3 Mar 25

Priorslee Balancing Lake and The Flash

0.0°C > 9.0°C: Early patchy / broken mid-level cloud gave way yo a thin high overcast. Almost calm start with light south-westerly wind developing. Very good visibility.

Sunrise: 06:52 GMT

* = a species photographed today

Am I right to be suspicious? There were single dead adult Mute Swans in the water at both the Balancing Lake and The Flash.
The one at The Flash, the erstwhile resident cob, was retrieved by council workers. I looked at it in the back of their usual rubbish collection vehicle. There seemed to be blood on its neck
I was not able to get close to the dead swan at the lake. Its erstwhile partner was hunched up by the boat launching jetty and I could not see the Darvic ring to read it and hence determine its sex. Its plumage was stained.
My initial thought was avian flu. But that seems unlikely to have affected both pairs, especially as the pair at The Flash were very active as if about to mate on Saturday.
With blood and staining I suspect foul play with an air rifle or similar.

Priorslee Balancing Lake: 05:50 – 09:20

(51st visit of the year)

Bird notes
A Peregrine flew fast East at 08:20 becoming my 71st bird species here this year.

Other bird notes:
- at least 10 Canada Geese: a pair and later a trio were seen to depart with a single and two pairs arriving. Five were present throughout.
- two Stock Doves were on the south-west grass briefly.
- just five Great Crested Grebes. Two pairs.
- very few gulls. After a fly-over Lesser Black-backed Gull at 06:23 the first of three singles visited the lake after 06:57 with a fourth on the football field at 09:15.
- the first of five Black-headed Gulls arrived at 07:04. These had all gone by 08:00. Six at 08:45 may, or may not, have included some of the earlier birds.
- two Redwings were in trees at the West end briefly.
- no Reed Buntings heard or seen.

Bird(s) noted flying over here:
- *2 Greylag Geese: outbound together
- 3 Stock Doves: single and pair
- 41 Wood Pigeons
- 1 Collared Dove
- 1 Peregrine
- 3 Black-headed Gulls
- 2 Herring Gulls
- 19 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 49 Jackdaws
- 6 Rooks
- 1 Pied Wagtail

Counts from the lake area:
- *10+ Canada Geese: see notes
- *2 Mute Swans: one deceased – see introduction
- 5 (3♂) Gadwall
- 4 (2♂) Mallard
- 15 (9♂) Tufted Duck
- 7 Moorhen
- *65 Coots
- 5 Great Crested Grebes
- 6? Black-headed Gulls: see notes
- 1 Herring Gull
- 4 Lesser Black-backed Gull
- *2 Cormorants: arrived together
- 1 Kingfisher: heard

Seen later:

Nothing

Of note:

Nothing else
The frost on the street lamp poles once again meant there were no insects or spiders.

An early view of the dawn with the cloud yet to increase from the North.

The first colouring of the clouds.

I was caught out this morning as to how much the rising sun had moved out of the south-east and missed the best view.

A quick scamper retrieved some of today's impressive sunrise.

A trio of Canada Geese.

Greylag Geese have been scarce for some weeks. These two flew outbound today.

The surviving Mute Swan. I an uncertain as to what caused the staining on its plumage. Is it dried blood? Or mud? Normally I would expect a healthy bird to wash and preen this off.

Coots doing what Coots do – fight.

These two Cormorants were early arrivals.

This is one of them later, fishing for its breakfast.

This may, or may not, be the same one after breakfast.

The Peregrine that flew fast East 08:20. I think a male – as with many birds of prey species the male is smaller than the female. It is always difficult to judge the size of a lone bird.

This is a Mistle Thrush I photographed as it left the south-east area and flew across Castle Farm Way. The spots on the breast of this species are more disorganised than on the smaller Song Thrush and the inner part of the underwing is white rather than pale yellow/brown.

A number of Great Tits were making a big commotion. This is a female with a narrow 'zip'.

And in profile.

Two males scrapping – too fast for the camera to freeze the action. The bird on the left clearly shows the wide 'zip' also seen...

...here. This male's plumage is much brighter than the female I photographed. I am not sure whether this is a consistent feature.

Today's Long-tailed Tit photo. From a different party building a nest in a very different location.

(Ed Wilson)

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The Flash: 09:25 – 10:35

(49th visit of the year)

Bird notes:
- just a single Great Crested Grebe.

Bird(s) noted flying over here:
- *1 Common Buzzard

Noted on / around the water:
- 13 Canada Geese
- 4 Mute Swans: the cob deceased and taken away: see introduction
- 26 (19♂) Mallard
- *2 (2♂) Pochard
- 49 (29♂) Tufted Duck
- 13 Moorhens
- 29 Coots
- 1 Great Crested Grebe
- 9 Black-headed Gulls
- 6 Herring Gulls: two adults; the rest un-aged immatures
- 1 Lesser Black-backed Gull: adult
- *2 Cormorants: arrived separately

Of note

Nothing apart from:
- *Scarlet Elfcup fungus Sarcoscypha austriaca

It was amusing to watch this trio of Mallard. The drake beside the duck always kept himself between the other drake and his 'partner' no matter how much the interloper tried to reposition and muscle in.

Sleeping beauty. A drake Pochard.

Recently a Common Buzzard has been seen sitting on the island several times. I have noted very few flying this year, today being an exception.

The second of the two Cormorants arrives.

While doing some litter picking I noted these Scarlet Elfcup fungus Sarcoscypha austriaca.

(Ed Wilson)

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2014
Priorslee Lake
1 Caspian Gull
1 Iceland Gull
(Tom Lowe)

Little Wenlock, Candles Landfill Site
1 Iceland Gull
(Tom Lowe)

2010
Priorslee Lake
1 Little Grebe
5 Great Crested Grebes
6 Gadwall
33 Pochard
71 Tufted Duck
(Ed Wilson)

2009
Priorslee Lake
5 Great Crested Grebes
11 Mute Swans
10 Tufted Ducks
1 Iceland
1 Glaucous Gull
(Ed Wilson, Mike Cooper)

2 Mar 25

No sightings in today

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2014
The Wrekin
c.35 Crossbills near the summit.
(Frank Hinde)

2012
Priorslee Lake
Grey Wagtail
10 Song Thrushes
c.20 Redwings
2 Siskins
4 Great Crested Grebes
3 Pochard
12 Tufted Duck
(Ed Wilson)

Priorslee Flash
4 Great Crested Grebes
11 Pochard
69 Tufted Duck
(Ed Wilson)

2009
Priorslee Lake
9 Great Crested Grebes
12 Tufted Duck
6 Goosander
1 Glaucous Gull
1 Iceland Gull.
17 Fieldfare
4 Redwings
1 Kingfisher
>350 Jackdaws
(Ed Wilson, Jim Almond)

1 Mar 25

Priorslee Balancing Lake and The Flash

0.0°C > 6.0°C: Fine and clear with just thin high cloud and early mist over the water. Almost calm. Mostly very good visibility.

Sunrise: 06:56 GMT

* = a species photographed today

Priorslee Balancing Lake: 05:50 – 09:05

(50th visit of the year)

Bird notes:
- again fewer Moorhens. This is normal when their breakfast of the south-west grass is frosted.
- now eight Great Crested Grebes at least: they are hard to keep track of. Three pairs.
- all change with the gulls again. It was the first of c.130 Lesser Black-backs that were first to arrive at 06:12. A few Herring Gulls with them. Just 46 Black-headed Gulls counted with the first not until 06:55.
- yesterday's calling Reed Bunting along the North side was singing this morning. None was heard at the West end again.

Bird(s) noted flying over here:
- 16 Wood Pigeons
- 1 Black-headed Gull
- 2 Herring Gulls
- 18 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 85 Jackdaws
- 12 Rooks

Counts from the lake area:
- 10 Canada Geese: of these two arrived
- 2 Mute Swans
- 4 (2♂) Gadwall
- 7 (5♂) Mallard
- 18 (11♂) Tufted Duck
- 4 Moorhen
- 67 Coots
- 8 Great Crested Grebes
- 46 Black-headed Gulls
- 16 Herring Gulls
- c.130 Lesser Black-backed Gull
- 2 Cormorants: arrived separately
- 1 Kingfisher: heard

Seen later:

Nothing

Of note:

Nothing else
The frost on the street lamp poles again meant there were no insects or spiders.

Early mist gave a warm glow pre-sunrise.

A white frost to start.

A Stock Dove. Slightly smaller than a Wood Pigeon with a smaller head. Also no dark tail band.

Instead of the Wood Pigeon's white neck patch the Stock Dove has an iridescent patch.

It also lacks white in the bend of the wing, instead having a row of black spots across the folded wing.

This Great Spotted Woodpecker was seen drumming quietly. With no red on the nape it is a female so Mr. Google was correct a week or so ago when I asked whether the females drum.

A few out of focus foreground branches spoil the view.

It must be Long-tailed Tit nest building time.

Yesterday at The Flash now here birds are collecting lichen.

A male Bullfinch munching on a bud. Leaves in the way this time.

Bending down to look for the next bud...

...and reaching for it.

Siskins were feeding very high up in the trees here. Two males at extreme range.

(Ed Wilson)

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The Flash: 09:10 – 10:35

(48th visit of the year)

It seemed very quiet with most of the birds at the top end. There were no fishermen – unusual for a Saturday. Perhaps the angling club had closed the water due to suspected avian flu?

Bird notes:
- *the two adult Mute Swans were noted on the island perhaps looking for / at the nest site. Later they were together with tails raised as if they might be about to mate. They didn't – and I should hope not as their two off-spring from last year were close-by.
- *now three Great Crested Grebes: a pair and a single.
- *a Common Buzzard was again sitting in a tree on the island.
- *Siskins were using the bird feeder in Westcroft Way.

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

Noted on / around the water:
- 25 Canada Geese
- *4 Mute Swans
- *27 (18♂) Mallard
- 4 (3♂) Pochard
- *51 (29♂) Tufted Duck
- *12 Moorhens
- 31 Coots
- *3 Great Crested Grebes
- 25 Black-headed Gulls
- 2 Herring Gulls: adults
- *2 Cormorants

Of note:

Nothing apart from:
- *racemes of Cherry Laurel Prunus laurocerasus

The two adult Mute Swans have their tail raised which often means they are getting amorous. In front of one of last year's cygnets too.

Perhaps it is a "depth of focus" issue with this drake Mallard's left wing. I took it at one thousandth of a second so I expected it to be sharp.

I do like Tufted Ducks: a Mrs. Tufty.

And a smart Mr. Tufty.

A reflective Moorhen.

"Like ships that pass in the night".

One Great Crested Grebe. Perhaps the bird I photographed on 26 February though I did not see it yesterday.

And what might, or might not be a pair.

I find Wood Pigeons difficult to photograph. They fly so fast that by the time I have got the camera ready they have gone. A rare exception.

The island is a long way away. It often surprises people to see a Cormorant, an apparently ungainly bird. happily sitting at the top of trees. But that is where they nest, usually communally their fishy droppings often killing the trees they are using. Not a good strategy.

The island is still a long way away. A Common Buzzard keeping watch.

A male House Sparrow collecting nesting material.

Another. House Sparrows are closely related to African weaver birds though their nests a pale comparison with some of the works of art woven by some species of weaver. His tail is pointing towards us and looks foreshortened.

In prosper perspective. The markings on this species are underappreciated.

A male Siskin at a feeder. I have not seen any on the Alders here this Spring.

Also on the feeders was this female Greenfinch. Males are brighter green/yellow-toned with a black mask.

These are the erect racemes that will soon be flowers on this Cherry Laurel Prunus laurocerasus. An invasive escape from gardens it does seem to attract insects to the flowers, among the first to be seen.

(Ed Wilson)

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2014
Shirlett High Park
16 Crossbills
(Yvonne C)

2013
Priorslee Lake
1 Yellow-legged Gull
(JW Reeves)

Horsehay Pool
1 Yellow-legged Gull
(JW Reeves)

2012
Priorslee Lake
4 Great Crested Grebes
2 Pochard
17 Tufted Duck
(Ed Wilson)

Trench Lock
3 Pochard
50 Tufted Duck
(Ed Wilson)

2009
Priorslee Lake
2 Gadwall
1 Water Rail
4 Linnets
(Ed Wilson)

2006
Priorslee Lake
10 Great Crested Grebes
4 Heron
3 Cormorants
5 Pochard
26 Tufted Ducks
107 Coots
2 Water Rails
606 Wood Pigeon
334 Jackdaws
156 Rooks
25 Starlings
11 Pied Wagtails
21 Fieldfare
1 Redwing
1 Willow Tit
26 Starlings
10 Greenfinches
69 Siskins
3 Redpolls
9 Reed Buntings
(Ed Wilson)