6 Apr 26

Priorslee Balancing Lake and The Flash

1.0°C > 8.0°C: Areas of mainly thin high cloud: otherwise clear. Light southerly breeze. Very good visibility.

Sunrise: 06:33 BST

* = a species photographed today
$ = a new species for me in this area

Priorslee Balancing Lake: 05:35 – 07:10 // 08:15 – 09:45

(81st visit of the year)

New bird species:
An addition to the bird year list from here was my *first Common Sandpiper of Spring. Species #74 here this year for me.

Other bird notes:
- a trio of Pied Wagtails were still playing(?) chase around the dam-top area.

Bird(s) noted flying over here:
- 6 Canada Geese: two pairs flew East; one pair flew North
- 4 Greylag Geese: two pairs flew West again
- 2 Lesser Black-backed Gulls: adults; singles
- 12 Wood Pigeons
- 116 Jackdaws
- 1 Rook only

Counts from the lake area:
- 7 Canada Geese at various times: two pairs noted leaving
- no Greylag Geese
- 2 Mute Swans: the pen on / at the nest site
- 7 (6♂) Mallard
- *15 (12♂) Tufted Duck: 5 (4♂) of these departed together
- 7 Moorhens
- 28 Coots
- *1 Common Sandpiper
- 6 Great Crested Grebes
- 1 Lesser Black-backed Gull: (near) adult, briefly around dawn
- 1 Cormorant
- *1 Grey Heron
- *1 Great (White) Egret

Hirundines etc. noted:
- >25 Sand Martins
- *2+ Barn Swallows

Warblers noted (the number in brackets refers to birds singing):
- 1 (1) Cetti's Warbler
- 4 (4) Willow Warblers
- 19 (17) Chiffchaffs
- 11 (9) Blackcaps

On the West end street lamp poles pre-dawn:
Poles frost-covered so:

Beetles:
- 1 Alder Leaf Beetle Agelastica alni

Of note around the area later:

Flies:
- *more unidentified flies.

Spiders, harvestmen etc.:
- *1 small male spider

A splendid sunrise, my best of the year here so far. Starting early.

Spreading across the width of the eastern horizon.

Then out across the sky.

A different perspective.

This small group of Tufted Duck took off, flew around briefly and then left high to the north-west. Certainly four drakes with the bird at the front of the lower group looking to be a duck.

There might not be many Coots here this year but that doesn't mean it is all sweetness and light.

My first sighting of today's Common Sandpiper flying on typically bowed wings, not raised above the horizontal.

I managed to find where it had settled on the dam-face.

I think I have been seen! The white on the belly extends up toward the shoulder and is diagnostic of this species (apart from the equivalent New World species, Spotted Sandpiper. which is a vary rare vagrant to the UK and, in Summer, can be identified by having black spotting on the belly)

The Great (White) Egret did not stay this morning, flying off..

 ...noisily...

...as it did so. The legs on this species stick out more than they do on...

...Grey Heron. Was everyone leaving?

The many Sand Martins mainly stayed high in the sky. The few (two?) Barn Swallows, as here, stayed low over the water.

Today's unidentified fly though I think I saw this species yesterday.

This may be a male Missing Sector Orb-web Spider Zygiella x-notata. The cephalothorax marking of a wide dark band on an otherwise brown area is a good match. Its other common name of Silver-sided Sector Spider does not seen apposite here. So?

(Ed Wilson)

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In the Priorslee Avenue tunnel:

Flies
- *4 unidentified midges
- *1 moth fly Psychodidae sp. [Drain Fly or Owl Fly]

At least three of the midges on the wall of the tunnel today must have been different to any seen yesterday as they were this smaller, more compact species not previously noted here.

And a moth fly Psychodidae sp. today

(Ed Wilson)

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The Flash: 07:15 – 08:10

(79th visit of the year)

Bird notes:
- at least one Siskin still around.

Bird(s) noted flying over here:
- 4 Wood Pigeons: flew high North and not local birds

Noted on / around the water:
- 17 Canada Geese: more(?) inside the island
- 13 Greylag Geese
- 2 Mute Swans: the pen was on the nest throughout again
- 19 (16♂) Mallard
- 18 (13♂) Tufted Duck
- 4 Moorhens again
- 25 Coots
- 2 Great Crested Grebes
- 1 Grey Heron

Warblers noted (the number in brackets refers to birds singing):
- 3 (3) Willow Warblers
- 9 (8) Chiffchaffs
- *3 (3) Blackcaps again

Of note around the area:

Flies:
- 1 female plumed midge Chironomus plumosus

Beetles:
- *1 Alder Leaf Beetle Agelastica alni

A not-very-good photo of a disappearing male Blackcap...

...only to hide behind branches to confuse the camera.

An Alder Leaf Beetle Agelastica alni.

(Ed Wilson)

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2014
Priorslee Lake
3 Cormorants
2 Grey Herons
12 Tufted Duck
7 Blackcaps
6 Chiffchaffs
2 Willow Warblers
(Ed Wilson)

The Flash
1 Cormorant
1 Cackling Goose
39 Tufted Ducks
1 Blackcap
4 Chiffchaffs
(Ed Wilson)

Trench Lock Pool
4 Great Crested Grebes
23 Tufted Ducks
1 Sand Martin
1 Blackcap
2 Chiffchaffs
1 Willow Warbler
(Ed Wilson)

2013
Priorslee Lake
1 Little Grebe
4 Great Crested Grebes
1 Cormorant
2 Gadwall
21 Tufted Ducks
6 Redwings
1 Fieldfare
372 Jackdaws
Kestrel
Willow Tit
(Ed Wilson, John Isherwood)

The Flash
2 Great Crested Grebes
1 Cormorant
1 Pochard
58 Tufted Duck
1 Brambling
(Ed Wilson, John Isherwood)

Trench Lock Pool
2 Great Crested Grebes
2 Cormorants
2 Greylag Geese
4 Shoveler
19 Tufted Duck
(Ed Wilson)

Nedge Hill
50 Meadow Pipit
100 Redwing
Green Woodpecker
3 Red legged Partridge
Fieldfare
7 Lapwing
Linnet
(John Isherwood)

2012
Nedge Hill
2 Wheatear
(John Isherwood)

2011
Nedge Hill
2 Common Redstart
4 Wheatear
(John Isherwood)

Priorslee Flash
Garden Warbler
(Ed Wilson)

2007
Priorslee Lake
20 Tufted Duck
2 Buzzard
1 Kestrel
1 Skylark
36 Meadow Pipit
9 Chiffchaff
1 Redpoll
8 Bullfinch
5 Reed Bunting
(Martin Adlam)

2006
Priorslee Lake
5 Great Crested Grebes
2 Cormorants
6 Tufted Ducks
1 Ruddy Duck
7 Stock Doves
235 Wood Pigeons
3 Great Spotted Woodpeckers
7 Meadow Pipits
20 Wrens
21 Blackbirds
2 Fieldfares again
2 Blackcaps
5 Chiffchaffs
3 Willow Warblers
1 Willow Tit
15 Greenfinches
3 Siskins
3 Reed Buntings
(Ed Wilson)

5 Apr 26

Priorslee Balancing Lake and The Flash

6.0°C > 9.0°C: A clear start with a brief shower. Some sunny intervals. Light winds at dawn after storm Dave blew through, but picking up moderate / fresh westerly. Very good visibility.

Sunrise: 06:35 BST

* = a species photographed today
$ = a new species for me in this area

Priorslee Balancing Lake: 05:50 – 07:15 // 08:15 – 09:40

(80th visit of the year)

No major casualties from the overnight storm. Many small twigs and parts of more substantial dead twigs were lying about. Main feature was the many Poplar catkins ripped off the trees alongside Teece Drive, in many instances with their supporting twiglets.

Bird notes:
- the Great (White) Egret arrived at 06:03 just as the two (near?) adult Lesser Black-backed Gulls dropped in.
- one adult Robin was seen to feed another adult. Say ah! Too quick for a photo.
- *a trio of Pied Wagtails were playing(?) chase around the dam-top area.

Bird(s) noted flying over here:
- 4 Greylag Geese: tow pairs flew West
- 8 Racing Pigeons: together
- *1 Stock Dove
- 19 Wood Pigeons
- 199 Jackdaws(!) - yes I counted them all out
- 16 Rooks

Counts from the lake area:
- 6 Canada Geese at various times: two pairs noted leaving
- *2 Greylag Geese: throughout
- 2 Mute Swans
- 11 (9♂) Mallard
- 6 (4♂) Tufted Duck
- 6 Moorhens
- Coots not counted: too breezy to stand on the dam to count – the only place the whole water is visible
- 5 Great Crested Grebes
- 2 Lesser Black-backed Gulls: (near) adults, briefly around dawn
- *2 Cormorants
- *1 Grey Heron
- 1 Great (White) Egret

Hirundines etc. noted:
- *>30 Sand Martins
- 3 Barn Swallows

Warblers noted (the number in brackets refers to birds singing):
- 1 (1) Cetti's Warbler
- 1 (1) Willow Warbler
- 16 (14) Chiffchaffs
- 7 (6) Blackcaps

On the West end street lamp poles pre-dawn:
Most things blown away!

Flies etc.:
- 2 male plumed midges Chironomus plumosus

Beetles:
- 1 Alder Leaf Beetle Agelastica alni

Of note around the area later:

Flies:
- *several species of fly, all unidentified.

The (relative) calm after the storm.

After the early clear sky I was caught in a less-than-ideal position when clouds and colour appeared.

These rain-bearing clouds!

A short-lived shower and then the low sun reappeared to...

...give a glow to the morning [the fallen trees visible here came down in earlier gales].

Unusual behaviour. One of the two Cormorants standing on the concrete ramp to dry its wings. Normally they use one or other of the piers. A pair of Greylag Geese look on.

A close encounter of the Grey Heron kind. It was standing in the Wesley Brook right by the footbridge. I approached from one side and a regular walker from the other. We all stopped and looked at each other.

"Don't mess with me!"

The heron just looked at us...

Shuffled off a bit and carried on fishing. So did we.

Not a brilliant photo of a Stock Dove but it does show all the important identifications features. The pale grey-centred wings have dark edging and a small black band across the inner secondaries. There is no white on the neck or on the bend of the wing. More subtle is that it is slightly smaller than a Wood Pigeon and has a proportionately smaller head and shorter tail.

Two "identification" shots of Sand Martin. From above brown-toned with a darker short forked tail. It has a thin pale collar (not too easy to see here).

From underneath it can "flash" very white inviting confusion with House Martin that has the white on the rump only. Note the dark breast band (not always easy to see with the naked eye) and dark around the eye (just like American baseball players!)

Always a favourite of mine: Long-tailed Tits.

How could I resist?

It seems to be checking out the camera!

Not sure what was going on here. These three Pied Wagtails were noisily chasing around and here they briefly paused. A male on the right with apparently two females chasing him. Perhaps I will try and get reincarnated as a male Pied Wagtail when the time comes.

I don't have time to try and identify all the fly species I noted. Here is #1.

And #2 (no: it did not chew the hole in the leaf).

#3

This would have been identifiable had the wings been open and the exact pattern of black on its orange abdomen been visible. Certainly a Phaonia species, probably P. subventa.

A splash of colour from the Dandelions. If the latest taxonomic thinking is correct just about every one of these plants is a different species. Only about three people can identify them. We are but mere mortals.

(Ed Wilson)

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In the Priorslee Avenue tunnel:

Flies
- 2 unidentified midges: same as yesterday?!
nothing else noted

(Ed Wilson)

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The Flash: 07:20 – 08:10

(78th visit of the year)

Bird notes:
- at least four Siskins heard in top-end trees.

Bird(s) noted flying over here:
- 2 Greylag Geese: flew East

Noted on / around the water:
- 21 Canada Geese: of these a sextet departed
- 4 Greylag Geese: of these a pair departed
- 2 Mute Swans: the pen was on the nest throughout
- 18 (16♂) Mallard
- 10 (7♂) Tufted Duck
- 4 Moorhens only
- 23 Coots
- 2 Great Crested Grebes

Warblers noted (the number in brackets refers to birds singing):
- 1 (1) Willow Warbler
- 6 (6) Chiffchaffs again
- 3 (3) Blackcaps

Of note around the area:

Caterpillar:
- *caterpillar of a Scarlet Tiger moth Callimorpha dominula

Flies:
- several male plumed midges Chironomus plumosus
- *1 cranefly Limonia nubeculosa

This rather squat-looking cranefly with well-patterned wings and a striped thorax is almost certainly Limonia nubeculosa.

A most unexpected sighting, especially 15' up a street lamp pole. It is a caterpillar of a Scarlet Tiger moth Callimorpha dominula. The caterpillar of this species is unusual in overwintering as such, becoming active in Spring before pupating. My only other record of this species in Shropshire is of an imago (adult) noted here on 28 June 2023.

(Ed Wilson)

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2014
Priorslee Lake
3 Cormorants
2 Grey Herons
9 Tufted Duck
4 Blackcaps
7 Chiffchaffs
1 Willow Warblers
131 Jackdaws
(Ed Wilson)

The Flash
1 Cackling Goose-type
37 Tufted Ducks
3 Blackcaps
4 Chiffchaffs
1 Willow Warbler
(Ed Wilson)

Trench Lock Pool
4 Great Crested Grebes
23 Tufted Ducks
3 Sand Martins
1 Chiffchaffs
(Ed Wilson)

2013
Priorslee Lake
2 Little Grebes
5 Great Crested Grebes
2 Gadwall
23 Tufted Ducks
2 Redwings
1 Fieldfare
3 Chiffchaffs
(Ed Wilson)

The Flash
3 Great Crested Grebes
48 Tufted Duck
2 Brambling
(Ed Wilson)

Nedge Hill
4 Lapwings
1 Stock Dove
3 Skylarks
8 Redwing
(Ed Wilson)

Horsehay Pool
Male Wheatear
(Glenn Bishton)

2011
Priorslee Lake
1 Goosander
(John Isherwood)

Nedge Hill
1 Ring Ouzel
60 Golden Plover
20 Yellowhammer
4 Wheatear
(John Isherwood, Andy Latham, John Isherwood, Ed Wilson)

2007
Priorslee lake
2 Great Crested Grebe
17 Tufted Duck
68 Lesser Black-backed Gull
1 Kingfisher
5 Meadow Pipit
1 Blackcap
6 Chiffchaff
3 Reed Bunting
(Martin Adlam)

2006
Priorslee Lake
6 Great Crested Grebe
5 Herons
7 Tufted Ducks
3 Lapwings
2 Ruddy Ducks
418 Jackdaws
27 Wrens
26 Blackbirds
47 Sand Martins
1 Swallow.
2 Fieldfares
1 Barn Owl
4 Meadow Pipits
2 Fieldfares
2 Blackcaps
6 Chiffchaffs
5 Willow Warblers
1 Willow Tit
9 Greenfinches
2 Siskins
7 Reed Bunting
(Ed Wilson, Martin Adlam)

4 Apr 26

Priorslee Balancing Lake and The Flash

6.0°C > 9.0°C: Mostly cloudy with some very light drizzle later. A very few sunny intervals. Calm start with moderate southerly wind developing ahead of storm Dave. Very good visibility.

Sunrise: 06:38 BST

* = a species photographed today
$ = a new species for me in this area

Priorslee Balancing Lake: 05:35 – 07:05 // 08:05 – 09:45

(79th visit of the year)

Bird notes:
- as I was walking toward The Flash a trio of Mute Swans (two adults and a first year) flew low West overhead. Talking to the fishermen both here and at The Flash it seems these birds merely flew over and did not annoy either resident pair.
- the Great (White) Egret arrived at 06:06 ahead of everything.

Bird(s) noted flying over here:
- no geese
- 3 Mute Swans: two adults and a first year flew West
- no gulls
- 1 Stock Dove
- 10 Wood Pigeons
- 117 Jackdaws
- 8 Rooks

Counts from the lake area:
- 9 Canada Geese at various times with coming and going
- 2 Greylag Geese: throughout
- 2 Mute Swans
- 15 (13♂) Mallard
- 14 (11♂) Tufted Duck
- 8 Moorhens still
- 24 Coots
- *5 Great Crested Grebes
- no gulls
- no Cormorants
- 1 Grey Heron
- 1 Great (White) Egret

Hirundines etc. noted:

None

Warblers noted (the number in brackets refers to birds singing):
- 1 (1) Cetti's Warbler
- no Willow Warbler
- 18 (16) Chiffchaffs
- 8 (7) Blackcaps

On the West end street lamp poles pre-dawn:

Moths:
- *1 Agonopterix sp., probably Brindled Brown A. arenella [was Brindled Flat-body]
- *1 Common Plume Emmelina monodactyla
- *1 Clouded Drab Orthosia inserta

Flies etc.:
- 1 male plumed midge Chironomus plumosus
- *1 mosquito Culex pipiens
- *1 winter cranefly Trichocera sp.
- several small midges

Springtails:
- 1 springtail Orchesella cincta

Beetles:
- 1 Alder Leaf Beetle Agelastica alni
- *1 unidentified ground-beetle

Arthropod:
- *1 Blunt-tailed Snake Millipede Cylindroiulus punctatus

Spiders, harvestmen etc.:
- *1 Bridge Orb-web Spider Larinioides sclopetarius [Bridge Orbweaver]

Of note around the area later:

Bees, wasps etc.:
- 1 Buff-tailed Bumblebee Bombus terrestris

Flies:
- *1 $ dagger fly Rhamphomyia subcinerascens

Fungus:
- *1 probable Common Inkcap Coprinopsis atramentaria

Plants:
- *Green Alkanet Pentaglottis sempervirens

Very little colour to the dawn sky. The shapes on the water in the foreground are Tufted Duck.

One of the pair of Great Crested Grebes seems to be amazed at the angle the other has twisted it head.

I know about glasshouses and stones but it really does look in need of a good comb!

Three moths on the street lamp poles this morning: the curled antennae on this micromoth indicate it is an Agonopterix species, probably Brindled Brown A. arenella, formerly called Brindled Flat-body. I'll check with the Shropshire recorder.

This is a Common Plume Emmelina monodactyla: not new for the year here.

A Clouded Drab moth Orthosia inserta. A very common species though as with most moths in the Noctuid group (moths that broadly look like this at rest with wings held tent-wise) they usually are attracted to light in the first part of the night and later hide away.

The long antennae on this fly suggest it is a female mosquito Culex pipiens. A male would have extensive plumes on the antennae. The female should have a proboscis: it is hard to be sure. Perhaps I am wrong!

I believe this to be the dagger fly Rhamphomyia subcinerascens. This is a Spring species and one that I have not identified previously. The main identification feature, other than the date, is the extensive hairs on the front and back legs. The "dagger" mouth-part is being held pointing down.

This is a winter cranefly from the genus Trichocera sp. It is not the most common (and the only easily identifiable) species T. regelationis as it lack a dark spot in the wings.

An unidentified ground-beetle: there are hundreds of species in the UK. Very few can be identified from photos and most only by detailed examination with a hand lens (and then you have to know what you are looking for).

A Blunt-tailed Snake Millipede Cylindroiulus punctatus with a banded brown body.

A Bridge Orb-web Spider Larinioides sclopetarius. A species that has not been seen as often as usual this winter-period.

This fungus looks very reminiscent of a decaying Shaggy Inkcap or Lawyer's Wig Coprinus comatus: which is very unlikely as this date. I think it is Common Inkcap Coprinopsis atramentaria, a species recorded between Spring to Autumn. Although edible it, like many other species of fungus, causes a very bad reaction when alcohol is also consumed, even several days later.

I photographed my first Green Alkanet Pentaglottis sempervirens of the year in Woodhouse Lane yesterday. This one was in flower at the lake today.

(Ed Wilson)

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In the Priorslee Avenue tunnel:

Flies
- 2 unidentified midges

Nothing else noted

(Ed Wilson)

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The Flash: 07:10 – 08:00

(77th visit of the year)

Bird notes:
- fewer Tufted Duck noted. Perhaps with more fishermen around some of them had moved to the Balancing Lake where there were more. With the sailing club active there today perhaps some will move back.
- both Willow Warblers were singing very intermittently. If others were doing the same I could easily have walked past them without knowing they were there.
- no Siskins seen or heard today.

One I will have to let pass. While using the Merlin app to confirm I was hearing a Blackcap singing in the distance it reported a Marsh Tit. There were several Coal Tits in the area, as there had been when I heard and saw a Marsh Tit on 30 March. I could not hear or see one today.

Bird(s) noted flying over here:
- 2 Canada Geese: a pair flew North
- 7 Wood Pigeons flew high North together

Noted on / around the water:
- 19 Canada Geese: of these a pair departed
- 10 Greylag Geese: of these a sextet and a pair departed
- 2 Mute Swans
- 26 (23♂) Mallard
- no (Common) Teal
- 14 (11♂) Tufted Duck
- 6 Moorhens
- 22 Coots
- 2 Great Crested Grebes

Warblers noted (the number in brackets refers to birds singing):
- 2 (2) Willow Warblers
- 6 (6) Chiffchaffs
- 2 (2) Blackcaps

Of note around the area:

Flies:
- male and female plumed midges Chironomus plumosus

(Ed Wilson)

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2014
Priorslee Lake
4 Great Crested Grebes
3 Cormorants
1 Grey Heron
3 Greylag Geese
5 Common Teal
4 Wigeon
31 Tufted Duck
1 Kittiwake
c.12 Sand Martins
2 Swallow
3 Blackcaps
6 Chiffchaffs
2 Willow Warblers
(Ed Wilson)

The Flash
2 Great Crested Grebes
1 Shoveler
43 Tufted Ducks
2 Blackcap
4 Chiffchaffs
(Ed Wilson)

Trench Lock Pool
4 Great Crested Grebes
23 Tufted Ducks
1 Chiffchaffs
(Ed Wilson)

Nedge Hill
Red-legged Partridge
4 Skylarks
6 Meadow Pipits
1 Blackcap
3 Chiffchaffs
1 Willow Warbler
1 Linnet
2 Yellowhammer
(Ed Wilson)

2013
Priorslee Lake
2 Little Grebes
5 Great Crested Grebe
2 Gadwall
13 Tufted Ducks
(Ed Wilson)

The Flash
Cackling Goose
(JW Reeves)

Leegomery
Woodcock
(JW Reeves)

Long Lane, Wellington
1 Redshank
(JW Reeves)

2012
Priorslee Lake
2 Swallows
20 Sand Martins
2 Meadow Pipits
(Martin Grant)

2009
Priorslee Lake
4 Shoveler
2 Sand Martin
(John Isherwood)

The Flash
2 Shoveler
1 Snipe
1 Willow Warbler

Nedge Hill
1 Wheatear
1 Blackcap
(John Isherwood)

2008
Nedge Hill
Whinchat
(Paul King)

2007
Priorslee Lake
1 Teal
(John Isherwood)

2006
Priorslee Lake
6 Great Crested Grebes
2 Herons
6 Tufted Ducks
2 Ruddy Ducks
318 Jackdaws
105 Wood Pigeons
1 Skylark
5 Meadow Pipits
22 Wrens
24 Robins
25 Blackbirds
58 Fieldfares
3 Willow Warblers
6 Chiffchaffs
2 Willow Tits
15 Greenfinches
1 Siskin
2 Redpolls
4 Reed Buntings
(Ed Wilson)