30 November - A cold and cheerless morning at Priorslee with mainly light rain and poor visibility under low cloud.

Highlights were the 19 Reed Buntings seen leaving the reeds at the W end; duck Wigeon again; and lone Cormorant (though there were 2 when I passed at 10:50). Little Grebes seem to have gone with their favoured area iced over last night.

Big gull roost again with about 4000 Black-headed Gulls; 2500 Lesser Black-backed Gulls; and at least 3 Herring Gulls. Just 12 more Lesser Black-backed Gulls noted flying over in the poor conditions. Nearly all
the gulls had left by 08:30. At 10:50 there were at least 600 Lesser Black-backed Gulls on the lake again. Whether these were new or returning birds is hard to say.

There were 23 Canada Geese on the lake.

Just 1 Fieldfare seen and 1 Sky Lark heard overhead.

Now 2 drakes and 1 duck Pochard. 47 Tufted Duck logged at 08:45 with 24 drakes and 23 ducks – much the same as yesterday: then at 10:50 a quick scan produced a count of 44 of which 30 were drakes! So at least 53 birds involved.

Once again small (as in 2 and 4) parties of Starlings seemed to be leaving roosts around the lake.

Coot count today was 215, bur probably under recorded in the poor visibility. 9 Moorhens: ditto.

Corvid passage was again hard to get to grips with, most of the Jackdaws in one large swirling group at the ‘other' end of the lake, behaving in most untypical fashion. I logged 168 Jackdaws; and 72 Rooks.

As it started raining smartly I headed back to the car without walking all the way around, and all passerines seemed to be sheltering, though a party of Long-tailed Tits was a welcome sight and sound. (Ed Wilson)

29 November - Another cold and frosty morning at Priorslee with snow lying all around. That and a good sunrise distracted me a bit while I took lots of photographs.

Highlights were the 2 Little Grebes again; now a pair of Wigeon; and a drake Shoveler. At least 7 Cormorants and possibly more.

Huge Gull roost – perhaps the largest I have seen with my best estimate of 8000 Black-headed Gulls; and 3500 Lesser Black-backed Gulls, but these may be underestimates. Could find just 7 Herring Gulls and nothing more interesting. These started to leave to W / NW / N by 07:00 and most had gone by 08:30 – the Black-headed Gulls much earlier. After 09:00 birds began arriving from the N, but before more than a few hundred had arrived something spooked them and they all flew off again.

There were at least 36 Canada Geese at the lake. Also 2 Herons. The adult Swans are still holding fort and had to repel 3 invading adults this morning.

No Lapwings today but at least 25 Golden Plover seen to the east.

14 Fieldfares logged, 4 of which stopped in the trees in the NW area; 8 Redwings noted, 3 of these heard before light-enough to see them. At least 13 Sky Larks, including a party of 9. Also heard were 2 Meadow Pipits, one of which may have roosted in the grass. 7 Reed Buntings included 6 roosting birds that flew off.

1 drake and 1 duck Pochard today. 47 Tufted Duck was a good count

6 Starlings seen flying off may have been leaving the reed-beds. 3 other birds noted overhead.

No big Wood Pigeon flocks – small party of 15 to the east made up most of the total of 27 birds logged.

Coot count today was 223. 16 Moorhens was an excellent count. 3 adult Great Crested Grebes and one first-winter again.

Corvid passage was hard to see with birds high up, scattered and well to the east, but I managed 72 Jackdaws; and 169 Rooks.

Other less-than-daily birds were a male Sparrowhawk that might just have roosted in the NW reed bed; a Kestrel to the E; and a Great Spotted Woodpecker flying over (Ed Wilson)

28 November - A cold and frosty morning at Priorslee: after a late arrival back from Ecuador I was not fully equipped for the cold weather and spent the watch in the car at the E end of the lay-by.

Highlights were the 2 Little Grebes; and the duck Wigeon. A Cormorant overhead was a welcome sight these days.

The Gull roost Sunday night had about 300 Black-headed Gulls; 40 Lesser Black-backed Gulls; and at least 1 Herring Gull. About 115 more Lesser Black-backed Gulls noted flying over, mostly westbound, but some rather unusually flying N.

There were 19 Canada Geese at the lake with another 20 seen flying from The Flash off E.

c.75 Lapwings seemed to roost on the dam, flushed by the first dog-walkers.

Just 2 Fieldfares were about the only passerines noted.

Just 1 duck Pochard today. 34 Tufted Duck logged.

No Starlings leaving the reed-beds and just 1 bird noted overhead.

Coot count today was 202 – about the same as 3 weeks ago. 16 Moorhens was an excellent count. Just 3 adult Great Crested Grebes with one first-winter on its own.

Corvid passage seemed not to pass over the lay-by and my log was just 21 Jackdaws; and 22 Rooks. At least 24 Magpies were at the food put out by the taxi-driver on the platform of the dam this morning: they acceeded to the 3 Crows – one showing some white in the wing as it flew: but not to the drake Mallards.

The Pied Wagtail was camouflaged!

27th November - Evening update. Big disappointment with both the Starling and Gull roosts this evening. The only Starlings to pitch up were 14. Another straggler arrived late on and then flew off south over the M54.

As for the Gulls there were 437 Lesser-black Backs, 10 Herring Gull and C.100 Black-headed Gulls. No Yellow-legs tonight.

The Corvids on the other hand were out in force, with wave after wave of Rooks and Jackdaws passing overhead towards the north. Wherever they roost must be quite impressive. There was probably in the region of C.700 birds.

Whilst I was looking east a flock of 50+ Golden Plover flew over, heading north.(Martin R Adlam)

27th November - Had a lay in this morning but it was still fairly dark at 7:20am with the cloud cover. The temperature was the same as Saturday at 3 degrees. Not many Gulls at all this morning with Black-headed Gulls C.400 and Lesser Black-backs at 122.

Duck numbers still low with Pochard (4), Tufted Duck (39) and Mallard (46). The female Wigeon was back and there was a pair of Ruddy Duck in the NW corner.

Adult Great Crested Grebe (3) and one Juvenile. Dabchick (2) in the north-west corner.

Mute Swan (2) and Canada Geese (24).

Coot numbers still in excess of 200 and well spread out across the lake. Moorhens (8) Adult and (1) Juvenile.

There were 2 Cormorant working their way along the lake.

One Grey Heron on the dam and I heard one Water Rail in the reed beds to the right of Wesley Brook, as it enters the lake.

Rooks (53), Jackdaws (56), Carrion Crow (3), Magpies (6) and a Raven logged.

Great Spotted Woodpecker in the trees in the NW corner of the lake.

Pied Wagtails (9) and Grey Wagtail (2).

Kingfisher in Wesley Brook by the bridge.

Two parties of Starlings left the roost in the NW reed beds (40) & (50) and one from the N reed beds (10). The two smaller flocks headed south whilst the flock of 50 started off flying south and then did an about turn and headed north.

No large flocks of Woodpigeon today, the Bird Scarer must have done its job. Only 10 seen sitting in the tall trees on the north bank.

All the Thrushes seen, with Redwing (12), Fieldfare (5), Song Thrush (1), Mistle Thrush (1) and still good number of Blackbirds (12) around.

A few finches and bunting about. Siskin (4 pairs) feeding in the alders overhanging Wesley Brook by the Yacht Club gate, Greenfinch (10), Chaffinch (8), Goldfinch (4), Bullfinch (4), Linnet (1) and Reed Bunting (5). No Redpoll seen or heard today.

Long-tailed Tit (3) seen with Blue Tit (6), Great Tit (2), Coal Tit (1) and Goldcrest (3).

Wren's (8), Dunnock (6) and Robin (3) present. (Martin R Adlam)

26th November - Evening update 3:15pm - 4:30pm. Starlings came into roost between 3:55pm and 4:15pm. Only one large party C.70 plus some stragglers. Main group roosting in NW reed beds.

The Gull numbers were still quite high with C.700 Lesser Black-backed Gulls, 16 Herring Gulls, 2 Yellow legged Gull (Larus michahellis), 2 Great Black-backed Gulls and what I believe to be a Caspian Gull (Larus cacchinans). The Black-headed Gulls were logged at C.400.

Corvids were logged at C.628 Jackdaws, C.358 Rooks and 13 Magpies. (Martin R Adlam)

26th November - At the Lake for 6:50am this morning with a temperature of 3 degrees, however with the cold northerly blowing it was more like –3. A few Gulls on the water with C.1000 Black-headed Gulls and C.300 Larger Gulls. It was too dark to see if there was any Herring Gull in amongst the Lesser Black-backs. At 7:42 the Bird Scarer went off and put them all up.

A big drop in duck numbers with only 1 Pochard logged. Tufted Duck (40) were down as were the Mallard (36). The female Wigeon was on the water last night but I couldn't see it this morning, however the female Goldeneye was a bonus up in the NW corner. But having seen it between 7:15am and 7:45am I couldn't locate it again. There was one pair of Ruddy Duck.

A Sparrowhawk was up early this morning and flew over the lake at 7:30am.

Adult Great Crested Grebe (2) and one Juvenile. Dabchick (2) in the north-west corner.

Mute Swan (2) and Canada Geese (23).

Coot numbers still in excess of 200 and well spread out across the lake. Moorhens (6) Adult and (1) Juvenile.

One Grey Heron along the north bank and there were two Water Rail having a right old squabble in the reed beds to the right of Wesley Brook, as it enters the lake.

Rooks (33) and Jackdaws (55) logged and Magpies (8).

Great Spotted Woodpecker in the trees overhanging Wesley Brook as it enters the lake.

Pied Wagtails (8) and Grey Wagtail (2).

Instead of watching the north bank reed beds this morning for last nights Starling roost, which came in, I opted to wait and see if any came out off the NW beds. They did at 7:30am but only 21. This was a huge drop from last weekends C.750. Unfortunately I didn't spot any leaving the north bank reed beds. The reason being I think, is that unlike the past 2 weeks, where they have taken off and headed south, this morning the birds I did see headed north.

No large flocks of Woodpigeon today, in fact I don't recall seeing any.

No Redwing or Song Thrush at all this morning. Good number of Blackbirds (9) around and there was 1 Fieldfare.

Finches and bunting well down. Redpoll (1), Siskin (2), Greenfinch (2), Chaffinch (3), Goldfinch (4), Bullfinch (4) and Reed Bunting (3).

Two parties of Long-tailed Tit (11 seen with Blue Tit (6), Great Tit (4), Willow Tit (1), Coal Tit (1), Treecreeper (1) and Goldcrest (3).

Wren's (7), Dunnock (4) and Robin (3) present. (Martin R Adlam)

25th November - Evening update 3:15 - 4:30pm. Starlings came into roost between 4:00pm and 4:25pm. Instead of using the reed beds at the NW corner they all came down in the northern reed beds. There weren't so many tonight, with only two parties of 130 and 76 birds.

The Gull numbers were impressive with C.500 Lesser Black-backed Gulls, 10 Herring Gulls and one Yellow legged Gull (Larus michahellis). The Black-headed Gulls were logged at C.700.

One interesting Gull that caught my eye was what I thought at first to be another Yellow-legged Gull. It was an adult gull with a clean white head, but instead of red on the bill, it had a dark band on a yellowish green bill. I see that a 3rd Winter YL has a black band but this was adult bird.

When I got home I checked the birdguides DVD for Caspian Gull (Larus cachinnans), but the picture shows the head of a 4thWinter bird and not the upper wings, which I would presume would show it to be an adult bird.

It was too small for a Ring-billed Gull and having surfed my way through countless books and the internet, I am certain that it was a Caspian Gull. I just hope it's around on Saturday evening for another look. (Martin R Adlam)

20th November - Evening update 15:45 – 16:40. The Starlings came back to roost tonight at 15:55, but something or someone put them off coming into roost straight away. The flock of C.471 birds gathered at their favoured end of the lake, but as they were about to drop down at 16:25, they moved away very suddenly from the west end and moved along the north bank. Eventually they moved back to the NW reed beds, but not before 80 birds had dropped down into the reeds at the NE corner of the lake. It would be interesting to see whether they all take off together tomorrow morning at 7:35am! The flock was made up of the following groups 20, 20, 2, 44, 25, 30, 20, 35, 45, 15, 60, 5, 10, 35, 65 and 40. The numbers are all estimates and the count of 471 could indeed be higher as it was when they took off this morning.

The Gull numbers were quite high when I arrived at 15:40 probably C.1500 birds, but for some reason they all took off when somebody spooked them on the north bank. It was a shame because after all the larger gulls had left there were only 50 Lesser Black-backs and C.400 Black-headed gulls left. Did get 4 Herring gull, but missed out on any potential Yellow legs tonight.

Corvids were quite impressive tonight with two waves of about C.200 in each consisting of Rooks and Jackdaws. (Martin R Adlam)

20th November - Another very cold morning with temperature recorded at -6 degrees at 6:30am this morning. Not so many Gulls this morning c.3000 Gulls sitting on the water, mainly Black-headed Gulls and perhaps 200 Larger Gulls.Duck numbers remained about the same Pochard (18) and Tufted Duck (55). This morning instead of 2 female Ruddy Duck there were 2 drakes and a duck. Mallard were down (47) and the female Wigeon turned up again.

There were still (3) Adult Great Crested Grebe and one Juvenile. Dabchick (2) in the north-west corner.

Mute Swan (2) and Canada Geese (14).

Coot numbers still in excess of 200 and well spread out across the lake. Moorhens (6) Adult and (2) Juvenile.

There were (4) Cormorant working their way along the lake in the north-west.

One Grey Heron in Wesley Brook by the bridge and there was one Water Rail heard in the same area, at 6:50am.

Rooks and Jackdaws logged C.250. Magpies (4).

Pied Wagtails (6) and Grey Wagtail (2).

Waited patiently for the Starlings to leave the roost in the NE Reed beds and right on cue they took off at 7:35am. Unlike Saturday morning there was a lot of movement and unrest as they moved from reed to reed. It started at around 6:50 am and they continued moving about until they took off and headed south. I managed to get low-res video footage of them leaving, and 3 other onlookers, and myself were given good views of them, as they flew off. I think my estimate of C.750 birds from last night, wasn't far off and it is quite possible there were slightly more.

Not too many Woodpigeon about and the only indication that there were any at all, was when the bird scarer went off and C.300 took off in the top fields. A little later two smaller flocks of 80 and 100 birds flew over.

No Redwing at all this morning but did log Fieldfare (24), Blackbirds (4) and a single Song Thrush.

A few finches and bunting about. Redpoll (3), Siskin (12), Greenfinch (6), Chaffinch (4), Goldfinch (7) and Linnet (1). Not many Reed Bunting (5) this morning, with most of them coming out of the NW Reed bed.

Two parties of Long-tailed Tit (10) seen with Blue Tit (4), Great Tit (3), Willow Tit (1) and Goldcrest (2).

Wren's (3), Dunnock (4) and Robin (4) present. (Martin R Adlam)

19th November - Evening update 4:00pm. Having seen the Starling roost leave this morning, I thought I would see if I could catch them coming into roost. I’m glad I did, as no sooner had I arrived than the first party arrived. The counts were as follows 50, 100, 50, 7, 100, 13, 150, 80, 35, 50, 40, 7, 9, 30 and 33 making a grand total of 754 birds.

The Gull numbers were well down on last night but in amongst the 270 Lesser Black-backed Gulls were 10 Herring Gulls and one Yellow legged Gull. The Black-headed Gulls were in good numbers with C.1000 birds present. Two birds were still in summer plumage and in amongst them was a Common Gull.

Overhead not so many Corvids but did log roughly 200 birds Rooks and Jackdaws. Probably would have counted more but was desperately trying to keep my eyes out for the Starlings. (Martin Adlam)

19th November – Black-headed Gull (C.3000), Lesser-Black-backed Gulls (C.2000), Cormorant (1), Dabchick (2), Pochard (12), Tufted Duck (55), Mallard (56), female Wigeon (1) and female Ruddy Duck (2). Water Rail (2 possibly 3), Snipe (1), Grey Wagtail (2), Redwing (5), Fieldfare (23), Reed Bunting (13), A few Siskin (8). Rooks (170), Carrion Crow (4), and Jackdaws (220). Starlings C.500 from roost. Woodpigeon C.500 heading south. Not many small birds with only one Long-tailed Tit (9) party and Goldcrest (2). (Martin Adlam)

18th November - Made a quick call to Priorslee Lake at 4:15pm today to see the Gull roost. There were C.1000 Lesser Black-backed Gulls, C.1500 Black-headed Gulls, 10 Herring Gull and 2 Yellow-legged Gulls. At 16:45 a female Wigeon flew in. (Martin Adlam)

13th November – Black-headed Gull (C.400), Cormorant (2), Dabchick (1), Pochard (11), Tufted Duck (55), Mallard (38) and a single female Ruddy Duck. Grey Wagtail (2), Redwing (8), Fieldfare (1), Reed Bunting (5), A few Redpoll, Siskin, Bullfinch, Linnet, Greenfinch (12), Goldfinch (17), Chaffinch (11) and a single Brambling. Rooks (91), Carrion Crow (10), and Jackdaws (125). Several parties of Woodpigeon C.1000 heading south. Four parties of Long-tailed Tit (16) seen. In amongst them there were Great Tit (9), Blue Tit (7), Willow Tit (1) and Coal Tit (2), plus a Treecreeper (1) and Goldcrest (5). Also seen a Great Spotted Woodpecker. (Martin Adlam)

12th November – Water Rail in Wesley Brook. Black-headed Gull (800), a single Cormorant, Dabchick (2), Pochard (9), Tufted Duck (63), Mallard (48) and there were 5 Ruddy Duck. Grey Wagtail (3) Redwing (10), Reed Bunting (9), Redpoll (3), Siskin (9), Bullfinch (50, Linnet, Greenfinch, Goldfinch, Chaffinch (9). Rooks (61), Carrion Crow (7), Jackdaws (75), and Magpies (8). Two parties of Woodpigeon totalling 250 birds headed south. Pied Wagtails (9), Grey Wagtail (3). A few Long-tailed Tits (7), Goldcrest (9), Wren (9), Robin (8) and a Treecreeper. (Martin Adlam)

5th November – Water Rail and Kingfisher in Wesley Brook. Single Cormorant, Dabchick (2). Duck numbers about the same Pochard (11), Tufted Duck down to (35), Mallard (47) and there were 3 Ruddy Duck. Thrushes down Redwing (27), Fieldfare (10), but plenty of finches and Reed Bunting (5), Redpoll, Siskin, Linnet, Greenfinch, Goldfinch, Chaffinch (13). Corvids counts were good, Rooks (101), Carrion Crow (12), Jackdaws (227), Jay (3), Magpies (12) and the obligatory Raven. Eight parties of Woodpigeon totalling1200 birds headed south. Pied Wagtails (5), Grey Wagtail (2), Meadow Pipit (4) and a Skylark overhead. Not many Long-tailed tits about, but a few Goldcrest (5) and a Treecreeper. (Martin Adlam)

2nd November - Adult Arctic Tern, passage of 157 Redwing and 17 in the trees, at least 3 Goldcrests, 9 Pochard, 47 Tufted Duck, both Siskin and Redpolls flew over with a couple of Linnets. 1 Tree Creeper,7 Reed Buntings, a Kingfisher and a single Meadow Pipit heard overhead (Ed Wilson).

1st November - female Blackcap (my first winter record here) also a Chiffchaff, Cormorant, 14 Pochard, 40 Tufted Duck, Siskin, Redpoll, Goldcrest, Willow Tits with the Long-tailed Titd, Kingfisher heard, several noisy Jays, a single Sky Lark heard overhead (Ed Wilson).