24 Aug 26

Priorslee Balancing Lake and The Flash

11.0°C > 15.0°C: A few early patches of cloud gave way to clear skies. The light north-easterly breeze increased moderate. Very good visibility though hazy early again.

Sunrise: 06:06 BST

* = 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– 06:30 // 07:40 – 09:35 again!

(190th visit of the year)

New bird species:
Another new bird species for the year here when I found a *Little Grebe lurking along the South part of the water. Species #94 for me here in 2026.

Other bird notes:
- two Canada Geese visited briefly c.08:00
- no sign of yesterday's (Common) Teal.
- two Tufted Duck today.
- I counted 82 Black-headed Gulls arriving from the south-west. None was seen on the football field again.
- many of the early Lesser Black-backed Gulls were flying straight over again. Of c.165 counted I would judge no more than 100 visited the lake.
- later just seven Lesser Black-backs and three Herring Gulls dropped in.
- *a family party of Barn Swallows was seen again, with juveniles perched.
- a Common Whitethroat called from the dense Ricoh hedge area c.09:15.

Bird(s) noted flying over here:
- no geese
- 14 Black-headed Gulls flew through
- c.65 Lesser Black-backed Gulls: see notes
- 25 Wood Pigeons
- 1 Cormorant
- 14 Jackdaws
- 45 Rooks

Counts from the lake area:
- 2 Mute Swans
- 46 (?♂) Mallard
- 2 (0♂) Tufted Duck
- 2 Moorhens only
- 59 Coot
- 1 *Little Grebe
- 18 Great Crested Grebes (adults and juveniles)
- 82 Black-headed Gulls
- 3 Herring Gulls
- c.100 Lesser Black-backed Gulls: see notes
- 1 Grey Heron

Hirundines etc. noted:
- 8 *Barn Swallows
- 1 *House Martin

Warblers noted:
- 12 Chiffchaffs: one in partial spluttering song
- 4 Blackcaps
- 1 Common Whitethroat again

Also noted:
insects scarce again

Butterflies:
- 1 *Green-veined White Pieris napi
- 2 Speckled Wood Pararge aegeria

Moths:
- 1 Common Grass-moth Agriphila tristella [was Common Grass-veneer]
- 1 *Common Marble Celypha lacunana

Bees, wasps etc.:
- Common Wasp Vespula vulgaris
- *digger wasp Ectemnius species

Hoverflies:
- Chequered Hoverfly Melanostoma scalare [Long-winged Duskyface]: just the one

Damsel / Dragon-flies:
none

True flies:
- greenbottle Lucilia sp. Mostly small individuals and possibly from a different genus
- Flesh fly Sarcophaga sp.
very few other flies seen.

Bugs:
- *instar of a Common Green Shieldbug Palomena prasina

Beetles:
none

Spiders, harvestmen etc.:
none

On the West end street lamp poles around dawn:

Moths:
- 14 Common Grass-moth Agriphila tristella [was Common Grass-veneer]
- 1 *Square-spot Rustic Xestia xanthographa

Four-winged flies:
- 2 Common Green Lacewing Chrysoperla carnea

Flies:
- 2 *male Banded Mosquito Culiseta annulata
- 1 possible Hebecnema species

Bees, wasps etc.:
- many Common Wasps Vespula vulgaris at their nest and adjacent poles

Spiders, harvestmen etc.:
- 1 *Common Candy-striped Spider Enoplognatha ovata or similar
- 1 Bridge Orb-web Spider Larinioides sclopetarius [Bridge Orbweaver]

On the walls of the sailing club HQ around dawn:

Flies:
- 1 female Banded Mosquito Culiseta annulata

Beetles:
- 1 *Harlequin Ladybird Harmonia axyridis var. succinea

Spiders:
- 1 Missing Sector Orb-web Spider Zygiella x-notata [Silver-sided Sector Spider]
now I know why I have not visited here lately!

Dawn. Hazy again. The patchy cloud soon cleared and it stayed clear until after I departed.

Record shot only. The Little Grebe, new for the year here.

Juvenile Barn Swallows were using the same Alder tree as a perch as they were yesterday.

Now two juveniles.

They are breeding! Now three juveniles.

"feed me, feed me!!"

 "As I said to him....".

More food excitement.

Another juvenile arrives so that wont; bring the food.

There is nothing like stuffing the food straight in to the baby's mouth – stomach even!

This is most odd. The top bird is a House Martin...

...as it is here with an adult and three juvenile Barn Swallows.

I have no idea why it was joining in. Two of the juveniles look puzzled.

Long-tailed Tits have been scarce recently and I wondered how they were managing with the apparent scarcity of insects as food. So I was pleased to see two different gangs this morning. Here is one from the second gang.

"Are you pointing that camera at me?"

 "Take my best side".

A juvenile Goldfinch briefly gate-crashed the swallow party. It will be late October before the red face develops.

I still have to take photos of "white" butterflies to confirm which species I am looking at. No mistaking this as a Green-veined White Pieris napi.

A not-very-good photo of a Common Marble moth Celypha lacunana. This species is double-brooded and as it is over six weeks since I last saw one I presume this is my first of that second brood.

A rufous-looking Square-spot Rustic moth Xestia xanthographa. This one shows the dark square(?) spot between the oval and the kidney mark more clearly.

On size and the arrangement of the antennae this has to be a male Banded Mosquito Culiseta annulata. Strangely until yesterday I could not recall a mosquito on the West end street lamps. Today there were another two and a third on a wall of the sailing club HQ.

This is a digger wasp from the Ectemnius group, not usually identifiable from photos – especially poor ones like this.

An instar of a Common Green Shieldbug Palomena prasina. Surprisingly it is my first example of this species at the lake this year.

A Harlequin Ladybird Harmonia axyridis of the form succinea that was also on a wall of the sailing club HQ. It is some weeks since I last saw an adult ladybird.

A Common Candy-striped Spider Enoplognatha ovata or similar.

(Ed Wilson)

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In the Priorslee Avenue tunnel:

Moths:
- 1 *Common Nettle-tap Anthophila fabriciana
- 1 Common Grass-moth Agriphila tristella [was Common Grass-veneer]

Flies:
- 3 midges
- 1 female and 2 *male Banded Mosquito Culiseta annulata
- 11 moth fly Psychodidae sp. [Drain Fly or Owl Fly]
- 1 unidentified cranefly

Arthropods:
none

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

A Common Nettle-tap moth Anthophila fabriciana looking not unlike a moth fly Psychodidae sp. in size but with the wings held more closely together.

A close-up of a male Banded Mosquito Culiseta annulata. On this shot the banding on the abdomen that gives the species the name is just about visible. Photos on he internet suggest it should also have pale patches on its legs. Hmm.

(Ed Wilson)

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The Flash: 06:35 – 07:30

(186th visit of the year)

Bird notes:
- still ten Mute Swans.
- no Tufted Duck today
- a Little Grebes was seen close to the top-end reeds.
- only one adult Great Crested Grebe was noted, apparently searching for food. There did not seem to be anyone on the nest. Perhaps that adult and juveniles were tight up against the island hidden by overhanging vegetation. I did not hear any juveniles begging.

Bird(s) noted flying over here:
- 2 Lesser Black-backed Gulls

Noted on / around the water:
- 6 Canada Geese: five of these arrived together
- no Greylag Geese
- 10 Mute Swans
- 21 (?♂) Mallard
- 7 Moorhens
- 30 Coot
- 1 Little Grebe
- 1 Great Crested Grebe: see notes
- 19 Black-headed Gulls
- no Cormorants
- 1 Grey Heron
- 1 Little Egret

Warblers noted (no song):
- 4 Chiffchaffs
- 1 Blackcap

Noted around the area:

Moths:
- 7 Common Grass-moth Agriphila tristella [was Common Grass-veneer]
- 4 Chevron Grass-moth Agriphila geniculea [was Elbow-stripe Grass-veneer]

Flies:
- 1 *moth fly Psychodidae sp. [Drain Fly or Owl Fly]

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

Spiders, harvestmen etc.:
- 1 harvestman from the species pair Dicranopalpus ramosus / D. caudatus

A Common Wasp Vespula vulgaris acting as the Neighbourhood Watch: or not – it appeared to be asleep.

A real moth fly Psychodidae sp.

(Ed Wilson)

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2012
Priorslee Lake
Yellow Wagtail
(Ed Wilson)

23 Aug 26

Priorslee Balancing Lake and The Flash

9.0°C > 15.0°C: Clear skies. A calm start with a very light and variable breeze developing. Very good visibility if hazy early.

Sunrise: 06:04 BST

* = 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– 06:30 // 07:40 – 09:35

(189th visit of the year)

New bird species:
*A new bird species for the year here was a (Common) Teal found among a group of c.50 Mallard feeding in the middle of the water. Species #93

Bird notes:
- no Tufted Duck today.
- no more than c.75 Black-headed Gulls noted today. None was seen on the football field again.
- fewer Lesser Black-backed Gulls with many flying straight over and not stopping off at the lake. Of c.250 counted I would judge no more than c.175 visited the lake.
- a very small number of Lesser Black-backs dropped in later with a few flying over. A single Herring Gulls were noted at this time.
- *unusual was a lone Racing Pigeon feeding on the dam-top.
- *a family party of Barn Swallows seen with juveniles being fed with food pass seen both in the air and with perched juveniles.
- a Common Whitethroat was alarm calling from a breeding site in the south-west area c.05:50.

Bird(s) noted flying over here:
- 5 Canada Geese: flew East in two groups: several other groups heard only – below tree-level.
- no Greylag Geese
- 1 Herring Gull
- c.80 Lesser Black-backed Gulls: see notes
- 3 Feral Pigeons
- 30 Wood Pigeons
- 22 Jackdaws
- 41 Rooks

Counts from the lake area:
- 2 Mute Swans
- 51 (?♂) *Mallard
- 1 (0♂) *(Common) Teal
- no Tufted Duck
- 5 Moorhens
- 50 Coot
- 17 Great Crested Grebes (adults and juveniles)
- c.75 Black-headed Gulls
- >175 Lesser Black-backed Gulls: see notes
- 2 Grey Herons

Hirundines etc. noted:
- 6 *Barn Swallows
- 3 House Martins

Warblers noted:
- 11 Chiffchaffs: one sang briefly again
- 6 Blackcaps
- 1 Common Whitethroat

Also noted:
Insects remain scarce

Butterflies:
- 1 *Comma Polygonia c-album

Moths:
none

Bees, wasps etc.:
- *Honey Bee Apis mellifera
- Common Wasp Vespula vulgaris

Hoverflies:
singles of each species
- *Marmalade Hoverfly Episyrphus balteatus
- *Common Dronefly Eristalis tenax

Damsel / Dragon-flies:
none

True flies:
- greenbottle Lucilia sp.
- Flesh fly Sarcophaga sp., possibly S. carnaria
very few other flies seen.

Bugs:
none

Beetles:
none

Spiders, harvestmen etc.:
- harvestman from the species pair Dicranopalpus ramosus / D. caudatus

On the West end street lamp poles around dawn:

Moths:
- 12 Common Grass-moth Agriphila tristella [was Common Grass-veneer]
- 1 Common Plume Emmelina monodactyla: same place as yesterday
- 1 *unidentified micromoth

Flies:
- 1 female Banded Mosquito Culiseta annulata

Bees, wasps etc.:
- *many Common Wasps Vespula vulgaris at their nest and adjacent poles

Spiders, harvestmen etc.:
- 1 harvestman Paroligolophus agrestis

The disturbance in the middle of the water is due to the first Lesser Black-backed Gulls bathing. A hazy sunrise.

Unusually there had been only four Mallard sitting on the south-west ramp and grass. Here was a whole gang (collective noun for Mallard?) milling about. The only way I could count them was to take a photo. 49 I reckoned but then...

...that one in the middle is smaller. Could it be a still-growing Mallard duckling? But it is a different tone – greyer and not rufous.

Zoomed in: it has an all-black bill. It is a duck (or perhaps immature) (Common) Teal. My first here this year. Checking my records is seems my first record most years is in the Autumn rather than the early part of the year.

An adult Black-headed Gull now in winter plumage. The dark hood has gone leaving just "ear-muffs" and an eye smudge. The deep red bill and legs have turned orange. This bird has yet to complete its post-breeding wing moult with the outermost primaries still regrowing.

A Racing Pigeon that won't win many races if it stops to feed en route. Here on the dam top where I almost trod on it..

Part of the ring number. I could not get a picture of the rest.

A handsome bird and as with most Racing Pigeons easy to approach. They are used to humans.

A family party of Barn Swallows was overhead. With almost no tail streamers this is likely to be a juvenile.

 I was fortunate to have two juveniles perch on an Alder tree close to me. Note the gape line.

Here searching the sky for a parent to bring food.

Food sighted!

Adult arriving.

Adult manoeuvring

Adult leaving and juvenile now has food

The other juvenile Barn Swallow.

I was trying to photograph an uncooperative Chiffchaff. Second best was a perky Blue Tit.

A Comma butterfly Polygonia c-album showing how it got its name.

This will have to remain an unidentified micromoth. Both Obsidentify and Google Lens would only suggest a family to consider – different families and both large families!

A Honey Bee Apis mellifera feasting on a Blackberry.

A Common Wasp Vespula vulgaris exploring one of the street lamp poles pre-dawn. It is not far from its nest and I am suitably careful about a close approach.

A Marmalade Hoverfly Episyrphus balteatus. The leaf edge makes it look as if the hoverfly has a long right antennae.

Another Common Dronefly Eristalis tenax.

(Ed Wilson)

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In the Priorslee Avenue tunnel:

Moths:
none

Flies:
- 1 midge
- 17 moth fly Psychodidae sp. [Drain Fly or Owl Fly]
- 1 *cranefly Tipula confusa.
- 1 *cranefly Tipula lateralis
- 1 *unidentified cranefly

Arthropods:
none

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

This cranefly, one of three in the tunnel this morning, has the well-patterned wings held in line with the body at rest. It seems to be cranefly Tipula confusa.

Another cranefly in the same genus with the wings held apart at rest showing a pale area is T. lateralis. This species has long (for a cranefly) antennae.

The third cranefly will have to remain unidentified: a small brown-toned species and there are several to choose from.

(Ed Wilson)

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The Flash: 06:35 – 07:30

(185th visit of the year)

Bird notes:
- still ten Mute Swans.
- a duck Tufted Duck was a new arrival
- no Little Grebes seen.
- the pair of adult Great Crested Grebe were at the island with one again on the nest again. The recent sub-adult was playing submarines at the top-end.

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

Noted on / around the water:
- 3 Canada Geese: of these a duo departed
- no Greylag Geese
- 10 Mute Swans
- 15 (?♂) Mallard only [there were more at the Balancing Lake today]
- 3 Moorhens only
- 34 Coot
- 3 + ? (1 brood) Great Crested Grebes
- 17 Black-headed Gulls
- no Cormorants
- 1 Grey Heron
- 1 Little Egret

Warblers noted (no song):
- 2 Chiffchaffs

Noted around the area:

Moths:
- 9 Common Grass-moth Agriphila tristella [was Common Grass-veneer]
- 3 Chevron Grass-moth Agriphila geniculea [was Elbow-stripe Grass-veneer]
- 1 ! *Yellow-barred Brindle Acasis viretata
- 1 Yellow Shell Camptogramma bilineata : same place as yesterday

Four-winged flies:
- 1 *Common Green Lacewing Chrysoperla carnea

A new species of moth for the year: a Yellow-barred Brindle Acasis viretata. It seems an oddly named species: it is not the barring that is yellow but the ground colour (though very faded on this specimen).

Neighbours on the neighbourhood watch sign near the academy. On the left a Common Grass-moth Agriphila tristella and on the right a Common Green Lacewing Chrysoperla carnea.

(Ed Wilson)

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2013

Nedge Hill
1 Redstart
(John Isherwood)

2006
Priorslee Lake
3 Common Terns
(Ed Wilson)