15 Nov 24

The Flash and Priorslee Balancing Lake

4.0°C > 7.0°C: Low cloud. Light south-westerly breeze. Moderate visibility with some lingering mist.

[Sunrise: 07:33 GMT]

* = a photo to be uploaded

Early mist and low cloud suggested my usual dawn visit would not be fruitful. So it was a later start to The Flash and then at the Balancing Lake from the dam-top area only.

Priorslee Balancing Lake: 10:40 – 11:35

(248th visit of the year)

Bird notes:
- more action amongst the Mute Swans. Another adult had arrived since my visit yesterday morning and then two more flew in.
- the drake Eurasian Wigeon still present.

Birds noted flying over:
None

Counts from the lake area:
- 12 Canada Geese: all on the dam-top
- 23 + 2 Mute Swans: two adults arrived: see notes
- 2 (1♂) Gadwall
- 1 (1♂) Eurasian Wigeon
- 7 (5♂) Mallard
- 15 (7♂) Tufted Duck
- 3 Moorhens
- 242 Coots
- 4 Great Crested Grebes
- *46 Black-headed Gulls
- 19 Herring Gulls
- 1 Yellow-legged Gull
- *122 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 1 Grey Heron

An adult winter Lesser Black-backed Gull. The inner primaries look pale, more reminiscent of Herring Gulls. Here it is because the right wing in particular is spread and the normally overlapped inner webs of these feathers are both exposed and back lit.

This was a shock. I thought I was photographing the same bird. The remnant black tail band indicates this is a third winter bird. However look at the bill: it exhibits much more black on the lower mandible than the adult. So there were two birds circling around and I became confused.

Well: actually there must have been three birds. This full adult lacks any black on the bill and is also devoid of any spotting on the head and neck.

Here it flies off with an adult winter Black-headed Gull. And yes: it does have yellow legs – and pinkier feet.

(Ed Wilson)

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The Flash: 09:25 – 10:35

(251st visit of the year)

Bird notes:
- as I arrived an adult Mute Swan was leaving. Otherwise the usual six adults and two first winter birds still present.
- the four Shoveler still present tucked up against the island.
- two drake and one duck Common Teal together also by the island.
- the Pochard apparently gone.
- two Little Grebes together by the island but no Great Crested Grebes noted.

Bird(s) noted flying over here:
- 1 Jackdaw

Noted on / around the water:
- 5 Canada Geese
- 7 + 2 (1 brood) Mute Swans: one of these adults flew off
- 1 (0♂) Gadwall
- *4 (2♂) Shoveler
- *38 (25♂) Mallard
- *3 (2♂) Common Teal
- 43 (21♂) Tufted Duck
- *18 Moorhens
- 130 Coots
- *2 Little Grebes
- no Great Crested Grebes
- 23 Black-headed Gulls
- 1 Herring Gull: adult
- 1 Lesser Black-backed Gull: adult
- *1 Grey Heron

Noted around The Flash:

Bees, wasps etc.:
- 1 Common Wasp Paravespula vulgaris
flying at high speed: too keep warm?

Nothing else found.

Six birds tucked up against the island. From the left: two Little Grebes; a duck Shoveler; two drake Shoveler; and the other duck Shoveler, very hard to see behind the two leaning branches sticking out of the water on the extreme right.

The distinctive outline of one of the Little Grebes before it flew to join its companion by the island.

"Well its a duck Mallard but not as we know it Jim". What I assume is the same pale bird has been around for several years both here and at the Balancing Lake. I suppose I ought to record it as a feral Mallard in future.

Two drake Common Teal flank a single duck, typically also tucked up against the island.

 Using the car as a hide an adult Coot wandered about close to me.

No doubt looking for spilt food from those who regularly feed the birds here.

The Grey Heron daring anyone to walk over the bridge.

Not a bill to mess about with.

Now in reflective mode. If I had paid more attention to my Physics master at school and I would be able to explain why the reflection looks larger than the real bird.

(Ed Wilson)

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2013
Priorslee Lake
1 Little Grebe
1 Wigeon
5 Gadwall
2 Teal
77 Tufted Duck
230 Coots
c.650 Black-headed Gulls
c.450 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
21 Herring Gulls
36 Fieldfare
2 Redwings
(Ed Wilson)

2012
Priorslee Lake
3 Wigeon
1 Shoveler
3 Pochard
11 Tufted Ducks
c.35 Redwings
c.175 Jackdaws
36 Rooks
(Ed Wilson)

2011
Priorslee Lake
4 Yellow-legged Gulls
(John Isherwood)

2006
Priorslee Lake
1 Little Grebes
30 Pochard
75 Tufted Ducks
50 Coots
>550 Black-headed Gulls
1329 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
7 Herring Gulls
1 Yellow-legged Gull
242 Wood Pigeons
36 Robins
22 Blackbirds
72 Fieldfares
22 Redwings
1 Redpoll
3 Reed Buntings
(Ed Wilson)