Saturday, 29th

Dropped in to the Lake at 2:00pm. There was a howling gale blowing and the lake was covered in white horses. However it didnt put off the Gulls as there were 3 Yellow-legged Gulls in amongst the 4000+ Lesser Black-backed Gulls, 65 Herring Gulls and 1000+ Black-headed Gulls. It was also no surprise to see Great Black-backed Gulls.

Also about were:
1 Cormorant
3 Wigeon (2 Drakes)
30 Tufted Duck
4 Pochard
180+ Coot

(Martin Adlam)

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Monday, 3rd

Quick report from Priorslee today: just back from Africa where 48 hours ago the temperature was 35C warmer than here, so a shock to the system this morning. Up to Manchester later today

Highlights
- party of 8 all(?) drake Goosander W over the lake at 07:40. By 09:30 at least 22 Goosander at The Flash - as last year: 8 drakes and 14 brownheads
- possible Woodcock seen flying alongside Castle Farm Way to pitch in to wood alongside the M-way junction

Other notes
- usual party of outbound Greylag Geese over the lake: 21 at 07:15
- 34 Canada Geese at the lake throughout; also 8 flew SW towards the Town Park. Just 3 at The Flash
- drake Gadwall at the lake - has it been there 4 weeks now?
- 6 Pochard at the lake (3 drakes). 27 at The Flash (18 drakes)
- 58 Tufted Duck at the lake at 08:45 (28 drakes) with 6 seen flying off earlier. 16 on The Flash (11 drakes) might include the 6 from the lake
- 2 Buzzards and 1 Kestrel seen from the lake
- no gulls roosted at the lake (due to the strong winds last evening?). c.350 Black-headed Gulls noted arriving and spiralling down from height after 06:52. Few stayed with 51 at 08:30. c.250 at The Flash
- no Lesser Black-backs on the lake before 09:15 at least and a meagre 93 seen flying W / SW. 4 at The Flash
- few Wood Pigeons around the lake but c.350 flew from the Ward's Rough area to the wood alongside the M-way junction. Later at least 600 put up from this wood
- 6 Meadow Pipits flushed from the SW grass at the lake
- rather few birds singing / calling early: I checked last year's diary entry for this date to get the timing right and at the same time last year I had singing Wren, Blackbird and Song Thrush en route and as I arrived at the lake. This year none heard en route and no Blackbirds or Song Thrushes heard in song at all
- a few Redwings: 3 in the trees around the lake; 3 heard in flight; 8 more seen in distance
- 3 Fieldfares flew S over the lake
- 2 noisy parties of Long-tailed Tits, one with at least 13 birds (and the only Goldcrest logged this morning)
- small number of corvids on dispersal but that took place as a shower blotted the view to the NE. 128 Jackdaws and 56 Rooks
- but 31 Magpies and, as at this time last winter, at least 23 of the 28 Crows logged were in a party flying in from the SE
- no Starling roost in the reeds: party of 11 flew NW as did a lone bird later
- hard to know how many Siskins as they were rather mobile: at least 18 and as many as 29 in the alders in the NE / NW areas
- also in the alders were at least 12 Goldfinches
- 11 Reed Buntings at least with several flying off from the N-side reeds

(Ed Wilson)