16 Feb 26

Priorslee Balancing Lake and The Flash

4.0°C > 6.0°C > 4.0°C: Clear sky to the East with increasing cloud from the West resulting in sleety / rain after 09:50. Moderate westerly breeze gusting fresh at times. Very good visibility.

Sunrise: 07:25 GMT

* = a species photographed today
$ = a new species for me in this area

Priorslee Balancing Lake: 06:05 – 09:05

(35th visit of the year)

New Bird Species:
At last: a bird species to add to my 2026 log from here. A group of 15 Lapwings flushed off the dam-face c.07:30. In days of yore flocks on the dam-face in Winter were not uncommon, sometimes in to three figures. No longer. Bird species #59 for me here this year.

Bird notes:
- a Canada Goose flew in and soon departed. A pair arrived later. Also two pairs flew East.
- meanwhile a single Greylag Goose flew from the West and then changed its mind and headed back West.
- two Mute Swans (a pair) were present at first light, flying off East at 07:20
- no Goosanders today.
- even fewer Coots counted. No idea why.
- as on Saturday two pairs of Great Crested Grebes were mostly keeping well apart with both pairs seen displaying. However there was a brief scrap.
- the first ten Lesser Black-backed Gulls appeared overhead 06:50 but with no gulls on the water after circling high over they departed. Only after the first Black-headed Gulls arrived after 07:15 did any of the (very few) large gulls visit.
- at 06:35 three Grey Herons were disputing territory. I was sure I saw all three depart so was it a fourth I saw later or did one return?
- the Great (White) Egret arrived from the North at 06:50.
- the first Jackdaws noted was a group of 22 birds "going the wrong way" i.e. northbound. Later two large groups, each of at least 125 birds, flew on the usual line, these groups separated by at least 15 minutes (and several smaller groups).

Bird(s) noted flying over here:
- 4 Canada Geese: two pairs flew West
- 1 Greylag Goose
- 30 Wood Pigeons
- 8 Black-headed Gulls
- 4 Herring Gulls
- 26 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- c.350 Jackdaws
- 91 Rooks
- 1 Redwing

Counts from the lake area:
- 3 Canada Geese: all arrived; one also departed
- 18 (11♂) Mallard
- 21 (12♂) Tufted Duck
- no Goosander
- 8 Moorhens
- 21 Coots only
- 4 Great Crested Grebes
- 15 Lapwings: departed
- 32 Black-headed Gulls
- 1 Herring Gull
- 6 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 1 Cormorant
- 1 Great (White) Egret
- 3? Grey Herons: see notes

Noted on the West end street lamp poles pre-dawn:
Woodlice:
- 1 (Common) Striped Woodlouse Philoscia muscorum

Seen later:
Nothing of note

A clear start, especially looking East. No colour to the sunrise though.

The early sun illuminating the trees against the incoming cloud.

One of the two Mute Swans departing. Based on the size of the bulge at the base of its bill I am tempted to suggest this is a cob (male).

The 15 Lapwings depart. I find flocks of very hard to count as they are forever changing orientation. Until I checked the photos I thought there were 14.

I think 16 Black-headed Gulls here, apparently all adults. Three of them have at least partly-developed dark hood of breeding condition birds.

The only occupant of the street lamp poles pre-dawn was this (Common) Striped Woodlouse Philoscia muscorum. It does not looked very "striped". I think the identity, courtesy of Obsidentify, is based on the "step" towards the tail. The other common species have a more tapered look.

(Ed Wilson)

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The Flash: 09:10 – 10:10

(32nd visit of the year)

Bird notes:
- still three Mute Swans. The pair was confirmed to contain Blue 7JSS.
- one Canada Goose was noted floating dead in the water.
- species not seen here for several days included a trio of Greylag Geese, a drake Goosander, two Cormorants and a Grey Heron.
- I do not normally log the Wood Pigeons flying over as these are usually just moving between the local wooded area. Today a group of 18 flew very high north-east.

Bird(s) noted flying over here:
- 18 Wood Pigeons
- 1 Jackdaw

Noted on / around the water:
- 25 Canada Geese; also one dead in the water
- 3 Greylag Geese
- 3 Mute Swans
- 29 (21♂) Mallard
- 35 (18♂) Tufted Duck
- 1 (1♂) Goosander
- 11 Moorhens
- 36 Coots
- 2 Great Crested Grebes
- 19 Black-headed Gulls
- 1 Herring Gull: immature, briefly
- 2 Cormorants
- 1 Grey Heron

Around the area:
Nothing of note

Greylag Geese have been uncommon so far this year. Here is one of today's trio.

I know how this Grey Heron feels: yet more rain. This species will be nesting by the end of the month so this one has all it breeding plumes.

"Like water off a duck's back" - or in this case that of a male Blackbird.

One of four Song Thrushes I noted. This was a non-singing bird.

Plane of the day skimming under the low cloud. It is a Cirrus Design Cirrus SR22T flying from it base at Wolverhampton's Halfpenny Green to Tatenhill Airfield near Uttoxeter. The aircraft is registered in the USA and as such is not required to display its identity – what American's call the "tail number" – under its wings. The pale blue on grey identity painted on the fuselage does not show well in this light! N617KH. As with most UK-based but US-registered aircraft it is registered to a trustee company from the state of Delaware where advantageous rules apply. The chosen name for this aircraft's ownership is "Piscosos": apparently Latin for "full of fish". I live and learn (I was not permitted to take Latin at my school).

(Ed Wilson)

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2014
Priorslee Lake
8 Pochard
(Tony Beckett)

2010
Priorslee Lake
5 Great Crested Grebes
4 Gadwall
44 Pochard
55 Tufted Ducks
1 Water Rail
151 Coots
12 Siskins
2 Redpoll
23 Linnets
9 Reed Buntings
(Ed Wilson)

2008
Priorslee Lake
3rd winter Glaucous Gull
1st winter Glaucous Gull
(Paul King)

2006
Priorslee Lake
7 Great Crested Grebes
3 Cormorants
2 Gadwall
8 Pochard
26 Tufted Ducks
118 Coots
2 Lapwing
c.1200 Black-backed Gulls
c.300 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
55 Herring Gulls
c.574 Wood Pigeons
220 Jackdaws
199 Rooks
1 Skylark
11 Pied Wagtails
20 Robins
19 Blackbirds
1 Fieldfare
2 Redwings
1 House Sparrow
10 Greenfinches
7 Siskins
16 Reed Buntings
(Ed Wilson)