1 Feb 26

The Flash only

5.0°C > 6.0°C: The Telford microclimate wins again. Mist and VERY low cloud alternating. Almost calm. Poor or very poor visibility.

[Sunrise: 07:53 GMT]

* = a species photographed today

After the usual late start on another gloomy day I decide not to visit the Balancing Lake and see only part of the water.

The Flash: 09:10 – 10:35

(24th visit of the year)

New bird species
New for the bird year list here was a Sparrowhawk seen powering down squirrel alley over my head. Species #51 for 2026

Bird notes:
- no Mute Swan again.
- all ducks were in smaller numbers than yesterday and I am not sure why. The visibility was "good enough" to see things on the water.
- at one point I noted 11 Coots on the grass. Why might they be doing this? I wonder whether there is a food shortage in the lake. The Tufted Duck seem able to cope though they can probably dive deeper than Coots: and they are in smaller numbers than usual. Even the Mute Swan was on the grass last Friday rather than using its long neck to reach food. What might have caused a food shortage? Has all the rain washed mud in to the water and covered the bottom growth? But then last Winter was very wet. Is it a legacy of the hot, dry Summer? Whatever it is affecting bird numbers at the Balancing Lake.
- all three Great Crested Grebes seen.
- a Redwing flew out of trees near the medical practice.
- Siskins were in the East side Alders again. There did not seem to be any Lesser Redpolls with them.

Bird(s) noted flying over here:

None

Noted on / around the water:
- 11 Canada Geese: of these six flew off together
- no Greylag Geese
- no Mute Swan
- 18 (12♂) Mallard
- 1 (1♂) Pochard only
- 25 (15♂) Tufted Duck
- 3 (1♂) Goosander: of these a pair departed together
- 12 Moorhens
- 35 Coots
- 3 Great Crested Grebes
- 43 Black-headed Gulls
- 2 Herring Gulls: one first- and one third-winter
- no Cormorant
- no Grey Heron
- no Great (White) Egret

Noted around the area:

Moths:
- 1 male Early Moth Theria primaria

A perky drake Tufted Duck with a hint of the green gloss on the head.

Here in close-up. A big "tuft" on this individual.

"It's behind you!". Or is panto-season over?

Another surprised-looking female/brownhead Goosander.

Here is the presumed first-winter Great Crested Grebe with just a trace of the head plumed beginning to show.

From a different angle.

Contrast with this full adult, one of two in breeding plumage.

As previously noted I am not keen on photos taken at feeders. It is not easy to photograph Nuthatches "in the wild" so here is one, typically upside-down.

A first-winter male Blackbird.

The head in close-up. A female would be more brown-toned.

A long way up a street lamp pole I found this male Early Moth Theria primaria.

(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)