27 Apr 26

Priorslee Balancing Lake and The Flash

10.0°C > 11.0°C: An area of mid-level cloud clearing to the East around dawn. Clear for a while before mist and low cloud spread from the north-west only beginning to gradually break up after 09:00. Moderate, occasionally fresh, north-westerly breeze. Moderate visibility, poor for a while then good.

Sunrise: 05:46 BST

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

Priorslee Balancing Lake: 05:20 – 06:30 // 07:20 – 10:00

(102nd visit of the year)

Bird notes:
- *the pair of Greylag Geese still with seven small goslings.
- two broods of Mallard ducklings one of five; *the other of six. Perhaps other broods were hiding in the reeds.
- on my first lap I noted a duck and a drake Tufted Duck together. Later I could only see a drake: a different bird?
- a Common Sandpiper present throughout.
- two adult Lesser Black-backed Gulls bathing by the south-west grass at 05:30. Otherwise all the gulls noted flew over.
- no sight or sound of the Cetti's Warbler for the third day. I did wonder whether it might just be busy on nesting duty so I checked my 2025 log. There was no break in its noisy behaviour last year when I know it bred. Has it gone?
- no Sedge Warblers seen or heard.
- five Reed Warblers heard today.
- no song from any Lesser Whitethroat today.
- the singing Common Whitethroat was seen with a companion. Another was heard singing.
- no Garden Warbler again.

Bird(s) noted flying over here:
- 2 Canada Geese: a pair flew East
- 2 Greylag Geese: a pair flew West
- 3 Herring Gulls: together
- 7 Lesser Black-backed Gulls: two adult trios and a single immature
- 16 Wood Pigeons

Counts from the lake area:
Some counts probably affected by the mist and murk at the time I did the count
- 4 Canada Geese: a pair throughout; another pair briefly
- *3 + 7 (1 brood) Greylag Geese: the resident family: a single flew in staying only a short while
- 2 Mute Swans
- *14 (10♂) + 11 (2 broods) Mallard: see notes
- 3 (2♂)? Tufted Duck: see notes
- 6 Moorhens only
- 18 Coots only
- 3 Great Crested Grebes only
- 1 Common Sandpiper
- 2 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 1 Grey Heron

Hirundines etc. noted:
A significant number circling around, often high up.
*- >25 Sand Martins
*- >10 Barn Swallows
After the first Swifts on an early date I have seen no others here. They are back in good numbers around their Newport breeding sites.

Warblers noted (the number in brackets refers to birds singing):
- 16 (14) Chiffchaffs
- no Sedge Warblers
- 5 (5) Reed Warblers
- 24 (23) Blackcaps
- no Lesser Whitethroats
- 3 (2) Common Whitethroat

On the West end street lamp poles post-dawn:
Continuing chilly overnight. Also breezy
See also below: a moth was noted on one of the poles c.09:15

Fly:
- *marsh fly Sepedon sphegea: a new species for me

Noted around the area later:
[numbers only given for moths and butterflies unless exceptional counts noted]

Butterflies:
none

Moths:
- *1 Common Pug Eupithecia vulgata
- *2 Brindled Pugs Eupithecia abbreviata

Bees, wasps, etc.:
- Red-tailed Bumblebee Bombus lapidarius

Hoverflies:
- Tapered Dronefly Eristalis pertinax
- *Blotch-winged Hoverfly Leucozona lucorum [Blotch-winged Whitebelt]
- Chequered Hoverfly Melanostoma scalare [Long-winged Duskyface]
- *Glass-winged Syrphus Syrphus vitripennis
- also Syrphus sp. S. ribesii / S. vitripennis

Other flies:
- *plumed midge Chironomus plumosus
- *Muscid fly Phaonia subventa
- *Yellow Dung Fly Scathophaga stercoraria
- *otherwise unidentified flies.

Bugs:
- *Dock Bug Coreus marginatus
- *Hawthorn Shieldbug Acanthosoma haemorrhoidale

Beetles:
- *Harlequin Ladybird Harmonia axyridis var. succinea

As the medium-level cloud cleared to the East and before the low cloud and mist rolled in.

One of the Greylag Geese with the seven goslings. I fear that the cob Mute Swan will, sooner or later, do the usual behaviour and drown them.

At the time I thought Mrs. Mallard had five ducklings. The photo shows a sixth cuddling up to its mother.

Most of the hirundines stayed up in the air. Here is a Sand Martin.

And a Barn Swallow. Could do with more light!

Sort of apologies about the quality of these two male Bullfinch photo. I had to use electronic zoom to force the camera to focus on the bird and not on any of the myriad branches that were in the way. He seems to have the same foot / leg disease that is especially common among Chaffinches.

Here showing the white rump that often catches the eye as the bird disappears in to the vegetation.

Not strictly at the lake. This was one of two moths high up on a street lamp pole beside the lower of the two pools between the lake and The Flash. They were both Brindled Pugs Eupithecia abbreviata. My photo of the other one was even worse.

I only noticed this moth on a West end street pole c.09:15. Did I overlook it earlier? No matter: it is a Common Pug Eupithecia vulgata for the day's log.

My initial thought for this insect with the furry reddish thorax was a bee. But it does not have long antennae so it is a fly.

From a different angle it is clear it is what Steven Falk names Blotch-winged Hoverfly Leucozona lucorum with Obsidentify using the moniker Blotch-winged Whitebelt. Yet another insect noted on its earliest-ever date over the 12 years I have been noting dates.

A female Syrphus hoverfly on which the hind leg is clearly visible! As the leg is not entirely yellow this has to be a Glass-winged Syrphus Syrphus vitripennis

A better view of a male plumed midge Chironomus plumosus than the flash photos from the street lamp poles pre-dawn.

 A different angle on a different male reveals how hairy the abdomen is.

I photographed one of these flies yesterday. Attractive-enough to show again. It is the Muscid fly Phaonia subventa.

This is also a Muscid fly but I don't know the species.

A much hairier fly and almost certainly one of the many species from the Tachinid group.

The only thing I noted on the street lamp poles pre-dawn was this distinctive fly that with the aid of Google Lens I identified as a marsh fly Sepedon sphegea: a new species for me.

Today's Yellow Dung Fly Scathophaga stercoraria photo: the less-yellow female.

A lone Dock Bug Coreus marginatus today at rest, appropriately, on a leaf of a Broad-leaved Dock Rumex obtusifolius. A uniquely-shaped species of bug.

A Hawthorn Shieldbug Acanthosoma haemorrhoidale

My first Harlequin Ladybird Harmonia axyridis of the year, this of the very variable form succinea which is prone to showing only some of the usual 13 spots. The white on the "face" prevents confusion with many other species.

(Ed Wilson)

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Noted in the Priorslee Avenue tunnel:

Flies:
- 12 midges
- *1 cranefly Tipula vittata

Arthropods
- *1 Common Shiny Woodlouse Oniscus asellus

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

(Ed Wilson)

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The Flash: 06:35 – 07:15

(99th visit of the year)

Bird notes:
- what looked to be the same pair of Greylag Geese flew out, circled around and splashed back down. Twice!
- a single fast-growing Mallard duckling seen. I suspect its sibling(s) and mother were lurking in nearby reeds.
- it was too misty to see whether the other Great Crested Grebes was on the nest platform.
- a Jay was heard calling from the East side wooded area. It is several weeks since I last recorded a Jay here.
- I saw my first spotty juvenile Robin for here this year.

Bird(s) noted flying over here:
- 1 Cormorant

Noted on / around the water:
All numbers affected by the poor visibility
- 6 Canada Geese only
- 2? Greylag Geese: see notes
- 2 Mute Swans (the pen not seen and presumed to be on the island)
- 14 (12♂) + 1 (1 brood) Mallard: see notes
- 8 (5♂) Tufted Duck
- 3 Moorhens only
- 18 Coots
- 1 Great Crested Grebe: see notes

Warblers noted (the number in brackets refers to birds singing):
For some reason despite (because of?) the murk and the chill wind there was more song
- 7 (7) Chiffchaffs
- 8 (7) Blackcaps

Noted around the area:

Flies:
- 1 female plumed midge

The cranefly Tipula vittata. It would be very helpful if all craneflies rested with wings open allowing both wing and abdomen markings to be seen clearly.

A Common Shiny Woodlouse Oniscus asellus

This has to remain an unidentified male spider. I am not happy with either of Obsidentify's suggestions.

Today's Long-tailed Tit home delivery service.

A yummy caterpillar for one of the nestlings.

(Ed Wilson)

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2013
Priorslee Lake
4 Great Crested Grebes
2 Greylag Geese
3 Common Sandpipers
1 Reed Warblers
1 Common Whitethroat
11 Blackcaps
10 Chiffchaffs
2 Willow Warblers
(Ed Wilson)

The Flash
Wood Warbler
2 Great Crested Grebe
1 Greylag Goose
1 Richardson's / Cackling-type Canada Goose
16 Tufted Duck
5 Blackcaps
Wood Warbler
1 Chiffchaff
6 Willow Warblers
(Ed Wilson)

The Wrekin
3 Wood Warblers
1 Redstart
5 Pied Flycatchers
2 Tree Pipits
2 Redpolls
1 Siskin
(Ed Wilson, JW Reeves)

2012
Priorslee Lake
6 Tufted Duck
6 Swift
50 Swallow
25 House Martin
2 Sand Martin
1 Grasshopper Warbler
1 Wheatear
1 Sedge Warbler
6 Common Sandpiper
(John Isherwood, Martin Grant)

Nedge Hill
1 Lesser Whitethroat
26 Wheatear
1 Greenland Wheatear
1 Fieldfare
1 Raven
(John Isherwood)

2011
Priorslee Lake
1 Wood Sandpiper
1 Common Sandpiper
1 Sedge Warbler
1 Lesser Whitethroat
1 Swift
(John Isherwood)

Nedge Hill
2 Wheatear
1 Lesser Whitethroat
(John Isherwood)

2008
Priorslee Lake
3 Sedge Warblers
6 Reed Warblers
2 Lesser Whitethroats
2 Whitethroats
1 Garden Warbler
9 Blackcaps
9 Chiffchaffs
1 Willow Warbler
1 Little Grebe
2 Common Sandpipers
c.10 Sand Martins
c.45 Swallows
1 House Martin
(Ed Wilson)

The Flash
4 Sand Martins
12 Swallows
2 Blackcaps
4 Chiffchaffs
4 Willow Warblers
(Ed Wilson)

The lane to the E of Priorslee
6 Whitethroats
1 Blackcap
3 Chiffchaffs
1 Willow Warbler
2 Linnets
3 Yellowhammers
(Ed Wilson)

2007
Priorslee Lake
9 Great Crested Grebes
5 Tufted Ducks
2 Ruddy Ducks
1 Kestrel
2 Stock Doves
2 Swallows
House Martins
2 Grey Wagtails
Chiffchaff
Willow Warbler
1 Jay
(Ed Wilson)

Nedge Hill
2 Swallows
House Martin
Ring Ouzel
Fieldfare
Common Whitethroat
Blackcaps
Chiffchaff
Willow Warblers
(Ed Wilson)

Priorslee Flash
1 Swallow
6 Willow Warbler
Reed Bunting
(Ed Wilson)

2006
Priorslee Lake
5 Great Crested Grebes
1 Heron
3 Greylag Geese
2 Ruddy Ducks
3 Common Sandpipers
1 Stock Dove
7 Swallows
3 Grey Wagtails
26 Wrens
17 Robins
30 Blackbirds
9 Song Thrushes
1 Sedge Warbler
3 Reed Warblers
8 Blackcaps
4 Chiffchaffs
2 Willow Warblers
5 Greenfinches
5 Reed Buntings
(Ed Wilson)

26 Apr 26

Priorslee Balancing Lake and The Flash

6.0°C > 10.0°C: Low overcast started to break after 08:30 with only thin high cloud and hazy sun by 09:30. Moderate south-easterly breeze. Good visibility.

Sunrise: 05:48 BST

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

Priorslee Balancing Lake: 05:20 – 06:35 // 07:35 – 09:50

(101at visit of the year)

Bird notes:
- a surprise was a pair of Greylag Geese with seven small goslings. Where was their nest?
- a duck Mallard with three ducklings was probably a brood I have seen previously. A new brood of eight small ducklings was noted. One of the fishermen reported seeing what was probably the previously see group of two ducklings and another very new brood of five ducklings!
- a first year Black-headed Gull visited briefly.
- a Common Sandpiper seen at 05:30 but not later. [the fishermen reported seeing two later yesterday]
- an adult Lesser Black-backed Gulls present at 05:30 only.
- I again failed to hear (or see!) the Cetti's Warbler.
- only one Sedge Warblers singing at a location where one has been for about ten days.
- only three Reed Warblers heard today.
- the Lesser Whitethroat was singing from the Ricoh hedge throughout. Another was singing by 09:15 from the hedge between the lake and the M54.
- the one Common Whitethroat still singing.
- in an attempt to confirm the improbable number of singing Blackcaps I made a rapid and complete circumnavigation as soon as I arrived, ensuring as far as possible there was no over- or under-lap in the count. The result: even more! 25 songsters. Gulp.
- no Garden Warbler heard singing. I used the Merlin app to see whether it was any better than my ears in hearing this species among the cacophony of Blackcaps. It told me it could hear Little Ringed Plover and Nuthatch. I suspect not: one of the local Song Thrushes?

Feedback
Feedback from Martin Grant on the pair of Mute Swans seen trying to invade both here and at The Flash recently.
- 7JSS is a pen and was fitted with this ring in 2016 having previously been fitted with an Orange (Herefordshire?) ring. From 2019 she was paired with the cob Blue 7JNU and nested here until March 2025 when 7JNU was found dead and she was forced out by the current pairing.
- 7JXV is a cob that was abandoned as a cygnet in 2022 near Much Wenlock, raised by Cuan Wildlife Rescue and released with his six siblings later that year near Cosford. He had to be rescued again when he became grounded on the M54 in October 2023.
- These two have been seen together since May 2025, initially as part of the small influx at The Flash at that time.

Bird(s) noted flying over here:
- 4 Canada Geese: two pairs flew East separately
- 2 Greylag Geese: a pair flew West
- 2 Herring Gulls
- 10 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 7 Wood Pigeons only
- 7 Jackdaws

Counts from the lake area:
- 2 Canada Geese: a pair throughout chased on to the grass by the cob Mute Swan
- *2 + 7 (1 brood) Greylag Geese
- 2 Mute Swans
- *14 (9♂) + 18 (4 broods) Mallard: see notes
- 4 Moorhens only
- 20 Coots only again
- 4 Great Crested Grebes again
- 1 Common Sandpiper
- 1 Black-headed Gull
- 1 Lesser Black-backed Gull
- 1 Grey Heron

Hirundines etc. noted:
At one stage there must have been at least 75 hirundines over the water, mainly Sand Martins. Then with much calling they rose high in the sky and mostly departed with mostly Barn Swallows remaining.

- >50 Sand Martins
- >10 Barn Swallows
- >4 House Martins

Warblers noted (the number in brackets refers to birds singing):
- no Cetti's Warbler!
- 18 (15) Chiffchaffs
- 1 (1) Sedge Warbler
- 3 (3) Reed Warblers
- 27 (25) Blackcaps
- no Garden Warbler
- 2 (2) Lesser Whitethroats again
- 1 (1) Common Whitethroat

On the West end street lamp poles post-dawn:
Continuing chilly overnight. Also breezy
nothing!

Noted around the area later:
[numbers only given for moths and butterflies unless exceptional counts noted]

Butterflies:
none

Moths:
none

Bees, wasps, etc.:
- *Red-tailed Bumblebee Bombus lapidarius

Hoverflies:
- *Early Epistrophe Epistrophe eligans [Spring Smoothtail]
- *Tapered Dronefly Eristalis pertinax
- *Meadow Field Syrph Eupeodes latifasciatus [Broad-banded Aphideater]
- *Syrphus sp. S. ribesii / S. vitripennis

Other flies:
- *Muscid fly Phaonia errans
- *Muscid fly Phaonia subventa
- *Yellow Dung Fly Scathophaga stercoraria
- *otherwise unidentified flies.

Bugs:
- *Dock Bug Coreus marginatus

Beetles:
- *Alder Leaf Beetle Agelastica alni

The pair of Greylag Geese with their seven brand-new goslings.

A duck Mallard with three growing ducklings.

Another with a very new brood of eight...

...in close up. As far as I know it is not possible to sex the ducklings from photos.

A Red-tailed Bumblebee Bombus lapidarius. The square-looking appearance suggests this is a queen...

...getting covered in pollen.

Smaller and slimmer than the drone flies this the an Early Epistrophe hoverfly Epistrophe eligans.

A male Tapered Dronefly Eristalis pertinax

A Meadow Field Syrph hoverfly Eupeodes latifasciatus , smaller and brighter yellow than...

...this Syrphus hoverfly: A female but as her hind legs are not visible it has to remain either S. ribesii or S. vitripennis.

I can see the hind leg on this one but it is a male so that means they cannot realistically be identified from photos

This seems to be the Muscid fly Phaonia errans. It is certainly of this genus with the bulge in the wing leading edge.

And this the Muscid fly Phaonia subventa

This is a female Yellow Dung Fly Scathophaga stercoraria : not very yellow. The clue to its ID are the very hairy legs.

Otherwise it was unidentified flies. This looks to be one of the many root-maggot flies, apparently avoiding getting caught in a spider web.

A very similar-looking fly though the thorax markings are different.

Obsidentify suggests this is also one of the root-maggot flies though very different in appearance.

A pair Dock Bug Coreus marginatus ensuring the continuity of the species.

An Alder Leaf Beetle Agelastica alni complete with my shadow reflected on its back.

(Ed Wilson)

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Noted in the Priorslee Avenue tunnel:

Flies:
- 6 midges
- 2 moth flies Psychodidae sp. [Drain Fly or Owl Fly]
Where are all the moths this year? Last year I logged 50 species here!

(Ed Wilson)

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The Flash: 06:40 – 07:30

(98th visit of the year)

Bird notes:
- yesterday's Mallard ducklings not seen.

Bird(s) noted flying over here:
- 1 Herring Gull: second year?
- 1 Jackdaw

Noted on / around the water:
- 12 Canada Geese: of these a pair departed
- no Greylag Goose
- 2 Mute Swans (the pen not seen and presumed to be on the island)
- 26 (23♂) Mallard
- 10 (6♂) Tufted Duck
- 5 Moorhens yet again
- 21 Coots
- 2 Great Crested Grebes

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

Noted around the area:

Bees, wasps, etc.:
- Red-tailed Bumblebee Bombus lapidarius

Flies:
- *1 cranefly Tipula varipennis
- 1 midge

Spiders, harvestmen etc.:
- *1 money spider?

A popular roof – seven drake Mallards with a Wood Pigeon on the chimney.

More "home delivery" of food for the Long-tailed Tit nestlings.

And again. With their short, stubby bills how do they manage to grab the insects? Adults were coming and going all the while. It is known that the two parents often have "helpers" - last year's juveniles effectively learning the ropes.

On one of the street lamp poles I found this cranefly Tipula varipennis. The pointed tip to the abdomen is the female ovipositor.

I cannot get an identity for this spider. Initially I thought a money spider: I think it is too big. The markings visible are largely from the camera flash so that makes identification more difficult.

(Ed Wilson)

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2014
Priorslee Lake
3 Cranes
(Observer Unknown)

The Wrekin
3 Wood Warbler
(Damon H, Jim A, Yvonne C)

2013
Priorslee Lake
1 Cormorant
1 Dunlin
1 Common Sandpipers
1 Yellow Wagtail
1 Wheatear
3 Reed Warblers
12 Blackcaps
7 Chiffchaffs
2 Willow Warblers
(Ed Wilson)

The Flash
3 Greylag Goose
1 Richardson's / Cackling-type Canada Goose
3 Pochard
7 Tufted Duck
4 Blackcaps
2 Chiffchaffs
4 Willow Warblers
2 Swallows
1 Redpoll
(Ed Wilson)

Trench Middle Pool
3 Great Crested Grebes
28 Greylag Geese
1 Tufted Duck
1 Blackcap
3 Chiffchaffs
3 Willow Warblers
(Ed Wilson)

Trench Lock Pool
3 Great Crested Grebes
6 Tufted Duck
2 Swifts
c.5 Sand Martins
c.30 Swallows
c.40 House Martins
1 Blackcap
1 Chiffchaff
1 Willow Warbler
Sparrowhawk
(Ed Wilson)

Nedge Hill
19 Wheatear
Swallows
(Richard Camp)

Long Lane, Wellington
c10 Ringed Plover
c10 Dunlin
Spotted Redshank
(JV Reeves)

2012
Priorslee Lake
1 Swift
12 House Martin
7 Swallow
(Martin Grant)

2011
The Wrekin
3 Pied Flycatcher
1 Common Redstart
2 Marsh Tit
1 Wood Warbler
(Ed Wilson)

2008
Priorslee Lake
Swift
3 Common Sandpipers
1 Sedge Warbler
6 Reed Warblers
9 Chiffchaffs
(Ed Wilson)

East of Priorslee Lake
6 Whitethroats
2 Skylarks
1 Yellowhammer
(Ed Wilson)

2007
Priorslee Lake
4 Great Crested Grebes
7 Greylag Geese
1 Tufted Duck
3 Swallows
3 Blackcaps
1 Chiffchaff
2 Jays
28 Magpies
(Ed Wilson)

Nedge Hill
1 Ring Ouzel
(Peter Nickless)

Priorslee Flash
1 Cormorant
Swallows
34 Blackbirds
6 Willow Warbler
1 Reed Bunting
(Ed Wilson)

Lanes to the east of Priorslee Flash
5 Mallard
1 Buzzard
1 Heron
Skylarks
Blackcaps
(Ed Wilson)

2006
Priorslee Lake
5 Great Crested Grebes
1 Heron
7 Tufted Ducks
2 Ruddy Ducks
1 Kestrel
1 Common Sandpiper
6 Stock Doves
1 Swift
2 Sand Martins
2 Swallows
1 Yellow Wagtail
2 Grey Wagtails
26 Wrens
26 Blackbirds
1 Sedge Warbler
3 Reed Warblers
1 Lesser Whitethroat
7 Blackcaps
6 Chiffchaffs
2 Willow Warblers
17 Magpies
1 Raven
7 Greenfinches
5 Reed Buntings.
(Ed Wilson)