8 Oct 26

The Flash and Priorslee Balancing Lake

9.0°C > 12.0°C: Sunny intervals. Moderate westerly wind. Very good visibility.

[Sunrise: 07:23 BST]

Another "bad weather circuit" due to slightly adverse reactions to yesterday's flu and Covid jabs.

* = a species photographed today.
! = a first sighting of the species this year
$ = a new species for me in this area

Priorslee Balancing Lake: 10:45 – 12:00

(229th visit of the year)

A complete circuit with very little reward. As quiet as I can recall.

Bird notes:
- a pair of Mute Swans new in.- a Chiffchaff calling
- the first Siskin of the season heard overhead.

Bird(s) noted flying over here:
- 1 Lesser Black-backed Gull
- 1 Wood Pigeon
- 1 Siskin

Counts from the lake area:
- 2 *Mute Swans
- 11 (6♂) Mallard
- 3 (1♂) Tufted Duck
- 6 Moorhens
- 29 Coot
- 7 Great Crested Grebes
- 16 Black-headed Gulls: of these 15 flew in
- 1 Lesser Black-backed Gull, briefly
- 2 Cormorants
- no Grey Heron

Of note:

Nothing else - the wasps' nest alongside the West end path appeared inactive.

Two Mute Swans here today. One was happy to show me its blue Darvic ring '7JXV'.

Not only that but I was able to read the BTO metal ring as well - 'XY4641'. Details to follow when I hear from Martin Grant who knows about such things.

From the wooded area across Castle Farm Way a Common Buzzard checks on the traffic.

(Ed Wilson)

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The Flash: 09:25 – 10:35

(224th visit of the year)

Bird notes:
- bumper number of *Greylag Geese with possibly more inside the island.
- now *two all-white feral geese with them.
- the six Mute Swans remain.
- a small arrival of Tufted Duck.
- at least two drake Goosander and at least 72 brownheads. Possibly another drake and as many as 77 brownheads.
- *two Little Grebes were seen lurking under overhanging vegetation at the North end of the island. When I was apart to depart I noted three together at the bottom end despite the close proximity of a fisherman. Could there really be five?
- two full adults Great Crested Grebes were with three juveniles.
- six Grey Herons noted.
- one Great (White) Egret seen departing to the North.
- four Little Egrets noted with only two on the island, the others fishing along the East side.
- a Chiffchaff was heard calling again.

Bird(s) noted flying over here:
- 3 Jackdaws: singles

Noted on / around the water:
- 6 Canada Geese
- 59 *Greylag Geese: see notes
- 2 *all-white feral geese
- 6 Mute Swans
- 29 (18♂) Mallard
- 6 (2♂?) Tufted Duck
- 74+ (2♂) *Goosander: see notes
- 3 Moorhens again
- 18 Coot
- 3 (5?) *Little Grebe: see notes
- 2 + 3 (1 brood) Great Crested Grebe
- 27 Black-headed Gulls
- 6 Cormorants
- 6 Grey Herons
- 1 Great (White) Egret: departed
- 4 *Little Egrets

Warblers noted:
- 1 Chiffchaff calling

Noted around the area:

Moths:
- 1 *! Epirrita sp. [from Autumnal, November, Pale November Moths]

Bees, wasps etc.:
- >20 Common Wasp Vespula vulgaris

Hoverflies:
- 4 *Marmalade Hoverfly Episyrphus balteatus
- 1 Tapered Dronefly Eristalis pertinax [Tapered Drone Fly]
- 2 *Common Dronefly Eristalis tenax [Common Drone Fly]
- 1 *Lunuled Broadtail Eupeodes luniger [Common Spotted Field Syrph; Lunuled Aphideater]
- 1 *Humming Syrphus Syrphus ribesii [Common Flower Fly]

There were two all-white feral geese among the eleven Greylag Geese at the edge of the island. On the far left is one of the four Little Egrets. A Magpie has got in on the action as well.

A brownhead Goosander takes off. Some field guides suggest that immature drakes - that have a brownhead - have the white panel in the wing extending the full width though not necessarily as pale all way across. That means this is a duck. With some pale between the base of her bill and they eye it would indicate an immature.

Two Little Grebes lurking beneath overhanging vegetation at the North end of the island.

And, later, a trio of Little Grebes at the bottom end.

A naff photo of a moth from the Epirrita group, comprising Autumnal, November and Pale November Moths. This group requires genitalia examination to ascribe to species. Some books suggest flight-period may be a guide. I investigated the West Midlands Moths web site and their "flying tonight" tab [this tabulates records over the years for seven days each side of today]. The result was 1044 records not ascribed to species-level, 252 November Moths, 25 Autumnal Moths; and 13 Pale November Moths. Make what you will of that! Whatever species it is it is #52 for me here this year.

One of four Marmalade Hoverflies Episyrphus balteatus I logged today.

A Common Dronefly Eristalis tenax.

A slim hoverfly with split yellow "bands" that wrap around the side of the abdomen. Thus it is what Steven Falk calls Lunuled Broadtail Eupeodes luniger and Obsidentify names Lunuled Aphideater.

Syrphus sp. are altogether more robust with the yellow bands not divided. On this individual the hind leg shows as mostly yellow so this is a Humming Syrphus Syrphus ribesii or, as Obsidentify calls it, Common Flower Fly.

Not too much exciting bird-wise so a not very exciting plane of the day. This is a 47 year-old Cessna A152 Aerobat which is a recent addition to the fleet of Tatenhill Aviation that unsurprisingly flies out of Tatenhill Airfield near Burton-on-Trent. The Aerobat model of the basic Cessna 152 is designed for aerobatic training and strengthened to withstand +6g and -3g forces. I am unaware of any flying clubs that use this capability.

And another! This Piper PA-28-181 Archer II is only 46 years old. It is currently owned by a group of individuals from the Sunderland area. It was on a day trip from Fishburn Airfield near Sedgefield in County Durham to Wolverhampton's Halfpenny Green Airfield at Bobbington [excellent cafe!]. Flying time: about 90 minutes.

(Ed Wilson)

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2013
Priorslee Lake
2 Wigeon
2 Kingfisher
5 Redwing (Celestica Site)
(John Isherwood)

2006
Priorslee Lake
51 Golden Plover
2 Siskins
8 Reed Buntings
(Ed Wilson)

2005
Priorslee Lake
45 Golden Plover
42 Lapwings
2 Wigeon
7 Pochard
6 Song Thrush
6 Redwings
3 Chiffchaffs
Kingfisher
(Ed Wilson)

7 Oct 26

The Flash and Priorslee Balancing Lake

10.0°C: Light rain to start. A clearance from the north-west making limited progress. Moderate north-westerly wind. Very good visibility.

[Sunrise: 07:21 BST]

The "bad weather circuit" to avoid the dark and wet and starting after the school run at The Flash

* = a species photographed today.
! = a first sighting of the species this year
$ = a new species for me in this area

Priorslee Balancing Lake: 10:25 – 11:15

(228th visit of the year)

Viewing from the dam-top area only. The model boat club were using the West end of the water and doubtless some things were hiding.

Bird notes:
None

Bird(s) noted flying over here:
- 23 *Greylag Geese: flew West together with...
- 1 *all-white feral goose
- 1 Herring Gull
- 7 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 6 Wood Pigeons
- 4 Skylarks: flew North together

Counts from the lake area:
- 13 (9♂) Mallard
- 3 (2♂) Tufted Duck
- 3 Moorhens
- 28 Coot
- 8 Great Crested Grebes: probably an incomplete count
- 32 Black-headed Gulls
- 4 Herring Gulls
- 21 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 3 Cormorants
- 1 Grey Heron: departed

Of note:

Nothing else

23 Greylag Geese fly over. Alerted by the sighting yesterday I noted that the bird top left is the all-white feral goose.

(Ed Wilson)

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The Flash: 09:20 – 10:15

(223rd visit of the year)

Bird notes:
- no Greylag Geese today
- still six Mute Swans.
- yesterday's Tufted Duck gone.
- a drake Goosander and at least 53 brownheads. Possibly as many as 59 brownheads.
- yesterday's Little Grebe was not seen.
- a single full adults Great Crested Grebe was with two juveniles. This combination was seen at both ends of the water. I could not decide whether these were the same. Further confusion is that the juveniles are quite capable of diving and behaving like their submarine parents.
- two Great (White) Egrets were on the island with the only Grey Heron when something spooked them. One of the Great Egrets departed, the other joining four of the five Little Egrets in trees behind the collapsing bridge. There had been four Little Egrets in trees on the island. I assume these were the same four? Another Little Egret was feeding along the water's-edge
- a Chiffchaff was heard calling.
- more than 30 Goldfinches were in trees on the island and probably the same flock was in trees at the top end a few minutes later.

Bird(s) noted flying over here:

None

Noted on / around the water:
- 5 Canada Geese: one of these flew in – alone!
- no Greylag Geese
- 6 Mute Swans
- 35 (23♂) Mallard
- no Tufted Duck
- 54+ (1♂) *Goosander
- 3 Moorhens only
- 20 *Coot
- no Little Grebe
- 1 + 2 (1 brood) Great Crested Grebe: see notes
- 21 *Black-headed Gulls
- 5 Cormorants as usual
- 1 Grey Heron only
- 2 *Great (White) Egrets: one departed
- 5 *Little Egrets

Warblers noted:
- 1 Chiffchaff calling

Noted around the area:
Still raining gently and I was surprised to see anything.

Bees, wasps etc.:
- 1 Common Wasp Vespula vulgaris

One of the two Great (White) Egrets in the company of a brownhead Goosander and an adult-winter plumaged Black-headed Gull.

The other Great (White) Egret departing.

The original Great (White) Egret top left, with four Little Egrets.

The fifth Little Egret in the water by the island with a Coot for company.

(Ed Wilson)

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2014
Wellington
Fieldfare
(Jenny Hood)

2013
Priorslee Lake
2 Shoveler
Chiffchaff
Grey Wagtail
Reed Bunting
Siskin.
(John Isherwood)

2009
Priorslee Lake
50 Mute Swan
(Mike Cooper)

2006
Priorslee Lake
Swallow circling with swirling Starlings
(Ed Wilson)

6 Oct 26

Priorslee Balancing Lake and The Flash

12.0°C > 15.0°C: The Telford micro-climate wins again. Clear in Newport: here it was mist / fog / low cloud only lifting after c.09:15. Calm / light westerly wind. Poor / very poor visibility.

Sunrise: 07:16 BST

* = a species photographed today.
! = a first sighting of the species this year
$ = a new species for me in this area

Priorslee Balancing Lake: 05:55 – 09:05

(226th visit of the year)

The weather seriously hampered sighting on just about everything here.

Bird notes:
- no Mute Swans today.
- in a failed attempt to view over the mist I walked up the concrete road to Woodhouse Lane. I did learn where at least some of the Mallard have gone. I guess the storm pools dried up earlier leading to frequent counts of >40 birds at the lake back in August. I noted at least 24 on the very muddy water of the lower storm pool. The upper storm pool seems to so overgrown that it was unlikely to harbour any ducks (or anything else for that matter. Bittern?!).
- a brief partial clearance suggested at least 250 Black-headed Gulls present c.07:00.
- at least 400 Lesser Black-backed Gulls were also present at this time.
- I did not visit the football field.
- later I logged just two Herring and 62 Lesser Black-backed Gulls as new arrivals.
- no Chiffchaff seen or heard.

Bird(s) noted flying over here:
seriously hampered by the mist / low cloud
- 3 Wood Pigeons
- 34 Jackdaws
- 29 Rooks

Counts from the lake area:
also hampered by fog and mist
- 11 (6?♂) Mallard
- 5 Moorhens
- Coot not counted
- 6 Great Crested Grebes: probably a partial count
- >250 Black-headed Gulls: see notes
- 2 Herring Gulls
- >450 Lesser Black-backed Gulls: see notes
- no Cormorants
- 1 Grey Heron

Warblers noted:

None

Also noted:

Bees, wasps etc.:
- Common Wasp Vespula vulgaris many annoying me pre-dawn; also one later
- *German Wasp Vespula germanica

On the West end street lamp poles before dawn:

Moths:
- 1 *Feathered Thorn Colotois pennaria: moth species #75 for me here in 2026

True flies:
- 1 female plumed midge Chironomus plumosus
- 1 wood gnat Sylvicola sp.
- 2 different Root-maggot fly sps.
- 2 unidentified dew-covered flies

Spiders, harvestmen etc.:
- 1 unidentified dew-covered spider

Another moth for my lake year list. It is a Feathered Thorn Colotois pennaria. Amazingly this is exactly 31 days earlier than my first sightings of this species on each of the last three years – yes: 06 November in 2023, 2024 and 2025. Moth species #75 here.

Perhaps the same German Wasp Vespula germanica still munching away on the Teece Drive fence. A slightly different angle makes it more obvious that the yellow on the side of the thorax is not parallel-sided as it is on Common Wasp V. vulgaris.

This view confirms the identity. Common Wasp has an anchor-shaped mark on its face.

A species of Root-maggot fly (I cannot say which) against a back-drop of mist droplets on the leaf.

A typical sighting on a misty Autumn morning. How do spiders do that?

(Ed Wilson)

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In the Priorslee Avenue tunnel:

Moths:
none

True flies:
- 9 midges of several species
- 1 moth fly Psychodidae sp. [Drain Fly or Owl Fly]

Arthropods:
- 1 *Brown-lipped Snail Cepaea nemoralis
- 2 Common Rough Woodlouse Porcellio scaber
- 5 White-legged Snake Millipede Tachypodoiulus niger

Spiders, harvestmen etc.:
- 1 *Stout Sac Spider Clubiona sp.
- 6 Missing Sector Orb-web Spiders Zygiella x-notata [Silver-sided Sector Spider]

Many species of snails are tricky to identify with considerable variability and some overlap in features. With that in mind I think this is a Brown-lipped Snail Cepaea nemoralis.

Its distinctive abdomen shape identifies this as one of the Stout Sac Spider from the Clubiona genus. I would not like to commit as to which species.

(Ed Wilson)

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The Flash: 09:10 – 10:25

(222nd visit of the year)

Bird notes:
- the two "static" Canada Geese seen.
- *a large group of Greylag Geese arrived with an all-white feral-type (and probably three Canada Geese)
- still six Mute Swans.
- two Tufted Duck were new. A drake was at the top end and an immature/duck was at the bottom end.
- a drake Goosander and at least 48 brownheads. Again well-scattered, often lurking under over-hanging vegetation and some (later?) hauled out on the island.
- a Little Grebe was at the bottom end.
- why are the Great Crested Grebe so hard? At least three full adults one of which was, for a while, with three dependent juveniles.
- just(!) five Little Egrets.
- a Kingfisher seen speeding toward the top end.
- no Chiffchaff seen or heard.

Bird(s) noted flying over here:
- 1 Lesser Black-backed Gull.

Noted on / around the water:
- 5 Canada Geese
- 34 *Greylag Geese
- 1 *all-white feral goose
- 6 Mute Swans
- 26 (16♂) Mallard
- 2 (1♂) Tufted Duck
- 49+ (1♂) Goosander
- 6 Moorhens remain
- 22 Coot
- 1 Little Grebe
- 3 + 3 (1 brood) Great Crested Grebe: see notes
- 30 *Black-headed Gulls
- 5 Cormorants still
- 4 Grey Herons
- 5 Little Egrets
- 1 Kingfisher

Warblers noted:

None

Noted around the area:
Very intermittent sun with an ambient temperature still c.13.0°C

Bees, wasps etc.:
- 11 Common Wasp Vespula vulgaris

Hoverflies:
- 1 *Tapered Dronefly Eristalis pertinax [Tapered Drone Fly]
- 1 Common Dronefly Eristalis tenax [Common Drone Fly]
- 1 *Syrphus sp.

Other true flies:
several species of fly not identified

Springtails:
- 1 *springtail Orchesella cincta

Just as I was arriving so too were these 38 geese. At the time, from the sound and what I could see, I thought they were all Greylags. I think close-examination of the fourth from the bottom may reveal...

...that there was an all-white feral goose among them. My later count from the water suggests there were also three Canada Geese among them.

A close-up of this brownhead Goosander clearly shows why this group of ducks are known as sawbills. All the better for gripping the slippery fish that constitutes their diet.

Always a shy species and soon away to open water. I can only suggest that the different tone on the left and right tail-feathers is due to the angle of light.

It is no wonder the bridge is collapsing. Send the bill to the gulls! All are winter-plumaged Black-headed Gulls.

There is always one (or in this instance two) contrary individuals who want to sit on the other hand-rail.

How could I resist?

Again!

A Tapered Dronefly Eristalis pertinax tucks in to the Ivy blossom.

A Syrphus species of hoverfly. On this one the second complete yellow band on the abdomen shows a definite orange/brown cast. Three of the 62 examples in Steven Falk's photo-gallery on Flickr show this feature to some degree. He does not mention it in the text.

The white band across the black abdomen suggests this is the springtail Orchesella cincta. However that species typically has dark antennae with a small white segment whereas this example shows unmarked pale antennae. I found this on the same street lamp pole as the O. cincta three days ago. Obsidentify gives that suggestion a 96% rating. I'll go with that.

(Ed Wilson)

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2014
Priorslee Lake
1st-winter Caspian Gull.
(Observer Unknown)

2008
Priorslee Lake
3 Pochard
100 Tufted Duck
Water Rail heard
39 Lapwings
Kingfisher
3 Redwings
Redpoll
Siskin
(Ed Wilson)

2006
Priorslee Lake
49 Tufted Duck
1 Chiffchaff
Willow Tits
(Ed Wilson)

6 Oct 06 - Wesley Bridge under water (Ed Wilson)

5 Oct 26

Priorslee Balancing Lake only

13.0°C > 14.0°C: Again mostly thin high cloud with a few patches of lower cloud. Light south-westerly wind. Very good visibility.

Sunrise: 07:17 BST

* = a species photographed today.
! = a first sighting of the species this year
$ = a new species for me in this area

Priorslee Balancing Lake: 05:40 – 09:20

(225th visit of the year)

New Bird species:

New for my 2026 bird list here was Tawny Owl. I heard a single call from the Ricoh grounds c.06:00. Then at c.06:10 one was seen to fly from the area around the Teece Drive gate to the wooded area behind the sailing club's container/shelter. I strongly suspect this is the third day I should have been aware of a bird's presence. I heard what I thought was a single call note from the Ricoh area on Saturday. Shortly afterwards on Saturday, and again on Sunday, there was a kommotion (© Duane Eddy, Lee Hazlewood) in the area around the Teece Drive gate with Jays, Magpies and Blackbirds seeming to be mobbing something. I could not see the cause of their ire. Bird species #97 for me here this year.

Other bird notes:
- still no Mute Swans.
- a Little Grebe again heard only c.06:15.
- fewer Black-headed Gulls today with c.350 early arrivals.
- also fewer Lesser Black-backed Gulls. A wandering Grey Heron kept the birds moving around. My best estimate for today: no more than c.100 birds on the water. I noted 67 flying South to the East at this time.
- when I visited the football field c.07:20 I counted 299(!) Black-headed Gulls with no other species present.
- later I logged just three Herring and 26 Lesser Black-backed Gulls arriving from the East. There was again almost no passage of gulls overhead.
- a Racing Pigeon paused momentarily on the dam-top just long-enough for me to see, but not read, the rings. Separately a single Feral Pigeon flew over.
- of the 44 Wood Pigeon over-flights 17 of them were in two groups flying South. It seems the Autumn passage has started.
- just a single Chiffchaffs heard calling.

Bird(s) noted flying over here:
- 65 Greylag Geese: in four concurrent groups westbound
- 1 Herring Gull
- 73 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 1 Grey Heron
- 1 Feral Pigeon
- 44 Wood Pigeons: see notes
- 384 Jackdaws
- 198 Rooks
- 1 Pied Wagtail

Counts from the lake area:
- 12 (8♂) Mallard
- no Tufted Duck
- 7 Moorhens
- 36 Coot
- 1 Little Grebe
- 12 Great Crested Grebes
- c.350 Black-headed Gulls
- 3 Herring Gulls
- c.125 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 1 Cormorant, briefly
- 1 Grey Heron

Warblers noted:
- 1 Chiffchaff: no song

Also noted:
Not much

Bees, wasps etc.:
- *Common Wasp Vespula vulgaris many annoying me pre-dawn; also one later
- *German Wasp Vespula germanica
- European Hornet Vespa crabro

Hoverflies:
- *Syrphus sp.

Other true flies
- $ *possible Muscid fly Eudasyphora cyanella

Plant in flower:
- *White Dead-Nettle Lamium album

On the West end street lamp poles before dawn:

Moths:
- 1 *Lunar Underwing Anchoscelis lunosa.: moth species #75

Bees, wasps etc.:
- 1 Common Wasp Vespula vulgaris

True flies:
- two species of midge
- 1 *possible Flesh fly Macronychia dolini
- 1 *winter cranefly Trichocera sp.
- three unidentified small flies

Springtails:
- 1 springtail Pogonognathellus longicornis-type

Arthropods:
- 1 *Striped Millipede Ommatoiulus sabulosus again

Spiders, harvestmen etc.:
- 2 *Bridge Orb-web Spider Larinioides sclopetarius [Bridge Orbweaver]
- 5 *harvestman Paroligolophus agrestis

Mammals:
-1 Noctule-type bat was flying around at this time

 Sunrise with more contrails across the sky. The dots in the water are mainly Black-headed Gulls.

Contrails ripped apart by upper-air winds again. 120mph is typical at the height aircraft fly at when leaving trails.

New for the year and moth species #45 in the tunnel yesterday another Lunar Underwing Anchoscelis lunosa was on a street lamp pole pre-dawn here today. Moth species #75 for my 2026 lake list.

Not at the best angle to clinch the identification but I think this is a German Wasp Vespula germanica here still gathering wood to take back to construct and expand the colony's nest – late in the season? My reasoning is that the yellow on the sides of the thorax is not parallel-sided and the black spots on the body are mostly separated from the black bands.

Here is a Common Wasp V. vulgaris for comparison.

The only hoverfly of the morning was this female Syrphus. As the hind legs is not clearly visible specific identification is not possible.

This struck me as not "just another greenbottle Lucilia sp.". It is more robust and has a brown cast to the abdomen though the colour and tone of all these species can vary with the angle of the light. The thorax has thin dark lines and that suggests it is the Muscid fly Eudasyphora cyanella. A (possible) new species for me.

None of my apps was prepared to hazard a specific ID for this fly but the pictures under the Google Lens result led me to investigate Flesh flies where I found this as possibly Macronychia dolini. Another (possible) new species for me.

A winter cranefly Trichocera sp.

This was the larger(!) of two species of plumed midge. This male is silhouetted against the identification sticker on one of the West end street lamp poles.

And again: surely not the same Striped Millipede Ommatoiulus sabulosus as the previous two days?

I usually see Bridge Orb-web Spiders Larinioides sclopetarius lurking at the top of the street lamp poles. This one, smaller than usual, was scrunched up at head-height.

As yesterday a harvestman Paroligolophus agrestis showing white areas at the rear of the abdomen though to my eyes not so "bright white" as those I saw yesterday.

This is what I expect them to look like: the abdomen all-dark apart from the pale line running most of its length.

Not the best angle to show the flowers of White Dead-Nettle Lamium album. This plant will likely be in flower throughout the Winter.

(Ed Wilson)

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In the Priorslee Avenue tunnel:

Moths:
- 1 Rusty-dot Pearl Udea ferrugalis: presumed same
- 1 *Brick Sunira circellaris (formerly Agrochola circellaris)

True flies:
- 10 midges of several species
- 2 moth fly Psychodidae sp. [Drain Fly or Owl Fly]
- 1 winter cranefly Trichocera sp.

Arthropods:
- 2 Common Rough Woodlouse Porcellio scaber
- 3 White-legged Snake Millipede Tachypodoiulus niger

Spiders, harvestmen etc.:
- 10 Missing Sector Orb-web Spiders Zygiella x-notata [Silver-sided Sector Spider]

A new species of moth for the year: a Brick Sunira circellaris (formerly Agrochola circellaris). Moth species #46 in the tunnel this year.

(Ed Wilson)

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2013
Priorslee Lake
1 Chiffchaff
(Ed Wilson)