0.0°C > 1.0°C: Almost cloudless. Small amount of lying snow. Moderate westerly wind abating somewhat. Very good visibility.
Sunrise: 08:23 GMT for the umpteenth plus one day
Any hard-weather movement seemed to have resulted in birds moving out.
* = a species photographed today
Priorslee Balancing Lake: 07:10 – 09:55
(2nd visit of the year)
New Bird Species
Six additions to my 2026 bird list from here:
- firstly an omission: Greenfinch should have been on yesterday's list.
- a Cetti's Warbler was calling from a usual roost area c.07:50.
- c.30 Golden Plover were see high and far to the East c.08:00
- a Common Buzzard flew out of trees in the north-east area where...
- a Bullfinch was heard calling.
- a Mute Swan flew in from the south-west at 08:55 and proceeded to patrol the water with wings raised.
- a Grey Wagtail was feeding in the Wesley Brook.
My 2026 bird species total for here now 42
Other bird notes:
- yesterday's Pochard gone (as had a few of the Tufted Duck).
- the first of only c.25 Black-headed Gulls arrived at 07:41.
- the first of 44 Lesser Black-backed Gulls arrived starting at the earlier time of 07:35.
- all the Jackdaws and Rooks were passing high and distantly to the East – useful as that is how I noted the Golden Plover.
What is going on? Very few gulls again and Coots in record low numbers. Is this a blip or has it a deeper significance?
Bird(s) noted flying over here:
- no geese
- 21 Wood Pigeons
- 15 Herring Gulls
- 83 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 117 Jackdaws
- 29 Rooks only
- 6 Fieldfare
- 9 Redwings
Counts from the lake area:
- 1 Mute Swan: arrived
- 10 (7♂) Mallard
- 18 (10♂) Tufted Duck
- 4 Moorhens again
- 12 Coots only
- 2 Great Crested Grebes only again
- c.25 Black-headed Gulls
- 5 Herring Gulls
- 44 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 2 Cormorants: arrived singly
- 2 Grey Herons
West end street lamp poles pre-dawn:
I did not visit
Too icy
Noted later:
Too icy
Noted later:
Nothing
All the photos from here today are snow scenes. There was not much. I was making the best of one of the few snowy days we seem to get. A "flash" photo of the North path.
It must have been windy when the snow arrived as there was none on the trees, just on the sheltered bushes...
A clear this morning. Snow on the ground and on a small patch of ice on a sheltered part of the water.
...sedges and....
...reeds.
The South side "path".
(Ed Wilson)
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The Flash: 10:00 – 11:20
(2nd visit of the year)
New Bird Species
Three additions to my 2026 bird list from here:
- Greenfinches were calling from East side trees.
- at least four Wrens were heard after the unusually blank day yesterday
- two Nuthatches were calling and playing chase near the Priorslee Academy.
My 2026 bird species total for here now 30
Other bird notes:
- the putative pair of Mute Swans still present.
- I think three Great Crested Grebes: they were elusive.
Bird(s) noted flying over here:
- 1 Herring Gull
- 2 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
Noted on / around the water:
- 6 Canada Geese
- 2 Mute Swans
- 36 (26♂) Mallard
- 3 (2♂) Pochard
- 37 (14♂) Tufted Duck
- 8 Moorhens again
- 41 Coots again
- 3 Great Crested Grebes
- 78 Black-headed Gulls
- 1 Lesser Black-backed Gull: (near) adult, briefly
- 1 Grey Heron
Noted around the area:
Fungus:
- * Blushing Bracket Daedaleopsis confragosa
Look: a bird photo! And a mistake at that. I was trying to hunt down the two Nuthatches playing chase when this Blue Tit popped in to view.
I believe this fungus to be a Blushing Bracket Daedaleopsis confragosa. The underside bruises pink when scratched, hence the name. The scientific name used to be Trametes rubescens.
(Ed Wilson)
2013
Priorslee Lake
Drake Scaup still present.
2012
Priorslee Lake
1 Yellow-legged Gull
4 or 5 Great Black-backed Gulls
1 Caspian Gull
(Ed Wilson and et al)
2010
Priorslee Lake
c.1500 gulls
Adult winter Ring Billed Gull.
Adult Common Gull
3 adult Yellow-legged Gulls
Black-necked Grebe
(Ed Wilson and Rob Stokes)
2009
Priorslee Lake
Caspian Gull
Adult Yellow-legged Gull
Iceland Gull
(Dawn Balmer, Peter Wilson and et al)
- * Blushing Bracket Daedaleopsis confragosa
These are more recent specimens on the same piece of dead wood.
More older specimens, also on the same dead wood.
Now some snow scenes from here. One of houses in Westcroft Walk needs to add more loft insulation!
The "top end".
The wood here must have been protected from the wind with significant snow on the trees...
...as shown here.
(Ed Wilson)
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2013
Priorslee Lake
Drake Scaup still present.
2012
Priorslee Lake
1 Yellow-legged Gull
4 or 5 Great Black-backed Gulls
1 Caspian Gull
(Ed Wilson and et al)
2010
Priorslee Lake
c.1500 gulls
Adult winter Ring Billed Gull.
Adult Common Gull
3 adult Yellow-legged Gulls
Black-necked Grebe
(Ed Wilson and Rob Stokes)
2009
Priorslee Lake
Caspian Gull
Adult Yellow-legged Gull
Iceland Gull
(Dawn Balmer, Peter Wilson and et al)