2.0°C > 5.0°C: Cloudless start: some cloud to the North later. Keen north-westerly wind. Very good visibility.
[Sunrise: 08:21 GMT: started to move!]
Again I avoided the early slippery paths in the dark and started later. Did not have time to walk around the Balancing Lake.
* = a species photographed today
Priorslee Balancing Lake: 10:40 – 11:40
(3rd visit of the year)
Bird notes:
- the resident cob Mute Swan was still chasing first winter bird with the pen occasionally helping him.
- although I was mainly along or close-to the dam top I managed to hear the Cetti's Warbler giving its sharp contact call note.
Bird(s) noted flying over here:
- 2 Jackdaws
Counts from the lake area:
- 3 Canada Geese
- 3 Mute Swans
- 5 (2♂) Gadwall
- 12 (7♂) Mallard
- 8 (5♂) Pochard
- 38 (23♂) Tufted Duck
- 5 Moorhens
- 235 Coots
- 3 Great Crested Grebes
- 26 Black-headed Gulls
- 15 Herring Gulls
- 28 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 4 Cormorants
- 1 Great White Egret
Also noted.
Nothing else
Bird Species List
There were no additions to the birds on my site for here in 2025:
(Ed Wilson)
The Flash: 09:35 – 10:35
(3rd visit of the year)
Bird notes:
- perhaps some of the Moorhens were hiding from the keen breeze. Or perhaps the lower number was because I was hiding as well.
Bird(s) noted flying over here:
Bird Species List
There were no additions to the birds on my site for here in 2025:
(Ed Wilson)
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Flash: 09:35 – 10:35
(3rd visit of the year)
Bird notes:
- perhaps some of the Moorhens were hiding from the keen breeze. Or perhaps the lower number was because I was hiding as well.
Bird(s) noted flying over here:
None
Noted on / around the water:
- 4 Canada Geese
- 10 Greylag Geese
- 4 Mute Swans
- 40 (25♂) Mallard
- 1 (1♂) Pochard
- *73 (43♂) Tufted Duck
- 8 Moorhens
- 60 Coots
- *1 Little Grebe
- 40 Black-headed Gulls
- 1 Herring Gull: second winter
- 1 Cormorant
Noted on / around the water:
- 4 Canada Geese
- 10 Greylag Geese
- 4 Mute Swans
- 40 (25♂) Mallard
- 1 (1♂) Pochard
- *73 (43♂) Tufted Duck
- 8 Moorhens
- 60 Coots
- *1 Little Grebe
- 40 Black-headed Gulls
- 1 Herring Gull: second winter
- 1 Cormorant
Noted elsewhere:
Nothing
Bird Species List
Here are today's additions to the birds on my site for here in 2025:
32 Little Grebe
And here alongside a Tufted Duck. But which sex is the Tuftie? The 'tuft' seems to be too well-developed for a duck especially as the white at the base of the bill and under the tail suggests it is probably a first winter bird. Not sure!
Plane of the day: this 1985-build Piper PA-28-161 Warrior II has only recently been placed on the UK (G-) register having been operated in the UK on its American registration since 2022. Before being imported it had owners in Florida, North Carolina and Minnesota. The current owners have a Slough address though it seems to be leased out for operation from Wolverhampton's Halfpenny Green Airport.
Bird Species List
Here are today's additions to the birds on my site for here in 2025:
32 Little Grebe
What is presumably the same Little Grebe was unusually out in the open – at least for a while.
When all else fails there is always a friendly Robin to photograph.
(Ed Wilson)
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2014
Priorslee Lake
Two 1st winter female Scaup present.
2012
Priorslee Lake
Adult Yellow-legged Gull
Adult Caspian Gull
(Ed Wilson)
2010
Priorslee Lake
A 2nd winter Caspian Gull
Adult Yellow-legged Gull
(Richard Vernon)
2008
Priorslee Lake
Evening - 6:15pm a Barn Owl
(Martin Adlam)
Morning
Big gull roost with:
2000 Black-headed Gulls
500 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
160 Herring Gulls
Yellow-legged Gull
2 Great Black-backed Gulls
Also
At least 10000 Starlings left the roost somewhere to the S and flew N just before 8:00am.
(Ed Wilson)