2.0°C > 5.0°C: Mostly sunny with shower clouds looming. Lying snow mostly gone or melting away. Very little ice on either waters. Moderate westerly wind. Very good visibility.
[Sunrise: 07:45 GMT]
A late start with The Flash first as usual.
* = a photo to be uploaded later: watch the blog for information.
Priorslee Balancing Lake: 10:30 – 11:15
(254rd visit of the year)
No obvious ice
Bird notes:
- the Mute Swans have "broken free" from their corral in the south-east area and annoying the resident cob all around the West end.
- a drake Eurasian Wigeon either new or returning.
- a second drake Pochard.
- a Little Grebe new in.
- very few gulls.
Bird(s) noted flying over here:
- 48 Greylag Geese flew inbound in several concurrent groups.
Counts from the lake area:
- 4 Greylag Goose
- 21 + 2 Mute Swans
- 2 (1♂) Gadwall
- 9 (6♂) Mallard
- 3 (1♂) Pochard
- 32 (19♂) Tufted Duck
- 7 Moorhen
- 262 Coots
- 1 Little Grebe
- 5 Great Crested Grebes
Gull counts taken at one point in time. Large gulls were coming and going all the while
- 3 Black-headed Gulls
- 4 Herring Gulls
- 17 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
also
- 2 Cormorants
- 1 Grey Heron
Of note:
Nothing else
(Ed Wilson)
The Flash: 09:30 – 10:20
(Ed Wilson)
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The Flash: 09:30 – 10:20
(256th visit of the year)
<10% thin ice.
Very slippery in places on the path around here. I probably missed some things whilst ensuring I stayed upright.
Bird notes:
- with no geese around the island two drake Common Teal had reclaimed their area.
- three drake Pochard were new arrivals.
Bird(s) noted flying over here:
None
Noted on / around the water:
- 20 Canada Geese: of these 13 arrived together
- 6 + 2 (1 brood) Mute Swans
- *6 (4♂) Shoveler
- 31 (19♂) Mallard
- 2 (2♂) Common Teal
- 3 (3♂) Pochard
- 43 (23♂) Tufted Duck
- 11 Moorhens
- 115 Coots
- 12 Black-headed Gulls
- 2 Herring Gull: adult; also an immature briefly
- 1 Lesser Black-backed Gull: adult
- 1 Cormorant
Of note:
Noted on / around the water:
- 20 Canada Geese: of these 13 arrived together
- 6 + 2 (1 brood) Mute Swans
- *6 (4♂) Shoveler
- 31 (19♂) Mallard
- 2 (2♂) Common Teal
- 3 (3♂) Pochard
- 43 (23♂) Tufted Duck
- 11 Moorhens
- 115 Coots
- 12 Black-headed Gulls
- 2 Herring Gull: adult; also an immature briefly
- 1 Lesser Black-backed Gull: adult
- 1 Cormorant
Of note:
Nothing else
Two drake Shoveler in full plumage.
(Ed Wilson)
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Sightings from previous years without links are below
2013
Priorslee Lake
8 Wigeon
6 Gadwall
4 Teal
2 Shoveler
2 Pochard
116 Tufted Duck
2 Water Rails
222 Coots
1 Snipe
c.90 Lapwing over
4 Yellow-legged gulls
1 Great Black-backed Gull
A Ring-billed x Lesser Black-backed Gull hybrid
134 Fieldfare
22 Redwings
171 Jackdaws
3 Ravens
3 Siskins
3 Redpolls
(Ed Wilson/John Isherwood/JW Reeves)
Horsehay Pool
Caspian Gull
1 Yellow-legged Gull
2 Great Black-backed Gulls
1 Kingfisher
12 Goosander
Raven
(JW Reeves)
2012
Priorslee Lake
3 Gadwall
8 Pochard
24 Tufted Ducks
152 Coots
8 Redwings
(Ed Wilson)
2008
Priorslee Lake
8 Great Crested Grebes
1 Cormorant
56 Greylag Geese
12 Pochard
187 Tufted Duck
1 Goosander
2 Water Rails
149 Coot
c.800 Black-headed
c.2200 Lesser Black-backed
<20 Herring Gulls
1st winter Common Gull
50 Redwings
8 Fieldfare
1 Treecreeper
c.1000 Starlings left a roost
c.20 Siskins
(Ed Wilson)
2006
Priorslee Lake
1 Little Grebe
23 Greylag Geese
27 Pochard
55 Tufted Ducks
3 Buzzards
>1650 Black-headed Gull
>4022 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
246 Wood Pigeons
1 Kingfisher
26 Robins
27 Blackbirds
4 Fieldfares
34 Redwings
male Blackcap
1 Willow Tit
246 Jackdaws
160 Rooks
8 Reed Buntings
(Ed Wilson)