7.0°C > 8.0°C: Mostly cloudy with two showers. Some brighter spells. Moderate north-westerly wind. Very good visibility.
Sunrise: 08:01 GMT
* = a species photographed today.
Priorslee Balancing Lake: 06:00 – 09:15
(263rd visit of the year)
Bird notes:
- a Greylag Goose came from the East, circled twice over the water and then left to the West.
- five Great Crested Grebes today. There probably usually are: finding these submarines is always a challenge.
- *the Great (White) Egret again.
- *a Common Kestrel was seen hovering to the far North at 08:15 and then presumably the same hovering over the dam a few minutes later.
- I have now made five pre-dawn visits to the traditional Redwing roost in the north-east area without hearing or seeing a single bird.
- a Song Thrush was heard singing quietly. *Two others were seen.
Birds noted flying over:
- 1 Greylag Goose: inbound, eventually
- 5 Wood Pigeons
- 1 Herring Gull
- 8 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 4 Cormorants: together
- 1 Common Buzzard
- 13 Jackdaws
- 6 Rooks
- 3 Starlings
- 1 Pied Wagtail
- 5 Siskins
Counts from the lake area:
- 1 Canada Goose
- 20 + 2 Mute Swans
- 13 (3♂) Tufted Duck
- 8 Moorhens
- 234 Coots
- 5 Great Crested Grebes
- >350 Black-headed Gulls
- >5 Herring Gulls
- >150 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 2 Cormorants: arrived separately
- 1 Grey Heron
- *1 Great (White) Egret
Noted on the street lamps poles pre-dawn:
The rain shower did not help.
Moths:
- *1 Winter Moth Operophtera brumata
- *1 Winter Moth Operophtera brumata
Flies:
- *2 winter craneflies Trichocera sp., one possibly T. annulata
- *2 winter craneflies Trichocera sp., one possibly T. annulata
Springtails:
- 2 springtail Tomocerus vulgaris-type
- *1 globular springtail from the genus Dicyrtomina group.
Around the outside of the Telford Sailing Club HQ pre-dawn:
A quick dash around in the rain produced:
- 2 springtail Tomocerus vulgaris-type
- *1 globular springtail from the genus Dicyrtomina group.
Around the outside of the Telford Sailing Club HQ pre-dawn:
A quick dash around in the rain produced:
Moths:
- *1 Winter Moth Operophtera brumata
- *1 Winter Moth Operophtera brumata
Flies:
- 1 winter cranefly Trichocera sp.
- 1 winter cranefly Trichocera sp.
Spiders, harvestmen etc.:
- several species: not counted much less identified
Later:
- several species: not counted much less identified
Later:
Nothing noted
Not a chance of a sunrise today. The early shower departing to the East.
No better later.
Still here: the Great (White) Egret seems happy. I am a bit surprised that this and the local Grey Heron seem to tolerate each other. I assume they are after the same food.
More of the chestnut on the upper wing visible here.
Song Thrushes can be hard to spot when they are among the leaf litter.
Note how the crown of this species is a warmer brown colour.
This one was resting wings closed on a wall of the Telford Sailing Club HQ.
This is one of the winter craneflies Trichocera sp., and possibly the clear-winged species T. annulata.
One of the globular springtails, this from the genus Dicyrtomina group.
(Ed Wilson)
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(266th visit of the year)
Bird notes:
- a trio of Shoveler seen again. But no Common Teal found!
- the Pochard were mostly staying well away from me and in several groups making both counting and, particularly, determining the sex of ducks / immatures a challenge.
- a Grey Wagtail seen in Derwent Drive and then presumably the same bird on the East side grass.
Bird(s) noted flying over here:
- 2 Lesser Redpolls
Noted on / around the water:
- 8 Canada Geese
- 6 + 2 (1 brood) Mute Swans
- *3 (2♂) Shoveler
- 36 (24♂) Mallard
- *9 (>5?♂) Pochard
- 57 (30?♂) Tufted Duck
- 19 Moorhens
- 99 Coots
- 6 Black-headed Gulls
- 3 Herring Gulls: one adult, two immatures, all briefly
- 2 Cormorants: both arrived
Noted around The Flash:
Moths:
- 1 Mottled Umber Erranis defoliaria: presumed same as yesterday
- 1 Mottled Umber Erranis defoliaria: presumed same as yesterday
Springtails:
- 1 globular springtail
- 1 globular springtail
A duck Shoveler. The bill shape makes it look as if she is smiling.
The smiling effect is less apparent on this immature drake.
(Ed Wilson)
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2012
Priorslee Lake
3 Gadwall.
8 Pochard.
51 Tufted Ducks
156 Coots.
1st-winter Great Black-backed Gull on the water.
35 Redwings
c.407 Jackdaws
82 Rooks.
4 Siskins
1 Redpoll
(Ed Wilson)
2011
Priorslee Lake
3 Yellow-legged Gull
2 Great Black-backed Gulls
Caspian Gull
(John Isherwood / Another Observer)
2009
The Wrekin
Firecrest
(Pete Nickless)
2006
Priorslee Lake
21 Pochard
50 Tufted Ducks
1 eclipse drake Ruddy Duck
73 Coots
>750 Black-headed Gulls
1904 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
1 Yellow-legged Gull
29 Robins
25 Blackbirds
1 Fieldfare
6 Song Thrushes
31 Redwings
1 Willow Tit
258 Jackdaws
248 Rooks
4 Reed Buntings
(Ed Wilson)
2005
Priorslee Lake
1 Cormorant
3200 Black-headed Gulls
700 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
1st-winter Great Black-backed Gull
7 Pochard
36 Tufted Duck
208 Coot
246 Jackdaws
83 Rooks
(Ed Wilson)