20 Mar 24

The Flash and Priorslee Balancing Lake

11.0°C > 12.0°C: Scattered cloud below a medium overcast. Light rain. Almost calm. Very good visibility.

[Sunrise: 06:12 GMT]

* = a species photographed today.

Another winner for the weather forecast. Rain all morning it said so I did not go until after the school. Had been dry until I left home.

Priorslee Balancing Lake: 09:25– 10:30

(58th visit of the year)

As usual with a later visit I viewed only from the dam-top area.

Bird notes:
- most of the time the five Great Crested Grebes were scattered around the water, only occasionally pairing up. I noted one being attacked from below by a drake Tufted Duck. It seemed to me to be a deliberate act rather than the duck just surfacing from a food dive.
- there will be very few gulls between now and when the non- and failed-breeding Black-headed Gulls return in mid/late June. A few large gulls will drop in to bathe and drink most days.

Counts of birds noted flying over:
- 4 Wood Pigeons
- 1 Lesser Black-backed Gull

Counts from the lake area:
- 2 Canada Geese
- 2 Mute Swans
- 4 (3♂) Mallard
- 28 (18♂) Tufted Duck
- 3 Moorhens
- 39 Coots
- 5 Great Crested Grebes
- *2 Cormorant

Has this Cormorant eaten too many fish? It is certainly weighing the buoy down.

(Ed Wilson)

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The Flash: 10:40 – 11:20

(60th visit of the year)

Bird notes:
- both adult Mute Swans noted. Although a nesting platform has been 'built' (flattened) alongside Derwent Drive the pen seems to be looking more favourably at a site on the island.
- The Gadwall were present again.

Bird(s) noted flying over here:

None

Warblers noted (figure in brackets is singing birds):
- 4 (4) Chiffchaffs

Noted on / around the water:
- 19 Canada Geese
- 3 Greylag Geese
- 2 + 4 Mute Swans: see notes
- 2 (1♂) Gadwall
- 19 (13♂) Mallard
- *1 (1♂) all-white feral duck
- 19 (13♂) Tufted Duck
- 12 Moorhens
- 33 Coots
- 1 Great Crested Grebe

Noted elsewhere
- 8 Alder Leaf Beetles Agelastica alni on the wooden handrail along the West side.
- *1 Black Slug Arion sp. also on the wooden fence along the West side.
- *1 Blushing Bracket fungus Daedaleopsis confragosa

It is a while since I photographed the all-white feral duck. The curled tail feather indicated it is a drake with Mallard genes, though it is somewhat smaller than any genuine Mallard. This will be its third breeding season here. In the previous two years it has been paired at least part of the time with a duck Mallard though there has been no sign of any hybrid off-spring. He seems to be on his own this year.

This Robin popped out to look at me just after I saw it being fed by another Robin. Would I be too sexist to suggest this is a female? Are Robins PC?

A Black Slug Arion sp. There are five species recognised in this group and separation requires dissection of their genitalia. Not just after breakfast thank you. To complicate matters all species may be black, brown, grey or rufous.

A Blushing Bracket fungus Daedaleopsis confragosa, no doubt left over from the Autumn. The name derives from the pink tone that appears if the underside is damaged.

(Ed Wilson)

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Sightings from previous years

2013
Priorslee Lake
4 Great Crested Grebes
7 Wigeon
2 Gadwall
27 Tufted Ducks
6 Redwings
138 Jackdaws
1 Chiffchaff
1 Redpoll
7+ Siskins
2 Reed Buntings
(Ed Wilson)

The Flash
2 Great Crested Grebe
7 Mute Swans
1 Pochard
56 Tufted Duck
(Ed Wilson)

Long Lane, Wellington
133 Lapwing
17 Golden Plover
1 Redshank
3 Dunlin
2 Oystercatcher
3 Teal
c.600 Black-headed Gulls
5 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
1 Herring Gull.
(Martin Grant)

2011
Priorslee Lake
17 Tufted Duck
11 Golden Plover
17 Meadow Pipits
5 Chiffchaffs (4 in song)
Raven
(Ed Wilson)

Nedge Hill
40 Golden Plover
11 Lapwing
1 Red-legged Partridge
2 Green Woodpeckers
8 Meadow Pipits
1 Redpoll
(Ed Wilson)

The Flash
32 Tufted Duck
1 Curlew
2 Brambling
1 Reed Bunting
(Ed Wilson)

2010
Priorslee Lake
1 Little Grebe
5 Great Crested Grebe
6 Gadwall
39 Tufted Duck
146 Jackdaws on roost dispersal
c.35 Greenfinches
c.15 Goldfinches
c.10 Linnets
(Ed Wilson)

The Flash
3 Great Crested Grebe
36 Tufted Duck
(Ed Wilson)

2009
Priorslee Lake
1 Yellow-legged Gull
435 Lesser Black-backed Gull
(Peter Wilson)

2007
Priorslee lake
3 Great Crested Grebe
12 Cormorant
24 Tufted Duck
1 Ruddy Duck
1 Merlin
1 Buzzard
2 Kestrel
1 Great Black-backed Gull
188 Wood Pigeon
1 Green Woodpecker
26 Wren
5 Chiffchaff
1 Willow Tit
55 Magpie
14 Greenfinch
5 Reed Bunting
(Ed Wilson, Martin Adlam)

The Flash
9 Great Crested Grebe
2 Pochard
26 Tufted Duck
1 Chiffchaff singing
(Ed Wilson)

2006
Priorslee Lake
c.250 Black-headed Gulls
146 Lesser-black Backs
15 Herring Gull
2 Yellow-leg Gulls
2 Common Gulls
36 Tufted Duck
6 Great Crested Grebe
1 Cormorant
2 Water Rail
3 Siskins
2 Redpoll
3 Linnet
3 Reed Bunting
(Martin R Adlam)