2.0°C > 4.0°C: Overcast at low level with mist and murk. Some drizzle and light rain. Light south-easterly wind. Poor visibility.
[Sunrise: 07:26 GMT]
Definitely "poor weather" itinerary time. Earlier than recent days with no "school run" to avoid.
* = a species photographed today
Priorslee Balancing Lake: 09:20 – 10:25
(39th visit of the year)
Again only looking from the dam-top area.
Bird notes:
- a reversion to three pairs of Gadwall noted. There are plenty of places they could hide away.
- for the fourth day neither Grey Heron nor Great (White) Egret was noted (grammar corrected!). Has the egret finally gone?
Bird(s) noted flying over here:
- 2 Canada Geese
- 17 Wood Pigeon
- 11 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 4 Jackdaws
- 1 Rook
Counts from the lake area:
- 11 Canada Geese
- 2 Mute Swans
- 6 (3♂) Gadwall
- 7 (5♂) Mallard
- 23 (13♂) Tufted Duck
- 3 Moorhens
- 102 Coots
- *3 Great Crested Grebes
- 37 Black-headed Gulls
- 10 Herring Gulls
- 23 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- *3 Cormorants: of these one arrived
Of note:
Nothing else
Looks as if this adult Cormorant has, er, sat on this buoy before.
(Ed Wilson)
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The Flash: 08:10 – 09:10
(37th visit of the year)
Bird notes:
- all four Shoveler still present.
- two Great Spotted Woodpeckers heard drumming concurrently from around the squirrel alley area. According to Mr. Google both sexes do drum, the males much more frequently. You live and learn.
- *a trio of Long-tailed Tits, probably part of a larger group, were seen chasing energetically.
Bird(s) noted flying over here:
None
Noted on / around the water:
- 11 Canada Geese
- 4 Mute Swans
- 4 (3♂) Shoveler
- 29 (21♂) Mallard
- 4 (3♂) Pochard
- 47 (28♂) Tufted Duck
- *17 Moorhens
- 31 Coots
- 49 Black-headed Gulls
- *5 Herring Gulls: three adults; two immatures
- *2 Lesser Black-backed Gulls: one adult; one first year
Of note:
Noted on / around the water:
- 11 Canada Geese
- 4 Mute Swans
- 4 (3♂) Shoveler
- 29 (21♂) Mallard
- 4 (3♂) Pochard
- 47 (28♂) Tufted Duck
- *17 Moorhens
- 31 Coots
- 49 Black-headed Gulls
- *5 Herring Gulls: three adults; two immatures
- *2 Lesser Black-backed Gulls: one adult; one first year
Of note:
Nothing else
I did wonder whether this adult Herring-type Gull might be something interesting. The wing-top pattern would have clinched the ID. I was not going to be able to 'freeze' the action to check in this morning's gloom.
An adult Lesser Black-backed Gull still with remnant winter head-streaking.
The trio of Long-tailed Tits that I noted chasing around and around.
One takes a breather.
(Ed Wilson)
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2014
Priorslee Lake
Velvet Scoter
3 Scaup
(Observer Unknown)
2013
Priorslee Lake
Scaup
1 Yellow legged Gull
3 Great Black-backed Gulls
8 Gadwall
30 Wigeon
(John Isherwood)
The Flash
1 Little Grebe
(John Isherwood)
Holmer Lake
7 Goosander
(John Isherwood)
2012
Priorslee Lake
50 Tufted Duck
23 Pochard
1 Caspian Gull
575 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
80 Herring Gulls
650 Black-headed Gulls
(Mike Shurmer, Martin Grant)
Holmer Lake
39 Goosander
(Martin Grant)
2010
Priorslee Lake
6 Great Crested Grebes
4 Gadwall
33 Pochard
71 Tufted Ducks
164 Coots
243 Jackdaws
9 Redwings
3 Siskins
(Ed Wilson)
2006
Priorslee Lake
8 Great Crested Grebes
4 Cormorants
2 Gadwall
10 Pochard
24 Tufted Ducks
129 Coots
c.660 Wood Pigeons
310 Starlings
20 Robins
25 Blackbirds
1 Willow Tit
11 Greenfinches
17 Siskins
4 Redpolls
2 Reed Buntings again
(Ed Wilson)