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)