6.0°C: Scattered low cloud below medium-high overcast early; soon giving way to low overcast with light rain after 10:00. Moderate-fresh easterly wind. Good visibility.
Sunrise: 08:06 GMT
* = a species photographed today
Priorslee Balancing Lake: 06:50 – 09:00
(20th visit of the year)
A very quiet day again
Bird notes:
- there were a trio of Goosander today: two drakes.
- another day with small numbers of, especially, large gulls on the water
- the first six Black-headed Gulls arrived at 07:25. A steady arrival saw the numbers increase to c.60 before they all departed to the South with at least 28 others passing overhead. After 08:00 c.150 (more?) arrived from the West. A few more flew directly over.
- the first group of c.50 Lesser Black-backed Gulls arrived overhead at 07:20. With none already on the water they circled overhead and then moved away South. More passed over later with just two Herring Gulls and eight Lesser Black-backed Gulls noted on the water, briefly.
- the Great (White) Egret was seen flying around. With almost all the reeds adjacent to the dam cut down there were fewer places for this bird and the Grey Heron to lurk.
Where have all the Great Crested Grebes gone? Well: I read that last Tuesday c.440 were counted on the flat-calm sea off The Wirral. Looking through the Dee Estuary birding blog this seems to be an annual Winter gathering, albeit requiring a flat calm sea to see. I guess most of our birds have gone to the seaside for their annual holiday.
Bird(s) noted flying over here:
- 6 Wood Pigeons
- 43 Black-headed Gulls
- 4 Herring Gulls
- c.125 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 112 Jackdaws
- 137 Rooks
- c.35 Starlings together
- c.25 Goldfinches: together
Counts from the lake area:
- 4 (3♂) Mallard
- 7 (3♂) Tufted Duck only
- 3 (2♂) Goosander
- 2 Moorhens
- 12 Coots
- >200 Black-headed Gulls
- 2 Herring Gulls
- 8 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 4 Cormorants
- 1 Grey Heron
- 1 Great (White) Egret: flew off?
Noted on the West end street lamp poles pre-dawn:
Breezy again around the poles.
Moths:
- *1 male Early Moth Theria primaria
- *1 male Early Moth Theria primaria
Springtails:
- *4 springtails of the Dicyrtomina saundersi-type
- *4 springtails of the Dicyrtomina saundersi-type
Others:
- *1 unidentified insect.
Noted later:
- *1 unidentified insect.
Noted later:
Springtails:
- *5 at least of the Dicyrtomina saundersi-type on one wall of the Telford Sailing Club HQ.
Not much from another dull and damp day. I did find this male Early Moth Theria primaria on one of the street lamp poles.
One of the many springtails of the Dicyrtomina saundersi-type I noted both on the street lamp poles before dawn and...
(16th visit of the year)
Bird notes:
- two Mute Swans back.
- just two Goosander, both brownheads
- one Cormorant: an immature.
- perhaps attracted to the feeding station between Wordsworth Way and the water I noted at least eight Chaffinches and four Greenfinches in various locations along the East side. The former species had become scarce in recent years with very little song heard. We will see in a few weeks whether these bird stay.
- a group of more than 20 Goldfinches with at least five *Siskins were feeding on Alder cones along the East side.
Bird(s) noted flying over here:
- 2 Herring Gulls
- 5 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
Noted on / around the water:
- 8 Canada Geese
- 2 Mute Swans
- 33 (23♂) Mallard
- 6 (4♂) Pochard
- 39 (20♂) Tufted Duck
- 2 (0♂) Goosander
- 11 Moorhens
- 36 Coots
- 1 Great Crested Grebe
- 24 Black-headed Gulls
- 1 Cormorant
- 1 Grey Heron
Noted around the area:
The only vaguely acceptable photo of birds today was this one showing two Siskins, a male on the left, attacking Alder cones.
This is Blushing Bracket fungus Daedaleopsis confragosa. It was almost on the ground and I was unable to position the camera to illustrate the underside.
A better(?) example of Yellow Brain fungus Tremella mesenterica that I found on a different tree to that in yesterday's photo. Looks a bit like I imagine my brain is these days – scrambled.
Obsidentify also identifies this fungus as Yellow Brain. It looks more like a traditional bracket fungus with gills to me. At the time I thought there was a stem: the photo shows this is not connected and perhaps a separate fungus.
(Ed Wilson)
2014
Priorslee Lake
5 Cormorants
3 Grey Herons
8 Pochard
8 Tufted Duck
1 Water Rail
1 Kingfisher
6 Redwings
391 Jackdaws
217 Rooks
(Ed Wilson)
The Flash
201 Tufted Ducks
2 Goosanders
(Ed Wilson)
Trench Lock Pool
4 Great Crested Grebes
(Ed Wilson)
Hortonwood
21 Redwings
(Dave Tromans)
2013
Priorslee Lake
Glaucous Gull
(Observer Unknown)
The Flash
Drake Scaup
(Richard Vernon)
2012
Priorslee Lake
1 Glaucous Gull
1 Caspian Gull
1 Yellow-legged Gull
(Observer Unknown)
2010
Priorslee Lake
2 Wigeon
55 Pochard
104 Tufted Duck
1 Common Gull
2 Ravens
22 Linnets
(Ed Wilson)
2009
Priorslee Lake
Iceland Gull
200 Black-headed Gulls
400 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
20 Herring Gulls
1 Yellow-legged Gull
Glaucous Gull
(Ed Wilson, Martin Adlam)
2008
Priorslee Lake
Iceland Gull
(Pete Nickless)
2007
Priorslee Lake
1 Little Grebe
3 Cormorant
5 Pochard
9 Tufted Duck
2 Kestrel
556 Wood Pigeon
27 Robin
23 Blackbird
1 Fieldfare
14 Redwing
47 Magpie
100 Jackdaw
96 Rook
16 Greenfinch
3 Reed Bunting
(Ed Wilson)
2006
Priorslee Lake
2 Little Grebes
6 Great Crested Grebes
1 Heron
2 Cormorants
9 Pochard
36 Tufted Ducks
3 Water Rails
c.420 Wood Pigeon
c.60 Starling
29 Pied Wagtails
23 Blackbirds
6 Greenfinches
17 Siskins
1 Redpoll
6 Reed Buntings
(Ed Wilson)
- *5 at least of the Dicyrtomina saundersi-type on one wall of the Telford Sailing Club HQ.
...then later on the wall of the Telford Sailing Club HQ.
I am still baffled by this tiny insect. I am not sure whether it is a springtail or not. It does not look like any in the NatureSpot photo gallery. Obsidentify suggested a millipede: if so it has lost most of its legs. Google Lens was positive it is a silverfish: it isn't. A search through the Collins Insects Guide has not given me any clues.
(Ed Wilson)
The Flash: 09:05 – 10:25
(Ed Wilson)
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Flash: 09:05 – 10:25
(16th visit of the year)
Bird notes:
- two Mute Swans back.
- just two Goosander, both brownheads
- one Cormorant: an immature.
- perhaps attracted to the feeding station between Wordsworth Way and the water I noted at least eight Chaffinches and four Greenfinches in various locations along the East side. The former species had become scarce in recent years with very little song heard. We will see in a few weeks whether these bird stay.
- a group of more than 20 Goldfinches with at least five *Siskins were feeding on Alder cones along the East side.
Bird(s) noted flying over here:
- 2 Herring Gulls
- 5 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
Noted on / around the water:
- 8 Canada Geese
- 2 Mute Swans
- 33 (23♂) Mallard
- 6 (4♂) Pochard
- 39 (20♂) Tufted Duck
- 2 (0♂) Goosander
- 11 Moorhens
- 36 Coots
- 1 Great Crested Grebe
- 24 Black-headed Gulls
- 1 Cormorant
- 1 Grey Heron
Noted around the area:
Fungus:
- *Blushing Bracket fungus Daedaleopsis confragosa
- *Yellow Brain Tremella mesenterica: on a different tree to yesterday's example
- *another unidentified fungus
- *Blushing Bracket fungus Daedaleopsis confragosa
- *Yellow Brain Tremella mesenterica: on a different tree to yesterday's example
- *another unidentified fungus
Some things like the wet weather!
(Ed Wilson)
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2014
Priorslee Lake
5 Cormorants
3 Grey Herons
8 Pochard
8 Tufted Duck
1 Water Rail
1 Kingfisher
6 Redwings
391 Jackdaws
217 Rooks
(Ed Wilson)
The Flash
201 Tufted Ducks
2 Goosanders
(Ed Wilson)
Trench Lock Pool
4 Great Crested Grebes
(Ed Wilson)
Hortonwood
21 Redwings
(Dave Tromans)
2013
Priorslee Lake
Glaucous Gull
(Observer Unknown)
The Flash
Drake Scaup
(Richard Vernon)
2012
Priorslee Lake
1 Glaucous Gull
1 Caspian Gull
1 Yellow-legged Gull
(Observer Unknown)
2010
Priorslee Lake
2 Wigeon
55 Pochard
104 Tufted Duck
1 Common Gull
2 Ravens
22 Linnets
(Ed Wilson)
2009
Priorslee Lake
Iceland Gull
200 Black-headed Gulls
400 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
20 Herring Gulls
1 Yellow-legged Gull
Glaucous Gull
(Ed Wilson, Martin Adlam)
2008
Priorslee Lake
Iceland Gull
(Pete Nickless)
2007
Priorslee Lake
1 Little Grebe
3 Cormorant
5 Pochard
9 Tufted Duck
2 Kestrel
556 Wood Pigeon
27 Robin
23 Blackbird
1 Fieldfare
14 Redwing
47 Magpie
100 Jackdaw
96 Rook
16 Greenfinch
3 Reed Bunting
(Ed Wilson)
2006
Priorslee Lake
2 Little Grebes
6 Great Crested Grebes
1 Heron
2 Cormorants
9 Pochard
36 Tufted Ducks
3 Water Rails
c.420 Wood Pigeon
c.60 Starling
29 Pied Wagtails
23 Blackbirds
6 Greenfinches
17 Siskins
1 Redpoll
6 Reed Buntings
(Ed Wilson)