-1.0°C > 0.0°C: Clear but hazy start. Mist / fog descended. Almost calm. Good visibility, becoming very poor.
[Sunrise: 08:17 GMT]
I decided to start at the lake and that is as far as I got when the fog came down
* = a species photographed today
Priorslee Balancing Lake: 09:45 – 11:45
(9th visit of the year)
>c.90% ice.
Bird notes:
- two Mute Swans circled low and decided not to visit either because the residents had adopted their threat posture or because there was too little open water for them to use.
- my first Water Rail of the year was heard calling in the north-west area.
- a Little Grebe among the melee in the small area of open water was a new arrival.
- once again the gull count was made soon after I arrived. Birds were continually coming and going. I could not check out most of these arrivals as they disappeared in to the mist.
- a Kingfisher was seen flying up and down the Wesley Brook in the bridge area.
Bird(s) noted flying over here:
- 2 Canada Geese
- 2 Mute Swans
- 2 Herring Gulls
- 24 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 1 Lesser Redpoll
Counts from the lake area:
- 2 Mute Swans
- 5 (2♂) Gadwall
- 16 (10♂) Mallard
- 2 (0♂) Pochard
- 71 (38♂) Tufted Duck
- 1 Water Rail: heard only
- 5 Moorhens
- 231 Coots
- 1 Little Grebe
- 1 Great Crested Grebe
see notes regarding gull counts
- >220 Black-headed Gulls
- 2 Great Black-backed Gulls
- >52 Herring Gulls
- >450 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 1 Kingfisher
Noted elsewhere:
Nothing
New Bird Species
Additions to the bird species on my site list for here in 2025:
52 Greenfinch
53 Water Rail
Not too much bird life to photograph so a few 'scenery' images. This is the south-east area before the mist and fog returned.
One of the patches of reeds against the dam face. These were extensive-enough last year for a Reed Warbler to nest there.
No chance of checking the throng on the open water now the mist has returned. I can make out Coot and drake Tufted Duck and not much else.
...almost begging! Would it stand on the snow and give me a photo to use on this year's Christmas Card? No!
New Bird Species
Additions to the bird species on my site list for here in 2025:
52 Greenfinch
53 Water Rail
The widened path along the South side with some of the cut brushwood tossed in the foreground.
The north-east area.
The seed head of a Common Hogweed Heracleum sphondylium covered on hoar frost.
One of the pair(?) of Mute Swans that decided against visiting.
The Flash does not have exclusivity on friendly Robins. Here is one.
And another...
(Ed Wilson)
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2014
Priorslee Lake
3 Scaup
1 Common Gull
(Dave Tromans/Tom Lowe)
2013
Horsehay Pool
3 Yellow-legged Gulls
2 Common Gulls
2000 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
20+ Greater Black-backed Gulls
600 Herring Gulls
(Kris Webb and Jim Almond)
2010
Priorslee Lake
5 Bullfinch
4 Goosander
2 Water Rail
Common Snipe
Woodcock
4 Gadwall
Bittern
Peregrine
38 Swans
26 Pochard
57 Tufted Ducks
333 Coots
c.200 Black-headed Gulls
c.20 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
3 Herring Gulls
12 Siskins
(Ed Wilson, Martin Grant)
2008
Priorslee Lake
1 Glaucous Gull
(Paul King)
2007
Priorslee Lake
1 Little Grebe
11 Pochard
62 Tufted Ducks
5 Goosanders
>1000 Black-headed Gulls
10 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
16 Robins
13 Redwings
34 Magpies
378 Jackdaws
348 Rooks
3 Reed Buntings
(Ed Wilson)
2006
Priorslee Lake
c.20 Golden Plover
2 Gadwall
c.1100 Black-headed Gulls
145 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
52 Herring Gulls
3 Great Black-backed Gulls
11 Pochard
37 Tufted Duck
226 Coots
1 Water Rail
221 Jackdaws
392 Rooks
12 Siskins
13 Pied Wagtails
3 Reed Buntings
21 Robins
18 Blackbirds
1 Willow Tit
5 Bullfinches
(Ed Wilson)