Priorslee Balancing Lake and The Flash
5.0°C > 6.0°C: Low cloud threatened to start clearing several times but didn't. Moderate / fresh easterly wind. Good visibility.
Sunrise: 06:40 GMT
* = a species photographed today but note...
Priorslee Balancing Lake: 05:45 – 09:25
Priorslee Balancing Lake: 05:45 – 09:25
(50th visit of the year)
Highlight today was seeing two, perhaps three and possibly even four Woodcock. Only my second day to see this species this year. A bird flew alongside the West end path and into the Ricoh copse at 06:00. A few moments later what appeared to be two birds flew from Ricoh towards the lake. Although they looked rather dark for this species they were not flying like any crow-type bird. Then at 06:15 one flew low West over the North shore against the sky, giving me the best view of this species I have had for a long while – it was much lighter by this time than when they are usually flying back to their day-roost.
Other bird notes:
- two Canada Geese flew in from the East at 06:15, flying out again minutes later. Two, perhaps the same, flew in, also from the East, at 06:25 and stayed, positioning on top of the dam as if they might be the potential breeding pair.
- the pen Mute Swan spent considerable time at the nest site though I could not see what she was doing.
- the duck Goosander still present.
- just one Great Crested Grebe spending the entire time asleep just off the reeds where the pair were asleep two days ago.
- 56 of the 105 Wood Pigeons logged overhead were flying North in five groups. These groups were smaller, more scattered and somewhat lower than the groups seen heading South on Autumn migration.
- *at least 50 Redwings were in trees alongside Teece Drive, briefly dropping in to the football field until a contractor from the academy brought his tractor on to the field.
Counts of birds noted flying over:
- 2 Feral Pigeons: together
- 105 Wood Pigeons: see notes
- 6 Black-headed Gulls
- 11 Herring Gulls
- 8 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 2 Rooks
- 36 Starlings: together
Counts from the lake area:
- 2 or 4 Canada Geese: see notes
- 2 Mute Swans
- 5 (3♂) Mallard
- 22 (15♂) Tufted Duck
- 1 (0♂) Goosander
- 9 Moorhens
- 41 Coots
- 1 Great Crested Grebe
- 27 Black-headed Gulls
- 4 Herring Gulls: all immatures
- 1 Lesser Black-backed Gull
- *2 Cormorants: arrived separately
- 1 Grey Heron
Noted on the street lamp poles pre-dawn.
Highlight today was seeing two, perhaps three and possibly even four Woodcock. Only my second day to see this species this year. A bird flew alongside the West end path and into the Ricoh copse at 06:00. A few moments later what appeared to be two birds flew from Ricoh towards the lake. Although they looked rather dark for this species they were not flying like any crow-type bird. Then at 06:15 one flew low West over the North shore against the sky, giving me the best view of this species I have had for a long while – it was much lighter by this time than when they are usually flying back to their day-roost.
Other bird notes:
- two Canada Geese flew in from the East at 06:15, flying out again minutes later. Two, perhaps the same, flew in, also from the East, at 06:25 and stayed, positioning on top of the dam as if they might be the potential breeding pair.
- the pen Mute Swan spent considerable time at the nest site though I could not see what she was doing.
- the duck Goosander still present.
- just one Great Crested Grebe spending the entire time asleep just off the reeds where the pair were asleep two days ago.
- 56 of the 105 Wood Pigeons logged overhead were flying North in five groups. These groups were smaller, more scattered and somewhat lower than the groups seen heading South on Autumn migration.
- *at least 50 Redwings were in trees alongside Teece Drive, briefly dropping in to the football field until a contractor from the academy brought his tractor on to the field.
Counts of birds noted flying over:
- 2 Feral Pigeons: together
- 105 Wood Pigeons: see notes
- 6 Black-headed Gulls
- 11 Herring Gulls
- 8 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 2 Rooks
- 36 Starlings: together
Counts from the lake area:
- 2 or 4 Canada Geese: see notes
- 2 Mute Swans
- 5 (3♂) Mallard
- 22 (15♂) Tufted Duck
- 1 (0♂) Goosander
- 9 Moorhens
- 41 Coots
- 1 Great Crested Grebe
- 27 Black-headed Gulls
- 4 Herring Gulls: all immatures
- 1 Lesser Black-backed Gull
- *2 Cormorants: arrived separately
- 1 Grey Heron
Noted on the street lamp poles pre-dawn.
Moths:
- none
- none
Flies:
- *1 small female plumed midge
- *1 small female plumed midge
Springtails:
- *1 possible Entomobrya nivalis or E. intermedia
- 1 tiny globular springtail
Later:
- *1 possible Entomobrya nivalis or E. intermedia
- 1 tiny globular springtail
Later:
Nothing of note
One of the two Cormorants today. This immature was the first to arrive.
From a different angle. The tone in the vent area is most likely a reflection of the buoy colour.
Between branches and in poor light. A Long-tailed Tit looks out...
...and gives me a glare.
A very small springtail with two bands at mid-point of the abdomen and a 'U-shaped' mark at the rear. There is not enough definition on my picture to separate Entomobrya nivalis from E. intermedia which depend on the precise shaping of the ends of the 'U'.
(Ed Wilson)
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(52nd visit of the year)
Bird notes:
- the adult Mute Swans seen (attempting?) to mate.
- both pairs of Gadwall seen concurrently today.
- a large group of Tufted Duck flew in just as I had finished counting those on the water. Much flying about ensued preventing me confirming the sex of all these birds. I suspect the arrivals were birds from the Balancing Lake.
Bird(s) noted flying over here:
None
Noted on / around the water:
- 28 Canada Geese: of these three departed together
- 2 + 4 Mute Swans
- 4 (2♂) Gadwall
- 24 (17♂) Mallard
- the all-white feral duck not seen
- *73 (>39♂) Tufted Duck: see notes
- *11 Moorhens
- 33 Coots
- 1 Great Crested Grebe
- 8 Black-headed Gulls
- *3 Herring Gulls: all immatures
- *2 Lesser Black-backed Gulls: both second years
Also noted:
- *flowers of Oregon-grape Berberis aquifolium
Noted on / around the water:
- 28 Canada Geese: of these three departed together
- 2 + 4 Mute Swans
- 4 (2♂) Gadwall
- 24 (17♂) Mallard
- the all-white feral duck not seen
- *73 (>39♂) Tufted Duck: see notes
- *11 Moorhens
- 33 Coots
- 1 Great Crested Grebe
- 8 Black-headed Gulls
- *3 Herring Gulls: all immatures
- *2 Lesser Black-backed Gulls: both second years
Also noted:
- *flowers of Oregon-grape Berberis aquifolium
Alongside each other with tails raised suggests love – or at least lust – is in the air for the adult Mute Swans.
Very romantic.
Get on with it.
Now I am no expert in swan biology but this does not seem right.
Oh well! I have no idea why the necks are shaped like they are here.
A trio of Tufted Duck fly in. I think all drakes though the back bird has a duller eye and an off-white belly. If it were a duck then the wing pits should be dark. Perhaps it is just shadow though...
...it looks the same here. Four drakes I am sure.
All a bit crowded on the touchdown spot.
"You dare come any closer".
A first year Herring Gull showing just how intricate the pattern on the back-feathering is.
The same bird looks quite different here. There is little pale to the inner primaries. As a test I asked Obsidentify for suggestions: 83% Caspian Gull; 17% Yellow-legged Gull. So I tried it on the previous photo: 99% Herring Gull. It is good to know we are both confused.
...and is about to catch it. As usual I could have done with more light to freeze the action better.
"This is MY handrail and I am NOT moving". A recalcitrant Wood Pigeon.
A Goldfinch tucks in.
A messy eater and...
...a grubby bill.
These are flowers of Oregon-grape Berberis aquifolium. Also known as Holly-leaved Barberry. I assume a garden escape as this plant is native to Western North America.
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Sightings from previous years
2012
Priorslee Lake
1 Iceland Gull
2 Great Black-backed Gulls
(John Isherwood)
Holmer Lake
1 Goosander
(John Isherwood)
2011
Priorslee Lake
13 Pochard
41 Tufted Ducks
1 Oystercatcher
(Ed Wilson)
2007
Priorslee Lake
9 Cormorant
15 Tufted Duck
1 Woodcock
311 Wood Pigeon
36 Robin
24 Blackbird
10 Redwing
53 Magpie
5 Reed Bunting
(Ed Wilson)
2006
Priorslee Lake
1 Ruddy Duck
1 Little Grebe
4 Great Crested Grebes
2 Herons
1 Cormorant
6 Pochard
42 Tufted Ducks
2 Ruddy Ducks
103 Coots
1 Water Rail
1 Ring-billed Gull
141 Wood Pigeon
142 Jackdaws
23 Blackbirds
11 Song Thrushes
1 Redwing
14 Greenfinches
6 Reed Buntings.
(Ed Wilson and et al)