3.0°C > 6.0°C: Overcast apart from a sliver of clear sky to the far East. Almost calm. Very good visibility.
Sunrise: 06:26 GMT
* = a species photographed today
Almost back to normal though without much enthusiasm.
Priorslee Balancing Lake: 05:45 – 09:00
(61st visit of the year)
Bird notes:
- another drake Gadwall sighting. Perhaps it is good at hiding some days.
- try as I might I still could find no more than seven Great Crested Grebes.
- the Grey Heron was alongside the Wesley Brook bridge before 06:00 and what was likely the same bird was seen in flight on numerous occasions thereafter.
- once again a Kingfisher was heard calling from the North side at first light where I suspect it is roosting.
- probably five Chiffchaffs were heard singing though as birds have yet to establish territories and might anyway be passing it is hard to be certain.
- at least ten Redwings flushed out of trees by the Teece Drive gate.
- *single Reed Buntings were heard calling at the West end and along the North side. Both birds eventually decide to sing briefly.
Bird(s) noted flying over here:
- 2 Canada Geese: outbound together
- 3 Stock Doves: singles
- 45 Wood Pigeons
- 2 Black-headed Gulls
- 9 Herring Gulls
- 11 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 20 Jackdaws
- 7 Rooks
- 2 Mistle Thrushes
Counts from the lake area:
- 6 Canada Geese: of these five arrived together
- 3 Mute Swan: plus one dead
- 1 (1♂) Gadwall
- 6 (4♂) Mallard
- 8 (5♂) Tufted Duck
- 13 Moorhens
- 51 Coots
- 7 Great Crested Grebes
- 26 Black-headed Gulls
- 7 Herring Gulls
- 3 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 2 Cormorants: arrived separately
- 1 Grey Heron
Otherwise of note:
Fungus:
- *Glistening Inkcap Coprinellus micaceus.
Not much of a sunrise from here...
...or here.
A dingy-looking Blue Tit (am I allowed to say that these days? am I being featherist?)
A large number of fruits of the Glistening Inkcap fungus Coprinellus micaceus.
A few of them in close-up showing the dusting that they have when fresh and which is why they are named 'glistening'. They will deliquesce away within a few days.
(Ed Wilson)
The Flash: 09:05 – 10:30
(Ed Wilson)
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Flash: 09:05 – 10:30
(59th visit of the year)
I have been unable to get confirmation as to what yesterday's possible Caspian Gull might or might not have been! I will keep trying.
Bird notes:
- council contractors were visiting the island by boat (the man I spoke to was rather vague as to why, but if it was to treat the Canada Geese eggs it seems too early). As a result all the geese were off the island and the count more complete. It does occur to me that I have not noted the bird with the 'angel wing' deformity for some days. Yesterday's carcass had gone.
- more on the Mute Swan puzzle. There were only two adults seen today one of which was noted wearing a green Darvic ring CFS9 and is thus confirmed as the erstwhile resident pen. So where was the third adult today?
- a group of four Tufted Duck was noted in flight. I am not sure whether these birds were ever on the water.
- I did not see any Great Crested Grebes. Perhaps hiding from the boat?
- what I presume were the same two adult Herring Gulls present when I arrived. These departed when the boat was launched. After the boat was retrieved at least eight Herring Gulls of various ages dropped in.
- one Chiffchaff was singing in squirrel alley.
- a Nuthatch was heard giving its territorial trill call: only the third time I have heard this species here this year though several people with garden feeders tell me they see birds regularly,
- *four Bullfinches, I think two pairs, were chasing around in tree tops in squirrel alley
Bird(s) noted flying over here:
- 1 Herring Gull
Noted on / around the water:
- 42 Canada Geese
- *4 Mute Swans
- 25 (18♂) Mallard
- 13 (8♂) Tufted Duck: see notes
- 10 Moorhens
- 27 Coots
- no Great Crested Grebes
- 3 Black-headed Gulls
- *8 Herring Gulls
- *2 Cormorants: arrived together
Of note:
Nothing else
... to an immature Cormorant.
Not too much to show today so how about a Robin?
At least I can rely on the Long-tailed Tits to help with the photos.
"Yes you".
Nice and fluffy to keep warm.
(Ed Wilson)
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2013
Priorslee Lake
1 Iceland Gull
4 Yellow-legged Gulls
1 Caspian Gull
1 Common Gull.
(Tom Lowe, J Reeves)
2012
Priorslee Lake
Chiffchaff singing
4 Siskin
1 Willow Tit
(Martin Grant)
Nedge Hill
3 Lapwing
2 Green Woodpecker
4+ Skylark singing
(Martin Grant)
2011
Priorslee Lake
3 Pochard
34 Tufted Ducks
1 Water Rail
1 Kingfisher
4 Redwing
3 Chiffchaffs singing
57 Magpies
1 Brambling
10 Reed Buntings
(Ed Wilson)
2010
Priorslee Lake
3 Little Grebes
5 Great Crested Grebes
1 Cormorant
7 Swans
6 Gadwall
2 Pochard
47 Tufted Duck
77 Coots
1 Common Gull
253 Jackdaws
Linnet
9 Reed Buntings
Willow Tit
Siskin
( Ed Wilson)
2009
Priorslee Lake
1 Glaucous Gull
(John Isherwood)
Nedge Hill
1 Chiffchaff
25 Linnet
4 Lapwing
(John Isherwood)
Trench Pool
1 Water Rail
(John Isherwood)
2007
Priorslee Lake
19 Tufted Duck
4 Stock Dove
25 Wren
28 Robin
25 Blackbird
7 Song Thrush
2 Redwing
7 Chiffchaff singing
41 Magpie
142 Jackdaw
5 Reed Bunting
(Ed Wilson)
2006
Priorslee Lake
1 Little Grebe
5 Great Crested Grebes
7 Pochard
43 Tufted Ducks
2 Ruddy Ducks
86 Coots
1 Water Rail
176 Jackdaws
26 Blackbirds
41 Redwings
20 Greenfinches
7 Reed Buntings
(Ed Wilson)