9.0°C > 8.0°C: Heavy showers. Moderate south-westerly wind. Very good visibility, moderate in showers.
Sunrise: 07:07 GMT
An aborted start at the lake due to a heavy shower. I tried again later starting at The Flash and still failed to dodge the showers hence the paucity of photos as I kept the camera dry.
* = a species photographed today
Priorslee Balancing Lake: 10:20 – 11:25
(45th visit of the year)
Viewing only from the dam-top area.
Bird notes:
- the Gadwall were hiding under overhanging vegetation and there may have been more present.
- what I assume to be the same Pochard had migrated to the dam-end. Here I took a photo of it in good light for a change. It was by no means posing: however some of the feathers on the flanks seemed to be finely banded as if it might be an immature drake. It would be very late in the season for this species to still be in immature plumage. None of my reference books are painted or reproduced in sufficient detail for me to be certain as to its sex. One other observation: in our area it is usual for drakes to significantly outnumber ducks so it would be unusual for a lone duck to be seen, especially such a long-stayer.
- at the later time of my visit today there are usually very few fly-overs. I was therefore surprised to see a loose group of 47 Rooks overhead and even more surprised to see they were flying North and not on their usual roost-dispersal flight-line. Soon afterwards a group of 28 Jackdaws flew outbound. Very odd. The few of each species that flew over later would otherwise have been unremarkable.
- two Mistle Thrushes were noted on the south-west grass.
Bird(s) noted flying over here:
- 2 Wood Pigeons
- 12 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 30 Jackdaws: see notes
- 49 Rooks: see notes
Counts from the lake area:
- 8 Canada Geese
- 2 Mute Swans
- 4 (3♂) Gadwall
- no Mallard
- *1 (1♂?) Pochard: see notes
- 13 (7♂) Tufted Duck
- 9 Moorhen
- 66 Coots
- 5 Great Crested Grebes
- 11 Black-headed Gulls
- 4 Herring Gulls
- 5 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 6 Cormorants
Nothing else noted
As I commented in the notes above I photographed a Pochard in better light. Especially on the right side of the bird the feathers have the fine marking that are seen on drakes. I cannot find any illustration of this species that shows a duck of this species with these marking. That may be a lack of resolution in the reproduction process. If the bird stays a few more weeks the situation may resolve itself.
(Ed Wilson)
The Flash: 09:20 – 10:10
(43rd visit of the year)
Bird notes:
- yesterday's Great Crested Grebe not seen.
- just one Black-headed Gull and that flew off.
- a lone Jay was at the top end.
- a Goldcrest was heard singing.
Bird(s) noted flying over here:
- 2 Herring Gulls
Noted on / around the water:
- 12 Canada Geese
- 4 Mute Swans
- 30 (19♂) Mallard
- 3 (2♂) Pochard
- 42 (25♂) Tufted Duck
- 15 Moorhens
- 29 Coots
- 1 Black-headed Gulls: see notes
- 1 Cormorant
Nothing else noted
2014
Priorslee Lake
5 Cormorants
3 Grey Herons
8 Pochard
8 Tufted Duck
1 Water Rail
1 Kingfisher
6 Redwings
391 Jackdaws
217 Rooks
(Ed Wilson)
The Flash
201 Tufted Ducks
2 Goosanders
(Ed Wilson)
Trench Lock Pool
4 Great Crested Grebes
(Ed Wilson)
Hortonwood
21 Redwings
(Dave Tromans)
2013
Priorslee Lake
Glaucous Gull
(Observer Unknown)
The Flash
Drake Scaup
(Richard Vernon)
2012
Priorslee Lake
1 Glaucous Gull
1 Caspian Gull
1 Yellow-legged Gull
(Observer Unknown)
2010
Priorslee Lake
2 Wigeon
55 Pochard
104 Tufted Duck
1 Common Gull
2 Ravens
22 Linnets
(Ed Wilson)
2009
Priorslee Lake
Iceland Gull
200 Black-headed Gulls
400 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
20 Herring Gulls
1 Yellow-legged Gull
Glaucous Gull
(Ed Wilson, Martin Adlam)
2008
Priorslee Lake
Iceland Gull
(Pete Nickless)
2007
Priorslee Lake
1 Little Grebe
3 Cormorant
5 Pochard
9 Tufted Duck
2 Kestrel
556 Wood Pigeon
27 Robin
23 Blackbird
1 Fieldfare
14 Redwing
47 Magpie
100 Jackdaw
96 Rook
16 Greenfinch
3 Reed Bunting
(Ed Wilson)
2006
Priorslee Lake
2 Little Grebes
6 Great Crested Grebes
1 Heron
2 Cormorants
9 Pochard
36 Tufted Ducks
3 Water Rails
c.420 Wood Pigeon
c.60 Starling
29 Pied Wagtails
23 Blackbirds
6 Greenfinches
17 Siskins
1 Redpoll
6 Reed Buntings
(Ed Wilson)
(Ed Wilson)
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Flash: 09:20 – 10:10
(43rd visit of the year)
Bird notes:
- yesterday's Great Crested Grebe not seen.
- just one Black-headed Gull and that flew off.
- a lone Jay was at the top end.
- a Goldcrest was heard singing.
Bird(s) noted flying over here:
- 2 Herring Gulls
Noted on / around the water:
- 12 Canada Geese
- 4 Mute Swans
- 30 (19♂) Mallard
- 3 (2♂) Pochard
- 42 (25♂) Tufted Duck
- 15 Moorhens
- 29 Coots
- 1 Black-headed Gulls: see notes
- 1 Cormorant
Nothing else noted
(Ed Wilson)
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2014
Priorslee Lake
5 Cormorants
3 Grey Herons
8 Pochard
8 Tufted Duck
1 Water Rail
1 Kingfisher
6 Redwings
391 Jackdaws
217 Rooks
(Ed Wilson)
The Flash
201 Tufted Ducks
2 Goosanders
(Ed Wilson)
Trench Lock Pool
4 Great Crested Grebes
(Ed Wilson)
Hortonwood
21 Redwings
(Dave Tromans)
2013
Priorslee Lake
Glaucous Gull
(Observer Unknown)
The Flash
Drake Scaup
(Richard Vernon)
2012
Priorslee Lake
1 Glaucous Gull
1 Caspian Gull
1 Yellow-legged Gull
(Observer Unknown)
2010
Priorslee Lake
2 Wigeon
55 Pochard
104 Tufted Duck
1 Common Gull
2 Ravens
22 Linnets
(Ed Wilson)
2009
Priorslee Lake
Iceland Gull
200 Black-headed Gulls
400 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
20 Herring Gulls
1 Yellow-legged Gull
Glaucous Gull
(Ed Wilson, Martin Adlam)
2008
Priorslee Lake
Iceland Gull
(Pete Nickless)
2007
Priorslee Lake
1 Little Grebe
3 Cormorant
5 Pochard
9 Tufted Duck
2 Kestrel
556 Wood Pigeon
27 Robin
23 Blackbird
1 Fieldfare
14 Redwing
47 Magpie
100 Jackdaw
96 Rook
16 Greenfinch
3 Reed Bunting
(Ed Wilson)
2006
Priorslee Lake
2 Little Grebes
6 Great Crested Grebes
1 Heron
2 Cormorants
9 Pochard
36 Tufted Ducks
3 Water Rails
c.420 Wood Pigeon
c.60 Starling
29 Pied Wagtails
23 Blackbirds
6 Greenfinches
17 Siskins
1 Redpoll
6 Reed Buntings
(Ed Wilson)