11.0°C > 12.0°C: Mostly cloudy after a brighter start. A shower c.07:00. A cool moderate /fresh easterly breeze. Very good visibility.
Sunrise: 04:46 BST: as early as it gets?
* = a species photographed today
! = a first sighting of the species this year
$ = a new species for me in this area
Priorslee Balancing Lake: 04:50– 05:40 // 06:45 – 09:50
(141st visit of the year)
Bird notes:
- all seven Greylag Geese goslings still here, with two extra adults today.
- the Mute Swans together throughout and never near the nest site.
- just four juvenile Coots seen from three broods.
- *two pairs of Great Crested Grebes each have at least one juvenile.
- three adult Lesser Black-backed Gulls were on the football field at 05:20.
- despite much less song from the warblers a few changes noted:
at least one Cetti's Warbler was heard calling at the West end c.05:10.
the Lesser Whitethroat was singing at 05:05, not only from its usual spot in the densest part of the Ricoh hedge but also "across the West end path" near the sailing club compound.
both West end and original south-west Common Whitethroats were singing with both seen doing brief song-flights.
- three adult Starlings were collecting food from the football field c.05:20.
Bird(s) noted flying over here:
- 2 Canada Geese flew West together
- 4 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 1 Stock Dove
- 2 Wood Pigeons only
- 16 Jackdaws
- 4 Rooks
Counts from the lake area:
- 4 + 7 (1 brood) Greylag Geese
- 2 Mute Swans
- 30 (?♂) Mallard: I did not ascribe birds to sex
- no Tufted Duck
- no Moorhens
- 31 + 4 (3 broods) Coots
- *5 + 2? (2 broods) Great Crested Grebes: see notes
- 3 Lesser Black-backed Gulls: see notes
- 1 Grey Heron
Hirundines etc. noted:
- 10 Barn Swallows
Warblers noted (the number in brackets refers to birds singing):
- 1 (0) Cetti's Warbler
- 7 (7) Chiffchaffs
- 6 (6) Reed Warblers
- 9 (7) Blackcaps
- 1 (1) Lesser Whitethroat
- 2 (2) Common Whitethroats
Also noted:
Another morning with a cool fresh wind, today blowing on to much of the vegetation
Butterflies:
a "brown" – either a Ringlet Aphantopus hyperantus or a Meadow Brown Maniola jurtina – was blown away before I could ID it.
a "brown" – either a Ringlet Aphantopus hyperantus or a Meadow Brown Maniola jurtina – was blown away before I could ID it.
Moths:
- 1 Common Nettle-tap Anthophila fabriciana
- *1 $ either Yellow-spot Yarrow Moth Dichrorampha petiverella or White-spot Yarrow Moth D. sequana.
- *1 !Garden Straw Agapeta hamana [was Common Yellow Conch; Hook-marked Straw-moth]
- 1 Common Nettle-tap Anthophila fabriciana
- *1 $ either Yellow-spot Yarrow Moth Dichrorampha petiverella or White-spot Yarrow Moth D. sequana.
- *1 !Garden Straw Agapeta hamana [was Common Yellow Conch; Hook-marked Straw-moth]
Bees, wasps etc.:
- *Red-tailed Bumblebee Bombus lapidarius
- *Buff-tailed Bumblebee Bombus terrestris
- *Red-tailed Bumblebee Bombus lapidarius
- *Buff-tailed Bumblebee Bombus terrestris
Hoverflies:
not many species but a good number braving the elements
- Marmalade Hoverfly Episyrphus balteatus
- Migrant Field Syrph Eupeodes corollae [Migrant Hoverfly; Migrant Aphideater]
- *Common Spotted Field Syrph Eupeodes luniger [Lunuled Aphideater]
- *Syrphus sp. S. ribesii / S. vitripennis / S. torvus
not many species but a good number braving the elements
- Marmalade Hoverfly Episyrphus balteatus
- Migrant Field Syrph Eupeodes corollae [Migrant Hoverfly; Migrant Aphideater]
- *Common Spotted Field Syrph Eupeodes luniger [Lunuled Aphideater]
- *Syrphus sp. S. ribesii / S. vitripennis / S. torvus
Damsel / Dragon-flies:
- *Common Blue Damselfly Enallagma cyathigerum [Common Bluet]: just one!
- *Common Blue Damselfly Enallagma cyathigerum [Common Bluet]: just one!
Other flies:
- Black Snipefly Chrysopilus cristatus: once again all males
- long-legged fly Dolichopus ungulatus or similar
- *long-legged fly Dolichopus wahlbergi
- *dagger fly Empis livida
- greenbottle Lucilia sp.
- *semaphore fly Poecilobothrus nobilitatus
plus a few unidentified flies
- Black Snipefly Chrysopilus cristatus: once again all males
- long-legged fly Dolichopus ungulatus or similar
- *long-legged fly Dolichopus wahlbergi
- *dagger fly Empis livida
- greenbottle Lucilia sp.
- *semaphore fly Poecilobothrus nobilitatus
plus a few unidentified flies
Bugs:
- !mirid bug nymph, perhaps Common Green Capsid Lygocoris pabulinus
- !mirid bug nymph, perhaps Common Green Capsid Lygocoris pabulinus
Beetles:
- *!Soldier beetle Cantharis flavilabris
- larvae of Harlequin Ladybird Harmonia axyridis: very many
- pollen beetle Meligethes sp.
On the West end street lamp poles around dawn:
- *!Soldier beetle Cantharis flavilabris
- larvae of Harlequin Ladybird Harmonia axyridis: very many
- pollen beetle Meligethes sp.
On the West end street lamp poles around dawn:
Spiders, harvestmen etc.:
- 1 Bridge Orb-web Spider Larinioides sclopetarius [Bridge Orbweaver]
The early view. As I was driving here there was a spectacular orange sunrise to the East and an intense semi-circular double rainbow to the West. Both had faded before I parked up. It took over an hour for the rain to arrive.
It had a long swim before the morsel was eagerly accepted by a juvenile. I have only noted a single juvenile here over the past two days.
Here is the second pair of Great Crested Grebes to be seen with young. Moments before I raised the camera a small juvenile had been in the water between the two adults. It had climbed on a parent's back before I could get a shot. How many other juveniles might there be?
Over the West end there was the uncommon site of at least ten Barn Swallows together all hawking the insects blown off the trees. This one without tail-streamers is, I assume, a juvenile. With no evident colour on the throat it could easily be mistaken for a Sand Martin. The body is too robust and it was calling.
One for the Shropshire recorder to help me with. This moth is either a Yellow-spot Yarrow Moth Dichrorampha petiverella or a White-spot Yarrow Moth D. sequana. The "spot" is the shape of that of the former species and the colour of the latter species. Confused I am. Either result will give me a new species of moth
Easier to identify is this Garden Straw moth Agapeta hamana. It would have been good of it to hang around for a photo from a better angle.
This is a Common Spotted Field Syrph Eupeodes luniger where the yellow abdomen marks do not wrap around the sides as they do with the Migrant Field Syrph E. corollae.
In the breezy and overcast conditions with wet vegetation I noted but one damselfly – this Common Blue Damselfly Enallagma cyathigerum lurking deep in the grass.
(Ed Wilson)
In the Priorslee Avenue tunnel:
A running crab spider of the Philodromus group. It closely matches a photo of one example of P. aureolus on the NatureSpot gallery. The rubric urges caution: "confirmation of this species requires examination at high magnification in good lighting, typically examination of the genitalia."
I believe this to be a Daddy-long-legs Spider Pholcus phalangioides, also known as Long-bodied Cellar Spider.
This is one of the Long-jawed Orb-web Spiders Tetragnatha sp. This example has an unusually broad abdomen.
(Ed Wilson)
The Flash: 05:45 – 06:40
(138th visit of the year)
The footbridges were open this morning. No doubt once the council is back to work the bridges will be more securely closed.
Bird notes:
- the Canada Goose gosling is still present.
- the geese were not well spaced out this morning and the totals are slightly suspect.
- the pen Mute Swan was not seen.
- *a duck Mallard was seen with a brood of eight small ducklings. As at the Balancing Lake while some of the drakes undertake their post-breeding moult and are not always easy to distinguish from ducks I have suspended the separation of the species in my totals.
- the drake Tufted Duck noted again.
- only two broods of juvenile Coots seen. Begging calls heard from under overhanging vegetation from a third brood.
- a second Great Crested Grebe noted again and no interaction seen.
- a family party of at least three Blackcaps was noted. I was unable to confirm the age / sex of any of them!
Bird(s) noted flying over here:
- 1 Lesser Black-backed Gull
- 2 Stock Doves: together
- 1 Jackdaw
Noted on / around the water:
- 140 + 1 Canada Geese
- 71 Greylag Geese
- 10 Mute Swans
- *26 + 8 (1 brood) Mallard
- 1 (1♂) Tufted Duck still
- 7 Moorhens
- 35 + >5 (3 broods) Coots
- 2 Great Crested Grebes
Hirundines etc. noted:
- 1 House Martin
Warblers noted (the number in brackets refers to birds singing):
- 1 (1) Chiffchaffs
- 6 (3) Blackcaps: see notes
Noted around the area:
- 1 Bridge Orb-web Spider Larinioides sclopetarius [Bridge Orbweaver]
One of the pair of Great Crested Grebes arrives with breakfast.
This may or may not be the same juvenile. The spots in the spread tail means it could not be anything other than a Barn Swallow.
The easiest bumblebee to recognise: a Red-tailed Bumblebee Bombus lapidarius
A Buff-tailed Bumblebee Bombus terrestris taking it easy.
A Syrphus hoverfly. It is, of course, a male. Are there any females?!
Close up and personal with another male Syrphus.
With the adornment on the middle legs this is a male long-legged fly Dolichopus wahlbergi.
An evil-looking dagger fly Empis livida
"What lovely green eyes you have". A semaphore fly Poecilobothrus nobilitatus.
On a wildly waving grass stem was my first soldier beetle Cantharis flavilabris this year.
(Ed Wilson)
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In the Priorslee Avenue tunnel:
Moths:
- 1 Treble Brown Spot Idaea trigeminata
- 1 Treble Brown Spot Idaea trigeminata
Flies:
- 17 midges of several species
- 2 moth fly Psychodidae sp. [Drain Fly or Owl Fly]
- 2 other species of fly
- 17 midges of several species
- 2 moth fly Psychodidae sp. [Drain Fly or Owl Fly]
- 2 other species of fly
Beetles:
- 1 unidentified click beetle: a strange location for a beetle
- 1 unidentified click beetle: a strange location for a beetle
Spiders, harvestmen etc.:
- *1 running crab spider of the Philodromus group
- *1 Daddy-long-legs Spider Pholcus phalangioides, also known as Long-bodied Cellar Spider
- *2 Long-jawed Orb-web Spiders Tetragnatha sp.
- *1 running crab spider of the Philodromus group
- *1 Daddy-long-legs Spider Pholcus phalangioides, also known as Long-bodied Cellar Spider
- *2 Long-jawed Orb-web Spiders Tetragnatha sp.
And another, differently shaped and differently marked.
(Ed Wilson)
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The Flash: 05:45 – 06:40
(138th visit of the year)
The footbridges were open this morning. No doubt once the council is back to work the bridges will be more securely closed.
Bird notes:
- the Canada Goose gosling is still present.
- the geese were not well spaced out this morning and the totals are slightly suspect.
- the pen Mute Swan was not seen.
- *a duck Mallard was seen with a brood of eight small ducklings. As at the Balancing Lake while some of the drakes undertake their post-breeding moult and are not always easy to distinguish from ducks I have suspended the separation of the species in my totals.
- the drake Tufted Duck noted again.
- only two broods of juvenile Coots seen. Begging calls heard from under overhanging vegetation from a third brood.
- a second Great Crested Grebe noted again and no interaction seen.
- a family party of at least three Blackcaps was noted. I was unable to confirm the age / sex of any of them!
Bird(s) noted flying over here:
- 1 Lesser Black-backed Gull
- 2 Stock Doves: together
- 1 Jackdaw
Noted on / around the water:
- 140 + 1 Canada Geese
- 71 Greylag Geese
- 10 Mute Swans
- *26 + 8 (1 brood) Mallard
- 1 (1♂) Tufted Duck still
- 7 Moorhens
- 35 + >5 (3 broods) Coots
- 2 Great Crested Grebes
Hirundines etc. noted:
- 1 House Martin
Warblers noted (the number in brackets refers to birds singing):
- 1 (1) Chiffchaffs
- 6 (3) Blackcaps: see notes
Noted around the area:
Moths:
- *1 !Clouded Silver Lomographa temerata
- *1 !Clouded Silver Lomographa temerata
Beetles:
- Harlequin Ladybird Harmonia axyridis var. succinea
also:
- *$ possible larvae of a Caenis mayfly
Proud mother Mallard with her brood of eight small ducklings. As usual it required a photo confirm the number of the darting and weaving juveniles. I have seen very few broods of ducklings here this year.
I know, I know. A rubbish photo of a Clouded Silver moth Lomographa temerata a long way up a street lamp pole in squirrel alley.
I found two of these tiny creatures on a hand-rail of a footbridge. The three tails suggest it is a Caenis species of mayfly. The apparent absence of wings suggests it is the larval stage. I cannot find any illustration to confirm that.
The nest box where I photographed Blue Tits. It looks as if Grey Squirrels have been trying(?) to get access. This will be a big problem with all the nest boxes.
(Ed Wilson)
2010
Priorslee Lake
5+ Willow Tits in the trees alongside the M54 slip-road
(J W Reeves)
2006
Priorslee Lake
Just 2 Mute Swan cygnets remaining, possible Mink in the area
(Martin Adlam)
- Harlequin Ladybird Harmonia axyridis var. succinea
also:
- *$ possible larvae of a Caenis mayfly
(Ed Wilson)
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2010
Priorslee Lake
5+ Willow Tits in the trees alongside the M54 slip-road
(J W Reeves)
2006
Priorslee Lake
Just 2 Mute Swan cygnets remaining, possible Mink in the area
(Martin Adlam)
