30 Jan 26

The Flash and Priorslee Balancing Lake

4.0°C > 6.0°C: Dull and overcast yet again with mist over the hills. Light /moderate south-easterly wind. Moderate visibility.

[Sunrise: 07:56 GMT]

* = a species photographed today

Yet another day when it seemed prudent to wait until it was (sort of) light and the rain had ceased before venturing out.

Priorslee Balancing Lake: 09:20 – 10:15

(26th visit of the year)

Viewing only from the dam-top.

Bird notes:
- I have included the Goosander puzzle from yesterday as a drake in today's count. It is a good job that this species remains to boost the otherwise dismal number of birds.

Just three birds noted flying over:
- 2 Herring Gulls: immatures
- 1 Wood Pigeon

Counts from the lake area:
- 7 (5♂) Mallard
- 9 (3♂) Tufted Duck
- 11 (5♂) Goosander: see notes
- 4 Moorhens
- 20 Coots
- 2 Great Crested Grebes
- 1 Black-headed Gull only
- 4 Cormorants
- 1 Great (White) Egret
That's all folks.

One of the five drake Goosander here today, four of them like this one in full breeding plumage.

One of now two adult Great Crested Grebes with well-developed head plumes. The two were seen displaying together yesterday. Not today.

(Ed Wilson)

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The Flash: 10:25 – 11:15

(22nd visit of the year)

Bird notes:
- still only one Mute Swan. It spent some while on the East side grass.
- I managed to answer my own question from yesterday regarding the Great Crested Grebes. There were three birds today, two with well-developed head plumes and one, probably a first-year bird, without obvious plumes.
- once again no Cormorant, Grey Heron or egret noted.
- as yesterday there was a party of Siskins in trees along the East side. I could not see or hear any Lesser Redpolls among them.

Bird(s) noted flying over here:

None

Noted on / around the water:
- 9 Canada Geese
- 1 Mute Swan
- 29 (19♂) Mallard
- 10 (8♂) Pochard
- 31 (15♂) Tufted Duck
- 3 (1♂) Goosander
- 10 Moorhens
- 38 Coots
- 3 Great Crested Grebes
- 11 Black-headed Gulls
- 2 Herring Gulls: one first- and one third-winter
- 1 Lesser Black-backed Gull: (near?) adult, departed

Around the area:

Nothing noted

(Ed Wilson)

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2014
Priorslee Lake
2 Cormorants
1 Teal
7 Pochard
66 Tufted Duck
3 Greater Scaup
1 Velvet Scoter
91 Coots
1 Woodcock
50 Herring Gulls
33 Redwings
c.495 Jackdaws
(Ed Wilson)

The Flash
106 Tufted Ducks
(Ed Wilson)

Trench Lock Pool
7 Pochard
25 Tufted Duck
4 Goosander
44 Coots
(Ed Wilson)

Park Pool, Chetwynd near Newport
31 Shoveler
(Ed Wilson)

2013
Priorslee Lake
29 Wigeon
10 Gadwall
8 Pochard
59 Tufted Ducks
1 Scaup
169 Coots
>300 Starlings
13 Redwings
46 Fieldfare
211 Jackdaws
(Ed Wilson, John Isherwood)

The Flash
9 Pochard
54 Tufted Duck
(Ed Wilson)

Trench Lock Pool
2 Goosander
Sparrowhawk
(John Isherwood)

Holmer Lake
1 Gadwall
9 Goosander
1 Little Grebe
Goldcrest
Nuthatch
(John Isherwood)

2012
Priorslee Lake
4 Great Crested Grebes
21 Pochard
42 Tufted Duck
c.190 Black-headed Gulls
48 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
8 Herring Gulls
Glaucous Gull
75 Redwing
16 Bullfinch
(Ed Wilson, Martin Grant)

Priorslee Flash
1 Pochard
43 Tufted Ducks
282 Black-headed Gulls
3 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
2 Herring Gulls
(Ed Wilson)

2010
Priorslee Lake
1 Water Rail
4 Gadwall
2 Willow Tit
(John Isherwood)

2009
Priorslee Lake
A female Ruddy Duck
500+ Lesser Black-backed Gulls, Herring & Black-headed Gulls.
1 Yellow-legged Gull
1 Great Black-backed Gull
(Ed Wilson)