22 Dec 17

Priorslee Lake and The Flash

6.5°C > 8.0°C: Mist and fog low over the water making observation difficult. Light and variable wind. Poor / bad visibility, and only moderate above the mist

Sunrise: 08:20 GMT

Priorslee Lake: 06:55 – 09:35

(167th visit of the year)

The mist and fog failed to clear making counting hard work. Done in sections which gives rise to possible over- or under-laps

No ice remaining

Notes from today:
- no visiting Mute Swans remain
- 31 of the 32 Canada Geese left in 5 groups. Again one stayed behind mingling with the Mute Swans
- Gadwall lost in mist?
- 1 drake Goosander flew high W at 08:20: presumed same flew E a few moments later
- could not see whether any of the Black-headed Gulls had roosted
- my first log of a Grey Wagtail since the freeze
and, all on the lamps
- 4 Winter Moths
- 1 Scarce Umber moth
- 4 Mottled Umber moths
- 2 Mirid-type bugs
- 1 spider sp., probably a Nursery Web Spider (Pisaura mirabilis)
- 1 harvestman sp., possibly Oligolophus tridens

Today’s bird totals

Birds noted flying over / near the lake:
- 1 (1♂) Goosander
- 3 Stock Doves
- 12 Wood Pigeons
- 148 Jackdaws

Birds noted leaving roosts around the lake:
- [Magpie roost not counted]
- 5 Redwings

The counts from the lake area
** all best-effort in the poor visibility)
- 1 Grey Heron
- 2 + 3 Mute Swans again (peace)
- 32 Canada Geese
- 5 (3♂) Gadwall
- 4 (3♂) Mallard
- 3 (3♂) Pochard
- 48 (28♂) Tufted Ducks
- 1 Little Grebe
- 4 Great Crested Grebe
- 1 Water Rail heard
- 7 Moorhens
- [Coots not counted]
- c.125 Black-headed Gulls

Was very misty this morning: apart from insects on the lamps there was nothing to photo. Here, dusted with mist, is a Scarce Umber. Separation from the highly variable Mottled Umber is by the two parallel cross-lines at the base of the forewing. The absence of a spot by the loop on the outer cross-line is also a pointer, though on a few Mottled Umbers this feature can be very indistinct.

This seems to be another Nursery Web Spider (Pisaura mirabilis) – the way the front pairs of legs are held together pointing forward seems to be the ID feature here. This specimen seems rather dark though the literature suggests it can be very variable in markings and colouration. My main concern is that it is mainly recorded in mid-Summer. It is seen in to Autumn, though I cannot find evidence of December records on the web.

This harvestman may be Oligolophus tridens – the shorter 1st and 3rd pairs of legs point to this species. The photos on the web do not show all harvestman compete with legs extended so I am not 100% sure.

These are the same dead umbellifer heads that I showed covered in snow and then in rime frost. A few mild nights and the spiders have been busy.
(Ed Wilson)

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The Flash: 09:40 – 10:10

(114th visit of the year)

Less misty here

Notes from here
- 4 drake Pochard still here
- just a single brownhead Goosander
and
- 3 Mottled Umber moths on the lamps: all in same place as yesterday

Birds noted flying over
- 1 Siskin

The counts from the water
- 2 Mute Swans: resident adults
- 2 Canada Geese
- 1 white feral goose
- 34 (22♂) Mallard
- 4 (4) Pochard again
- 25 (17♂) Tufted Ducks
- 1 (0♂) Goosander
- 2 Great Crested Grebes
- 7 Moorhens
- 14 Coots
- 41 Black-headed Gulls
- 1 Lesser Black-backed Gull

(Ed Wilson)

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On this day..........

2016
Priorslee Lake
Today's sightings Here

2015
Priorslee Lake
Today's sightings Here

2014
Priorslee Lake
Today's sightings Here

2013
Priorslee Lake
5 Gadwall 
2 Teal 
6 Pochard 
78 Tufted Ducks 
1 female Greater Scaup
222 Coots counted
Caspian Gull
2 Fieldfare
17 Redwings 
429 Jackdaws
173 Rooks
(Ed Wilson)

The Flash
1 Pochard 
110 Tufted Ducks 
17 Goosanders
(Ed Wilson)

Trench Lock Pool
11 Swans 
1 Shoveler 
c.115 Tufted Duck 
7 Goosander
129 Coots 
41 Black-headed Gulls
51 Lesser Black-backed Gull
1 Yellow-legged Gull
21 Herring Gulls
(Ed Wilson)

2012
Priorslee Lake
4 Gadwall
12 Pochard
26 Tufted Ducks
181 Coots
(Ed Wilson)

The Flash
3 Pochard
40 Tufted Duck
16 Goosanders
(Ed Wilson)

Trench Lock Pool
32 Swans
114 Canada Geese
39 Tufted Duck
1 Goldeneye
166 Coots counted
(Ed Wilson)

Little Wenlock, Candles Landfill Site
3rd-winter American Herring Gull
Caspian Gull
2 Yellow-legged Gulls
5 Yellow-legged Gulls
(Tom Lowe/Kriss Webb)

2011
Priorslee Lake
c.6000 Herring Gulls and Lesser Black-backed Gulls
7 Yellow-legged Gulls
6 Great Black-backed Gulls
Sparrowhawk
(Martin Adlam and Ian Grant)

2009
Priorslee Lake
1 Little Grebe 
1 Black-necked Grebe 
5 Great Crested Grebes 
42 Swans
2 Gadwall
51 Pochard
132 Tufted Ducks
2 Water Rails
296 Coots
c.2000 Black-headed and Lesser Black-backed Gulls
30 Lapwings
50 Golden Plover
7 Redwings
8 Fieldfares
15 Goldfinches
11 Siskins
(Ed Wilson)

Priorslee Lake Icebound - 2009 (Martin Adlam)

2006
Priorslee lake
1 Great Crested Grebe
31 Pochard
33 Tufted Ducks
58 Coots
c.500 Black-headed Gulls
c.3200 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
12 Herring Gulls
2 Great Black-backed Gulls
15 Pied Wagtails
1 Redpoll
3 Reed Buntings
(Martin Adlam)

2005
Priorslee lake
c.600 Black-headed Gulls
c.100 Lesser Black-backs
11 Herring Gull
7 Pochard
14 Tufted Duck
1 Cormorant on the Lake.
200 Coot
1 Water Rail
18 Pied Wagtails
231 Rooks
323 Jackdaw
3 Redwing
c.50 Siskin
7 Redpoll
8 Reed Bunting
1 Willow Tit
(Martin Adlam)