13 Sep 14

Priorslee Lake: 5:46am - 9:05am
Map

13.0°C > 13.5°C:  low overcast: misty. Brisk SSE wind. Moderate visibility.

Nothing to highlight on a rather dull day – occasionally threatened to brighten only did so much later.

Migrants noted were just
- 3 Meadow Pipits.

Priorslee Lake (104th visit of the year)

Other notes
Yesterday’s missing 2 immature Great Crested Grebes not returned: 2 additional adults this morning.
In addition to the usual single Grey Heron at the lake a party of 3 flew over close together.
No Kingfisher this morning: however one of the fishermen reports seeing up to 4 together in the last few days.
5 Goldcrests again but all in different locations this morning.
Small corvid roost dispersal today.
2 Ravens over
also
Another Double Square-spot moth on the roof of the Priorslee Avenue foot-tunnel.

Counts
4 + 1 Great Crested Grebes
4 Grey Herons
2 Swans
7 Greylag Geese (all outbound)
18 Canada Geese (all outbound)
13 (?) Mallard
4 (2) Tufted Duck
2 + 7 (4 broods) Moorhen
96 Coots
61 Black-headed Gulls
43 large gulls, two of these Herring Gulls: 16 of these over
4 (0) Blackcaps
8 (3) Chiffchaffs
Corvid roost dispersal: 27 Jackdaws and 52 Rooks logged

A Raven. Increasingly common in the area. This shows the typical ‘fingered’ wing-tip which is more prominent in this species than in other corvids (crows and allies). But the massive bill is normally the best clue if the large size is not readily apparent.

Deep and powerful wing beats are also characteristic of Raven – as are birds turning upside down: but not this morning.

(Ed Wilson)