4.0°C > 5.0°C: A cloudy start with a clearance from the North making very slow progress. Brisk north-west wind dropped away somewhat. Good visibility.
[Sunrise: 07:54 GMT]
Another morning avoiding the early rain and with a late start commencing at The Flash.
* = a photo to be uploaded later: watch the blog for information.
Priorslee Balancing Lake: 11:45 – 12:40
(258th visit of the year)
Bird notes:
- the resident cob Mute Swan still occasionally starts chasing some of the visitors. The pen stays well out of it.
- two of the Great Crested Grebes were noted displaying – without their head-plumes at this date.
Counts from the lake area:
- 1 Canada Goose
- 20 + 2 Mute Swans
- 2 (0♂) Gadwall
- 7 (6♂) Mallard
- 15 (7♂) Tufted Duck
- 7 Moorhens
- 241 Coots
- 5 Great Crested Grebes
- 8 Black-headed Gulls
- 19 Herring Gulls
- 39Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 3 Cormorants
Of note:
Nothing else
(261st visit of the year)
Bird notes:
- no geese around the island to spoil the view: no sign of any Shoveler or Teal lurking there.
- the duck Pochard was not seen: the three adult and one first-winter drakes were staying together.
- *a smart-looking drake Goosander was an addition.
- after several weeks with no sightings there were two Collared Dove displaying and calling.
Bird(s) noted flying over here:
(Ed Wilson)
The Flash: 10:45 – 11:35
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The Flash: 10:45 – 11:35
(261st visit of the year)
Bird notes:
- no geese around the island to spoil the view: no sign of any Shoveler or Teal lurking there.
- the duck Pochard was not seen: the three adult and one first-winter drakes were staying together.
- *a smart-looking drake Goosander was an addition.
- after several weeks with no sightings there were two Collared Dove displaying and calling.
Bird(s) noted flying over here:
None
Noted on / around the water:
- 8 Canada Geese
- 6 + 2 (1 brood) Mute Swans
- 41 (26♂) Mallard
- 4 (4♂) Pochard
- 52 (33?♂) Tufted Duck
- *1 (1♂) Goosander
- 18 Moorhens
- 111 Coots
- 8 Black-headed Gulls
- 1 Herring Gull: adult
- 1 Lesser Black-backed Gull: adult
- *3 Cormorants
Noted around The Flash
Noted on / around the water:
- 8 Canada Geese
- 6 + 2 (1 brood) Mute Swans
- 41 (26♂) Mallard
- 4 (4♂) Pochard
- 52 (33?♂) Tufted Duck
- *1 (1♂) Goosander
- 18 Moorhens
- 111 Coots
- 8 Black-headed Gulls
- 1 Herring Gull: adult
- 1 Lesser Black-backed Gull: adult
- *3 Cormorants
Noted around The Flash
Nothing else
A drake Goosander stretching. Note the distinctive head-shape in this pose. For some reason duck birds never show this head-shape.
(Ed Wilson)
Sightings from previous years without links are below
2013
Priorslee Lake
2 adult Yellow-legged Gulls
930+ Lesser Black-backed Gulls
95 Herring Gulls
(Tom Lowe)
2012
Priorslee Lake
Goldeneye
3 Gadwall
6 Pochard
22 Tufted Ducks
146 Coots
2 Great Black-backed Gulls
8 Redwings
151 Jackdaws
(Ed Wilson / John Isherwood)
2005
Priorslee Lake
50+ Golden Plover
4 Pochard
39 Tufted Duck
1 duck Wigeon
2 Ruddy Duck
2 Little Grebes
200+ Coot
1 Water Rail
1 Kingfisher
12 Redwing
5 Fieldfare
8 Siskin
5 Reed Bunting
(Martin R Adlam)
"I see no fish"!
Another close-up of one of the fishing Cormorants going this way...
...and that.
(Ed Wilson)
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Sightings from previous years without links are below
2013
Priorslee Lake
2 adult Yellow-legged Gulls
930+ Lesser Black-backed Gulls
95 Herring Gulls
(Tom Lowe)
2012
Priorslee Lake
Goldeneye
3 Gadwall
6 Pochard
22 Tufted Ducks
146 Coots
2 Great Black-backed Gulls
8 Redwings
151 Jackdaws
(Ed Wilson / John Isherwood)
2005
Priorslee Lake
50+ Golden Plover
4 Pochard
39 Tufted Duck
1 duck Wigeon
2 Ruddy Duck
2 Little Grebes
200+ Coot
1 Water Rail
1 Kingfisher
12 Redwing
5 Fieldfare
8 Siskin
5 Reed Bunting
(Martin R Adlam)