2.0°C > 5.0°C: Early broken cloud gave way to a mainly medium-high overcast. Light / moderate south-easterly wind. Very good visibility.
Sunrise: 08:16 GMT
* = a species photographed today
Priorslee Balancing Lake: 06:30 – 09:50 // 11:50 – 12:05
(11th visit of the year)
Still at least 80% iced-over
I made a quick return visit to try and identify a hitherto *unidentified sleeping bird in better light. It was of course nowhere to be found!
Bird notes:
- I could not locate yesterday's duck Shoveler.
- the two figures for the gull totals refer to my count of those arrive before and around dawn (almost all of which departed) // my count when I briefly returned.
- the Cetti's Warbler was heard singing for the first time this year.
- a party of c.40 Siskins flew East over me as I walked back up Teece Drive. A few minutes later a similar-sized flock did the same. A separate group?
Bird(s) noted flying over here:
- 40 Canada Geese: flew South together
- 53 Greylag Geese: all outbound as singles / 3 groups
- 2 Stock Dove
- 15 Wood Pigeons
- 2 Herring Gulls
- 8 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 47 Jackdaws
- 42 Rooks
- 2 Siskins
Counts from the lake area:
- 36 Canada Geese: of these 32 departed in several groups
- 2 Mute Swans
- 7 (3♂) Gadwall
- *13 (9♂) Mallard
- 2 (1♂) Pochard
- 45 (30♂) Tufted Duck
- 6 Moorhens
- 257 Coots
- 2 Great Crested Grebes
- c.350 // c.300 Black-headed Gulls
- 1 // 2 Great Black-backed Gulls
- c.25 // 66 Herring Gulls
- 0 // 1 Yellow-legged Gulls
- c.150 // c.320 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 1 Cormorant: arrived quickly departed
- 1 Grey Heron: arrived 07:20
- 1 Great (White) Egret: arrived 07:50
- 1 Kingfisher
Noted on the street lamp poles pre dawn.
Pre-dawn looking West with The Wrekin behind the red "Ricoh" sign. It is the street lamps along Castle Farm Way that are illuminating the foreground vegetation.
Me and my shadow". The only creature found on the walls of the Telford Sailing Club HQ was this winter cranefly Trichocera sp.
One of two springtails that were on the street lamp poles pre-dawn. I have decided that other than the very obvious Pogonognathellus longicornis with their long antennae I will log all the springtails of this type merely as springtails. I cannot realistically separate them from photos
(Ed Wilson)
The Flash: 09:55 – 10:50 // 11:30 – 11:40
(10th visit of the year)
>75% ice cover
Bird notes
My two visited were separated while I was taken by one of the dog-walkers see a "dead mottled bird with a long bill" that she had seen close to the main Priorslee O-about for about 10 days. It was a sad sight: a *Woodcock!
*A splendid drake Goldeneye was among the throng in the open water apparently unfazed by the relative proximity of walkers on the footpath. My first here since 30 October 2019 (and 07 December 2017 before that).
Other bird notes:
- my first Treecreeper gave some good views.
Bird(s) noted flying over here:
- 2 Lesser Black-backed Gulls: one adult; one second winter; one first winter
Noted on / around the water:
- *22 Canada Geese
- 13 Greylag Geese; arrived more or less together
- 4 Mute Swans
- 33 (24♂) Mallard
- 1 (1♂) all-white feral Aylesbury Duck
- 81 (49♂) Tufted Duck
- *1 (1♂) Goldeneye
- 7 Moorhens
- 48 Coots
- 107 Black-headed Gulls
- 4 Herring Gulls: one adult; three second winters
- 1 Lesser Black-backed Gulls: adult
- 1 Grey Heron: departed
Noted elsewhere:
Plane of the day. This is not the usual West Midlands Air Ambulance which is registered G-RMAA. This (G-HMAA) is a slightly updated version of the Airbus Helicopters-built MBB-Bk 117 D-2 marketed as an EC 145. It was delivered after specialist equipment outfitting to the Air Ambulance base at Cosford on 23 December 2024 and has replaced the East Midland Air Ambulance G-HWAA. "Our" air ambulance was likely on another mission (perhaps the fatal accident on the A5) as we rarely see the East Midlands aircraft over our area.
Near the Priorslee O-about
I spread one of the wings to better show the patterning. Strange this carcass has apparently been present for at least ten days without being predated, by a fox for example.
(Ed Wilson)
2014
Priorslee Lake
1 drake Scaup
2 female Scaup
(Paul King)
2013
Priorslee Lake
103 Coot
147 Black-headed Gulls
25 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
63 Tufted Duck
1 drake Scaup
2 Great Crested Grebe
17 Pochard
(Tony Beckett)
Priorslee Flash
4 Goosander
38 Tufted Duck
(Tony Beckett)
Little Wenlock, Candles Landfill Site
1 Caspian Gull
(Observer Unknown)
2012
Priorslee Lake
Water Rail
5 Great Crested Grebe
20 Pochard
17 Tufted Duck
c.200 Black-headed Gulls
92 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
6 Herring Gulls
2 Great Black-backed Gulls
24 Redwings
(Ed Wilson, John Isherwood)
Priorslee Flash
66 Tufted Duck
236 Black-headed Gulls
36 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
3 Herring Gulls
(Ed Wilson)
East of Priorslee
Willow Tit
Skylark
Brown Hare
(John Isherwood)
Holmer Lake
69 Goosander
(John Isherwood)
2010
Priorslee Lake
Bittern
8 Swans
4 Gadwall
23 Pochard
55 Tufted Ducks
256 Coots
c.800 Black-headed Gulls
c.500 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
1 Yellow-legged Gull
c.40 Herring Gulls
2 Great Black-backed Gulls
Willow Tit
2 Siskins
(Ed Wilson and unknown observer)
2007
Priorslee Lake
38 Pochard
53 Tufted Ducks
15 Goosanders
2 Buzzards
>1000 Black-headed Gulls
>215 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
22 Herring Gulls
32 Robins
15 Blackbirds
179 Fieldfares
104 Redwings
274 Jackdaws
266 Rooks
218 Starlings
5 Reed Buntings
(Ed Wilson)
2006
Priorslee Lake
9 Great Crested Grebes
13 Cormorants
10 Pochard
24 Tufted Duck
207 Coots
2 Lapwings
c.850 Black-headed Gulls
2 Great Black-backed Gulls
96 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
61 Herring Gulls
1 Yellow-legged Gull
309 Jackdaws
493 Rooks
12 Pied Wagtails
10 Fieldfare
15 Robins
12 Blackbirds
1 Willow Tit
2 Siskins
1 Redpoll
11 Greenfinches
3 Reed Buntings
(Ed Wilson)
* = a species photographed today
Priorslee Balancing Lake: 06:30 – 09:50 // 11:50 – 12:05
(11th visit of the year)
Still at least 80% iced-over
I made a quick return visit to try and identify a hitherto *unidentified sleeping bird in better light. It was of course nowhere to be found!
Bird notes:
- I could not locate yesterday's duck Shoveler.
- the two figures for the gull totals refer to my count of those arrive before and around dawn (almost all of which departed) // my count when I briefly returned.
- the Cetti's Warbler was heard singing for the first time this year.
- a party of c.40 Siskins flew East over me as I walked back up Teece Drive. A few minutes later a similar-sized flock did the same. A separate group?
Bird(s) noted flying over here:
- 40 Canada Geese: flew South together
- 53 Greylag Geese: all outbound as singles / 3 groups
- 2 Stock Dove
- 15 Wood Pigeons
- 2 Herring Gulls
- 8 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 47 Jackdaws
- 42 Rooks
- 2 Siskins
Counts from the lake area:
- 36 Canada Geese: of these 32 departed in several groups
- 2 Mute Swans
- 7 (3♂) Gadwall
- *13 (9♂) Mallard
- 2 (1♂) Pochard
- 45 (30♂) Tufted Duck
- 6 Moorhens
- 257 Coots
- 2 Great Crested Grebes
- c.350 // c.300 Black-headed Gulls
- 1 // 2 Great Black-backed Gulls
- c.25 // 66 Herring Gulls
- 0 // 1 Yellow-legged Gulls
- c.150 // c.320 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 1 Cormorant: arrived quickly departed
- 1 Grey Heron: arrived 07:20
- 1 Great (White) Egret: arrived 07:50
- 1 Kingfisher
Noted on the street lamp poles pre dawn.
Flies:
- 1 fly
- 1 fly
Springtails
- *2 springtails of different species
- *2 springtails of different species
Beetles:
- 1 Orange Ladybird Halyzia sedecimguttata: still here
Telford Sailing Club
Noted around the Telford Sailing Club HQ pre dawn.
- 1 Orange Ladybird Halyzia sedecimguttata: still here
Telford Sailing Club
Noted around the Telford Sailing Club HQ pre dawn.
Flies:
- *1 winter cranefly Trichocera sp.
New Bird Species
Additions to the birds on my site for here in 2025:
- *1 winter cranefly Trichocera sp.
New Bird Species
Additions to the birds on my site for here in 2025:
None
A colourful sunrise today. Starting.
Spreading more or less across the sky.
Colour gone and clouding up.
A group of Mallard arranged neatly on the ice.
Now what exactly is this? A large duck? A small goose? Looks more like the latter. The pale panel in the wing is confusing. It stayed asleep in this position throughout by early visit. When I went back later I could not locate it.
Looks as if this male Siskin could do with a groom.
A female Siskin: more subdued plumage.
(Ed Wilson)
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Flash: 09:55 – 10:50 // 11:30 – 11:40
(10th visit of the year)
>75% ice cover
Bird notes
My two visited were separated while I was taken by one of the dog-walkers see a "dead mottled bird with a long bill" that she had seen close to the main Priorslee O-about for about 10 days. It was a sad sight: a *Woodcock!
*A splendid drake Goldeneye was among the throng in the open water apparently unfazed by the relative proximity of walkers on the footpath. My first here since 30 October 2019 (and 07 December 2017 before that).
Other bird notes:
- my first Treecreeper gave some good views.
Bird(s) noted flying over here:
- 2 Lesser Black-backed Gulls: one adult; one second winter; one first winter
Noted on / around the water:
- *22 Canada Geese
- 13 Greylag Geese; arrived more or less together
- 4 Mute Swans
- 33 (24♂) Mallard
- 1 (1♂) all-white feral Aylesbury Duck
- 81 (49♂) Tufted Duck
- *1 (1♂) Goldeneye
- 7 Moorhens
- 48 Coots
- 107 Black-headed Gulls
- 4 Herring Gulls: one adult; three second winters
- 1 Lesser Black-backed Gulls: adult
- 1 Grey Heron: departed
Noted elsewhere:
Nothing
New Bird Species
Today's additions to the birds on my site for here in 2025:
40 *Goldeneye
41 *Treecreeper
The iced-over top end. Why do people find in necessary to throw things on to the ice? Did I do it when I was young?
Answer this quickly. How many Canada Geese are there here? An upside-down Black-headed Gull is also visible.
The distinctively-shaped head normally looks dark but as with drake Tufted Ducks it glosses when the light is at the right angle. He is paddling and you can see his legs.
I have rarely managed to get this close to this species. At the lake this species is usually in the middle, well away from any access spot.
Some poor photos of my first Treecreeper of the year. Clearly seen here are the three forward-facing toes. This limits the ability of this species to move around trees – it can only move upwards.
Today's additions to the birds on my site for here in 2025:
40 *Goldeneye
41 *Treecreeper
A few photos of the very smart drake Goldeneye.
The back-view. Note the position of the tail.
The strong tail-feathers are used as a prop as it climbs.
A slightly better view of the curved bill, ideal for poking in to crevices in the bark.
Near the Priorslee O-about
Thanks to one of the regular dog-walkers I was able to identify this as a dead Woodcock for her. A sad end to a bird which is superbly-camouflaged as it roosts on the woodland floor before flying out to use its long bill to poke around for worms all night. I assume this was a road casualty as it was flying in to or out of its roost.
(Ed Wilson)
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2014
Priorslee Lake
1 drake Scaup
2 female Scaup
(Paul King)
2013
Priorslee Lake
103 Coot
147 Black-headed Gulls
25 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
63 Tufted Duck
1 drake Scaup
2 Great Crested Grebe
17 Pochard
(Tony Beckett)
Priorslee Flash
4 Goosander
38 Tufted Duck
(Tony Beckett)
Little Wenlock, Candles Landfill Site
1 Caspian Gull
(Observer Unknown)
2012
Priorslee Lake
Water Rail
5 Great Crested Grebe
20 Pochard
17 Tufted Duck
c.200 Black-headed Gulls
92 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
6 Herring Gulls
2 Great Black-backed Gulls
24 Redwings
(Ed Wilson, John Isherwood)
Priorslee Flash
66 Tufted Duck
236 Black-headed Gulls
36 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
3 Herring Gulls
(Ed Wilson)
East of Priorslee
Willow Tit
Skylark
Brown Hare
(John Isherwood)
Holmer Lake
69 Goosander
(John Isherwood)
2010
Priorslee Lake
Bittern
8 Swans
4 Gadwall
23 Pochard
55 Tufted Ducks
256 Coots
c.800 Black-headed Gulls
c.500 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
1 Yellow-legged Gull
c.40 Herring Gulls
2 Great Black-backed Gulls
Willow Tit
2 Siskins
(Ed Wilson and unknown observer)
2007
Priorslee Lake
38 Pochard
53 Tufted Ducks
15 Goosanders
2 Buzzards
>1000 Black-headed Gulls
>215 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
22 Herring Gulls
32 Robins
15 Blackbirds
179 Fieldfares
104 Redwings
274 Jackdaws
266 Rooks
218 Starlings
5 Reed Buntings
(Ed Wilson)
2006
Priorslee Lake
9 Great Crested Grebes
13 Cormorants
10 Pochard
24 Tufted Duck
207 Coots
2 Lapwings
c.850 Black-headed Gulls
2 Great Black-backed Gulls
96 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
61 Herring Gulls
1 Yellow-legged Gull
309 Jackdaws
493 Rooks
12 Pied Wagtails
10 Fieldfare
15 Robins
12 Blackbirds
1 Willow Tit
2 Siskins
1 Redpoll
11 Greenfinches
3 Reed Buntings
(Ed Wilson)