6.0°C > 9.0°C: Very low overcast / mist with periods of mostly light drizzle. Light south-easterly breeze. Moderate visibility at best, often poor.
Sunrise: 08:07 GMT
Photos to come later
All counts are best-effort in the poor visibility. It was rarely possible to see the whole water at any one time at either location.
Priorslee Balancing Lake: 06:25 – 09:20
(296th visit of the year)
Bird notes:
- two Canada Geese throughout.
- no sign of Friday's Gadwall.
- I heard Black-headed Gulls at 06:50. It was much later before I saw any with c.55 on the water and another(?) 19 on the football field later.
- the Lesser Black-backed Gulls were also late arriving with c.100 circling over 07:10. Only c.50 more were noted as part of the first arrival.
- the usual post 08:30 arrival was very small with most gulls flying over in the mist.
- at least five Cormorants with birds seen in the water, flying around and departing.
- the Great (White) Egret present again.
- a Kingfisher was seen flying across the water.
- only Jackdaws and Rooks passing directly could be seen.
- unusual was a Fieldfare calling from a tree between the lake and the M54 before flying off East. At least seven Redwings were in the West end bushes and trees.
- 12 Song Thrushes were heard singing. Two non-singing birds were seen.
Bird(s) noted flying over here:
- 4 Wood Pigeons only
- 19 Herring Gulls
- 129 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 58 Jackdaws
- 20 Rooks
- 16 Starlings: together
- 2 Pied Wagtails
- 1 Lesser Redpoll
Counts from the lake area:
- 2 Canada Geese
- 8 (5♂) Mallard
- 37 (24♂) Tufted Duck
- 8 Moorhens again
- 42 Coots
- 2 Great Crested Grebes only
- c.75 Black-headed Gulls
- 2 || 20 Herring Gulls
- >150 || 38 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 5? Cormorants: see notes
- 1 Grey Heron
- *1 Great (White) Egret
- 1 Kingfisher
Noted on the West end street lamp poles pre-dawn:
Moths:
- *2 male Winter Moths Operophtera brumata
- *1 male Mottled Umber Erranis defoliaria
Bugs:
- *1 Common Froghopper Philaenus spumarius
Spiders:
- *1 possible Mothercare Spider Phylloneta sisyphia, a Comb-footed spider
- *1 Long-jawed Orb-web Spider Tetragnatha sp.
Later on the Teece Drive fence or elsewhere:
Nothing noted
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In the Priorslee Avenue tunnel pre-dawn:
Flies:
- 1 midge only
Arthropods:
- 1 Common Shiny Woodlouse Oniscus asellus
Slugs, snails etc.:
- *1 Girdled Snail Hygromia cinctella
Spiders, harvestmen etc.:
- 8 spiders: usual suspects
The spiders did not have much to try and catch!
(Ed Wilson)
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The Flash: 09:25 – 10:35
(290th visit of the year)
Bird notes:
- no Shoveler or (Common) Teal seen.
- of the five Pochard one was clearly an adult drake; one a duck; I was undecided about the others!
Bird(s) noted flying over here:
- 3 Jackdaws
Noted on / around the water:
- 10 Canada Geese
- no Greylag Geese
- 36 (23♂) Mallard
- 5 (1♂) Pochard: see notes
- 49 (28♂) Tufted Duck
- 5 (3♂) Goosander
- 11 Moorhens
- 48 Coots
- 4 Great Crested Grebes
- 42 Black-headed Gulls
- 10 Herring Gulls: all ages
- 4 Lesser Black-backed Gulls: all (near) adults: of these two departed and two arrived
- 1 Cormorant only
- 1 Grey Heron
Noted around the area:
Moths:
- *1 male Winter Moth Operophtera brumata
The bank of Ivy was devoid of insects.
(Ed Wilson)
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2012
Priorslee Lake
9 Pochard.
55 Tufted Ducks.
153 Coots.
615 Black-headed Gulls
354 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
21 Herring Gulls.
(Ed Wilson)
2009
Priorslee Lake
4 Great Crested Grebes
9 Cormorants
33 Swans
25 Pochard
61 Tufted Ducks
297 Coots
2 Buzzards
19 Goldfinches
2 Siskins
1 Redpoll
(Ed Wilson)
2006
Priorslee Lake
3 Great Crested Grebes
1 Cormorant
17 Greylag Goose
9 Pochard
46 Tufted Ducks
>1400 Black-headed Gulls
>230 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
5 Herring Gulls
1 Yellow-legged Gull
1 Great Black-backed Gull
23 Robins
16 Blackbirds
2 Fieldfares
3 Redwings
259 Jackdaws
257 Rooks
7 Reed Buntings
(Ed Wilson)
2005
Priorslee Lake
2 Little Grebes
9 Pochard
31 Tufted Duck
234 Coot
205 Jackdaws
473 Rooks
154 Fieldfare
4 Redwings
8 Redpolls
46 Siskins
6 Reed Buntings
(Ed Wilson)