4 Jan 26

No sightings in today

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2014
Priorslee Lake
Two 1st winter female Scaup
(Tom Lowe)

Horsehay Pool
Kittiwake
(Jim Almond)

Little Wenlock, Candles Landfill Site
3 Yellow-legged Gulls
(Tom Lowe)

2013
Priorslee Flash
Drake Scaup
(J Reeves)

Trench Middle Pool
22 Goosander
(Dave Tromans)

2012
Priorslee Lake
96 Greylags Geese
20 Pochard
15 Tufted Ducks
86 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
54 Herring Gulls
1 Yellow-legged Gull
27 Great Black-backed Gulls
Peregrine
204 Redwings
4 Fieldfare
(Ed Wilson/John Isherwood)

Trench Pool
2 Little Grebes
215 Canada Geese
3 Pochard
76 Tufted Ducks
131 Coots
219 Black-headed Gulls
4 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
3 Herring Gulls
1 Great Black-backed Gull
(Ed Wilson)

Holmer Lake
46 Goosander
(John Isherwood)

2010
Priorslee Lake
Black-necked Grebe
5 Great Crested Grebes
44 Mute Swans
2 Gadwall
47 Pochard
117 Tufted Duck
2 adult Common Gulls
1 Great Black-backed Gull
c.3400 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
c.250 Herring Gulls
c.2500 Black-headed Gulls
Caspian Gull
2 Yellow-legged Gull
3 Water Rail
324 Coots
17 Goldfinches
13 Siskins
1 Redpoll
(Ed Wilson/Jason)

2009
Priorslee Lake
1 Little Grebe
12 Great Crested Grebes
10 Mute Swans
1 drake Shoveler
11 Pochard
44 Tufted Ducks
Iceland Gull
3 Yellow-legged Gulls
122 Coots
34 Siskins
(Ed Wilson/Paul King)

2008
Priorslee Lake
1 Wigeon
5 Gadwall
26 Pochard
106 Tufted Ducks
4 Water Rails
100 Herring Gull
Yellow-legged Gull
(Ed Wilson)

2007
Priorslee Lake
3 Great Crested Grebes
>7 Pochard
31 Tufted Ducks
9 Goosanders
>2000 Black-headed Gulls
>481 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
>33 Herring Gulls
1 Great Black-backed Gull
28 Robins
14 Blackbirds
5 Fieldfares
67 Redwings
222 Jackdaws
3 Reed Buntings;
(Ed Wilson)

2006
Priorslee Lake
1 Wigeon
1 Goldeneye
22 Pochard
43 Tufted Duck
c.3000 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
c.2000 Black-headed Gulls
2 Great Black-backed Gulls
131 Herring Gull
5 Yellow-legged Gulls
66 Siskins
14 Robins
15 Blackbirds
1 Willow Tit
4 Reed Buntings
(Ed Wilson)

3 Jan 26

Priorslee Balancing Lake and The Flash

0.0°C: Almost cloudless again with a small amount of lying snow after another light sprinkling overnight. Moderate westerly wind. Very good visibility.

Sunrise: 08:21 GMT: hooray! the first earlier sunrise since the Winter solstice

* = a species photographed today

Priorslee Balancing Lake: 07:05 – 09:30

(3rd visit of the year)

New Bird Species
Two additions to my 2026 bird list from here:
- a Pied Wagtail was rushing around on the ground by Paul's Classic Catering van looking for crumbs.
- a trio of Gadwall (two drakes) were new in and the first of the year
My 2026 bird species total for here now 44.

One that got away. What might well have been a Woodcock flew over my head and in to trees. I was unable to get a clear view of it. It was the right size but I could not see the bill. It was also much later and lighter than when I normally glimpse this nocturnal species going to roost. Will have to let it pass.

Other bird notes:
- a (yesterday's?) Mute Swan present throughout.
- a quartet of Pochard (three drakes) noted and new arrivals.
- over 1200 gulls were present by 07:20 and may well have roosted. They were almost all Black-headed Gulls perhaps forced off iced-over roost sites elsewhere. All had departed by 08:30.
- a very small number of Lesser Black-backed Gulls early - 57 I think. Later 62 peeled off from over-flying groups for a quick drink and bathe.
- a group of 65 Jackdaws passing overhead was concurrent with a very large group far to the East that looked like smoke. I estimated c.400 birds but I might have been an order of magnitude out either way.
- for the third consecutive morning a handful of Jackdaws were flying northbound while the main parties were southbound.
- at least four Redwings were in their traditional roost site in the north-east area.

Bird(s) noted flying over here:
- no geese again
- 8 Wood Pigeons only
- 6 Herring Gulls
- 128 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- c.550 Jackdaws: see notes
- 34 Rooks
- 1 Redwing

Counts from the lake area:
- 1 Mute Swan
- 3 (2♂) Gadwall
- 18 (14♂) Mallard
- 4 (3♂) Pochard
- 25 (18♂) Tufted Duck
- 2 Moorhens only
- 13 Coots
- 1 Great Crested Grebe only
- c.1200 Black-headed Gulls: see notes
- 15 Herring Gulls
- 109 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 4 Cormorants: arrived singly; one departed
- 1 Grey Heron

The West end street lamp poles pre-dawn:

No visit again

Noted later:

Nothing

A couple of sunrise photos. As much frost as snow on the ground in the foreground.

Slightly later with a dragon preparing to swallow the sun.

At long range here are two drake Gadwall.

Bring up the rear was the duck Gadwall the most obvious feature being the orangey side to her bill.

Nothing special, just attractive morning Winter light on a pair of Mallard.

Puffed up to keep warm is this Robin. It came to visit me while I was standing at one of the fishing pegs. Probably the fishermen toss it the odd items of food to him. Made me feel guilty not to have a pocketful of worms.

 "Where are the crumbs then?". A female Pied Wagtail on the lookout.

A female because the back is grey and not black.

Running hither than thither.

Siskins were feeding on the Alder cones as usual. Not in an easy to photograph position. This is a male with a black crown. Note the pointed bill for extracting the seeds.

(Ed Wilson)

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The Flash: 09:35 – 10:30

(3rd visit of the year)

c.10% real ice. A significant area was just beginning to ice over.

New Bird Species
Six additions to my 2026 bird list from here:
- several Siskins were in trees around the Hickory's Smokehouse lower car parks
- a Collared Dove was calling in the same area.
- a Jackdaw was flying over there.
- a male Bullfinch was in the reeds by the Derwent Drive lay-by.
- the Great (White) Egret was on the island.
- a Coal Tit was singing at the bottom of squirrel alley by the Priorslee Academy.
My 2026 bird species total for here is now 36

Other bird notes:
- a trio of Mute Swans today, the putative pair not entirely happy with the newbie.
- yesterday the duck Tufted Ducks significantly outnumbered the drakes. Today it was the other way around. Odd.
- only one Great Crested Grebe found.
- 10 Lesser Black-backed Gulls were on the water when I arrived, apparently all adults. Four of them departed. Strange that no Herring Gull was seen.

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

Noted on / around the water:
- 4 Canada Geese
- 3 Mute Swans
- 28 (20♂) Mallard
- 3 (3♂) Pochard
- 31 (20♂) Tufted Duck
- 3 Moorhens only: hiding from the cold?
- 38 Coots
- 1 Great Crested Grebe only
- 83 Black-headed Gulls
- 10 Lesser Black-backed Gulls: (near) adults
- 2 Grey Herons
- 1 Great (White) Egret

Around the area:

Nothing else of note

An icy Derwent Drive.

Swan #1. I think this is the cob (male) of the recently arrived pair.

Swan #2. I think this is the pen (female). Note the way the water is almost liquid ice - if that makes any sense. I don't know how else to describe the texture.

Swan #3. This looks to be another cob.

Here are eight of the original ten adult Lesser Black-backed Gulls.

 I cannot see any black on the bill on this one. Unusually beady-looking eye.

Two more. The closer one does have some black on the bill.

One of the two Grey Herons and the Great (White) Egret try unsuccessfully to hide inside the island. They were only visible from one angle.

"Now there in the back – pay attention"

"who me, sir? A perky Blue Tit.

(Ed Wilson)

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2014
Priorslee Lake
Two 1st winter female Scaup present.

2012
Priorslee Lake
Adult Yellow-legged Gull
Adult Caspian Gull
(Ed Wilson)

2010
Priorslee Lake
A 2nd winter Caspian Gull
Adult Yellow-legged Gull
(Richard Vernon)

2008
Priorslee Lake
Evening - 6:15pm a Barn Owl
(Martin Adlam)

Morning
Big gull roost with:
2000 Black-headed Gulls
500 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
160 Herring Gulls
Yellow-legged Gull
2 Great Black-backed Gulls
Also
At least 10000 Starlings left the roost somewhere to the S and flew N just before 8:00am.
(Ed Wilson)

2 Jan 26

Priorslee Balancing Lake and The Flash

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:

Nothing 

A clear this morning. Snow on the ground and on a small patch of ice on a sheltered part of the water.

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...

...sedges and....

...reeds.

The South side "path".

The concrete ramp also showing that the trees have no snow on them. (I am not guilty of making the footsteps).

While the traffic creeps along an icy Castle Farm Way the new housing development seems to have well insulated roofs.

(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.

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)

1 Jan 26

Priorslee Balancing Lake and The Flash

3.0°C > 5.0°C: Early overcast with light rain; heavy rain c.08:15; temporary clearance after 08:45 with mix of cloud and brighter periods. light / moderate westerly wind. Mostly very good visibility.

Sunrise: 08:22 GMT for the umpteenth day

A Happy New Year to you all.

* = a species photographed today

Priorslee Balancing Lake: 06:55 – 09:40

(1st visit of the year)

Bird notes:
- two Pochard (one drake) were new arrivals.
- the first of the c.50 Black-headed Gulls arrived at 07:39.
- the first of rather few (27) Lesser Black-backed Gulls did not start arriving until 07:52.
- another passage of Lesser Blacked Gulls noted, again all were heading south-west. There were also six Herring Gulls among them.
- the first Jackdaws seen was a party of nine flying "the wrong way" i.e. North at 08:02.
- a Mistle Thrush was calling from trees alongside Castle Farm Way. Later another (?) was singing from the Ricoh grounds.
- two Song Thrushes and one Blackbird were also heard singing, these pre-dawn only.
- a party of 28 Fieldfare flew West from fields to the East and a few minutes later flew back the other way. Much later a single bird was in the bushes alongside the West end path.

Bird(s) noted flying over here:
- 37 Canada Geese: two flew North together; another flew West
- 2 Greylag Geese: two singles flew East
- 31 Wood Pigeons
- 6 Herring Gulls
- 109 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 1 Cormorant
- 94 Jackdaws
- 87 Rooks
- 28 Fieldfare
- 3 Redwings

Counts from the lake area:
- 6 Canada Geese: arrived together staying only c.10 minutes
- 8 (6♂) Mallard
- 2 (1♂) Pochard
- 22 (12♂) Tufted Duck
- 1 Water Rail: heard only
- 4 Moorhens
- 12 Coots only
- 2 Great Crested Grebes only
- c.50 Black-headed Gulls
- 4 Herring Gulls
- 27 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 6 Cormorants: arrived singly
- 1 Grey Heron

New Bird Species
The following 35 bird species were noted today starting my 2026 list, in order of recording:
Robin
Song Thrush
Blackbird
Coot
Magpie
Wood Pigeon
Carrion Crow
Tufted Duck
Greylag Goose
Mallard
Black-headed Gull
Grey Heron
Pochard
Lesser Black-backed Gull
Herring Gull
Canada Goose
Moorhen
Jackdaw
Rook
Chaffinch
Cormorant
Blue Tit
Siskin
Mistle Thrush
Long-tailed Tit
Goldcrest
Fieldfare
Redwing
Great Crested Grebe
Dunnock
Jay
Goldfinch
Great Tit
Wren
Water Rail
The Wren was a struggle to find. A surprising omission was the often noisy Cetti's Warbler, Must leave something for tomorrow


Noted on the West end street lamp poles pre-dawn:

Moths:
- 1 male Mottled Umber Erranis defoliaria

Flies:
- 1 male plumed midge
- 3 winter craneflies Trichocera sp.

Springtails:
- 1 unidentified small springtail

Beetles:
- 2 possible Cabbage-stem Flea Beetles Psylliodes chrysocephala

Arthropods:
- 1 unidentified millipede

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

Noted later:

Nothing

Before the brief deluge it looked promising to the far East. The weather was coming from the West.

The best-looking male Mottled Umber moth Erranis defoliaria I have seen this year! Well all-winter actually.

A male plumed midge. A larger species than many seen recently. Still no specific identity though.

The best winter cranefly Trichocera sp. specimen this morning.

A two-fer. On the left a small unidentified springtail that I had not noticed until I processed the photo of the possible Cabbage-stem Flea Beetle Psylliodes chrysocephala on the right.

A millipede I have not been able to identify. There are 62 species in the UK and many are not illustrated on the internet. Another confusion is that in some species immatures look very different from adults. The number of legs is not the correct distinction between centipedes and millipedes though it usually works. The actual difference is that millipedes have two pairs of legs on each body segment while centipedes have only one pair.

Present for over a week this Long-jawed Orb-web Spider Tetragnatha sp. has moved several inches from where I saw it on Tuesday. So it is not dead.

(Ed Wilson)

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Priorslee Avenue tunnel:

It is a while since I checked the tunnel. Now I know why. I saw nothing, zilch.

(Ed Wilson)

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The Flash: 09:45 – 10:55

(1st visit of the year)

Bird notes:
- the putative pair of Mute Swans still present.
- just two Pochard (one drake) noted.
- I could only confirm the presence of two Great Crested Grebes.

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

Noted on / around the water:
- 5 Canada Geese
- 2 Mute Swans
- 30 (20♂) Mallard
- 2 (1♂) Pochard
- 28 (11♂) Tufted Duck
- 8 Moorhens
- 41 Coots
- 2 Great Crested Grebes
- 76 Black-headed Gulls
- 2 Herring Gulls: a third winter departed; also a first-winter
- 2 Grey Herons

Noted around the area:

Nothing else

New Bird Species
The following 27 bird species were noted today starting my 2026 list, in order of recording:
Blackbird
Coot
Black-headed Gull
Magpie
Wood Pigeon
Mallard
Moorhen
Long-tailed Tit
Carrion Crow
Great Crested Grebe
Herring Gull
Chaffinch
Goldfinch
Tufted Duck
Blue Tit
House Sparrow
Mute Swan
Canada Goose
Pochard
Grey Heron
Great Tit
Robin
Lesser Black-backed Gull
Dunnock
Song Thrush
Feral Pigeon
Great Spotted Woodpecker
Significantly missing was Wren. Robin was unusually late in getting on the list.

No mistaking a drake Tufted Duck.

Nor Mrs. Angry Tufted Duck.

At this time of year it is easy to separate the sexes. Frustratingly during the Summer period when they are moulting and difficult to sex they never seem this approachable for close study.

This Grey Heron is an upstanding member of the community.

Is it cross-eyed? The bill looks brown here.

This view shows that the lower mandible is orange toned.

A Song Thrush of course. I noted one singing and two others searching the ground for morsels.

First flower of the year (and last of 2025). One of a cluster of White Dead-Nettles Lamium album that seems to flower throughout the year.

(Ed Wilson)

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2013
Priorslee Lake
Drake Scaup still showing well off dam
1 adult Yellow-legged Gull
21 Great Black-backed Gulls
(John Isherwood and Rob Stokes)

2011
Priorslee Lake
Tawny Owl heard - 2nd ever record
(Ed Wilson)

2010
Priorslee Lake
About 30% ice.
Best bird remains the Black-necked Grebe.
Big gull roost:
c.3000 Black-headed Gulls
c.1000 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
1 adult Yellow-legged Gull
1 3rd winter Great Black-backed Gull
(Ed Wilson and John Isherwood)