2.0°C > 4.0°C: Another day of mist / low overcast with some light drizzle in the air. Light easterly wind. Poor visibility.
[Sunrise: 07:47 GMT]
Yet another day when I waited until it was light before venturing out to peer in to the mist.
Priorslee Balancing Lake: 10:35 – 11:20
(30th visit of the year)
Viewing only from the dam-top area.
Bird notes:
- a significant number of Tufted Ducks seemed to have decamped to here from The Flash. I am not sure why as very few of them were diving for food: just loafing on the water.
- two immature Herring Gulls were the only gulls seen. While the Model Boat Club were at the West end of the area this would not normally significantly impact the number of gulls prepared to use the middle of the water. There just seem to be very few gulls around at the moment.
Birds noted flying over:
- 1 Wood Pigeon
Counts from the lake area:
- 2 Canada Geese
- 11 (6♂) Mallard
- 49 (27♂) Tufted Duck: see notes
- 13 (7♂) Goosander again
- 4 Moorhens
- 25 Coots
- 2 Great Crested Grebes
- no Black-headed Gulls
- 2 Herring Gulls
- no Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 5 Cormorants
- 1 Grey Heron
- no Great (White) Egret
(Ed Wilson)
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The Flash: 09:20 – 10:25
(27th visit of the year)
A small amount of slushy snow was lying on the residents' cars and on the footbridges.
Bird notes:
- two Mute Swans still. One of them Blue 7JSS. They spent some time well apart
- many of yesterday's Tufted Duck seemed to have gone to the Balancing Lake.
- today was my first visit here this year without seeing any Goosander.
- back to two Great Crested Grebes, both with head plumes.
- no Cormorants seen in the murk.
- a Great White Egret was seen flying on to the island. I am not sure where from.
- at least 20 Siskins were in Alders along the East side and a few were seen using the feeders adjacent to Wordsworth Way.
Bird(s) noted flying over here:
None
Noted on / around the water:
- 13 Canada Geese
- 2 Mute Swans: including Blue 7JSS
- 33 (23♂) Mallard
- 8 (7♂) Pochard
- 16 (8♂) Tufted Duck: see notes
- no Goosander
- 11 Moorhens
- 37 Coots
- 2 Great Crested Grebes
- 8 Black-headed Gulls only
- 1 Herring Gull: immature
- no Cormorants
- 1 Great (White) Egret
Around the area:
Noted on / around the water:
- 13 Canada Geese
- 2 Mute Swans: including Blue 7JSS
- 33 (23♂) Mallard
- 8 (7♂) Pochard
- 16 (8♂) Tufted Duck: see notes
- no Goosander
- 11 Moorhens
- 37 Coots
- 2 Great Crested Grebes
- 8 Black-headed Gulls only
- 1 Herring Gull: immature
- no Cormorants
- 1 Great (White) Egret
Around the area:
Nothing else of note
Some photos mainly from around the Westlake Walk feeding station. Many of the photo are grainy in the poor light and won't win prizes. But you have to try. Here a Blue Tit is looking for inspiration perhaps.
A Nuthatch on a "grab and go" mission.
A pensive-looking Robin.
"Are you taking a photo of me?" enquires a female Chaffinch.
This male Chaffinch is a messy eater with food dropping out of his mouth.
A smart Goldfinch waits a turn at the feeders.
Also with the "grab and go" approach, munching the seed away from the feeder action.
A female Greenfinch waiting her turn.
A slightly scruffy individual. At the very top left is the tail of an uncooperative Long-tailed Tit.
A male Siskin tucks in to the Alder cones.
Another...
..taking a moment to look around as he digests the food.
And a female Siskin.
A male Siskin contemplating the feeding station.
A second joins in.
(Ed Wilson)
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2014
Priorslee Lake
1 Velvet Scoter
3 Scaup
8 Pochard
(Gary Crowder)
2013
Priorslee Lake
8 Gadwall
26 Wigeon
2 Great Black-backed Gulls
1 Common Gull
1 Yellow-legged Gull
(Mike Cooper)
2012
Priorslee Lake
1 Glaucous Gull
1 Caspian Gull
2 Yellow-legged Gulls
1 Mediterranean Gull
(Roger Clay / Tom Lowe)
2011
Priorslee Lake
10 Pochard
16 Tufted Duck
(Ed Wilson)
2009
Priorslee Lake
6 Great Crested Grebes
<10 Pochard
c.50 Tufted Ducks
1 Water Rail
1 Lapwing
1 Common Gull
2 Yellow-legged Gulls
c.35 Herring Gulls
c.400 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
1 Glaucous Gull
c.25 Siskins
(Ed Wilson, Jim and Jason)
2008
Priorslee Lake
2 Great Black-backed Gulls
211 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
23 Herring Gulls
65 Black-headed Gulls
(Martin Adlam)
2007
Priorslee Lake
12 Pochard
26 Tufted Ducks
21 Robins
21 Blackbirds
1 Willow Tit
3 Reed Buntings
(Ed Wilson)
2006
Priorslee Lake
10 Cormorants
2 Gadwall
19 Pochard
89 Tufted Ducks
183 Coots
c.580 Black-headed Gulls
116 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
31 Herring Gull
1 Great Black-backed Gull.
540 Wood Pigeon
169 Jackdaws
16 Wrens
10 Dunnocks
27 Robins
34 Blackbirds
2 Willow Tits
13 Greenfinches
40 Goldfinches
127 Siskins
5 Reed Buntings
(Ed Wilson)