19 Nov 25

Note:
19 Nov - 1 Dec

Sightings will be unformatted and without images.

---------------------------------------------------------------------
The Flash:  09:25 – 10:25
Priorslee Balancing Lake:  10:35 – 11:40

2.0°C > 4.0°C:  Sunny periods. Fresh north-westerly breeze. Very good visibility.
[Sunrise:  07:40 GMT]

There are no photos worth showing from today.

A "Winter schedule" visit avoiding the early snow and then the school run, starting at The Flash.

Priorslee Balancing Lake:
(281st visit of the year)

Viewing from the dam-top area only.

Bird notes:
- one of the Pochard I could not sex. My thoughts changed as the angle of light on it changed. Most likely a first-winter drake.
- increase in Tufted Duck numbers.
- the gull counts are from when I arrived. There was a small movement through with nothing unusual seen.

Counts from the lake area:
- no Mute Swans
- 4 (3♂) Mallard
- 3 (1♂) Pochard: see notes
- 57 (30♂) Tufted Duck
- 9 Moorhens
- 39 Coots
- 6 Great Crested Grebes
- 9 Black-headed Gulls only
- 13 Herring Gulls
- 93 Lesser Black-backed Gulls: see notes
- 4 Cormorants
- 1 Grey Heron

(Ed Wilson)

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The Flash:
(275th visit of the year)

Bird notes:
- again four Mute Swans and again the pair from the Balancing Lake were staying together and the resident duo were spending most of the time well apart.
- a big group of Greylag Geese (with one white feral goose among them) were moving around the water eventually settling beside the island. There was little evidence of more birds inside the island.
- only only drake (Common) Teal was seen alongside the island but with more than 100 of the Greylag Geese jammed in the area the other teal was possibly hidden from view.
- only one drake Pochard found.
- Tufted Duck remain in lower than usual numbers for this date. When larger numbers are seen they do not seem to stay.
- a few Goosanders hanging on.

Bird(s) noted flying over here:
None

Noted on / around the water:
- 34 Canada Geese
- 134 Greylag Geese
- 1 white feral goose
- 4 Mute Swans
- 27 (21♂) Mallard
- 1 (1♂) (Common) Teal: see notes
- 1 (1♂) Pochard
- 7 (4♂) Tufted Duck
- 4 (1♂) Goosander
- 3 Moorhens only!
- 72 Coots
- 5 Great Crested Grebes
- 24 Black-headed Gulls
- 5 Herring Gulls: one adult and four immatures
- 1 Lesser Black-backed Gull: (near?) adult
- 6 Cormorants
- 1 Grey Heron
- 1 Little Egret remains

Noted around the area:
Too cold for most things despite the sun.
Spiders, harvestmen etc.:
- 1 harvestman Opilio canestrinii

(Ed Wilson)

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

2013
Priorslee Lake
26 Greylag Geese
5 Wigeon
5 Gadwall
134 Tufted Duck
2 Goosander
2 Water Rails
229 Coots
>400 Wood Pigeon
302 Fieldfare
88 Redwings
309 Jackdaws
(Ed Wilson)

2012
Priorslee Lake
3 Gadwall
7 Pochard
17 Tufted Ducks
146 Coots
244 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
7 Herring Gulls
1 Yellow-legged
c.145 Wood Pigeons
47 Redwings
82 Fieldfares
238 Jackdaws
2 Siskins
11 Bullfinches
(Ed Wilson)

2008
The Flash
10 Goosanders
c.30 Tufted Ducks
c.100 Lesser Black-backed Gull
c.200 Black-headed Gull
1 Buzzard
(Mike Cooper)

2007
Priorslee Lake
1 Gadwall
8 Wigeon
(John Isherwood)

The Flash
4 Goosander
4 Wigeon
(John Isherwood)

Nedge Hill
1 Woodcock
(John Isherwood)

2006
Priorslee Lake
1 Little Grebe
25 Greylag Geese
1 drake Teal
34 Pochard
48 Tufted Ducks
drake Ruddy Duck
11 Lapwings
>1080 Black-headed Gulls
1435 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
202 Wood Pigeons
28 Robins
16 Blackbirds
142 Fieldfares
15 Redwings
158 Jackdaws
100 Rooks
(Ed Wilson)

2005
Priorslee Lake
c.3000 Black-headed Gull
c.2000 Lesser-Black-backed Gulls
12 Pochard
55 Tufted Duck
1 Wigeon
2 Ruddy Duck
3 Water Rail
1 Snipe
5 Redwing
23 Fieldfare
13 Reed Bunting
8 Siskin
170 Rooks
220 Jackdaws
c.500 Starlings in roost
c.500 Wood Pigeon
(Martin Adlam)