2.0°C > 3.0°C: Mist / fog at the lake. A brief partial clearance at The Flash. Poor visibility at best. Light wind.
Sunrise: 08:22 GMT.
No photographs today
I did not venture out until it looked to be starting to clear. As usual with a late start I visited The Flash first.
Priorslee Balancing Lake: 10:45 – 12:15
(283rd visit of the year)
Limited visibility when I arrived. Deteriorated quickly so I amused myself walking around doing an overdue litter pick. I noted what I saw – which was not much.
Bird notes:
- the two first winter Mute Swans remain.
- a trio of Pochard were new arrivals
Bird(s) noted flying over here:
None
Counts from the lake area:
- 4 Canada Geese
- 2 + 2 Mute Swans
- 2 (1♂) Mallard
- 3 (2♂) Pochard
- 32 (25♂) Tufted Duck: the drakes are easier to see in the mist
- 3 Moorhens
- Coots not counted
- Great Crested Grebes not seen
- 6 Black-headed Gulls
- 4 Herring Gulls
- 1 Yellow-legged Gull
- 9 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 1 Cormorant
- 1 Grey Heron
- 1 Great (White) Egret
Nothing else of note today. Feedback from the Shropshire macro moth recorder has confirmed that the female moths with vestigial wings that I photographed yesterday and on Christmas day were both Northern Winter Moths Operophtera fagata.
(Ed Wilson)
The Flash: 09:45 – 10:35
(285th visit of the year)
Slightly less affected by the mist.
Bird notes:
- I managed to confirm that there are six mainly white feral geese among the Greylag Geese on and around the island. So one of the pairs of long-term visiting Mute Swans had left by Christmas Day. Now: own up. Who had swan for Xmas dinner?
- nine of the ten Pochard were seen to splash down together in a tight group. I could not see whether they were arriving or merely reposition from the mist at the other end. A lone drake was also noted.
Bird(s) noted flying over here:
Counts from the lake area:
- 4 Canada Geese
- 2 + 2 Mute Swans
- 2 (1♂) Mallard
- 3 (2♂) Pochard
- 32 (25♂) Tufted Duck: the drakes are easier to see in the mist
- 3 Moorhens
- Coots not counted
- Great Crested Grebes not seen
- 6 Black-headed Gulls
- 4 Herring Gulls
- 1 Yellow-legged Gull
- 9 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 1 Cormorant
- 1 Grey Heron
- 1 Great (White) Egret
Nothing else of note today. Feedback from the Shropshire macro moth recorder has confirmed that the female moths with vestigial wings that I photographed yesterday and on Christmas day were both Northern Winter Moths Operophtera fagata.
(Ed Wilson)
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Flash: 09:45 – 10:35
(285th visit of the year)
Slightly less affected by the mist.
Bird notes:
- I managed to confirm that there are six mainly white feral geese among the Greylag Geese on and around the island. So one of the pairs of long-term visiting Mute Swans had left by Christmas Day. Now: own up. Who had swan for Xmas dinner?
- nine of the ten Pochard were seen to splash down together in a tight group. I could not see whether they were arriving or merely reposition from the mist at the other end. A lone drake was also noted.
Bird(s) noted flying over here:
None
Noted on / around the water:
- 7 Canada Geese
- >52 Greylag Geese
- 6 mainly white feral geese
- 4 + 2 (1 brood) Mute Swans
- 35 (20♂) Mallard
- 10 (7♂) Pochard
- 35 (20♂) Tufted Duck
- 21 Moorhens
- 61 Coots
- 45 Black-headed Gulls
- 3 Herring Gulls: one adult; two second winters
Elsewhere:
Noted on / around the water:
- 7 Canada Geese
- >52 Greylag Geese
- 6 mainly white feral geese
- 4 + 2 (1 brood) Mute Swans
- 35 (20♂) Mallard
- 10 (7♂) Pochard
- 35 (20♂) Tufted Duck
- 21 Moorhens
- 61 Coots
- 45 Black-headed Gulls
- 3 Herring Gulls: one adult; two second winters
Elsewhere:
Nothing noted
(Ed Wilson)
(Ed Wilson)
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2013
Priorslee Lake
1 Little Grebe
7 Gadwall
7 Pochard
101 Tufted Ducks
1 Scaup
210 Coots
1 Great Black-backed Gull
(Ed Wilson)
The Flash
1 Little Grebe
69 Tufted Ducks
(Ed Wilson)
2012
Little Wenlock, Candles Landfill Site
1 Caspian Gull
1 Yellow-legged Gull.
(Dawn Balmer & Pete Wilson)
2011
The Wrekin
Flock of Crossbills near summit
(Maurice Baker)
2010
Priorslee Lake
2nd-winter Mediterranean Gull
(Observer Unknown)
2009
Priorslee Lake
Black-necked Grebe
4 Great Crested Grebes
18 Mute Swans
59 Canada Geese
4 Gadwall
29 Pochard
92 Tufted Ducks
2 Water Rails
327 Coots
2 Redwings
16 Goldfinches
13 Siskins
(Ed Wilson)
2006
Priorslee lake
2 Great Crested Grebe
22 Tufted Ducks
86 Coots
2 Great Black-backed Gulls
3 Buzzards
20 Pied Wagtails
c.200 Redwing
4 Mistle Thrush
c.500 Fieldfare
1 Willow Tit
3 Brambling
14 Chaffinches
13 Greenfinches
2 Redpoll
1 Siskin
3 Reed Buntings
(Martin Adlam)
Priorslee Lake
1 Little Grebe
7 Gadwall
7 Pochard
101 Tufted Ducks
1 Scaup
210 Coots
1 Great Black-backed Gull
(Ed Wilson)
The Flash
1 Little Grebe
69 Tufted Ducks
(Ed Wilson)
2012
Little Wenlock, Candles Landfill Site
1 Caspian Gull
1 Yellow-legged Gull.
(Dawn Balmer & Pete Wilson)
2011
The Wrekin
Flock of Crossbills near summit
(Maurice Baker)
2010
Priorslee Lake
2nd-winter Mediterranean Gull
(Observer Unknown)
2009
Priorslee Lake
Black-necked Grebe
4 Great Crested Grebes
18 Mute Swans
59 Canada Geese
4 Gadwall
29 Pochard
92 Tufted Ducks
2 Water Rails
327 Coots
2 Redwings
16 Goldfinches
13 Siskins
(Ed Wilson)
2006
Priorslee lake
2 Great Crested Grebe
22 Tufted Ducks
86 Coots
2 Great Black-backed Gulls
3 Buzzards
20 Pied Wagtails
c.200 Redwing
4 Mistle Thrush
c.500 Fieldfare
1 Willow Tit
3 Brambling
14 Chaffinches
13 Greenfinches
2 Redpoll
1 Siskin
3 Reed Buntings
(Martin Adlam)