15 Mar 25

Priorslee Balancing Lake and The Flash

1.0°C > 6.0°C: Mostly clear with just a few patches of cloud. Light / moderate northerly wind. Very good visibility.

Sunrise: 06:24 GMT

* = a species photographed today

First day operating my "Summer schedule" of once around the Balancing Lake; a walk up to around and back from The Flash; and finishing for as long as I can stand it back at the Balancing Lake.

Priorslee Balancing Lake: 05:40 – 07:00 // 08:05 – 09:50

(62nd visit of the year)

Bird notes:
Potentially three additions to my annual site year list but sadly the best "got away".
- a Pheasant was heard calling distantly at 05:45. One day earlier than my first last year.
- at least one House Sparrow made it away from the estate area in to bushes around the football field and hence in to my recording area.
- at 06:10 a small / medium-sized wader flushed off the south-west grass area flying off fast East without calling. As I was looking toward the rising sun I could not see any features other than noticeably long wings. Sadly I have no ideas.
The two confirmed sightings take my 2025 bird species total for here to 75.

Other bird notes:
- no sign of yesterday's drake Gadwall.
- now nine Great Crested Grebes.
- a Grey Heron flew in from the East at 06:05 and pitched on to the North shore. I never saw it again.
- *seven singing Chiffchaffs with another calling.

Bird(s) noted flying over here:
- 4 Canada Geese: two pairs outbound
- 5 Wood Pigeons
- 8 Herring Gulls
- 1 Lesser Black-backed Gull
- 117 Jackdaws
- 1 Rook

Counts from the lake area:
- 8 Canada Geese: of these five arrived together as did a pair
- 3 Greylag Geese: inbound together
- 3 Mute Swan: plus one dead
- 7 (5♂) Mallard
- 8 (4♂) Tufted Duck
- 12 Moorhens
- 57 Coots
- *9 Great Crested Grebes
- 28 Black-headed Gulls
- *6 Herring Gulls
- *5 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 1 Cormorant: arrived
- 1 Grey Heron

Of note:
Nothing else

Not a sunrise to write home about.

The morning sun catches the eye of a Great Crested Grebe.

The first year Herring Gull standing on the buoy had just repelled another first year Herring Gull and it looking suspiciously at the adult Lesser Black-backed Gull.

And forced to flap to regain its balance.

Keeping an eye on where the Lesser Black-backed is going. This side...

...and that.

The Lesser Black-backed Gull making a false start. Look at the gull's right leg.

It seems to have some plastic wrapped around its legs preventing, or at least making take-off difficult. The bird seemed to have gone later.

The glossy neck patch on this pigeon might suggest Stock Dove. But not with the strong dark wing band. It is 'just' a Feral Pigeon which would have been obvious if it flew – Feral Pigeons always show a white rump: Stock Doves show no contrast with the grey back.

I was pleased to get this flying shot of a Jay. I expected to hide away and it did initially. I waited quietly and...

...it gave some partial views.

Often with twigs in the way.

Head and shoulders view.

Another wary species. A Redwing.

An unexpected result. A flash photo of a Chiffchaff taken at just about 06:15.

Less unexpected: a Chiffchaff caught by the morning light....

....and happy to sing.

Another Chiffchaff and I am sure it is singing and not trying to eat the catkin!

(Ed Wilson)

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The Flash: 07:05 – 08:00

(60th visit of the year)

Numbers likely to be affected by my very different visiting time.

Bird notes:
- just one Great Crested Grebe and that nowhere near the island where they usually lurk.
- no large gulls
- one Chiffchaff again singing in squirrel alley.

Bird(s) noted flying over here:

None

Noted on / around the water:
- *29 Canada Geese
- 4 Greylag Geese
- 4 Mute Swans
- 19 (13♂) Mallard
- 10 (6♂) Tufted Duck
- 8 Moorhens
- 28 Coots
- 1 Great Crested Grebe
- 2 Black-headed Gulls

Of note:

Nothing else

No: this Canada Goose has not taken up vaping but it is water vapour. Just as on cold mornings when the atmospherics are correct 'our' exhaled breath is visible so too is that of other creatures.

With the area still in shade I thought my friendly Long-tailed Tits might be still tucked up snug in their nest. Not so. Here is one.

The same one.

The other one.

A Song Thrush trying to stay obscured behind twigs despite his loud song emanating from the area.

A different and non-singing Song Thrush. I am sure they do not normally show white feather tips all down the back. Most odd. (apologies about the blue plastic bag buried in the vegetation).

(Ed Wilson)

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2013
Horsehay Pool
4 Great Crested Grebes
20 Goosander
1 Glaucous Gull
1 Yellow-legged Gull
(Paul King)