0.0°C > 5.0°C: Clear apart from some wisps of high cloud. Another frosty start. Almost calm. Good visibility, again with haze.
Sunrise: 06:15 GMT
* = a species photographed today
Priorslee Balancing Lake: 05:30 – 06:40 // 07:45 – 09:35
(66th visit of the year)
Bird notes
A Nuthatch was heard calling from somewhere deep in the Ricoh copse. My first here this year and bird species #76.
Other bird notes:
- the first year Mute Swan was again being kept on the dam-face – at least it was once the new residents had woken up.
- a drake Gadwall was new since yesterday.
- both yesterday and today on my first walk around I saw no Tufted Duck. Then after I arrived back from The Flash there was a pair at each end of the water.
- I assume the slight reduction in Coot numbers is because some birds are now sitting on eggs inside the reeds.
- I could only find nine Great Crested Grebes.
- an Oystercatcher was circling low over the water at 06:20. I could not see whether it pitched on to the south-west grass. It did not stay.
- a Grey Heron departed to the West at 06:30. Another flew high West at 08:10.
- 11 singing Chiffchaffs noted.
Bird(s) noted flying over here:
- 4 Canada Geese: a pair outbound after a pair inbound much earlier
- 2 Greylag Geese: a pair outbound
- 33 Wood Pigeons
- 1 Herring Gull
- 13 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 2 Cormorants: together
- 1 Grey Heron
- 70 Jackdaws
- 18 Rooks
Counts from the lake area:
- 12 Canada Geese
- 4 Mute Swans: plus one long dead
- 1 (1♂) Gadwall
- 15 (10♂) Mallard
- 1 (0♂?) Pochard
- 4 (2♂) Tufted Duck
- 12 Moorhens
- 46 Coots again
- 1 Oystercatcher: circled low
- 9 Great Crested Grebes
- 7 Black-headed Gulls
- 1 Lesser Black-backed Gull
- 1 Cormorant: arrived
- 1 Grey Heron: departed
West end street lamp poles
Nothing pre-dawn:
Frosted poles so nothing seen again
Of note:
Nothing else
The continuing saga of the waning Blood Moon.
A sunrise definitely worth setting the alarm for.
The colour soon faded. Just visible on the left are the new pair of Mute Swans
(Ed Wilson)
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The Flash: 06:45 – 07:35
(64th visit of the year)
Bird notes
A Pied Wagtail was briefly on the grass at the top end. My first here this year and bird species #56.
Other bird notes:
- I was told that later yesterday the current resident paired Mute Swans were chasing two first year birds. That might suggest that the single first year bird at the Balancing Lake yesterday and today is not one of those usurped from here.
- so where were the missing Mallard hiding? Most of those I did log were roof-sitting.
- two Great Crested Grebe found. Initially at the bottom end; later tucked under overhanging island vegetation at a known nesting location.
- *an unusual sight was seen ten Carrion Crows, apparently as five pairs. jumping around together at the top of trees. I usually note only one or two pairs on my visits here.
Bird(s) noted flying over here:
- 4 Jackdaws
Noted on / around the water:
- 24 Canada Geese
- 2 Greylag Geese
- 2 Mute Swans
- 17 (11♂) Mallard
- 22 (15♂) Tufted Duck
- 10 Moorhens
- 28 Coots
- 2 Great Crested Grebe
- *1 Black-headed Gull
- *5 Herring Gulls: all immatures
Of note:
Nothing else
One of five immature Herring Gulls, this a first year bird.
Here are eight of the ten Carrion Crows that were having a dispute in the trees. Conventional wisdom suggests one or two large corvids together equals crows and a higher number equals Rooks. Not always!
In yesterday's chilly wind my friendly Long-tailed Tits stayed hidden. Not so today.
The eye is in focus so it must just be a fuzzy bird!
That's better.
(Ed Wilson)
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Of interest:
- 2 (2♂) Mallard: together on the lower pool.
- 4 Moorhen: one pair on each pool.
- 1 Chiffchaff singing by the lower pool.
(Ed Wilson)
2013
Priorslee Lake
3 Great Crested Grebes
7 Wigeon
2 Gadwall
18 Tufted Ducks
127 Jackdaws
158 Black-headed Gulls
22 Herring Gulls
1 Great Black-backed Gull
1 Chiffchaff singing
6 Redwings
1 Siskin
(Ed Wilson)
The Flash
2 Great Crested Grebe
7 Swans
2 Pochard
1 Greater Scaup
81 Tufted Duck
(Ed Wilson)
Trench Lock Pool
1 Chiffchaff singing
1 Little Grebe
4 Great Crested Grebes
1 Cormorant
25 Tufted Duck
(Ed Wilson)
Trench Middle Pool
1 Great Crested Grebe
3 Cormorant
6 Tufted Duck
2 Goosander
5 Siskins
(Ed Wilson)
2008
Priorslee Lake
2 Sand Martins
(Martin Adlam)
2007
Priorslee Lake
2 Great Crested Grebe
2 Cormorant
22 Tufted Duck
1 Ruddy Duck
1 Green Woodpecker
8 Meadow Pipit
25 Wren
20 Blackbird
5 Redwing
5 Chiffchaff
34 Magpie
8 Greenfinch
8 Reed Bunting
(Ed Wilson)
The Flash
8 Great Crested Grebe
2 Pochard
32 Tufted Duck
1 Chiffchaff singing
(Ed Wilson)
- 2 (2♂) Mallard: together on the lower pool.
- 4 Moorhen: one pair on each pool.
- 1 Chiffchaff singing by the lower pool.
(Ed Wilson)
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2013
Priorslee Lake
3 Great Crested Grebes
7 Wigeon
2 Gadwall
18 Tufted Ducks
127 Jackdaws
158 Black-headed Gulls
22 Herring Gulls
1 Great Black-backed Gull
1 Chiffchaff singing
6 Redwings
1 Siskin
(Ed Wilson)
The Flash
2 Great Crested Grebe
7 Swans
2 Pochard
1 Greater Scaup
81 Tufted Duck
(Ed Wilson)
Trench Lock Pool
1 Chiffchaff singing
1 Little Grebe
4 Great Crested Grebes
1 Cormorant
25 Tufted Duck
(Ed Wilson)
Trench Middle Pool
1 Great Crested Grebe
3 Cormorant
6 Tufted Duck
2 Goosander
5 Siskins
(Ed Wilson)
2008
Priorslee Lake
2 Sand Martins
(Martin Adlam)
2007
Priorslee Lake
2 Great Crested Grebe
2 Cormorant
22 Tufted Duck
1 Ruddy Duck
1 Green Woodpecker
8 Meadow Pipit
25 Wren
20 Blackbird
5 Redwing
5 Chiffchaff
34 Magpie
8 Greenfinch
8 Reed Bunting
(Ed Wilson)
The Flash
8 Great Crested Grebe
2 Pochard
32 Tufted Duck
1 Chiffchaff singing
(Ed Wilson)