1.0°C > 5.0°C: Broken medium-high cloud giving an impressive sunrise. Another calm start with light south-westerly breeze developing. Very good visibility.
Sunrise: 06:47 GMT
Other calls on my time today. There will be photos later – honest!
Priorslee Balancing Lake: 05:45 – 09:25
(53rd visit of the year)
Bird notes:
- the duck(?) Pochard not seen.
- nine Great Crested Grebes. Four pairs.
- after several days without either Grey Heron or Great (White) Egret both were present today and another Great (White) Egret flew over.
- very few Black-headed Gulls: more flying over than visiting (gone from The Flash too)
- I assume the same Reed Bunting as yesterday started calling from deep in the reeds at the West end at 06:40 and five minutes later had started to sing. At c.06:50 it flew off high East. What was therefore almost certainly another individual was singing along the South side at c.06:55 and thereafter.
Bird(s) noted flying over here:
- 2 Greylag Geese: inbound together
- 31 Wood Pigeons
- 10 Black-headed Gulls
- 2 Herring Gulls
- 15 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 1 Great (White) Egret
- 144 Jackdaws
- 132 Rooks
Counts from the lake area:
- 11 Canada Geese: of these two pairs arrived; and a quintet departed
- 1 Mute Swan: plus one dead
- 4 (2♂) Gadwall
- 5 (3♂) Mallard
- 12 (9♂) Tufted Duck
- 8 Moorhen
- 59 Coots
- 9 Great Crested Grebes
- 5 Black-headed Gulls
- 12 Herring Gulls
- 45 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 2 Cormorants: arrived individually
- 1 Great (White) Egret
- 1 Grey Heron
- 1 Kingfisher
Seen later:
Nothing
Street Lamp Poles
Nothing noted pre dawn
Street Lamp Poles
Nothing noted pre dawn
As wider perspective as I could take.
From the West end zoomed in on as the trees the other side of Castle Farm Way are silhouetted against the red sky.
And zooming out again.
Quite spectacular.
Even after the sun was just about to rise and the colour was fading there was an interesting cloud effect.
A Grey Heron standing in a favourite spot in the Wesley Brook. The long dangling feathers (aigrettes) and the bright bill indicate it is in breeding condition. This is an early-nesting species and its partner is likely on eggs at a nest in a communal heronry.
"Here's looking at you kid".
A reflective pose. The heron did not seem unduly concerned by appearing on camera,
An unsuccessful jab for a meal.
Now here is a surprise. Now I look at the photo the fly-over egret yesterday was a Little Egret and not as I thought and logged a Great (White) Egret. The bill is black and not yellow; and the legs do not stick out far enough. It should show yellow feet but these are not apparent as the bird is too far away and taken against the light. It becomes bird species #72 for me here this year.
(Ed Wilson)
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The Flash: 09:30 – 10:35
(51st visit of the year)
Bird notes:
- goose numbers are likely under-recorded as pairs take to nests on the island and are difficult to view
- yesterday's additional pair of Mute Swans had gone.
- no Pochard found.
- I surmise that the brief visits (so far) by Great Crested Grebes suggests that there are few small fish for them to eat. It probably also explains why the Goosanders have been scarce all winter – serves then right for scoffing them in the hundreds a few years ago! Tufted Ducks, Coots etc. eat vegetable matter and not fish.
- two Stock Doves were in a tree on the island.
Bird(s) noted flying over here:
- 1 Common Buzzard
- 2 Jackdaws
Noted on / around the water:
- 17 Canada Geese
- 2 Greylag Geese
- 3 Mute Swans
- 21 (14♂) Mallard
- 1 (1♂) feral Mallard [’Aylesbury Duck’]
- no Pochard
- 48 (33♂) Tufted Duck
- 16 Moorhens
- 31 Coots
- 3 Herring Gulls: two adults, briefly; one un-aged immature
- 1 Lesser Black-backed Gull: adult, briefly
- no Cormorant
Of note:
Nothing else
A first year Herring Gull unusually still sporting an all-black bill. At this date most show some pale at the base.
With a glint in its eye.
As usual a Carrion Crow is none too pleased with its presence on the crow's territory and seeks to persuade it elsewhere.
The adult Lesser Black-backed Gull that was present joins in the pursuit.
There is a little known law that means I have to take a photo of any Long-tailed Tit I come across.
Well: actually a photo or two...
...or three.
(Ed Wilson)
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2013
Horsehay Pool
4 Great Crested Grebes
20 Goosander
1 Glaucous Gull
1 Yellow-legged Gull
(Paul King)
2012
Priorslee Lake
Peregrine
4 Great Crested Grebes
2 Pochard
21 Tufted Duck
(Ed Wilson)
Priorslee Flash
2 Great Spotted Woodpeckers
4 Great Crested Grebes
8 Pochard
51 Tufted Duck
(Ed Wilson)
2010
Priorslee Lake
5 Great Crested Grebes
1 Heron
6 Gadwall
28 Pochard
57 Tufted Duck
c.1000 Black-headed Gulls
55 Magpies
1 Linnet
2 Siskin
12 Reed Bunting
(Ed Wilson)
2009
Priorslee Lake
Glaucous Gull
c.200 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
c.10 Herring Gulls
2 Common Gulls
9 Mute Swans
12 Tufted Duck
8 Great Crested Grebe
(Mike Cooper)
2006
Priorslee Lake
1 Little Grebe
7 Great Crested Grebes
2 Herons
1 Cormorant
11 Pochard
90 Tufted Ducks
1 Water Rail
607 Wood Pigeon
11 Greenfinches
23 Siskins
5 Reed Buntings
(Ed Wilson)