2.0°C > 6.0°C: Mostly clear after unexpected early shower. Light westerly breeze. Very good visibility.
Sunrise: 07:58 GMT
* = a species photographed today
$ = my first sighting of the species for this year
$$ = my first ever recorded sighting of the species in the area
Priorslee Balancing Lake: 06:25 – 09:30
(292nd visit of the year)
Bird notes:
- *about 45 Golden Plover seen in a flock high and far to the East c.07:50
- apparently two Water Rails, both heard only. Single calls heard about five minutes apart either side of where I was standing. I had a clear view of the water's edge and it seems most unlikely one could have walked past me without being seen.
- *many Cormorants overhead: a single; a duo; a trio and an octet.
- Cetti's Warbler(s) heard both singing and calling. Whether or not it was the same bird...?
- *a singing Mistle Thrush on territory alongside Teece Drive was a surprise.
Bird(s) noted flying over here:
- 3 Greylag Geese: eastbound together
- 14 Wood Pigeons only
- *c.45 Golden Plover
- 8 Herring Gulls
- 127 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- *14 Cormorants
- 306 Jackdaws
- 144 Rooks
Counts from the lake area:
- 6 (4♂) Mallard
- 2 (0♂) Pochard
- 45 (31♂) Tufted Duck
- 10 Moorhens
- 39 Coots only
- 4 Great Crested Grebes
- c.100 Black-headed Gulls
- 9 Herring Gulls
- *c.263 Lesser Black-backed Gulls: c.250 early; only 13 later
- 2 Cormorants: arrived separately
- 1 Grey Heron
Two non-bird sightings:
- a very bright shooting-star / fireball seen c.07:15. Only about the third I have seen over many years here and certainly the brightest.
- an unidentified mammal came out of reeds / sedges c.07:20 close to where I was standing, noticed me and shot back in to cover. A few minutes later what I assumed to be the same mammal swam across in front of me. It seemed plump and thick-headed. Then about ten minutes later it swan the other way until it was directly in front of me when it saw me and dived. I did not see it again. Brown Rat-sized but seemingly the wrong shape. Puzzling. Water Rat?
Noted on the West end street lamp poles pre-dawn:
An adult-winter Lesser Black-backed Gull probably with a damaged leg or foot. At the time it appeared to be very white-headed. The camera reveals some light streaking.
A Mistle Thrush sitting atop its song-perch. I was surprised to hear it in song so early in the Winter. Checking my records I find that this the latest date for four years, and it was as early as 13 October last year.
One of four male Winter Moths Operophtera brumata on the street lamp poles. I need to do some more work on this one as it seemed to be noticeably larger than usual suggesting it could be a Northern Winter Moth O. fagata.
It doesn't look it in this cropped photo but this male Winter Moth was of a the more usual size. What was unusual is the very clear markings. A freshly emerged example perhaps.
(Ed Wilson)
The Flash: 09:35 – 10:50
(285th visit of the year)
Bird notes:
- no sign of yesterday's drake Shoveler.
- no (Common) Teal seen or heard.
- yesterday's drake Goosander not seen: just three brownheads.
- a Great (White) Egret again along with three Grey Herons.
Bird(s) noted flying over here:
- 1 Lesser Black-backed Gull
Noted on / around the water:
- 8 Canada Geese
- 23 (169♂) Mallard
- 6 (4♂) Pochard
- *34 (13♂) Tufted Duck
- 3 (0♂) Goosander
- 8 Moorhens
- 51 Coots
- 3 Great Crested Grebes again
- 83 Black-headed Gulls
- 5 Herring Gulls: all immatures
- 2 Lesser Black-backed Gulls: (near) adults
- *5 Cormorants again
- 3 Grey Herons
- 1 Great (White) Egret
Noted around the area:
* = a species photographed today
$ = my first sighting of the species for this year
$$ = my first ever recorded sighting of the species in the area
Priorslee Balancing Lake: 06:25 – 09:30
(292nd visit of the year)
Bird notes:
- *about 45 Golden Plover seen in a flock high and far to the East c.07:50
- apparently two Water Rails, both heard only. Single calls heard about five minutes apart either side of where I was standing. I had a clear view of the water's edge and it seems most unlikely one could have walked past me without being seen.
- *many Cormorants overhead: a single; a duo; a trio and an octet.
- Cetti's Warbler(s) heard both singing and calling. Whether or not it was the same bird...?
- *a singing Mistle Thrush on territory alongside Teece Drive was a surprise.
Bird(s) noted flying over here:
- 3 Greylag Geese: eastbound together
- 14 Wood Pigeons only
- *c.45 Golden Plover
- 8 Herring Gulls
- 127 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- *14 Cormorants
- 306 Jackdaws
- 144 Rooks
Counts from the lake area:
- 6 (4♂) Mallard
- 2 (0♂) Pochard
- 45 (31♂) Tufted Duck
- 10 Moorhens
- 39 Coots only
- 4 Great Crested Grebes
- c.100 Black-headed Gulls
- 9 Herring Gulls
- *c.263 Lesser Black-backed Gulls: c.250 early; only 13 later
- 2 Cormorants: arrived separately
- 1 Grey Heron
Two non-bird sightings:
- a very bright shooting-star / fireball seen c.07:15. Only about the third I have seen over many years here and certainly the brightest.
- an unidentified mammal came out of reeds / sedges c.07:20 close to where I was standing, noticed me and shot back in to cover. A few minutes later what I assumed to be the same mammal swam across in front of me. It seemed plump and thick-headed. Then about ten minutes later it swan the other way until it was directly in front of me when it saw me and dived. I did not see it again. Brown Rat-sized but seemingly the wrong shape. Puzzling. Water Rat?
Noted on the West end street lamp poles pre-dawn:
Moths:
- *4 Winter Moths Operophtera brumata
- *4 Winter Moths Operophtera brumata
Flies:
- *1 unidentified fly, perhaps a cranefly?
- *1 unidentified fly, perhaps a cranefly?
Spiders, harvestmen etc.:
- 1 harvestman Paroligolophus agrestis
Later on the Teece Drive fence or elsewhere:
- 1 harvestman Paroligolophus agrestis
Later on the Teece Drive fence or elsewhere:
Nothing noted
A sequence of sunrise photos. Did not look promising.
A few clouds appears...
...and pick up some colour.
Almost sun-up time.
The long view. The dots in the foreground are a trio of Tufted Duck.
I am amazed that camera could see these birds at all. These are the c.45 Golden Plover, here yet to acquire their distinctive formation. Just about apparent is the pointed wings to this species.
A group of eight Cormorants flying over.
Both my apps suggested this is a cranefly. If so then I can't identify it – well I can't identify it anyway!
(Ed Wilson)
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Flash: 09:35 – 10:50
(285th visit of the year)
Bird notes:
- no sign of yesterday's drake Shoveler.
- no (Common) Teal seen or heard.
- yesterday's drake Goosander not seen: just three brownheads.
- a Great (White) Egret again along with three Grey Herons.
Bird(s) noted flying over here:
- 1 Lesser Black-backed Gull
Noted on / around the water:
- 8 Canada Geese
- 23 (169♂) Mallard
- 6 (4♂) Pochard
- *34 (13♂) Tufted Duck
- 3 (0♂) Goosander
- 8 Moorhens
- 51 Coots
- 3 Great Crested Grebes again
- 83 Black-headed Gulls
- 5 Herring Gulls: all immatures
- 2 Lesser Black-backed Gulls: (near) adults
- *5 Cormorants again
- 3 Grey Herons
- 1 Great (White) Egret
Noted around the area:
Moths:
- 2 male Winter Moths Operophtera brumata
Too cold for the Ivy bank to produce any insects.
Not sure what was going on here. I noted a Cormorant surface with a large fish in its bill. There was then a commotion and...
Plane of the day: this an Italian designed and built 2-seat TECNAM P-Mentor. It is owned by Aeros Leasing, a company whose aircraft are hired out to flying clubs and flight schools. This example is based at Gloucestershire Airport (Staverton as was) and is here on a flight to Blackpool Airport and back.
(Ed Wilson)
- 2 male Winter Moths Operophtera brumata
Too cold for the Ivy bank to produce any insects.
A suspicious-looking drake Tufted Duck. Now if only Pochard would come this close..
...a trio of Cormorants emerged together with no indication of what had happened to the fish.
Haws are too large for Blue Tits to swallow so they have to peck bits off.
Taking a break.
Blackbirds can manage whole hawthorn berries. Plenty to choose from.
"I'll have that one!".
(Ed Wilson)
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2012
Priorslee Lake
9 Pochard
3 Gadwall
1 duck Goldeneye
1750 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
370 Black-headed Gulls
76 Herring Gulls
1 adult Great Black-backed Gull
1 adult Yellow-legged Gull
Redpoll
Siskin
Willow Tit
(John Isherwood / Martin Grant)
Holmer Lake
3 Goosander
1 Pochard
(John Isherwood)
Little Wenlock, Candles Landfill Site
11 Yellow-legged Gulls
An adult Caspian Gull
3,000 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
30-40 Waxwings
2 Common Gulls
(Tom Lowe)
2010
Madeley
3 Waxwings
(Pete Nickless)
2006
Priorslee Lake
3 Cormorants
20 Pochard
56 Tufted Ducks
6 Buzzards
1 Kestrel
>1050 Black-headed Gulls
451 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
188 Wood Pigeons
18 Blackbirds
166 Fieldfares
62 Redwings
187 Jackdaws
80 Rooks
4 Siskin
6 Reed Buntings
(Ed Wilson)
2005
Priorslee Lake
1 Wigeon again
3 Pochard
47 Tufted Duck
215 Coot
4000 Black-headed Gulls
2500 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
3 Herring Gulls
1 Fieldfare
1 Skylark
168 Jackdaws
72 Rooks.
19 Reed Buntings
(Ed Wilson)
Priorslee Lake
9 Pochard
3 Gadwall
1 duck Goldeneye
1750 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
370 Black-headed Gulls
76 Herring Gulls
1 adult Great Black-backed Gull
1 adult Yellow-legged Gull
Redpoll
Siskin
Willow Tit
(John Isherwood / Martin Grant)
Holmer Lake
3 Goosander
1 Pochard
(John Isherwood)
Little Wenlock, Candles Landfill Site
11 Yellow-legged Gulls
An adult Caspian Gull
3,000 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
30-40 Waxwings
2 Common Gulls
(Tom Lowe)
2010
Madeley
3 Waxwings
(Pete Nickless)
2006
Priorslee Lake
3 Cormorants
20 Pochard
56 Tufted Ducks
6 Buzzards
1 Kestrel
>1050 Black-headed Gulls
451 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
188 Wood Pigeons
18 Blackbirds
166 Fieldfares
62 Redwings
187 Jackdaws
80 Rooks
4 Siskin
6 Reed Buntings
(Ed Wilson)
2005
Priorslee Lake
1 Wigeon again
3 Pochard
47 Tufted Duck
215 Coot
4000 Black-headed Gulls
2500 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
3 Herring Gulls
1 Fieldfare
1 Skylark
168 Jackdaws
72 Rooks.
19 Reed Buntings
(Ed Wilson)