27 Dec 25

Priorslee Balancing Lake and The Flash

3.0°C: A morning of three halves(!). Early overcast broke to give clear skies by c.08:30 before cloud returned c.09:15. Light / moderate northerly breeze. Good visibility.

Sunrise: 08:22 GMT again

* = a species photographed today

Priorslee Balancing Lake: 07:05 – 09:35

(315th visit of the year)

Very odd: only a scattering of gulls today after the large number yesterday. I am sure they know why. I am sure I don't.

Bird notes:
- 19 Canada Geese were on the water at 07:20 flying off East in groups of six, eleven and two. Later a trio arrived from the East staying only a short while.
- an adult Mute Swan flew in from the West at 08:09. It came to visit me at my vantage point. It flew off East at 08:34.
- four Pochard (two adult drakes) were new arrivals.
- the first of only 17 Black-headed Gulls arrived c.07:40.
- the first of just 34 Lesser Black-backed Gulls arrived at 07:25. Six Herring Gulls were with them.
- a Sparrowhawk twisting low-down through bushes along the North side at 07:40 almost collided with me. Later another (?) was overhead.
- one Song Thrushes braved the cold to sing.

Bird(s) noted flying over here:
- 2 Greylag Geese: flew East together
- 8 Wood Pigeons
- 4 Herring Gulls
- 102 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 4 Cormorants: two singles and a duo
- *2 Sparrowhawks
- c.125 Jackdaws
- 108 Rooks
- 1 Redwing
- 1 Pied Wagtail

Counts from the lake area:
- 22 Canada Geese: see notes
- *1 Mute Swan: see notes
- 10 (8♂) Mallard
- 4 (2♂) Pochard
- 31 (20♂) Tufted Duck
- 5 Moorhens
- 17 Coots only
- 4 Great Crested Grebes
- 17 Black-headed Gulls only
- 6 Herring Gulls
- 34 Lesser Black-backed Gulls only
- 6 Cormorants
- 1 Grey Heron

On the West end street lamp poles pre-dawn:

Spiders, harvestmen etc.:
- *1 Long-jawed Orb-web Spider Tetragnatha sp.

Seen later:

Nothing

No colourful sunrise this morning.

The Mute Swan briefly present came to check me out.

"If you have no food I'm off".

The way the wing feathers lock together always amazes me when I see swans in flight.

It is surprising what the camera catches and can be teased out with a photo-editor. This Sparrowhawk was just a silhouette against the leaden sky. A lot of tweaking does not produce a crisp image but does show the underwing pattern and the banding on the underparts.

And here a tinge of rufous on the throat.

A male Siskin in deep shade also needed some photo-editing here...

...and here.

On a street lamp pole pre-dawn was this Long-jawed Orb-web Spider Tetragnatha sp. As far as I can determine it is in exactly the same place as I noted it two, four and five days ago: but not yesterday and three days ago, What does that tell you about my powers of observation?

(Ed Wilson)

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The Flash: 09:40 – 10:30

(308th visit of the year)

Still about 10% mostly thin ice.

Bird notes:
- back to two Mute Swans. They spent some time in close proximity. Later one was inside the island.
- a pair of (Common) Teal were new arrivals
- most of the Pochard seem to have departed. Perhaps four of them were birds seen on the Balancing Lake earlier?
- no Goosander again.
- 31 Coots? Another poor count. I note on the Belvide blog there was a count of 217 there on Christmas Day. I assume the entry was made because it was an unusually large number so perhaps that is where our local birds have gone. That is still well below some winters when I have logged over 300 on the Balancing Lake alone.

Bird(s) noted flying over here:

None

Noted on / around the water:
- 4 Canada Geese
- 2 Greylag Geese: arrived
- 2 Mute Swans
- 32 (23♂) Mallard
- *2 (1♂) (Common Teal)
- 2 (1♂) Pochard
- 44 (19♂) Tufted Duck
- 11 Moorhens
- 31? Coots
- 5 Great Crested Grebes still
- 91 Black-headed Gulls
- 1 Herring Gull: first-winter
- 1 Cormorants: arrived
- *2 Grey Herons

Noted around the area:
It had clouded by the time I arrived at the bank of Ivy and no insects were noted.

Record shot: the pair of (Common) Teal apparently new arrivals though in a very familiar location tucked up against the island.

How did the Grey Heron get in there and how will it get out again?

A late sighting of a Christmas Robin.

"Sorry: I have no food for you"

(Ed Wilson)

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2013
Priorslee Lake
1 Little Grebe
7 Gadwall
7 Pochard
101 Tufted Ducks
1 Scaup
210 Coots
1 Great Black-backed Gull
(Ed Wilson)

The Flash
1 Little Grebe
69 Tufted Ducks
(Ed Wilson)

2012
Little Wenlock, Candles Landfill Site
1 Caspian Gull
1 Yellow-legged Gull.
(Dawn Balmer & Pete Wilson)

2011
The Wrekin
Flock of Crossbills near summit
(Maurice Baker)

2010
Priorslee Lake
2nd-winter Mediterranean Gull
(Observer Unknown)

2009
Priorslee Lake
Black-necked Grebe
4 Great Crested Grebes
18 Mute Swans
59 Canada Geese
4 Gadwall
29 Pochard
92 Tufted Ducks
2 Water Rails
327 Coots
2 Redwings
16 Goldfinches
13 Siskins
(Ed Wilson)

2006
Priorslee lake
2 Great Crested Grebe
22 Tufted Ducks
86 Coots
2 Great Black-backed Gulls
3 Buzzards
20 Pied Wagtails
c.200 Redwing
4 Mistle Thrush
c.500 Fieldfare
1 Willow Tit
3 Brambling
14 Chaffinches
13 Greenfinches
2 Redpoll
1 Siskin
3 Reed Buntings
(Martin Adlam)

26 Dec 25

Priorslee Balancing Lake and The Flash

1.0°C > 4.0°C: Clear skies. Frost. Light, mainly northerly, breeze. Very good visibility.

Sunrise: 08:22 GMT

* = a species photographed today

I hope you have all given your servants their Christmas Boxes today

Priorslee Balancing Lake: 07:05 – 09:30

(314th visit of the year)

Many gulls and a good Jackdaw passage today. Otherwise it was as quiet today as it was busy yesterday. Always a few bits and pieces though.

Bird notes:
- a Water Rail was calling (not the pig-like squealing) in the north-west area. There may have been two: I could not decide whether it was two or a single bird moving its head from side to side.
- a few Black-headed Gulls arrived c.07:40 with many later arrivals: about 300 eventually I would judge.
- at least 350 Lesser Black-backed Gulls were already on the water by 07:35 with more streaming in and eventually at least were 650 present. Only a scatter of Herring Gulls was noted among them. Very few overflying gulls today.
- several large, tight groups of Jackdaws were noted concurrently passing low to the East. The number given is a rough estimate.
- no Song Thrushes braved the cold to sing.
- *a Treecreeper was seen in the north-west area. It is always a challenge to find this species in Winter when birds rarely call.

Bird(s) noted flying over here:
- 2 Canada Geese: flew West together
- 1 Stock Dove
- 11 Wood Pigeons
- 1 Herring Gull
- 25 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- c.450 Jackdaws
- 79 Rooks
- 31 Fieldfare
- 14 Redwings

Counts from the lake area:
- 18 (13♂) Mallard
- 26 (19♂) Tufted Duck
- 1 Moorhen only
- 16 Coots only
- 4 Great Crested Grebes
- >300 Black-headed Gulls
- >15 Herring Gulls
- >650 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 4 Cormorants
- 1 Grey Heron

On the West end street lamp poles pre-dawn:

Nothing at all found.
Too cold.

Seen later:

Nothing

The pre-sunrise glow across the lake.

A layer of haze in the distance. Above the haze layer the visibility was excellent. Not visible here but I noted an aircraft contrail of a KLM flight from the Antilles to Amsterdam when it was over Guildford in Surrey. Apparently c.125 miles (200 Km) away as the crow flies.

Sunrise..!

The complete sun now above the horizon. This photo was, according to my smartphone, taken at 08:26. Official sunrise was 08:22. Does that mean that "official sunrise" is when the first part of the sun is visible?

The Treecreeper was, of course, on the shaded side of the tree. The camera (and the photo editor) have done a passable job of producing an image.

The species' thin, curved bill is evident here. Ideal to get in all those nooks and crannies.

(Ed Wilson)

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Woodhouse area:

Another quick visit for more sunrise photos. Quiet here.

On the lower pool:
Mostly iced-over
- 1 Coot
The Mallard were all on the main lake as a result.

The upper pool:

It was completely iced over

Elsewhere
- c.50 Fieldfare
- c.10 Redwings
- 1 Grey Wagtail
- 1 Linnet

None of the Fieldfare and Redwings were visiting the still-laden Hawthorn bushes, staying in tree-tops.
The Grey Wagtail was likely the bird seen on the dam at the lake earlier.
The Linnet was frustrating: I have yet to record one this year at or from my lake recording area. So close....

(Ed Wilson)

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The Flash:  09:35 – 10:45

(307th visit of the year)

About 10% ice, mostly very thin.

Families were again out "feeding the ducks" moving all the birds around.

Bird notes:
- just one Mute Swan seen.
- an extra Pochard noted: another of indeterminate age / sex.
- no Goosander noted.
- were there really only 24 Coots?
- there have been no singing Song Thrushes at the Balancing Lake. There was one here. Perhaps it had warmed up enough?

Bird(s) noted flying over here:

None

Noted on / around the water:
- 6 Canada Geese
- 1 Mute Swan
- 35 (25♂) Mallard
- *11 (6?♂) Pochard
- 41 (22♂) Tufted Duck
- no Goosander
- 9 Moorhens
- 24? Coots
- 5 Great Crested Grebes yet again
- *102 Black-headed Gulls
- 2 Herring Gull: first-winter and (near) adult again
- no Cormorants
- 2 Grey Herons

Noted around the area:
The air-temperature again just 4.0°C. On the Ivy I noted just:

- *>2 Common Blow Flies Calliphora vicina

Perhaps my best photo (to date) of a drake Pochard?

The Black-headed Gull ice-skating team get ready for action. Their blood-supply must be different to mine. My feet were freezing in two layers of socks and boots even staying off the ice.

One of just two Common Blow Flies Calliphora vicina braving the cold to see whether there was any food for them on the Ivy.

(Ed Wilson)

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2013
Priorslee Lake
Two 1st-winter female Scaup
(Unknown)

2012
Priorslee Lake
A drake Scaup
4 Gadwall
10 Great Black-backed Gull
(Kriss Webb)

2009
Priorslee Lake
1 Black-necked Grebe
5 Great Crested Grebes
4 Gadwall
26 Pochard
97 Tufted Ducks
3 Goosander
327 Coots
5 Redwings
4 Fieldfare
10 Goldfinches
14 Siskins
(Ed Wilson)

25 Dec 25

Priorslee Balancing Lake and The Flash

3.0°C > 4.0°C: Scattered clouds with good sunny spells. Just frosted in the most sheltered locations. A chilly, fresh north-easterly breeze. Very good visibility.

Sunrise: 08:21 GMT still

Did you all have a good Christmas?

* = a species photographed today

Priorslee Balancing Lake: 06:55 – 09:40

(313th visit of the year)

Bird notes
The arrival of the first real cold snap of the second Winter brought some different sightings. In the order in which I noted them:
- 22 Canada Geese were on the water when I arrived, leaving in two groups.
- a party of eight Lapwings circled overhead for a while.
- a group of 21 Fieldfare and several Redwings flew over (more on these later)
- and, best of all, not new for the year but a very welcome Christmas present: a drake Goldeneye on the water.

Other bird notes:
- no sign of yesterday's adult Mute Swans.
- I was sheltering from the worst of the wind and hence could not see all the gulls so numbers are minima.
- likewise my position left me unsure how many Cormorants there were. I noted two and then seven apparently leaving, though I hadn't seen any arrive. Later there were five fishing.
- with a strong tailwind the Jackdaws and Rooks were speeding over very high up and hard to see.
- just two Song Thrushes braved the cold to sing.

Bird(s) noted flying over here:
- 15 Wood Pigeons
- 8 Lapwings
- 2 Herring Gulls again
- 43 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 124 Jackdaws
- 33 Rooks
- 1 Starling
- 21 Fieldfare
- 2 Redwings
- 2 Pied Wagtails

Counts from the lake area:
- 22 Canada Geese: departed in two groups
- 11 (7♂) Mallard
- 26 (19♂) Tufted Duck
- *1 (1♂) Goldeneye
- 3 Moorhens again
- 20 Coots
- 3 Great Crested Grebes again
- >35 Black-headed Gulls
- >20 Herring Gulls
- >350 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- up to 14 Cormorants: see notes
- 1 Grey Heron

Noted on the West end street lamp poles pre-dawn
Too cold for most things:

Moths:
- none: the Mottled Umber Erranis defoliaria: has gone!

Spiders, harvestmen etc.:
- 1 Long-jawed Orb-web Spider Tetragnatha sp.
- 1 harvestman from the species pair Dicranopalpus ramosus / D. caudatus

Seen later:

Nothing

Best bird of the day. A drake Goldeneye. Only the drake has the white oval on its face. The unusual head shape of this species makes the duck easy to pick out amongst other diving ducks.

So let's have another look. Just about visible is the gloss on the head which can appear green or blue depending on the angle of the light.

A Long-jawed Orb-web Spider Tetragnatha sp. in exactly the same place as I saw it two and three days ago. So why did I not see it yesterday?

My latest ever date for a harvestman from the species pair Dicranopalpus ramosus / D. caudatus. A rare example with all eight legs.

(Ed Wilson)

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Woodhouse area:
I expected to pay a quick visit here while I took a few sunrise photos. Instead my attention was diverted by groups of Fieldfare and Redwings feeding on nearby Hawthorns.

On the lower pool:
11 (7♂) Mallard
1 Moorhen
1 Coot

On the upper pool:

Nothing

Elsewhere
*c.40 Fieldfare
*c.15 Redwings
2 Meadow Pipits

Why I came: to view the sunrise. From the lake there are too many obstructions at this time of year when the rising sun is so far to the south-east.

A slightly different view.

I was trying to photograph flying Fieldfare and Redwings. Apparently a Wood Pigeon was among them!

Photographing the Fieldfare and Redwings was not easy. These are shy birds and easily spooked. I was careful not to try and get too close so the photos are not as sharp as I would have liked. It was good to see them anyway. Here I have homed in on five of at least 30 Fieldfare sitting in this tree.

Four Fieldfare spoilt for choice as to which Hawthorn berry to eat next. I am pleased to say that these bushes seem to be left by whoever "owns" them and are not cut at any time. Long may that continue.

This species has a grey shawl and a large grey rump. The wings are rufous-tinged and the markings on the underneath are more scalloping than spotting.

"It's a tiring business this feeding"

One flying off with his berry.

Fieldfare have a large white area on their underwing.

A top-side flight view.

Flying away are two Fieldfare leading two smaller Redwing,

 The two Redwing isolated to show why they were so-named.

Fewer Redwing were in the same Hawthorns.

 A silhouetted Redwing.

(Ed Wilson)

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The Flash: 09:40 – 11:00

(306th visit of the year)

Several families were out "feeding the ducks" making accurate counts difficult as birds moved around. Most species are likely under-counted.

Bird notes:
- the two Mute Swans again mostly stayed apart. One was, usually, sitting inside the island.
- yesterday's drake Gadwall not seen.
- a single brownhead Goosander noted.

Bird(s) noted flying over here:
- 1 Lesser Black-backed Gull

Noted on / around the water:
- 7 Canada Geese again
- 2 Mute Swans
- 28 (20♂) Mallard
- 10 (6♂) Pochard again
- 43 (24♂) Tufted Duck
- 1 (0♂) Goosander
- 7 Moorhens
- 43 Coots
- 5 Great Crested Grebes again
- 173 Black-headed Gulls
- 2 Herring Gull: first-winter and (near) adult
- 1 Lesser Black-backed Gull: (near) adult, briefly again
- 1 Cormorant
- 2 Grey Herons: perhaps a third

Noted around the area:
Despite an air-temperature of just 4.0°C on the Ivy I noted:

- >5 Common Blow Fly Calliphora vicina

As usual the brownhead Goosander was not going to allow me a close approach. Because the white on the wing is restricted to the trailing edge of the wing I am safe in identifying this as a duck (female).

Count the tail-feathers (rectrices). 16 here. [Not "retrices" as I mis-typed the other day]

A neatly severed wing I found lying by the path. Carrion Crow? Coot? Who / what / why would have done this?

A Long-tailed Tit looking for inspiration.

Tries to hide behind twigs.

Hanging on!

One more.

Oh! All right. Another one. It is Christmas!

And one for Boxing Day.

 A Goldfinch taking in the sun.

(Ed Wilson)

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2013
Priorslee Lake
5 Gadwall
2 Teal
6 Pochard
78 Tufted Ducks
1 female Greater Scaup
222 Coots counted
Caspian Gull
2 Fieldfare
17 Redwings
429 Jackdaws
173 Rooks
(Ed Wilson)

The Flash
1 Pochard
110 Tufted Ducks
17 Goosanders
(Ed Wilson)

Trench Lock Pool
11 Swans
1 Shoveler
c.115 Tufted Duck
7 Goosander
129 Coots
41 Black-headed Gulls
51 Lesser Black-backed Gull
1 Yellow-legged Gull
21 Herring Gulls
(Ed Wilson)

2009
Priorslee Lake
Black-necked Grebe
26 Mute Swans today
4 Great Crested Grebes
>17 Greylag Geese
4 Gadwall
26 Pochard
97 Tufted Ducks
Common Gull
309 Coot
5 Goldfinches
c.20 Siskins
(Ed Wilson)

2006
Priorslee lake
1 Great Crested Grebe
31 Pochard
33 Tufted Ducks
58 Coots
c.500 Black-headed Gulls
c.3200 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
12 Herring Gulls
2 Great Black-backed Gulls
15 Pied Wagtails
1 Redpoll
3 Reed Buntings
(Martin Adlam)