31 Jan 17

No Sightings in today.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
On this day in ...........
2012
Priorslee Lake
6 Great Crested Grebes
22 Greylag Geese
19 Pochard
42 Tufted Duck
c.390 Black-headed Gulls
c.350 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
32 Herring Gulls
1 Common Gull
3 Yellow-legged Gulls
3 Great Black-backed Gulls
69 Redwings
25 Greenfinches
4 Linnets
(Ed Wilson / John Isherwood)

Priorslee Flash

Tundra Bean Goose
8 Greylag Geese
37 Tufted Ducks
c.1000 Black-headed Gulls
246 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
35 Herring Gulls.
(Ed Wilson, John Isherwood)

Trench Pool

8 Pochard
50 Tufted Ducks
79 Coots
(Ed Wilson)

Holmer Lake

50 Goosander
(John Isherwood)

30 Jan 17

No Sightings in today.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
On this day in ...........
2015
Local Area
Today's Sightings Here

2014
Priorslee Lake
2 Cormorants 
1 Teal 
7 Pochard 
66 Tufted Duck 
3 Greater Scaup 
1 Velvet Scoter 
91 Coots 
1 Woodcock 
50 Herring Gulls 
33 Redwings 
c.495 Jackdaws
(Ed Wilson)

The Flash

106 Tufted Ducks 
(Ed Wilson)

Trench Lock Pool

7 Pochard 
25 Tufted Duck 
4 Goosander 
44 Coots
(Ed Wilson)

Park Pool, Chetwynd near Newport

31 Shoveler
(Ed Wilson)

2013

Priorslee Lake
29 Wigeon 
10 Gadwall 
8 Pochard 
59 Tufted Ducks 
1 Scaup
169 Coots
 >300 Starlings
13 Redwings
46 Fieldfare 
211 Jackdaws
(Ed Wilson, John Isherwood)

The Flash

9 Pochard 
54 Tufted Duck
(Ed Wilson)

Trench Lock Pool

2 Goosander
Sparrowhawk
(John Isherwood)

Holmer Lake

1 Gadwall
9 Goosander
1 Little Grebe
Goldcrest
Nuthatch
(John Isherwood)

2012

Priorslee Lake
4 Great Crested Grebes
21 Pochard
42 Tufted Duck
c.190 Black-headed Gulls
48 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
8 Herring Gulls
Glaucous Gull
75 Redwing
16 Bullfinch 
(Ed Wilson, Martin Grant) 

Priorslee Flash

1 Pochard
43 Tufted Ducks
282 Black-headed Gulls
3 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
2 Herring Gulls
(Ed Wilson)

2010

Priorslee Lake
 1 Water Rail
4 Gadwall
2 Willow Tit
(John Isherwood)

2009

Priorslee Lake
A female Ruddy Duck
500+ Lesser Black-backed Gulls, Herring & Black-headed Gulls.
1 Yellow-legged Gull
1 Great Black-backed Gull
(Ed Wilson)

29 Jan 17

No Sightings in today.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
On this day in ...........
2016
Priorslee Lake
Today's Sightings Here

2015

Priorslee Lake
Today's Sightings Here

2014
Priorslee Lake
14 Pochard
71 Tufted Duck
3 Greater Scaup
1 Velvet Scoter
103 Coots
1 Yellow-legged Gull
2 Great Black-backed Gulls
141 Redwings
502 Jackdaws
383 Rooks
2 Ravens
(Ed Wilson, Gary Crowder)

The Flash 

89 Tufted Ducks
2 Goosander
(Ed Wilson)

2013

Priorslee Lake
Drake Scaup
26 Wigeon 
12 Gadwall 
12 Pochard 
60 Tufted Ducks 
181 Coots
c.400 Black-headed Gulls
246 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
34 Herring Gulls
2 Great Black-backed Gulls
21 Redwings
147 Jackdaws
c.30 Siskins
(Ed Wilson, Unknown Observer)

Trench Lock Pool

18 Swans
8 Pochard 
45 Tufted Duck 
1 Goosander 
99 Coots counted
(Ed Wilson)

2012

Priorslee Lake
5 Great Crested Grebes
21 Pochard
51 Tufted Duck
(Ed Wilson)

2008

Priorslee Lake
c.2000 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
109 Herring Gulls
1 Yellow-legged Gull
1 Great Black-backed Gull
c.250 Black-headed Gulls.
1 Buzzard
1 Merlin
(Martin Adlam)

2007 

Priorslee Lake
1 Goldeneye
(Ed Wilson)

28 Jan 17

No Sightings in today.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
On this day in ...........
2015
Local Area
Today's Sightings Here

2014

Priorslee Lake
12 Pochard
63 Tufted Duck
3 Greater Scaup
Velvet Scoter
3 Great Black-backed Gulls
16 Redwings over
555 Jackdaws
345 Rooks
(Ed Wilson, Gary Crowder)

The Flash

120 Tufted Ducks
(Ed Wilson)

Trench Lock Pool

3 Pochard
34 Tufted Duck
(Ed Wilson)

Trench Middle Pool

2 Goosanders
(Ed Wilson)

2013

Priorslee Lake
31 Wigeon 
10 Gadwall 
11 Pochard 
44 Tufted Ducks 
1 Greater Scaup 
177 Coots again 
38 Herring Gulls
1 Yellow-legged Gull
9 Redwings
52 Magpies
3 Reed Buntings
(Ed Wilson)

The Flash

2 Shoveler 
4 Pochard 
57 Tufted Duck 
1 Goosander 
(Ed Wilson)

2012

Priorslee Lake
5 Great Crested Grebes
21 Pochard
38 Tufted Duck
150 Wood Pigeons
57 Redwings 
(Ed Wilson)

Priorslee Flash

36 Tufted Ducks
(Ed Wilson)

Trench Lock Pool 

7 Pochard
33 Tufted Ducks
(Ed Wilson)

27 Jan 17

No Sightings in today.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
On this day in ...........
2014
Priorslee Lake
13 Pochard
63 Tufted Duck
2 Greater Scaup
1 Velvet Scoter
101 Coots counted
31 Herring Gulls
3 Great Black-backed Gulls
7 Redwings
522 Jackdaws
335 Rooks
71 Magpies
4 Siskins
(Ed Wilson)

The Flash

111 Tufted Ducks
(Ed Wilson)

2013

Priorslee Lake
26 Wigeon 
10 Gadwall 
14 Pochard
56 Tufted Ducks 
1 Greater Scaup
177 Coots
4 Redwings
30 Siskins
(Ed Wilson, Dave Tromans)

The Flash

1 Little Grebe
4 Goosander
(Dave Tromans)

26 Jan 17

No Sightings in today.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
On this day in ...........
2014
Priorslee Lake
Velvet Scoter
2 Scaup
(Martin and Ian Grant)

2013

Priorslee Lake
39 Wigeon
8 Gadwall 
24 Pochard 
74 Tufted Ducks 
1 Greater Scaup 
173 Coots
169 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
18 Herring Gulls
1 Great Black-backed Gull
(Ed Wilson)

2008

Priorslee Lake
Iceland Gull
(Observer Unknown)

25 Jan 17

No Sightings today.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
On this day in ...........
2015
Local area
Today's Sightings Here

2014
Priorslee Lake
11 Pochard
61 Tufted Duck
2 Greater Scaup
1 Velvet Scoter
98 Coots
4 Redwings
c.735 Jackdaws
c.257 Rooks
4 Siskins
1 Redpoll 
(Ed Wilson)

The Flash

92 Tufted Ducks
(Ed Wilson)

Trench Lock Pool

Peregrine
6 Pochard
54 Tufted Duck
(Ed Wilson)

2013

Priorslee Lake
31 Wigeon 
12 Gadwall 
1 Greater Scaup
>700 Black-headed Gulls
7 Common Gulls
>1500 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
>300 Herring Gulls
7 Great Black-backed Gulls.
(Ed Wilson, (John Isherwood)

2010

Priorslee Lake
Peregrine
1 Little Grebe 
30 Swans
4 Gadwall
28 Pochard
86 Tufted Ducks
1 Buzzard 
296 Coots
5 Redwings
27 Greenfinches
c.30 Siskins
(Ed Wilson)

2007

Priorslee Lake
Goldeneye
1 Water Rail
1 Redpoll
(Ed Wilson)

2006

Priorslee Lake
c.1300 Black-headed Gulls
c.120 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
c.45 Herring Gulls
10 Great Crested Grebes
2 Gadwall
24 Pochard
22 Tufted Ducks
152 Coot
1 Water Rail
c.48 Siskins
1 Redpoll
4 Reed Buntings
(Ed Wilson)

24 Jan 17

No Sightings in today.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
On this day in ...........
2016
Priorslee Lake
Today's Sightings Here

2015

Local area
Today's Sightings Here

2014
Priorslee Lake
12 Pochard
56 Tufted Duck
1 Velvet Scoter
108 Coots
(Ed Wilson)

The Flash

95 Tufted Ducks
4 Goosanders
9 Bullfinches
(Ed Wilson)

2013

Priorslee Lake
31 Wigeon 
8 Gadwall 
26 Pochard 
99 Tufted Ducks 
1 Greater Scaup 
>1200 Black-headed Gulls
>2200 large gulls
(Ed Wilson)

The Flash

23 Tufted Duck 
(Ed Wilson)

Trench Lock Pool

1 Cormorant 
16 Swans 
2 Gadwall 
1 Shoveler 
5 Pochard 
37 Tufted Duck 
1 Goosander 
117 Coots
96 Black-headed Gulls
42 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
38 Herring Gulls
4 Great Black-backed Gulls
(Ed Wilson)

Horsehay Pool

1 Caspian Gull
(Jim Almond)

2010

Priorslee Lake
>300 Jackdaws
36 Swans
4 Gadwall
26 Pochard
64 Tufted Ducks
315 Coots 
>300 Black-headed Gulls
39 Lesser Black-backed
28 Herring Gulls
11 Siskins
(Ed Wilson)

2009

Priorslee Lake
1 Iceland Gull
(Jason Buckley)

2008

Priorslee Lake
120 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
16 Herring Gulls
50 Black-headed Gull
1 Great Black-backed Gull
(Martin Adlam)

2006

Priorslee Lake
7 Great Crested Grebes
3 Wigeon
2 Gadwall
14 Pochard
23 Tufted Ducks
151 Coot
370 Jackdaws
118 Rooks
250 Wood Pigeon
15 Robins
14 Blackbirds
47 Siskins
3 Redpolls
4 Reed Buntings
(Ed Wilson)

23 Jan 17

Holmer Lake 13:30

5 Goosander
4 Teal

(John Isherwood)

Priorslee Lake 14:00

2 Gadwall
7 Pochard

Hoped an afternoon visit might improve gull numbers, but hardly any birds present.
Closure of Granville landfill last year has had a very big affect.

(John Isherwood)

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
On this day in ...........
2016
Priorslee Lake
Today's Sightings Here

2014
Priorslee Lake
6 Pochard
42 Tufted Duck
A drake Scaup
1 Velvet Scoter
111 Coots
78 Black-headed Gulls
2 Lesser Black-backed Gull
8 Herring Gulls
1 Great Black-backed Gull
(Ed Wilson , Unknown Observer)

The Flash

1 Little Grebe
5 Pochard
116 Tufted Ducks
1 Goosander
8 Moorhens
5 Siskins
(Ed Wilson)

Trench Lock Pool

5 Pochard
64 Tufted Duck
1 Goosander
72 Coots
69 Black-headed Gulls
15 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
43 Herring Gulls
(Ed Wilson)

Trench Middle Pool

1 Willow Tit
1 Tufted Duck
4 Goosander
(Ed Wilson)

2013

Priorslee Lake
28 Wigeon 
8 Gadwall 
25 Pochard 
99 Tufted Ducks 
1 Greater Scaup 
169 Coots
>1500 Black-headed Gulls
3 Common Gulls
>500 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
c.100 Herring Gulls
8 Great Black-backed Gulls
(Ed Wilson)

2009

Priorslee Lake
1 Glaucous Gull
1 Yellow legged Gull
(Richard Vernon)

2008

Priorslee Lake
1 Yellow-legged Gull
200 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
1 Greater Black-backed Gull
27 Herring Gull
150 Black-headed Gulls.
(Martin Adlam)

2006

Priorslee Lake
2 Gadwall
10 Pochard
17 Tufted Ducks
149 Coot again
1 Water Rail
2 Lapwings
10 Robins
13 Blackbirds
1 Willow Tit
37 Siskins
2 Redpolls
4 Reed Buntings
(Ed Wilson)

22 Jan 17

No Sightings in today.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
On this day in ...........
2016
Priorslee Lake
Today's Sightings Here

2014
Priorslee Lake
2 Great Crested Grebes
9 Pochard
106 Tufted Duck
1 Velvet Scoter
106 Coots
c.260 Black-headed Gulls
3 Herring Gulls
204 Redwing
c.250 Jackdaws
(Ed Wilson)

2013

Priorslee Lake
2 Great Crested Grebes 
32 Wigeon 
6 Gadwall 
25 Pochard 
105 Tufted Ducks
166 Coot
>1700 Black-headed Gulls
>1500 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
>450 Herring Gulls
13 Great Black-backed Gulls
(Ed Wilson)

2012

Priorslee Lake
1 Water Rail
2 Great Black-backed Gulls
(John Isherwood)

Priorslee Flash

1 Great Black-backed Gull
(John Isherwood)

Holmer Lake

28 Goosander
(John Isherwood)

2008

Priorslee Lake
300 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
65 Herring Gulls
(Martin Adlam)

2007

Priorslee Lake
1 Little Grebe
3 Great Crested Grebes
3 Cormorants
31 Pochard
41 Tufted Ducks
c.200 Black-headed Gulls
128 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
6 Herring Gulls
20 Robins
23 Blackbirds
19 Fieldfares
17 Redwings
3 Jays
31 Magpies
183 Jackdaws
159 Rooks
7 Greenfinches
5 Reed Buntings
(Ed Wilson)

21 Jan 17

No Sightings in today.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
On this day in ...........
2016
Priorslee Lake
Today's Sightings Here

2014
Priorslee Lake
2 Gadwall
9 Pochard
55 Tufted Duck
1 Velvet Scoter
113 Coot
2 Great Black-backed Gulls
(Ed Wilson)

2013

Priorslee Lake
32 Wigeon 
8 Gadwall
1 Shoveler 
20 Pochard 
86 Tufted Ducks 
1 Greater Scaup 
2 Goldeneye 
 >1000 Black-headed Gulls
c.250 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
2 Yellow-legged Gulls
146 Herring Gulls
8 Great Black-backed Gulls
Woodcock
c.30 Fieldfare
(J Reeves, John Isherwood, Ed Wilson)

Little Wenlock, Candles Landfill Site

1 Caspian Gull
3 Yellow-legged Gull
(Tom Lowe)

2012

Priorslee Lake
5 Great Crested Grebes
21 Pochard
40 Tufted Duck
133 Black-headed Gulls
37 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
1 Yellow-legged Gull
13 Herring Gulls
3 Great Black-backed Gulls
(Ed Wilson)

Priorslee Flash

4 Pochard
63 Tufted Ducks
c.380 Black-headed Gulls
c.750 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
1 Yellow-legged Gull
29 Herring Gulls
2 Great Black-backed Gulls
(Ed Wilson)

Trench Lock Pool

2 Little Grebes
2 Pochard
39 Tufted Ducks
94 Coots
c.560 Black-headed Gulls
112 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
33 Herring Gulls
1 Great Black-backed Gull
(Ed Wilson)

2007

Priorslee Lake
13 Cormorants
7 Pochard
42 Tufted Ducks
2 Goosanders
>270 Black-headed Gulls
223 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
53 Herring Gulls
2 Great Black-backed Gulls
25 Robins
20 Blackbirds
9 Redwings
30 Magpies
290 Jackdaws
160 Rooks
5 Reed Buntings
(Ed Wilson)

2006

Priorslee Lake
10 Great Crested Grebes
5 Cormorants
2 Gadwall
8 Pochard
11 Tufted Ducks
149 Coot
1 Water Rail
312 Jackdaws
300 Wood Pigeons
2000 Starlings
17 Robins
26 Blackbirds
59 Siskins
4 Reed Buntings
(Ed Wilson)

20 Jan 17

No Sightings in so far today..........

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
On this day in ...........
2014
Priorslee Lake
2  Greater Scaup 
1 Velvet Scoter 
117 Coots
1 Great Black-backed Gull
4 Redwings 
c.274 Jackdaws
(Ed Wilson / Mike Stokes)

2013

Priorslee Lake
1 Little Grebe 
1 Greater Scaup 
1 Goldeneye
26 Wigeon 
4 Gadwall 
1 Shoveler 
22 Pochard 
76 Tufted Ducks 
157 Coots 
1 Common Gull
144 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
74 Herring Gulls
4 Great Black-backed Gulls
(Ed Wilson)

2010

Priorslee Lake
Adult Caspian Gull
1 Yellow-legged Gull
(Andy Latham)

2009

Priorslee Lake
Juvenile Glaucous Gull
Juvenile Iceland Gull
(Observer Unknown)

2007

Priorslee Lake
2 Pochard
36 Tufted Ducks
c.195 Black-headed Gulls
48 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
34 Herring Gulls
1 Yellow-legged Gull
3 Great Black-backed Gulls
(Ed Wilson)

2006

Priorslee Lake
2 Gadwall
5 Pochard
11 Tufted Duck
132 Coot
2 Water Rail
c.1600 Black-headed Gulls
1 Great Black-backed Gull
428 Jackdaws
438 Rook
300 Wood Pigeons
14 Robin
80 Fieldfare
30 Redwing
11 Blackbird
1 Willow Tits
6 Greenfinch
65 Siskins
6 Redpolls
8 Reed Buntings
(Ed Wilson)

19 Jan 17

Priorslee Lake: 07:25 – 09:00

6°C: Another dull day with a low overcast and some drizzle: some mist over the water for a while. Calm. Moderate / poor visibility

Sunrise: 08:09 GMT

(15th visit of the year)

No new species for my 2017 Priorslee Lake list

Notes from today:
another quiet morning
- possibly 26 of the Black-headed Gulls had roosted overnight
- 9 singing Song Thrushes this morning – almost drowning out other calls and song
other species heard in ‘song’ included Wood Pigeon, Great Tit, Willow Tit, Dunnock and Greenfinch
and
- a Nursery Web Spider (Pisaura mirabilis) on a different lamp from Monday’s record: no moths

Birds noted flying over the lake
- 1 Greylag Goose
- 21 Black-headed Gulls
- 1 Wood Pigeon
- 198 Jackdaws
- 2 Rooks
- 1 Linnet

Too much mist to make accurate roost counts

The counts from the lake area
- 2 + 1 Mute Swans
- 2 (1♂) Gadwall
- 7 (5♂) Mallard
- 9 (8♂) Pochard
- 17 (10♂) Tufted Ducks
- 2 Grey Herons again
- 1 Little Grebe
- 5 Great Crested Grebes
- 12 Moorhens
- 38 Coots
- 69 Black-headed Gulls

An ‘upgrade’ shot of the Nursery Web Spider (Pisaura mirabilis) at the lake

(Ed Wilson)

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The Flash: 09:10 – 09:30

(12th visit of the year)

No new species for my 2017 Flash list

Notes from today:
- two Song Thrushes singing here this morning
other songsters this morning (ignoring the year-round singers Wren and Robin) were Wood Pigeon, Great Tit and Dunnock
and
- a few of the mole hills on the grass at the N end were my first new hills here this year

Birds flying over here
- 2 Jackdaws again

The counts from the water
- 2 Mute Swans
- 6 Canada Geese
- 1 all white feral goose
- 35 (25♂) Mallard
- 34 (20♂) Tufted Duck
- 1 (0♂) Goosander
- 1 Great Crested Grebe
- 7 Moorhens
- 12 Coots
- 10 Black-headed Gulls only

(Ed Wilson)

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
On this day in ...........
2016
Priorslee Lake
Today's Sightings Here

2014
Priorslee Lake
1 female Velvet Scoter
3 Scaup - 1st winter male, 2 1st winter females
(David Barnes / Tony Beckett / Ed Wilson)

2013

Priorslee Lake
1 Greater Scaup
1 Goldeneye
5 Great Black-backed Gulls
(Ed Wilson)

2010

Priorslee Lake
Adult Caspian Gull
1 Yellow-legged Gull
(Andy Latham)

2007

Priorslee Lake
8 Cormorants
3 Pochard
31 Tufted Ducks
9 Goosanders
c.50 Golden Plover
>1100 Black-headed Gulls
133 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
10 Herring Gulls
250 Wood Pigeons
21 Robins
17 Blackbirds
8 Fieldfares
4 Redwings
43 Magpies
279 Jackdaws
136 Rooks
5 Greenfinches
2 Reed Buntings
(Ed Wilson)

2006

Priorslee Lake
1100 Black-headed Gulls
1 Great Black-backed Gull
2 Gadwall
8 Pochard
14 Tufted Duck
198 Coot
376 Jackdaws
265 Rooks
200 Wood Pigeons
28 Robins
21 Blackbirds
22 Siskins
1 Redpoll
3 Reed Buntings
(Ed Wilson)

18 Jan 17

Priorslee Lake: 07:25 – 08:45

6°C > 7°C: Low overcast and very misty with some drizzle, especially at Priorslee. Calm / very light SE wind. Very poor visibility at Priorslee: somewhat better at Trench, but still poor.

Sunrise: 08:10 GMT

(14th visit of the year)

1 new species for my 2017 Priorslee Lake list

#62 Nuthatch: bird calling from the wood between the academy and Ricoh

Notes from today:
an even quieter morning in the mist
- lower numbers of Pochard and Tufted duck seemed to be a real decline as most of the lake could be seen from somewhere and there were fewer birds in all their normal locations
- Willow Tit heard in song yet again
- 7 singing Song Thrushes this morning
other species heard in ‘song’ included Wood Pigeon, Great Tit and Greenfinch
and
- a different male Mottled Umber moth on the same lamp as that used by yesterday’s specimen

Birds noted flying over the lake
**badly affected by the mist and fog**
- 8 Black-headed Gulls
- 4 Jackdaws
- 1 Pied Wagtail
- 1 Siskin again

Roost counts
- none seen

The counts from the lake area
- 2 + 1 Mute Swans
- 4 (3♂) Mallard
- 5 (4♂) Pochard
- 10 (4♂) Tufted Ducks
- 2 Grey Herons
- 6 Great Crested Grebes again
- 15 Moorhens
- 40 Coots
- 137 Black-headed Gulls

(Ed Wilson)

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The Flash: 08:55 – 09:20

(11th visit of the year)

No new species for my 2017 Flash list

Notes from today:
- no Heron, Great Crested Grebe or Pochard this morning: could have been the poor visibility
- some of the Canada Geese took off while I was present: a few returned. Departure presumably delayed by the mist. A good check failed to find and hybrid or small geese amongst the groups
- three Song Thrushes singing here this morning

Birds flying over here
- 2 Jackdaws

The counts from the water
- 2 Mute Swans
- 203 Canada Geese
- 1 all white feral goose
- 25 (19♂) Mallard
- 32 (19♂) Tufted Duck
- 2 Moorhens
- 11 Coots
- 3 Black-headed Gulls only

(Ed Wilson)

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Trench Lock Pool: 09:55 – 10:25

(4th visit of the year)

Notes from here
- a drake Pochard was my first of the year at this site
- another low count of gulls
other birds new for me at this site in 2017 were Kingfisher, Great Spotted Woodpecker and Wren
and
- also new was a Grey Squirrel

Birds noted flying over here
- 1 (1♂) Goosander

The counts from the water
- 2 + 3 Mute Swans
- 4 Canada Geese
- 13 (8♂) Mallard
- 7 (5♂) Shoveler
- 1 (1♂) Pochard
- 30 (14♂) Tufted Ducks
- 8 (6♂) Goosander
- 7 Moorhens again
- 46 Coots
- 43 Black-headed Gulls
- 2 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 1 Herring Gull

Not enough light to get the detail in the head of this drake Goosander: a very smart-looking bird as it reaches full breeding plumage.

Not many large gulls anywhere: a couple at Trench were, typically, atypical. This Lesser Black-backed Gull looks very ‘clean’ having already lost any winter head streaks. It is also rather darker than many with the mantle colour almost matching the folded wing-tips. The relatively weak bill rules out any thoughts of a small female Great Black-backed Gull.

Another ‘smart-looking’ gull – here a Herring Gull, also having lost any head streaking, with just some smudging around the eye. Note also the rather more extensive white on the folded tertials and, on what otherwise seems to be a full adult, the dark band on the bill with no obvious red spot. Neither of these oddities suggests it might be anything other than a Herring Gull though. Incidentally if you thought the drake Goosander above was ‘white’ it does not very white when compared with the gull.
(Ed Wilson)

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Trench Middle Pool: 10:30 – 11:00

(4th visit of the year)

Notes
- yet another high count of Goosander
- 2 Cormorants: my first of the year here
- and another high count of Coots
- Song Thrush in song here as well: also my first of the year here

The counts from the water
- 2 Mute Swans
- 24 Canada Goose
- 14 (10♂) Mallard again
- 1 (0♂) feral-type Mallard again
- 13 (6♂) Tufted Ducks
- 34 (10♂) Goosander
- 2 Cormorants
- 9 Moorhens
- 27 Coots
- 12 Black-headed Gulls only

Another duck Tufted Duck with extensive white around the base of the bill. The head shape with the vestigial tuft prevents any thought of it being a duck Scaup.

Well it was very dull in the overhang of the island here: at one-twentieth of a second and high zoom it is amazing anything came out. An immature Cormorant of course: even at this age they have the blue iris.

(Ed Wilson)

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Chetwynd Pool

My third trip to peer over the wall alongside the old A41 north out of Newport – the only view possible of this private lake – to catch up with this duck Long-tailed Duck. This sea-duck has been unusually abundant this winter and this is my fifth individual in Shropshire.

(Ed Wilson)

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
On this day in ...........
2014
Priorslee Lake
1 female Velvet Scoter
3 Scaup
2 Yellow Legged Gulls
4 Great Black-backed Gulls
(Ed Wilson, John Isherwood)

2012

Priorslee Lake
1 Yellow-legged Gull
3 Great Black-backed Gulls
(Ed Wilson)

2010

Priorslee Lake
Glaucous Gull
Yellow-legged Gull
Probable "intermedius" Lesser Black-backed Gull.
At least 1 Ring-billed Gull look-alike
(Andy Latham / Ian Grant)

2008

Priorslee Lake
2 Wigeon
5 Gadwall
25 Pochard
100 Tufted Duck 
3 Water Rails
1000 Black-headed Gulls
1 Great Black-backed Gull
c.400 Wood Pigeons
Blackcap
1000 Starlings
30 Siskin
(Ed Wilson)

2007

Priorslee Lake
14 Pochard
55 Tufted Duck
1 Great Black-backed Gull
(Ed Wilson)

2006

Priorslee Lake
1 Little Grebe
11 Great Crested Grebes
6 Pochard
26 Tufted Duck
208 Coot
c.900 Black-headed Gulls
c.450 Lesser Black-backed Gull
2 Great Black-backed Gull
13 Herring Gull
2 Yellow-legged Gull
1 Kingfisher
53 Siskins
3 Reed Buntings
(Ed Wilson. Martin Adlam)

17 Jan 17

Priorslee Lake: 07:25 – 09:05

6°C: Low overcast and very misty to start: then some drizzle. Calm / light SE wind. Poor visibility, bad initially

Sunrise: 08:11 GMT

(13th visit of the year)

No new species for my 2017 Priorslee Lake list

Notes from today:
another very quiet morning
- perhaps the same 2 Greylag Geese managed to find their way through the mist and fly over
- 2 pairs of Mallard flushed from out of the Wesley Brook: looking for a nesting site already?
- managed a decent count of Jackdaws despite the poor visibility. Most of the large groups passed very low just behind Castle Farm Way while I happened to be on the dam: thereafter the smaller groups were higher and overhead
- Willow Tit heard in song again
- 6 singing Song Thrushes this morning
- strangely, and for the first time I can remember, I logged no Dunnocks!
and
- male Mottled Umber on the lamps

Birds noted flying over the lake
- 2 Greylag Geese
- 9 Black-headed Gulls
- 2 Herring Gulls
- c.300 Jackdaws
- 1 Rook
- 3 Pied Wagtails
- 2 Greenfinches
- 1 Goldfinch
- 1 Siskin
- 2 Linnets

Roost counts
- (Magpies roost mainly hidden in the mist)
- 3 Redwing came out of the roost area, but perhaps rather too late to be counted as roosting?

The counts from the lake area
- 2 + 1 Mute Swans
- 2 (1♂) Gadwall again
- 12 (7♂) Mallard
- 12 (10♂) Pochard
- 21 (10♂) Tufted Ducks
- 1 Grey Heron again
- 2 Little Grebes again
- 6 Great Crested Grebes
- 14 Moorhens
- 44 Coots
- 24 Black-headed Gulls

(Ed Wilson)
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The Flash: 09:15 – 09:35

(10th visit of the year)

No new species for my 2017 Flash list

Notes from today:
another very quiet morning here as well
- 2 Pochard new in
- no Goosanders again
- a 2nd Great Crested Grebe this morning
- a Song Thrush singing here as well as the six at the lake

Birds flying over here
- 1 Lesser Black-backed Gull again

The counts from the water
- 2 Mute Swans
- 8 Canada Geese
- 1 all white feral goose
- 28 (19♂) Mallard
- 2 (1♂) Pochard
- 34 (23♂) Tufted Duck
- 1 Grey Heron
- 2 Great Crested Grebes
- 1 Moorhen again
- 14 Coots
- 10 Black-headed Gulls

(Ed Wilson)
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
On this day in ...........
2016
Priorslee Lake
Today's Sightings Here

2014
Priorslee Lake
57 Magpies
10 Pochard
64 Tufted Duck
119 Coots counted
>500 Black-headed Gulls
1 Great Black-backed Gull
18 Redwings
>1500 Jackdaws
>325 Rooks
(Ed Wilson)

The Flash

1st-winter female Velvet Scoter
102 Tufted Ducks
(Ed Wilson and Unknown Observer)

2013

Priorslee Lake
2 Wigeon
4 Gadwall 
21 Pochard 
80 Tufted Ducks
1 Greater Scaup
1 Goldeneye
155 Coots
Snipe
Woodcock
Kingfisher
113 Redwing
30 Siskins
(Ed Wilson, Mike Cooper)

The Flash

31 Tufted Duck
50 Goldfinches
1 Redpoll.
(Ed Wilson)

Little Wenlock, Candles Landfill Site

Caspian Gull
Yellow-legged Gull
(Tom Lowe)

2012

Priorslee Lake
2 Shoveler
21 Pochard
95 Tufted Duck
3 Yellow-legged Gulls
15 Great Black-backed Gulls
117 Redwings
12 Greenfinches
(Ed Wilson / John Isherwood)

The Wrekin

6 Marsh Tit
2 Brambling
(Ed Wilson)

2007

Priorslee Lake
4 Cormorants
4 Pink-footed Geese
3 Greylag Geese
16 Pochard 
35 Tufted Ducks
1 Goldeneye
>600 Black-headed Gulls
>487 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
94 Herring Gulls
1 Great Black-backed Gull
24 Robins
11 Blackbirds
8 Redwings
1 Willow Tit
39 Magpies
205 Jackdaws
76 Rooks
12 Greenfinches
3 Reed Buntings
(Ed Wilson)

2006

Priorslee Lake
12 Great Crested Grebes
2 Gadwall
11 Pochard 
11 Tufted Duck
213 Coot
1 Water Rail
c.360 Black-headed Gulls
1 Great Black-backed Gull
169 Jackdaws
117 Rooks
220 Wood Pigeons
21 Robins
20 Blackbirds
2 Willow Tits
41 Siskins
4 Reed Buntings
(Ed Wilson)

16 Jan 17

Priorslee Lake: 07:25 – 09:05

9°C: Overcast and very dull: some drizzle, especially c.09:00. Moderate NW wind. Moderate visibility but poor in heaviest drizzle.

Sunrise: 08:12 GMT

(12th visit of the year)

No new species for my 2017 Priorslee Lake list

Notes from today:
a very quiet morning with almost nothing to report
- 4 singing Song Thrushes were the only antidote to Blue Monday
and
- just a spider sp. on the lamps

Birds noted flying over the lake
- 2 Greylag Geese
- 1 Lesser Black-backed Gull
- c.240 Jackdaws again
- 1 Pied Wagtail
- 1 Goldfinch
- 2 Siskins

Roost counts
- (Magpies roost not counted)
nothing noted in the Redwing roost area

The counts from the lake area
- 2 + 1 Mute Swans
- 2 (1♂) Gadwall
- 14 (8♂) Mallard
- 8 (7♂) Pochard
- 20 (11♂) Tufted Ducks
- 1 Cormorant
- 1 Grey Heron
- 2 Little Grebes
- 5 Great Crested Grebes
- 2 Water Rails (heard only)
- 8 Moorhens again
- 43 Coots
- 71 Black-headed Gulls

This spider looks somewhat like the Nursery Web Spider (Pisaura mirabilis) though that common spider species is described as typically a mid-summer species found on vegetation. There was no hint of a web around this specimen I photographed. So will probably have to pend the ID.

(Ed Wilson)

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The Flash: 09:15 – 09:35

No new species for my 2017 Flash list

Notes from today:
A very quiet morning here as well: no Goosanders and most things in lower number

Birds flying over here
- 1 Lesser Black-backed Gull
- 2 Jackdaws

The counts from the water
- 2 Mute Swans
- 5 Canada Geese
- 1 all white feral goose
- 32 (21♂) Mallard
- 30 (20♂) Tufted Duck
- 1 Great Crested Grebe again
- 1 Moorhen
- 12 Coots
- 2 Black-headed Gulls only

(Ed Wilson)

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
On this day in ...........
2016
Priorslee Lake
Today's Sightings Here

2014
Priorslee Lake
4 Great Black-backed Gulls
(Gary Crowder/Ed Wilson)

2013
Priorslee Lake
Drake Scaup
1 adult Yellow legged Gull
6 Great Black-backed Gulls
1 Goldeneye
(Ed Wilson/ Jim Almond / John Isherwood)

2010
Priorslee Lake
Bittern

2006
Priorslee Lake
2 Great Black-backed Gull
1 Yellow-legged Gull
(Ed Wilson)