year)

Bird notes:
- the pair of Gadwall briefly appeared alongside sedges and then retreated in to cover.
- more small groups of *Siskins flying around.

Bird(s) noted flying over here:

None

Noted on / around the water:
- *25 Canada Geese
- 2 + 4 Mute Swans
- 2 (1♂) Gadwall: see notes
- 20 (14♂) Mallard
- 1 (1♂) all-white feral duck
- *36 (19♂) Tufted Duck
- 8 Moorhens
- *41 Coots
- 1 Great Crested Grebe
- *11 Black-headed Gulls

Of note.

Nothing else.

A duck Tufted Duck looking fierce as usual. She seems to have a random selection of pale, even white, feathers. She was the only tufty close by one of the bridges and had learnt that when food is available she can dive for any that sinks before the geese, swans, Coots and gulls can snatch it from the surface.

Well: that's not very friendly.

The Coot has food. The Black-headed Gulls want to snatch it.

Three against one. The gull at the top is a first year. The closest gull is an adult. The middle bird shows some black speckling on the leading edge of the wing at the bend and I think that means it is a second year bird, not quite in full adult plumage.

Gulls have quick reactions. An adult Black-headed Gull snatches food from in front of a Canada Goose.

Here is another adult Black-headed Gull still with a few white marks in the dark hood. It is likely a few dark feathers of the breeding plumage have yet to grow fully. When they do so they will cover the white patches. Note too the dark-tipped bill is not so plum-red as a full adult.

This is more like a full adult, albeit still with some white speckling on the throat.

The only Siskin, a male, that paused in view. It makes a change to see one the right way up.

(Ed Wilson)

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Sightings from previous years

2014
Priorslee Lake
4 Great Crested Grebes
3 Cormorants
1 Grey Heron
8 Pochard
4 Tufted Duck
164 Black-headed Gulls
78 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
9 Herring Gulls
1 Yellow-legged Gull
16 Fieldfare
18 Redwings
c.800 Jackdaws
>250 Rooks
20 Siskins
(Ed Wilson, Gary Crowder)

The Flash
1 Little Grebe
185 Tufted Ducks
(Ed Wilson)

Little Wenlock, Candles Landfill Site
2 Iceland Gulls
3 Caspian Gull
(Observer Unknown)

2013
Priorslee Lake
6 Great Crested Grebes
33 Wigeon
1 Common Teal
4 Gadwall
33 Tufted Ducks
89 Coots
c.650 Black-headed Gulls
c.410 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
41 Herring Gulls
1 Great Black-backed Gull
(Ed Wilson / John Isherwood)

The Flash
1 Little Grebe
9 Pochard
89 Tufted Duck
1 Greater Scaup
(Ed Wilson, John Isherwood)

2010
Priorslee Lake
6 Great Crested Grebes
18 Swans
4 Gadwall
35 Pochard
44 Tufted Duck
96 Coots
c.650 Black-headed Gulls
c.220 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
12 Herring Gulls
1 other 'strange gull'!
(Ed Wilson)

2009
Priorslee Lake
Iceland Gull
2 Curlew
(Ed Wilson)

2007
Priorslee Lake
1 Water Rail
2 Skylarks
(Ed Wilson)

2006
Priorslee Lake
1 Little Grebe
6 Great Crested Grebes
1 Heron
1 Cormorant
2 Gadwall
6 Pochard
45 Tufted Ducks
96 Coots
c.1000 Black-headed Gulls
274 Wood Pigeon
135 Jackdaws
111 Rooks
78 Starlings
45 Pied Wagtails
20 Robins
17 Blackbirds
10 Song Thrushes
4 Redwings
2 Willow Tits
20 Greenfinches
6 Siskins
5 Reed Buntings
(Ed Wilson)