28 Feb 25

Priorslee Balancing Lake and The Flash

0.0°C > 6.0°C: Almost clear apart from a few low cloud patches around dawn. Light and variable winds. Mostly very good visibility.

Sunrise: 06:59 GMT

* = a species photographed today

Priorslee Balancing Lake: 05:50 – 09:15

(49th visit of the year)

Bird notes:
- two pairs of Gadwall with one pair seen mating.
- no Pochard found.
- Water Rail was heard calling along the North side.
- fewer Moorhens. This is normal when their breakfast of the south-west grass is frosted.
- now seven Great Crested Grebes: two pairs and three singles apparently.
- yesterday I noted c.150 Black-headed Gulls arriving after 06:40. Today at least 350 were put up from the water at 06:05 having likely roosted here. I did not see what had spooked them but whatever it was caused even more of a commotion than usual in the Magpie roost.
- a Chiffchaff was singing near the Wesley Brook bridge. My first record of a bird singing in February here.
- yesterday's singing Reed Bunting was not heard this morning. One was calling along the North side – the first I have heard at this traditional breeding site this year.

Bird(s) noted flying over here:
- 4 Canada Geese: single inbound; trio outbound
- 15 Wood Pigeons
- 11 Black-headed Gulls
- 4 Herring Gulls
- 17 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 1 Cormorant
- 36 Jackdaws
- 17 Rooks
- 1 Pied Wagtail

Counts from the lake area:
- 8 Canada Geese
- 2 Mute Swans
- 4 (2♂) Gadwall
- 9 (6♂) Mallard
- no Pochard
- 13 (8♂) Tufted Duck
- 1 Water Rail: heard only
- 6 Moorhen
- 69 Coots
- *7 Great Crested Grebes
- >350 Black-headed Gulls
- *16 Herring Gulls
- 37 Lesser Black-backed Gull
- *5 Cormorants: all arrived separately; two of them departed
- 1 Kingfisher: heard: then another(?) seen

Seen later:

Nothing

Of note:

Nothing
***the frost on the street lamp poles meant no insects or spiders again.

Well pre-sunrise: patchy cloud to the East. Note the frost on the south-west grass.

The cloud breaking up as the sun rose giving some colour...

...spreading across the sky.

Last year I took several photos of Great Crested Grebes dealing with large fish. This is the first one I have seen with a fish of any size this year.

Two other Great Crested Grebes having a brief display.

One of today's newly arrived Great Crested Grebes.

A typical first year Herring Gull leaving.

Not sure about this pale-headed bird. The inner primaries are pale, but not that pale or extensive. The visible upper wing is otherwise all dark-toned while the under wing is pale and has no strong markings and the bill is mainly pale. These could suggest Caspian Gull but I am far from sure.

A typical second year Herring Gull with a bill recalling the otherwise smaller and New World Ring-billed Gull.

A Cormorant drying its wings / aiding digestion? As it had just flown in it seems unlikely that it needed to dry its wings.

Now leaving us. "Thanks for all the fish"?

I could not find any Siskins on the Alder cones today: just Goldfinches.

Plane of the day: guess the airline?

The FlightRadar24 data for the flight. It is unusual for this flight to route over us: normally the flight routes East overhead Manchester and out over East Anglia.

(Ed Wilson)

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The Flash: 09:20 – 10:30

(47th visit of the year)

Bird notes
A Grey Wagtail was briefly in the road at Derwent Drive. My 54th bird species here this year.

Other bird notes:
- no idea why there were so many Herring Gulls today: all of them were immatures.
- *Long-tailed Tits seen collecting lichen(?) as nesting material.

Bird(s) noted flying over here:
- 1 Lesser Black-backed Gull

Noted on / around the water:
- 21 Canada Geese
- 4 Mute Swans
- 29 (22♂) Mallard
- 1 (1♂) all-white feral 'Aylesbury Duck'
- 1 (1♂) Pochard
- 50 (29♂) Tufted Duck
- 18 Moorhens
- 33 Coots
- no Great Crested Grebe
- 22 Black-headed Gulls
- *11 Herring Gulls: all immatures
- 2 Lesser Black-backed Gulls: one adult; one second year
- 1 Cormorant

Of note:

*Early Crocus Crocus tommasinianus.
the Ivy was in full sun but the ambient temperature was perhaps still too low to temp any insects out.

At this time of year gulls, usually (always?) immatures, pick up objects and 'play' with them. An immature Herring Gull here.

Other birds usually join in a chase. Both seem to be first year birds.

Another puzzling gull. Basically a second year Herring Gull from the back colour. The tail band is stronger than I would expect and the secondary coverts are darker than I would expect. So?

I was trying to photograph a Goldcrest when this noisy Blue Tit popped up.

This Goldcrest!

Giving unusually good views for a change.

It didn't stay!

Two Long-tailed Tits seemed to be collecting lichen, perhaps for a nest.

Easier to see it has something in its bill. But what?

The "beseeching" look.

I still can't see what is in the bill.

Nor here....

...here...

...or indeed here!

Not sure whether these are garden escapes as I found them in one of the wooded area. They are Early Crocus Crocus tommasinianus.

(Ed Wilson)

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2014
Little Wenlock, Candles Landfill Site
2 Iceland Gulls
(Observer Unknown)

2013
Priorslee Lake
31 Wigeon
7 Gadwall
5 Pochard
18 Tufted Ducks
1 Greater Scaup
2 Lapwings
c.1600 Black-headed Gulls
c.800 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
c.100 Herring Gulls
1 Iceland
1 Glaucous Gull
1 Caspian Gull
1 Yellow-legged Gull
38 Redwings
2 Fieldfare
15 Siskins
(Ed Wilson, Martin Grant, Tom Lowe)

The Flash
1 Little Grebe
10 Pochard
123 Tufted Duck
(Ed Wilson)

Trench Lock Pool
21 Tufted Duck
1 Goosander
(Ed Wilson)

Horsehay Pool
1 Yellow-legged Gull
(Tom Lowe)

Little Wenlock, Candles Landfill Site
2 Yellow-legged Gulls.
(Tom Lowe)

2012
Priorslee Lake
4 Great Crested Grebes
3 Pochard
32 Tufted Duck
4 Curlew
2 Siskins
(Ed Wilson)

Trench Lock
26 Tufted Duck
9 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
13 Herring Gulls
1 Yellow-legged Gull
(Ed Wilson)

2010
Priorslee Lake
1 Little Grebe
6 Great Crested Grebes
4 Gadwall
39 Pochard
57 Tufted Ducks
99 Coots
29 Blackbirds
4 Redwing
8 Song Thrushes
22 Siskins
3 Reed Buntings
(Ed Wilson)

2009
Priorslee Lake
Common Gull
6 Ravens
(Ed Wilson)

Woodhouse Lane
Stonechat
(John Isherwood)

2007
Priorslee Lake
4 Cormorant
2 Pochard
15 Tufted Duck
1 Ruddy Duck
1 Peregrine Falcon
26 Robin
11 Redwing
63 Magpie
196 Jackdaw
12 Greenfinch
10 Reed Bunting
(Ed Wilson)

2006
Priorslee Lake
2 Little Grebes
6 Great Crested Grebes
2 Cormorants
7 Pochard
35 Tufted Ducks
1 Water Rail
800 Wood Pigeon
142 Starlings
14 Pied Wagtails
18 Robins
20 Blackbirds
11 Fieldfare
10 Song Thrushes
2 Willow Tits
15 Greenfinches
11 Siskins
7 Reed Buntings
(Ed Wilson)

27 Feb 25

Priorslee Balancing Lake and The Flash

3.0°C > 7.0°C: Patchy low cloud. Keen-feeling moderate westerly wind. Very good visibility.

Sunrise: 07:01 GMT

* = a species photographed today

Priorslee Balancing Lake: 05:50 – 09:10

(48th visit of the year)

Bird notes
*An Oystercatcher was on the south-west grassy area by 08:40. It had probably arrived much earlier – its calls are not dissimilar to notes given by Song Thrushes. There were seven on those singing away. My 70th bird species here this year.

Other bird notes:
- When I arrived there were nine Canada Geese present. Four of these flew off together. Later two pair arrived – were these different birds?
- no Gadwall seen today. A pair of Mallard were lurking in the same area today.
- Coots have started nesting and there are probably a few more birds hidden away in the reeds. Soon after dawn 31 Coots (and eight Moorhens) had gathered for breakfast on the south-west grass.
- I can confirm that one of the erstwhile paired Great Crested Grebes does swap partners.
- A silent Chiffchaff was seen at the West end again.
- A Treecreeper was heard in song with a different bird seen concurrently.
- I have previously recorded just two instances of calling Reed Buntings this year. Notwithstanding this, one bird was singing at the West end this morning (20 February was my first recorded singing bird in 2024).

Bird(s) noted flying over here:
- 4 Canada Geese: two pairs outbound
- 2 Stock Doves: together
- 16 Wood Pigeons
- 2 Black-headed Gulls
- 3 Herring Gulls
- 33 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 1 Cormorant
- 110 Jackdaws
- 23 Rooks

Counts from the lake area:
- 9 (13?) Canada Geese: see notes
- 2 Mute Swans
- no Gadwall
- 4 (3♂) Mallard
- *1 (?♂) Pochard
- *12 (8♂) Tufted Duck
- 11 Moorhen
- 61 Coots
- 5 Great Crested Grebes
- *1 Oystercatcher
- *c.150 Black-headed Gulls
- *16 Herring Gulls
- *49 Lesser Black-backed Gull
- 3 Cormorants: arrived separately; one of these departed
- 1 Great (White) Egret
- 1 Kingfisher

Seen later:
*Blackthorn Prunus spinosa in flower

Of note:

Nothing else
***even though there was no frost or dew on the street lamp poles I could find no insects or spiders.

Yet again Telford seemed to be generating its own cloud. Early on there was just this strip of cloud persisting to the East.

More cloud developed...

... and spread across most of the sky to the East. It remained clear to the West. The sun can be seen just above the horizon bottom left.

A blanket of cloud overhead, the sun shining underneath. And yes: the photo is horizontal – it is the way the North shore looks from the dam top!

Head-shapes in silhouette to compare and contrast. On the left a Tufted Duck; on the right a Pochard.

The Oystercatcher on the south-west grass has found a worm...

 ...which does not want to be eaten and is putting up a fight.

The Oystercatcher flies off with a muddy bill.

A trio of gulls. From the front an unusually pale first year Herring Gull; an adult Black-headed Gull without and sign of the breeding dark hood as yet; and an adult Lesser Black-backed Gull with yellow legs.

Not a typical location for a Blackbird. A male fording the Wesley Brook.

Blackthorn Prunus spinosa in flower. Almost an month later than last year (04 February) though since my attention was drawn to it by some white petals on the ground it has perhaps been flowering for a few days.

(Ed Wilson)

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The Flash: 09:15 – 10:30

(46th visit of the year)

Bird notes
A Mistle Thrush was singing at the top end before flying off West. My 53rd bird species here this year.

Other bird notes:
- *yesterday's sick-looking Canada Goose was lying dead in the water.

Bird(s) noted flying over here:

None

Noted on / around the water:
- 24 Canada Geese: also the dead bird
- 4 Mute Swans
- 22 (16♂) Mallard
- 3 (2♂) Pochard
- 44 (26♂) Tufted Duck
- 16 Moorhens
- 32 Coots
- 1 Great Crested Grebe
- 17 Black-headed Gulls
- 3 Herring Gulls: two adults and one second year
- 1 Lesser Black-backed Gull: adult
- no Cormorant

Otherwise of note:
*- just one fly on the Ivy, possibly the blow-fly Calliphora vomitoria.

Yesterday's unwell-looking Canada Goose is now dead. This is the fifth recent death (not counting the two carcasses that I was unable to positively identify). Bird flu must be suspect.

Carrion Crow is not a species I expect to see using a feeder.

The only insect sunning itself on the Ivy bank was this fly. Almost certainly one of the blow-fly group and a good match for Calliphora vomitoria.

(Ed Wilson)

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2014
Little Wenlock, Candles Landfill Site
2 Iceland Gulls
1 Caspian Gull
(Observer Unknown)

2013
Priorslee Lake
6 Great Crested Grebes
1 Greater Scaup
26 Wigeon
4 Gadwall
33 Tufted Ducks
84 Coots
c.800 Black-headed Gulls
c.450 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
c.60 Herring Gulls
1 Great Black-backed Gull
(Ed Wilson)

Horsehay Pool
1 Glaucous Gull
(J W Reeves )

2012
Priorslee Lake
4 Great Crested Grebes
1 Shelduck
4 Pochard
30 Tufted Duck
35 Robins
24 Wrens
15 Dunnocks
(Ed Wilson)

Priorslee Flash
3 Great Crested Grebes
9 Pochard
53 Tufted Duck
(Ed Wilson)

2010
Priorslee Lake
1 Little Grebe
6 Great Crested Grebes
1 Heron
4 Gadwall
35 Pochard
51 Tufted Ducks
1 Water Rail
103 Coots
c.700 Black-headed Gulls
c.225 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
27 Herring Gulls
Common Gull
Great Black-backed Gull
2 Willow Tit
124 Jackdaws
86 Rooks
1 Linnet
14 Siskins
2 Reed Bunting
(Ed Wilson)

2009
Priorslee Lake
1 Glaucous Gull
1 Iceland Gull
(Ed Wilson)

2007
Priorslee Lake
4 Pochard
19 Tufted Duck
1 Ruddy Duck
600 Black-headed Gulls
100 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
1 Herring Gull
1 Great Black-backed Gull
36 Wren
28 Robin
7 Redwing
20 Magpie
134 Jackdaw
8 Greenfinch
4 Reed Bunting
(Ed Wilson, Martin Adlam)

2006
Priorslee Lake
6 Great Crested Grebes
1 Heron
2 Cormorant
2 Gadwall
7 Pochard
42 Tufted Ducks
110 Coots
150 Starlings
23 Pied Wagtails
21 Wrens
15 Robins
17 Blackbirds
2 Redwings
1 Willow Tit
16 Greenfinches
38 Siskins
1 Redpoll
4 Reed Buntings
(Ed Wilson)

26 Feb 25

Priorslee Balancing Lake and The Flash

5.0°C > 8.0°C: Clearing after earlier rain. Moderate south-westerly breeze. Very good visibility.

[Sunrise: 07:03 GMT]

* = a species photographed today

Priorslee Balancing Lake: 08:20 – 09:20

(47th visit of the year)

I avoided the earlier rain and did another watch only from the dam-top area.

Bird notes:
- it is hard to be certain though one of the erstwhile paired Great Crested Grebes seemed to display with the fifth bird as well as its regular partner. There did not appear to be a sixth bird lurking anywhere.
- most gulls that were part of any early arrived had departed before I arrived.

Bird(s) noted flying over here:
- 2 Wood Pigeons
- 6 Lesser Black-backed Gulls

Counts from the lake area:
- 9 Canada Geese
- 2 Mute Swans
- 5 (3♂) Gadwall
- no Mallard
- no Pochard
- 11 (6♂) Tufted Duck
- 6 Moorhen
- 65 Coots
- 5 Great Crested Grebes
- 7 Black-headed Gulls
- 7 Herring Gulls
- 1 Lesser Black-backed Gull
- 3 Cormorants
- 1 Grey Heron
- *1 Great (White) Egret

Of note:

Nothing else

The Great (White) Egret was flying this way...

...and that, keeping a beady eye on me...

...back again.

(Ed Wilson)

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The Flash: 09:25 – 10:50

(45th visit of the year)

Bird notes:
- *one of the Canada Geese was looking sluggish and might be the next casualty. I have no idea why the number of Canada Geese is so variable at the moment. Most birds seem to be paired up.
- I noted the first 'roof-sitting' Mallard of the year. There is a suggestion that drakes do this to keep and eye on their partner sitting on the nest. Sometimes pairs can be seen doing it so I am not totally convinced by the explanation.
- *I was on my second circuit looking to obtain a better view of the suspect Canada Goose when a Great Crested Grebe surfaced in front of me. Where had it come from?
- I heard my first singing Chaffinch of the year for this site.

Bird(s) noted flying over here:
- 4 Herring Gulls
- 3 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 1 Jackdaw

Noted on / around the water:
- *13 Canada Geese: see notes
- 4 Mute Swans
- 24 (18♂) Mallard
- 2 (1♂) Pochard
- 59 (35♂) Tufted Duck
- 15 Moorhens
- 31 Coots
- *1 Great Crested Grebe
- 13 Black-headed Gulls: as yesterday, most of them arriving
- *5 Herring Gulls: as yesterday these all arrived as three adults and two immatures
- *1 Cormorant [this species should not have appeared in yesterday's list]

Of note.

Nothing else

Is this our next Canada Goose casualty? It does not look too alert and inability to hold the head up is one sign of the current strain of avian flu.

The first roof-sitting Mallard for me this year. This drake still shows a few dark-tipped immature feathers in the side of its breast and flanks.

A gathering of Tufted Duck. These were chattering away, perhaps anxious to start their return migration to Northern Europe. Or perhaps just debating that seven drakes competing for just two ducks requires battle lines to be drawn.

The Great Crested Grebe that popped up in front of me. It is keeping a careful watch on me.

Now....

...where are all the fish?

This looks more like a painting than a photo. Apart from a touch of "sharpening" this is straight off the camera.

An(other) arty shot? You be the judge as this adult winter Black-headed Gull settles on the water.

One of the two adult Herring Gulls that arrived as I was walking around. They have done so on several occasions. Are they the same bird? If so I have not noted the several inner primaries missing from the right wing on any of the other birds.

Very evident here....

...but not so much here.

One of three immature Herring Gulls that also arrived. This one a first year bird.

The island is at some distance wherever I stand. This immature Cormorant held its wings out on numerous occasions but never when the camera was pointing at it.

Not a bird species that is easy to approach. Careful stalk enabled some shots of a female Chaffinch feeding on the ground.

Detailed examination shows that in contrast to the pure white wing bar the edges of the flight feathers are edged pale yellow.

(Ed Wilson)

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2014
Priorslee Lake
4 Great Crested Grebes
3 Cormorants
1 Grey Heron
8 Pochard
4 Tufted Duck
164 Black-headed Gulls
78 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
9 Herring Gulls
1 Yellow-legged Gull
16 Fieldfare
18 Redwings
c.800 Jackdaws
>250 Rooks
20 Siskins
(Ed Wilson, Gary Crowder)

The Flash
1 Little Grebe
185 Tufted Ducks
(Ed Wilson)

Little Wenlock, Candles Landfill Site
2 Iceland Gulls
3 Caspian Gull
(Observer Unknown)

2013
Priorslee Lake
6 Great Crested Grebes
33 Wigeon
1 Common Teal
4 Gadwall
33 Tufted Ducks
89 Coots
c.650 Black-headed Gulls
c.410 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
41 Herring Gulls
1 Great Black-backed Gull
(Ed Wilson / John Isherwood)

The Flash
1 Little Grebe
9 Pochard
89 Tufted Duck
1 Greater Scaup
(Ed Wilson, John Isherwood)

2010
Priorslee Lake
6 Great Crested Grebes
18 Swans
4 Gadwall
35 Pochard
44 Tufted Duck
96 Coots
c.650 Black-headed Gulls
c.220 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
12 Herring Gulls
1 other 'strange gull'!
(Ed Wilson)

2009
Priorslee Lake
Iceland Gull
2 Curlew
(Ed Wilson)

2007
Priorslee Lake
1 Water Rail
2 Skylarks
(Ed Wilson)

2006
Priorslee Lake
1 Little Grebe
6 Great Crested Grebes
1 Heron
1 Cormorant
2 Gadwall
6 Pochard
45 Tufted Ducks
96 Coots
c.1000 Black-headed Gulls
274 Wood Pigeon
135 Jackdaws
111 Rooks
78 Starlings
45 Pied Wagtails
20 Robins
17 Blackbirds
10 Song Thrushes
4 Redwings
2 Willow Tits
20 Greenfinches
6 Siskins
5 Reed Buntings
(Ed Wilson)