19 May 26

The Flash and Priorslee Balancing Lake

12.0°C > 15.0°C: Low overcast with light drizzle. A heavy shower c.10:15 presaged a partial clearance with a few sunny intervals with a noticeable warmer feeling. Moderate southerly breeze. Moderate visibility becoming very good.

[Sunrise: 05:07 BST]

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

A delayed start to try and avoid the early rain only partially worked. Starting at The Flash. With new birds for the year at both locations perhaps I should make later visits more often!

Priorslee Balancing Lake: 10:30 – 11:35

(118th visit of the year)

I only had time to view from the dam-top area.

Two new species for my 2026 bird list from here:
- *a drake Red-crested Pochard was in the middle of the lake. My first here since a drake spent several weeks here at the turn of the 2020 into 2021.
- *a trio of Little Egrets flew in c.11:20, staying all of five minutes.
It brings my 2026 bird species total to 86.

Other bird notes:
- *the seven Greylag Geese goslings present and correct.
- no Mallard ducklings seen. Not too surprising as I did not walk around.
- all three usual warbler species heard but no counts taken.
- after several quiet days I could hear the Reed Bunting singing from along the South side while I was standing on the dam-top.

Bird(s) noted flying over here:
- 1 Lesser Black-backed Gull
- 1 Stock Dove
- 2 Wood Pigeons again
- 5 Jackdaws

Counts from the lake area:
- *2 + 7 (1 brood) Greylag Geese
- 2 Mute Swans (assuming the pen is on the nest, hidden in the reeds)
- 18 (15♂) Mallard
- *1 (1♂) Red-crested Pochard
- 2 Moorhens
- 15 Coots again
- 2 Great Crested Grebes
- *3 Little Egrets: briefly, see notes

Hirundines etc. noted:
surprisingly the cloud and rain did not bring many to feed over the water.
- 2 Swifts: perhaps the same two appeared and reappeared several times
- no Sand Martins
- 1 Barn Swallow: flew off toward the farm area to the East
- 2 House Martins high over

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

Also noted

Flies:
- *many Grouse Wing caddis flies Mystacides longicornis dancing over the water-side vegetation.

The Greylag goslings looking good. On #3 from the left the still stubby wings are clearly visible.

An exotic-looking bird. A drake Red-crested Pochard. It is difficult to know whether this is a truly wild bird. This species breeds in the -stans of Central Asia and winters on the Indian sub-Continent. It is a proven vagrant, especially to the South and East of England. There is an introduced and free-flying breeding population in the Cotswold Water Park. It is also widely kept in wildfowl collections from where birds do escape. This one stayed firmly as far away from any of the lakesides as possible suggesting it might not be habituated to people.

The trio of Little Egrets arrive. The yellow feet that identifies this species can be seen clearly on the right hand bird.

Two of them disappearing in to what the fishermen know, with good reason, as "the smelly". All three went here and vanished from my view for about five minutes when...

...they left together. The black bill is the best identification under these lighting conditions.

Many times when I am at the Castle Farm Way end a Common Buzzard will fly out of the copse alongside the Wesley Brook as it runs toward Shifnal.

It is usually, as here, against the light so the photo-editor is called for.

With food in the bill it is reminiscent of the shape of a Carrion Crow's bill. But it is a smaller bird, has a white sclera to the eye and a grey shawl to the plumage identifying it a Jackdaw.

Grouse Wing caddis flies Mystacides longicornis dancing over the water-side vegetation.

Zoomed in on two. On the lower one the long antennae are visible. On the upper one the patterned wing can be seen.

(Ed Wilson)

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The Flash: 09:25 – 10:20

(115th visit of the year)

An additional 2026 species for me here as well:
- a Reed Warbler was intermittently singing from the small reed-bed adjacent to the parking area in Derwent Drive. Surprisingly this is an almost annual occurrence and this is a typical date for a bird to arrive, perhaps because all the better territories nearby have been claimed. Only once have I suspected this species has stayed to breed here.
My species total for here moves on to 68.

Other bird notes:
- *five visiting Mute Swans still. I confirmed that neither bird of the two apparently paired is ringed.
- *the pair of Canada Geese with three young was seen again. Another bird-watcher reported seeing another brood of two. Of the geese counted ten departed and two arrived, all as pairs.
- no Greylag Geese seen
- *three groups of juvenile Coots seen: ten youngsters. One of these groups was a different family from the three seen yesterday.
- I could not find any Great Crested Grebes.
- I have previously noted that Collared Doves are much less common here (and elsewhere) than they were a few years ago. I noted a pair mating on a roof-top in Derwent Drive today.
- there has been no Great Spotted Woodpecker drumming for some days. I saw an adult fly across the water with a beakful of either nesting material or food. Too busy on nest duties to drum?
- an odd record was a Song Thrush singing loudly either on the ground or from a very low perch. Normally this species will sing from at least ten feet up.

Bird(s) noted flying over here:

None

Noted on / around the water:
- *34 + 3 (1 brood) Canada Geese: but see notes
- no Greylag Geese
- *7 Mute Swans: (assuming the resident pen is hidden on the nest) still
- 20 (16♂) Mallard
- 5 Moorhens again
- *22 + 10 (3 broods) Coots
- no Great Crested Grebes

Hirundines etc. noted:

None

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

Notes around the area:

Spiders, harvestmen etc.:
- *1 male Long-jawed Orb-web Spider Tetragnatha sp.

Family party. Because male geese average larger than females of the same species I am assuming the male (the gander) is on the right.

No rings on this adult Mute Swan.

The other one of the pair. Although only one leg is visible had it been ringed this would either show a large plastic Darvic ring or a smaller metal ring with the BTO (British Trust for Ornithology) number.

One of four juvenile Coots from the most advanced brood here. It has lost all trace of the red red feathering on its head it had as a nestling and has the very strange lobed feet well developed.

Blue Tits are still using the nest box where I photographed birds coming and going several days ago. An adult just taking off with food for the brood having checked the coast was clear.

This is a puzzle. What I assume is a soon-to-fledge nestling looking at the outside world. But its bill looks too large. I have no idea why.

A male Long-jawed Orb-web Spider Tetragnatha sp. probably not looking for a swim.

(Ed Wilson)

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2013
Priorslee Lake
Curlew
Grasshopper Warbler
(Ed Wilson)

Wrekin
5 Tree Pipits
2 Common Redstart
2 Spotted Flycatchers
5 Pied Flycatcher
5 Wood Warblers
Tawny Owl
(Ed Wilson)

2012
Priorslee Lake
Grasshopper Warbler
(Ed Wilson)

Wrekin
21 Crossbill
4 Wood Warbler
Pied Flycatcher
Common Redstart
Tree Pipit
(Glenn Bishton)

2006
Priorslee Lake
2 Ruddy Ducks
(Ed Wilson)

18 May 26

Priorslee Balancing Lake and The Flash

7.0°C > 13.0°C: Early light rain shower: then mostly cloudy until c.08:00 when cloud started to break giving good sunny periods. Light / moderate southerly breeze, veering south-westerly. Very good visibility.

Sunrise: 05:09 BST

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

Priorslee Balancing Lake: 05:15 – 06:20 // 07:25 – 09:55

(117th visit of the year)

Bird notes:
- the seven Greylag Geese goslings present and correct.
- just the two well-grown and now independent Mallard ducklings seen.
- no Tufted Duck (here or at The Flash)
- an adult Lesser Black-backed Gull briefly on the water c.05:30. Then c.06:00 two first-year and two second-year Herring Gulls were with an adult Lesser Black-backed Gull on the football field before flying off together.
- today's warbler update:
nine singing Reed Warblers. *Two others seen: apparently not first-brood juveniles.
no Common Whitethroat seen or heard again and I think we must assume they have all gone and are not breeding here this year.
I thought I heard a brief snatch of Garden Warbler song at a traditional site. I heard no more of usually very vocal species so...?
- no Starlings were on the football field c.06:00. Three adults were seen on the roofs of houses i Teece Drive around this time.

Bird(s) noted flying over here:
- 4 Canada Geese: two pairs flew East separately
- 2 Wood Pigeons only
- 2 Jackdaws
That's all!

Counts from the lake area:
- 2 Canada Geese: arrived, staying over an hour before leaving.
- 2 + 7 (1 brood) Greylag Geese
- 2 Mute Swans (assuming the pen is on the nest, hidden in the reeds)
- 13 (12♂) + 2 (1 brood) Mallard
- no Tufted Duck
- 3 Moorhens
- 15 Coots only
- 3 Great Crested Grebes
- 4 Herring Gulls: see notes
- 2 Lesser Black-backed Gulls: see notes
- 1 Grey Heron: departed

Hirundines etc. noted:
- >20 Swifts
- no Sand Martins
- >6 Barn Swallows
- >4 House Martins

Warblers noted (the number in brackets refers to birds singing):
- 12 (12) Chiffchaffs again
- *11 (9) Reed Warblers
- 16 (16) Blackcaps
- 1? (1?) Garden Warbler: see notes

On the West end street lamp poles post-dawn:
Nothing during the rain shower

Noted around the area later:
Only partly sunny and still with a cool breeze.

Butterflies:
- none

Moths:
- none

Bees, wasps etc.:
- *Tree Bumblebee Bombus hypnorum
- *Early Bumblebee Bombus pratorum
- *Red Mason Bee Osmia bicornis
- Common Wasp Vespula vulgaris

Hoverflies:
- *Buttercup Blacklet Cheilosia albitarsus [Late Buttercup Cheilosia]
- *$ Shiny-backed Boxer Platycheirus tarsalis [Shiny-backed Sedgesitter]

Damsel / Dragon-flies:
- *Azure Damselfly Coenagrion puella [Azure Bluet]
- Common Blue Damselfly Enallagma cyathigerum [Common Bluet]
- *Large Red Damselfly Pyrrhosoma nymphula

Other flies:
- *Root-maggot fly, possibly Botanophila fugax
- *dagger fly Empis tessellata
- *Limonid cranefly, perhaps Limonia hercegovinae
- *Grouse Wing caddis fly Mystacides longicornis
- Muscid fly, perhaps Phaonia subventa
- Flesh fly Sarcophaga sp., possibly S. carnaria
- Yellow Dung Fly Scathophaga stercoraria
- *Tachinid fly Tachina fera
- other unidentified species

Bugs:
- *nymph of the Mirid bug Calocoris alpestris
- Red-and-Black Froghopper Cercopis vulnerata

Beetles:
- *Harlequin Ladybird Harmonia axyridis var. succinea

Flowers:
- *Ox-eye daisy Leucanthemum vulgare

One of two Reed Warblers that flew out of reeds and into the surrounding vegetation. Neither sang and they soon both disappeared. I managed this shot of one of them before they did showing the characteristic head-shape of this species and showing this one, at least, is not a juvenile (no gape line) as I wondered at the time.

The orange "pile" on the thorax, black body and white tail makes this a Tree Bumblebee Bombus hypnorum.

A different individual. This species seems to have very hairy legs.

Unlike yesterday's Early Bumblebee Bombus pratorum this shows a significant midriff band of buff hairs.

Against the yellow of the Dandelion it is possible to see reddish colouration on the abdomen of the Red Mason Bee Osmia bicornis.

I noted only two species of hoverfly this morning. I must have seen about a dozen of these Buttercup Blacklets Cheilosia albitarsus.

I hope I have correctly solved a puzzle here and added a new hoverfly species to my list. My initial thought was that it was a male Chequered Hoverfly Melanostoma scalare showing off its square yellow spots. But the eyes do not meet so it is a female and the female of that species has triangular spots. I believe it is a female Shiny-backed Boxer Platycheirus tarsalis. Obsidentify uses the name Shiny-backed Sedgesitter. Neither "Boxer" nor "Sedgesitter" seem to be entirely appropriate but you have to name them something if scientific names are not your bent.

The marking on the abdomen of this Azure Damselfly Coenagrion puella are obscured by the folded wings and it is the pattern of black and pale areas on the thorax that separates this species from Common Blue Damselfly Enallagma cyathigerum.

 A Large Red Damselfly Pyrrhosoma nymphula.

A close-up of the "business end".

This is certainly a Root-maggot fly. It may or may not be Botanophila fugax. There are many to choose from mostly with obvious red on some of the legs which this lacks.

Very common today was the dagger fly Empis tessellata.

I am sure this (the remains of) a Limonid cranefly. Obsidentify was certain it is Limonia hercegovinae and it appears a good match with photos on the internet. A small problem is that the distribution maps for this species do not include the UK it having a mostly Central and Southern European distribution – vide the species part of scientific binomial.

Just about the only caddis fly that is easy to identify with its well-marked wings and long, banded antennae. It is a Grouse Wing caddis fly Mystacides longicornis. There is an infrequently seen form with unmarked wings.

Lovely! The Tachinid fly Tachina fera

My best suggestion for this is the marsh fly Tetanocera ferruginea. Another species of fly where hairs fan-out from the lower leg joint. I wonder why.

This photo of a nymph of the Mirid bug Calocoris alpestris is a bit of a mess. So it is in real life.

A Harlequin Ladybird Harmonia axyridis of the most common form, succinea.

My first Ox-eye daisy Leucanthemum vulgare of the year.

(Ed Wilson)

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Noted in the Priorslee Avenue tunnel:

Flies:
- 6 midges of at least three species again
- 1 unidentified cranefly

(Ed Wilson)

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The Flash: 06:25 – 07:20

(114th visit of the year)

Bird notes:
- five visiting Mute Swans still.
- *a pair of Canada Geese with three young: how this relates to the five goslings seen Wednesday and the four seen yesterday is unclear.
- a pair of Greylag Geese without goslings departed. Possibly others inside the island?
- no Tufted Duck seen.
- three groups of juvenile Coots seen: nine youngsters.
- *one adult Great Crested Grebe spent a long while on the water and certainly was not collecting food for any young. Later two adults were seen together and neither appeared likely to be carrying juveniles on its back.

Bird(s) noted flying over here:
- 3 (2♂) Mallard: these seen coming from far to the West and flying straight over to disappear to the East.

Noted on / around the water:
- *24 + 3 (1 brood) Canada Geese: see notes
- 2 Greylag Geese: departed: see notes
- 7 Mute Swans: (assuming the resident pen is hidden on the nest) again
- *16 (11♂) Mallard only
- no Tufted Duck
- *5 Moorhens
- 21 + 9 (3 broods) Coots
- *2 Great Crested Grebes

Hirundines etc. noted:

None

Warblers noted (the number in brackets refers to birds singing):
- 3 (3) Chiffchaffs
- *4 (4) Blackcaps

Notes around the area:

Flies:
- *1 possible Flat-footed fly of the Platypezidae family
- 2 unidentified midges

Spiders, harvestmen etc.:
- *1 Cucumber Green Orb Spider Araniella sp. either A. cucurbitina or A. opisthographa

A pair of Canada Geese with three goslings. Is this the same as the brood of four yesterday and five last Wednesday?

Looking deep in to the island. A pair of Mallard on the right. A hard-to-see Moorhen dead centre. And some unspecified abandoned eggs to the left. Is one of the eggs broken?

Somewhat unusual for the date a male Blackcap was singing in the open. It was high overhead in squirrel alley.

The two Great Crested Grebes. It does not look possible that either is sheltering juveniles on the back.

A very small fly with, relatively, huge eyes. Obsidentify was 95% sure it is one of the Flat-footed flies of the Platypezidae family. There is no match with any of the species shown in NatureSpot where there is the observation that this group has the "characteristic behaviour of running around quickly on leaves, often in circles". Mine was immobile on a street lamp pole. So...?

Not a very good photo of a Cucumber Green Orb Spider Araniella sp. either A. cucurbitina or A. opisthographa. It was some 15 feet up a street lamp pole, not that a closer specimen would have been easier to specifically identify. It is all down to its genitalia.

(Ed Wilson)

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2013
Priorslee Lake
Spotted Flycatcher
Wheatear
(Ed Wilson)

2007
Priorslee Lake
Whimbrel
2 drake Ruddy Ducks
(Ed Wilson)

2006
Priorslee Lake
2 Ruddy Ducks
(Ed Wilson)

17 May 26

Priorslee Balancing Lake and The Flash

7.0°C > 11.0°C: Clear periods early then overcast at medium / high level. Moderate westerly breeze. Very good visibility.

Sunrise: 05:10 BST

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

Priorslee Balancing Lake: 05:20 – 06:25 // 07:30 – 09:25

(115th visit of the year)

Bird notes:
- *the seven Greylag Geese goslings still doing well.
- what seemed to be a trio of Mallard ducklings quickly disappeared in to the reeds.
- two adult Herring Gulls and two adult Lesser Black-backed Gulls were on the football field c.06:05. When a first year Lesser Black-back joined them they all immediately flew off.
- today's warbler update:
eight singing Reed Warbler.
no Common Whitethroat seen or heard.
- *at least 22 Starlings, mostly juveniles, were on the football field c.06:05

Bird(s) noted flying over here:
- 2 Canada Geese: a pair flew West
- 4 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 7 Wood Pigeons
- 3 Jackdaws

Counts from the lake area:
- *4 + 7 (1 brood) Greylag Geese: a pair arrived to annoy the residents
- 2 Mute Swans (assuming the pen is on the nest, hidden in the reeds)
- 12 (9♂) + 3? (1 brood) Mallard: see notes
- 6 (5♂) Tufted Duck
- 2 Moorhens only
- 19 + 2 (1 brood) Coots
- 4 Great Crested Grebes again
- 2 Herring Gulls: see notes
- 3 Lesser Black-backed Gulls: see notes
- 2 Grey Herons: neither seen later

Hirundines etc. noted:
- >30 Swifts: pair seen mating on the wing
- >2 Sand Martins
- >8 Barn Swallows
- >12 House Martins

Warblers noted (the number in brackets refers to birds singing):
- 12 (12) Chiffchaffs
- 8 (8) Reed Warblers
- 19 (17) Blackcaps
- no Common Whitethroats

On the West end street lamp poles post-dawn:

Flies:
- 4 midges

Noted around the area later:
cool and overcast conditions

Butterflies:
- none

Moths:
- none

Bees, wasps etc.:
- *Early Bumblebee Bombus pratorum
- Common Wasp Vespula vulgaris

Hoverflies:
- none

Other flies:
- *Balloon Fly Hilara maura or similar
- *Root-maggot fly, perhaps a Leucophora sp.
- *Tachinid fly Lypha dubia
- *Muscid fly, perhaps Phaonia subventa
- Flesh fly Sarcophaga sp., possibly S. carnaria
- *Yellow Dung Fly Scathophaga stercoraria
- many unidentified species

Bugs:
- Dock Bug Coreus marginatus

Beetles:
- *7 Spot Ladybird Coccinella 7-punctata

Quite an armful as the adult Greylag Goose keeps the seven goslings warm!

Juvenile Starlings in their overall brown plumage do not look much like their parents. [The fence was angled away from me – honest!]

It only seemed to be the juveniles on the fence. The adults were on the grass gathering food.

An Early Bumblebee Bombus pratorum tucks in to nectar from the flower of Ramsons [or Wild Garlic] Allium ursinum.

Tongue extended fully here.

Another at rest. This one showing a very indistinct midriff band of colour.

In a buttercup flower I noted this small fly with swelling on the front legs. It is one of the Balloon Flies Hilara maura or similar. There are several similar species. All the males in the family present prospective partners with a dead fly: the Hilara exude silk from their swollen legs and wrap the present in the silk.

This is a Root-maggot fly the banded brown abdomen suggesting one of the Leucophora species.

This brassy-looking fly is the Tachinid fly Lypha dubia.

Obsidentify was certain this is the Muscid fly Phaonia subventa. Normally I would record it as Phaonia subventa/rufiventris as I do not know how to separate the species in photographs.

A Flesh fly Sarcophaga sp., possibly S. carnaria

A male Yellow Dung Fly Scathophaga stercoraria

Another feeding from the flowers in an umbel of Cow Parsley Anthriscus sylvestris

As it turns slightly something I have never noticed before: the abdomen appears banded. It is the separation of the abdomen segments that gives this appearance. There are 11 segments, called urites, in flies though many can be much reduced and not normally visible.

One many unidentified fly species today (and every day!).

And another.

A 7 Spot Ladybird Coccinella 7-punctata demonstrates its water-repellent properties.

(Ed Wilson)

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Noted in the Priorslee Avenue tunnel:

Flies:
- 9 midges of at least three species again

(Ed Wilson)

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The Flash: 06:30 – 07:25

(112th visit of the year)

Bird notes:
- five visiting Mute Swans remain
- *a pair of Canada Geese with four young: how this relates to the five goslings seen Wednesday is unknown. Six of the adults departed as separate pairs.
- *a pair of Greylag Geese with three goslings.
- a lone drake Tufted Duck again.
- juvenile Coots heard only.
- no sign of either Great Crested Grebe and a Coot seen standing on the nest platform.

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

Noted on / around the water:
- *22 + 4 (1 brood) Canada Geese: see notes
- *2 + 3 (1 brood) Greylag Geese
- 7 Mute Swans: (assuming the resident pen is hidden on the nest): see notes
- 19 (17♂) Mallard
- 1 (1♂) Tufted Duck
- 3 Moorhens only
- 18 + ?H (2 broods) Coots
- no Great Crested Grebes

Hirundines etc. noted:

None

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

Notes around the area:

Moths:
- *1 Common Marbled Carpet Chloroclysta truncata

Flies:
- 1 wood gnat, perhaps Sylvicola fenestralis
- 1 unidentified midge

The pair of Canada Geese with four goslings.

A proud Greylag Goose parent with its trio of goslings.

A Blue Tit feeding in one of the mane Willow trees.

Not what it might seem at first glance with its black cap. The very short stubby bill provides a clue. It is a juvenile Long-tailed Tit. At this age the pattern of dark and light feathers on the head differs markedly from adult plumage.

Here is an adult...

...looking ecstatic after having a good scratch.

Yes you!

 "No publicity please".

Here is another juvenile. This one does not show a black cap. I am not sure why. Is it because the crown feathers are raised? Or perhaps just started moulting in to adult plumage earlier?

In close-up...

...again.

Close up and personal with a Dunnock.

A Common Marbled Carpet moth Chloroclysta truncata: my moth species #9 here this year

(Ed Wilson)

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2012
Priorslee Lake
Yellow Wagtail
Grasshopper Warbler
(Ed Wilson)

2007
Priorslee Lake
Wheatear
1 Ruddy Duck
(Malcolm Thompson/Ed Wilson)

2006
Priorslee Lake
Cuckoo
2 Ruddy Ducks
(Ed Wilson)