11 Jan 26

Priorslee Balancing Lake only

4.0°C: Overcast. Still plenty of lying snow. Moderate south-easterly wind. Very good visibility.

[Sunrise: 08:18 GMT]

* = a species photographed today

Priorslee Balancing Lake: 10:05 – 10:35

(8th visit of the year)

Still >75% ice.

I only had time for a short visit watching from the dam-top area.

New Bird Species
A / the Great (White) Egret was present and flying around. Bird species #49 for me here this year.

Other bird notes:
- Mallard were again the only species of dabbling duck noted
- I could not find any Pochard.
- a smaller number of Tufted Duck noted still with many more ducks than drakes. They were exceptionally hard to count as unlike yesterday when they were mostly loafing on the surface today many were actively diving and staying under water for protracted periods while other bobbed around.
- a fourth Great Crested Grebe noted.

Bird(s) noted flying over here.
Not specifically counted.

Counts from the lake area:
- 15 (10♂) Mallard
- no Pochard
- 76 (>28♂) Tufted Duck: see notes
- no Moorhens
- 19 Coots
- 4 Great Crested Grebes
- *19 Black-headed Gulls
- *2 Great Black-backed Gulls
- *18 Herring Gulls
- 9 Lesser Black-backed Gulls only
- 5 Cormorants
- 1 Grey Heron
- *1 Great (White) Egret

Also noted.
Nothing else

Apologies for the quality of today's photos. All the "action" was at the other end of the lake in very overcast conditions. There seems to be two adult Great Black-backed Gulls here with what might be two Herring Gulls and are certainly two Black-headed Gulls. I must say that neither of the Great Black-backs looks as large as I would have expected but I have logged them as such because of their pale pink legs. [adult Lesser Black-backs would show yellow legs]

Here is a gull puzzle. In front of the left-hand presumed Great Black-backed Gull is a Herring Gull-type with a bill that seems to be unusually long and parallel-sided. These are features of male Caspian Gulls. I would need a better photo and preferably a view of the upper-wing in flight to claim it as this species. I have included it in the Herring Gull totals.

The Great (White) Egret standing on a long defunct fishing(?) platform is well-camouflaged against the background snow. The snow needs to wash with the same washing powder the egret. If you look really hard there are five drake and two duck Mallard under the platform or against the reeds.

(Ed Wilson)

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

2014
Priorslee Lake
3 Scaup
1 Common Gull
(Dave Tromans/Tom Lowe)

2013
Horsehay Pool
3 Yellow-legged Gulls
2 Common Gulls
2000 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
20+ Greater Black-backed Gulls
600 Herring Gulls
(Kris Webb and Jim Almond)

2010
Priorslee Lake
5 Bullfinch
4 Goosander
2 Water Rail
Common Snipe
Woodcock
4 Gadwall
Bittern
Peregrine
38 Swans
26 Pochard
57 Tufted Ducks
333 Coots
c.200 Black-headed Gulls
c.20 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
3 Herring Gulls
12 Siskins
(Ed Wilson, Martin Grant)

2008
Priorslee Lake
1 Glaucous Gull
(Paul King)

2007
Priorslee Lake
1 Little Grebe
11 Pochard
62 Tufted Ducks
5 Goosanders
>1000 Black-headed Gulls
10 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
16 Robins
13 Redwings
34 Magpies
378 Jackdaws
348 Rooks
3 Reed Buntings
(Ed Wilson)

2006
Priorslee Lake
c.20 Golden Plover
2 Gadwall
c.1100 Black-headed Gulls
145 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
52 Herring Gulls
3 Great Black-backed Gulls
11 Pochard
37 Tufted Duck
226 Coots
1 Water Rail
221 Jackdaws
392 Rooks
12 Siskins
13 Pied Wagtails
3 Reed Buntings
21 Robins
18 Blackbirds
1 Willow Tit
5 Bullfinches
(Ed Wilson)