16 Jul 26

Priorslee Balancing Lake and The Flash

13.0°C > 19.0°C: A clear start with low cloud soon arriving from the East. This started to break soon after 08:30 with good sunny spells and mostly thin high cloud. Moderate easterly breeze again. Good visibility with haze.

Sunrise: 05:06 BST

* = a species photographed today
! = a first sighting of the species this year
$ = a new species for me in this area

Priorslee Balancing Lake: 04:45– 06:00 // 07:05 – 09:55

(161st visit of the year)

Bird note:
Unexpected today was a pair a Lapwings on the south-west grass c.08:45.

Other bird notes:
- again initially six Canada Geese with ten joining them at various times. The lone adult Greylag remains.
- *a small Mallard duckling noted. Another bumper number of adults.
- as yesterday the trio of juvenile Great Crested Grebes still with their parents. However the single similar-aged juvenile seemed to be with only one of its parents.
- Black-headed Gulls were commuting between the lake and the football field. Difficult to be sure exactly how many.
- no Swifts were overhead early again. At least ten during the cloudy spell.
- two Common Whitethroats were heard calling and then seen at the West end.

Bird(s) noted flying over here:
- 3 Canada Geese: flew East together
- 6 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 96 Wood Pigeons
- 109 Jackdaws
- 31 Rooks

Counts from the lake area:
- 16 Canada Geese: see notes
- 1 Greylag Goose
- 2 Mute Swans
- *42 (?♂) + 1 (1 brood) Mallard
- 3 Moorhens
- 34 Coots only
- 5 + 4 (2 broods) Great Crested Grebes: see notes
- 2 Lapwings: arrived
- c.20 Black-headed Gulls: no juveniles noted
- *1 Herring Gull
- *3 Lesser Black-backed Gulls

Hirundines etc. noted:
- >10 Swifts
- 3 Barn Swallows
- 2 House Martins

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

Also noted:
More sun did not lead to many more insects, even butterflies were not so abundant as I expected.

Butterflies:
- 1 "white" Pieris sp.
- 1 Speckled Wood Pararge aegeria
- 4 Ringlet Aphantopus hyperantus
- 2 Meadow Brown Maniola jurtina
- >29 Gatekeeper Pyronia tithonus
- 2 Red Admiral Vanessa atalanta
- 4 Peacock Aglais io
- *2 ! Small Copper Lycaena phlaeas

Moths:
- 1 Garden Grass-moth Chrysoteuchia culmella [was Garden Grass-veneer]
so many flying away to hide.

Bees, wasps etc.:
- *Honey Bee Apis mellifera
- Common Carder Bee Bombus pascuorum
- Buff-tailed Bumblebee Bombus terrestris
- *female ichneumon, perhaps Cryptus sp.
- *smaller female ichneumon, different species
- *yet another different ichneumon

Hoverflies:
- Marmalade Hoverfly Episyrphus balteatus
- *Tapered Dronefly Eristalis pertinax
- Common Dronefly Eristalis tenax
- *Common Copperback Ferdinandea cuprea [Bronze Sap Hoverfly; Eurasian Copperback]
- Pellucid Fly Volucella pellucens [Pied Plumehorn; Great Pied Hoverfly]
- *Hornet Hoverfly Volucella zonaria [Hornet Plumehorn]

Damsel / Dragon-flies:
- Common Blue Damselfly Enallagma cyathigerum [Common Bluet]: one female
- Black-tailed Skimmer Orthetrum cancellatum
at least one other species of dragonfly seen in flight only

True flies:
more today including...
- *$ muscid fly perhaps Coenosia tigrina
- *long-legged fly Dolichopus ungulatus or similar
- greenbottle Lucilia sp.
- Awkward Clusterfly Pollenia rudis
- Flesh fly Sarcophaga sp., possibly S. carnaria
- *marsh fly Tetanocera ferruginea
other unidentified flies

Earwigs:
- *$ possible earwig nymph

Bugs:
none

Beetles:
- 7 Spot Ladybird Coccinella 7-punctata
- *Common Red Soldier Beetle Rhagonycha fulva

Mammals:
- *Brown Hare Lepus europaeus

On the West end street lamp poles around dawn:

Spiders, harvestmen etc.:
- 1 spider Clubiona sp.
- *2 Common Candy-striped Spider Enoplognatha ovata or similar
- 1 harvestman from the species pair Dicranopalpus ramosus / D. caudatus

Mrs. Mallard with her lone duckling. On size I doubt I have seen this duckling previously.

The immature Herring Gull in the water had just failed to dislodge the adult Lesser Black-backed Gull standing on the buoy.

A Common Whitethroat (with a berry). One of two that popped out of the Ricoh hedge.

New for the year today was Small Copper butterfly Lycaena phlaeas.

Obsidentify seemed to be having a bad day. It told me this Honey Bee Apis mellifera was a Common Dronefly Eristalis tenax!

Google Lens suggested this female ichneumon (with ovipositor) was from the genus Cryptus.

A smaller female ichneumon of a different species with a, proportionately, very long ovipositor. There are about 2500 species of ichneumon in the UK and very few are illustrated and many of those are difficult to separate from similar species.

Yet another different ichneumon. This a male.

"Another chance to see..." a Tapered Dronefly Eristalis pertinax with tongue extended as it gets nectar from Knapweed.

Another Common Copperback hoverfly Ferdinandea cuprea. My best year for this species.

It looks alarming but is quite harmless: a Hornet Hoverfly Volucella zonaria.

This may, or may not, be a muscid fly and perhaps Coenosia tigrina. If so this species catches its prey in flight.

This appears to be a long-legged fly but seems about two-thirds size of those I have been logging as "Dolichopus ungulatus or similar".

This was another.

"Yet another chance to see..." the marsh fly Tetanocera ferruginea.

I am not sure what this is. Google Lens came up with a plausible suggestion of an earwig nymph. I have never seen one previously.

A Common Red Soldier Beetle Rhagonycha fulva showing well against the blade of grass.

The larger of two Common Candy-striped Spiders Enoplognatha ovata (or similar) I found on different street lamp poles around dawn.

I espied this Brown Hare Lepus europaeus on the football field c.05:30. It got inside the fence and seems to have got out again: it wasn't there later.

(Ed Wilson)

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In the Priorslee Avenue tunnel:

Moths:
- *1 Common Masoner Blastobasis adustella [was Dingy Dowd]
- 1 Single-dotted Wave Idaea dimidiata
- *1 ! Dun-bar Cosmia trapezina

Flies:
- 4 midges of several species
- *3 mayfly, possibly Pond Olive Cloeon dipterum
- 7 moth fly Psychodidae sp. [Drain Fly or Owl Fly]: one a day but never in the same place on the wall
- *1 wood gnat, perhaps Sylvicola fenestralis
- 1 cranefly Tipula confusa

Bugs:
- *1 ! grass bug Stenodema calcarata or similar

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

This moth is a Common Masoner Blastobasis adustella. Another questionable result from Obsidentify that suggested Bee Moth Aphonia sociella: which it isn't.

The markings on this moth have faded away. Luckily the shape is distinctive-enough to identify it as a Dun-bar Cosmia trapezina resting with its feet on one of the tunnel lamps.

The mayflies in the tunnel are in a different location each day so are they different individuals? This certainly is as it is a male with the "turbinate" eyes and the only one I have seen on the ceiling. As far as I can tell possibly also a Pond Olive Cloeon dipterum.

This is a species of wood gnat, perhaps Sylvicola fenestralis. Only one species in this genus is easily identifiable as it lacks a dark smudge on the wing tip. I usually only record wood gnats in late Winter.

A strange place to find a grass bug. It is likely to be Stenodema calcarata or similar.

(Ed Wilson)

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The Flash: 06:05 – 07:00

(159th visit of the year)

Bird notes:
- still 18 Mute Swans though it is amazing how many times I have to count them to find all 18.
- some Canada and Greylag Geese have now departed. A group of ten was seen in the air: I was unsure whether they were leaving, arriving or just flying over.
- only nineteen of the 38 Coots were on the edge of the island. There seem to be many "missing". One pair has just hatched at least two juveniles from their third brood. I cannot recall noting a third brood previously.

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

Noted on / around the water:
- 129 Canada Geese
- 79 Greylag Geese
- 18 Mute Swans again
- 19 (?♂) Mallard
- 30 (?♂) Tufted Duck
- 5 Moorhens
- 38 Coots only: of these seven were dependent juveniles
- 1 Great Crested Grebe: again
- 4 Black-headed Gulls

Hirundines etc. noted:

None

Warblers noted (the number in brackets refers to birds singing):
- no Chiffchaffs again
- 2 (0) Blackcaps

Noted around the area:

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

Nothing else in the, at the time, cloudy conditions.

(Ed Wilson)

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2013
Priorslee Flash
Oystercatcher
(Ed Wilson)

2011
Priorslee Lake
Ruddy Duck
(Ed Wilson)

2006
Priorslee Lake
2 drake Ruddy Duck
(Ed Wilson)

15 Jul 26

Priorslee Balancing Lake and The Flash

15.0°C > 19.0°C: Overcast with signs that it was about to break as I was leaving. Moderate easterly breeze. Good visibility.

Sunrise: 05:05 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– 06:00 // 07:05 – 09:55

(160th visit of the year)

New bird species:
*An addition to my 2026 bird list for here. A very worn adult Common Gull was sitting on one of the buoys until I took a photo of it after which it flew off! Species #90.

Bird notes:
- again initially six Canada Geese with four joining them later. The lone adult Greylag remains.
- a part-grown Mallard duckling noted again. A bumper number of adults.
- one of the twelve Black-headed Gulls was a first year bird moulting in to adult winter plumage. This is not a plumage state I see very often..
- the trio of juvenile Great Crested Grebes still with their parents. The single similar-aged juvenile was also with its parents. I did not see the full-sized but still stripe-headed independent immature bird.
- no Swifts were overhead early. At least eight after 08:30.
- [yesterday's narrative of five Sand Martins overhead Teece Drive c.05:50 should have referred to House Martins – as shown in the table. Doh!].

Bird(s) noted flying over here:
- 1 Lesser Black-backed Gull
- 118 Wood Pigeons
- 21 Jackdaws
- 2 Rooks

Counts from the lake area:
- 10 Canada Geese: of these four arrived
- 1 Greylag Goose
- 2 Mute Swans
- 43 (?♂) + 1 (1 brood) Mallard
- 4 Moorhens
- 48 Coots
- 6 + 4 (2 broods) Great Crested Grebes: see notes
- 12 Black-headed Gulls: no juveniles noted
- *1 ! Common Gull
- 2 Herring Gulls
- 6 Lesser Black-backed Gulls

Hirundines etc. noted:
- >8 Swifts
- 2 House Martins

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

Also noted:
It was a struggle to find anything (except grass moths flying away) in the cloudy conditions.

Butterflies:
- 1 Green-veined White Pieris napi
- 1 Ringlet Aphantopus hyperantus
- 2 Meadow Brown Maniola jurtina
- 11 Gatekeeper Pyronia tithonus: gulp!
- 1 Painted Lady Vanessa cardui
- 1 Peacock Aglais io

Moths:
- *1 Garden Grass-moth Chrysoteuchia culmella [was Garden Grass-veneer]
- *1 Straw Grass-moth Agriphila straminella [was Straw Grass-veneer]
many others flying away to hide.

Bees, wasps etc.:
- Honey Bee Apis mellifera
- Common Carder Bee Bombus pascuorum
- Buff-tailed Bumblebee Bombus terrestris

Hoverflies:
- Marmalade Hoverfly Episyrphus balteatus
- *Tapered Dronefly Eristalis pertinax
- *Common Dronefly Eristalis tenax
- *Common Twist-tail Sphaerophoria scripta [Long Hoverfly; Common Globetail]
- Syrphus sp. S. ribesii / S. vitripennis / S. torvus
- *Pellucid Fly Volucella pellucens [Pied Plumehorn; Great Pied Hoverfly]
- Hornet Hoverfly Volucella zonaria [Hornet Plumehorn]

Damsel / Dragon-flies:
- Common Blue Damselfly Enallagma cyathigerum [Common Bluet]: one female
- Blue-tailed Damselfly Ischnura elegans [Common Bluetail]: one male

True flies:
more today including...
- *Black Snipefly Chrysopilus cristatus
- long-legged fly Dolichopus ungulatus or similar
- dagger fly Empis livida
- *$ Tachinid fly Gastrolepta anthracina
- greenbottle Lucilia sp.
- *Awkward Clusterfly Pollenia rudis
- *Flesh fly Sarcophaga sp., possibly S. carnaria
- *marsh fly Tetanocera ferruginea
a few other unidentified flies

Bugs:
none

Beetles:
none

Spiders, harvestmen etc.:
none

On the West end street lamp poles around dawn:

Nothing!

A bird species new for the year – a Common Gull. Distinctly "uncommon" in this part of Shropshire. I usually only see one or two most years. Identify by the rounded head, all-white during the breeding season, the dark eye and the weak-looking bill. On this bird many of the wing feathers look faded and abraded. The mantle (back) tone is slightly darker than Black-headed or Herring Gull but nowhere near the darker tone of Lesser Black-backed Gull.

One of the few grass moths I was able to track down after they exploded from the grass under my feet. The angled cross-line toward the wing tip identifies it as a Garden Grass-moth Chrysoteuchia culmella. This species is approaching the end of its flight period.

With no cross-line and more extensive white along the folded wing this is a Straw Grass-moth Agriphila straminella.

A Tapered Dronefly Eristalis pertinax. The photo is not quite sharp but I have included it as it shows the tongue at full stretch which it seems to be cleaning with its foreleg.

Common Dronefly E. tenax is a more robust species.

A Common Twist-tail hoverfly Sphaerophoria scripta. The alternative name of Long Hoverfly seems more apposite. I use the names on Steven Falk's Flickr gallery as the primary name.

I know it was in yesterday's blog but it is an attractive hoverfly: a Pellucid Fly Volucella pellucens.

It is nearly two weeks since I last saw a Black Snipefly Chrysopilus cristatus. This is a male.

A new(ly identified?) fly species for me. It is the Tachinid fly Gastrolepta anthracina. Another occasion when the person naming the species has had a sense of humour: "anthracite" anyone? It then has to be amended to match the gender of the genus Gastrolepta to conform to the rules of scientific nomenclature.

The, er, golden hairs on the thorax of this fly identify it as a Pollenia species. It is most likely an Awkward Clusterfly P. rudis.

Close-up and personal with a Flesh fly Sarcophaga sp., possibly S. carnaria

I believe this to be the marsh fly Tetanocera ferruginea.

This is the same species: a differing perspective on a different individual.

(Ed Wilson)

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In the Priorslee Avenue tunnel:

Moths:
- *1 Small Dusty Wave Idaea seriata

Flies:
- 3 midges of several species
- 2 mayfly, possibly Pond Olive Cloeon dipterum again
- 5 moth fly Psychodidae sp. [Drain Fly or Owl Fly]: one a day but never in the same place on the wall
- *1 ! cranefly Tipula confusa

Arthropods:
- 1 White-legged Snake Millipede Tachypodoiulus niger

Spiders, harvestmen etc.:
- 1 Missing Sector Orb-web Spider Zygiella x-notata [Silver-sided Sector Spider]
- *1 other unidentified spider
- 2 harvestman Phalangium opilio

This Small Dusty Wave moth Idaea seriata was on the wall of the tunnel.

A small cranefly with mottled wings held over the back at rest identifies it as the cranefly Tipula confusa.

Obsidentify assures me this is a Missing Sector Orb-web Spider Zygiella x-notata or, as the app calls it, a Silver-sided Sector Spider. I am not sure: it looks too big to me but I cannot offer an alternative ID.

(Ed Wilson)

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The Flash: 06:05 – 07:00

(158th visit of the year)

Bird notes:
- back to 18 Mute Swans!
- a few Canada and Greylag Geese were trying their new wings and making short flights with a very few departing.
- just one Great Crested Grebe found.
- a tight group of at least 25 presumed Racing Pigeons flew East at high speed. It was most unlikely that these were any of the local Feral Pigeons though the direction and date is puzzling for Racing Pigeons. Normally these fly "north" with training flights on Thursdays and races on Saturdays.
- one of the Black-headed Gulls was on the island with one wing raised in the air, apparently caught on fishing line.

Bird(s) noted flying over here:
- 1 Cormorant
- >25 Racing Pigeons: see notes

Noted on / around the water:
- 144 Canada Geese
- 95 Greylag Geese
- 18 Mute Swans
- *22 (?♂) Mallard
- 32 (?♂) Tufted Duck
- 6 Moorhens only
- 51 Coots only: of these five were dependent juveniles
- 1 Great Crested Grebe
- 2 Black-headed Gulls
- no Grey Heron

Hirundines etc. noted:

None

Warblers noted (the number in brackets refers to birds singing):
- no Chiffchaffs again
- 1 (1) Blackcap again

Noted around the area:

Moths:
- *2 Single-dotted Wave Idaea dimidiata

Flies:
- 1 unidentified Muscid fly.

Nothing else in the cloudy conditions.

As soon as I appeared these three Mallard appeared and walked up to me apparently be demanding to be fed. They were out of luck. I suspect the bird on the right is the mother of the other two, one to become a drake (the nearer bird with the all greenish bill) and the other to become a duck (a darker bill with the orange-brown edges).

Nasty: the immature Black-headed Gull looks to have snagged its wing on fishing line which has somehow become wrapped around the wing.

Among many strange markings on a street lamp pole at the top end I found this Single-dotted Wave moth Idaea dimidiata. There was another on a street lamp pole near the academy.

(Ed Wilson)

14 Jul 26

Priorslee Balancing Lake and The Flash

12.0°C > 19.0°C: Clear apart from a very few wispy low clouds. Light north-east breeze, increasing moderate later. Very good visibility.

Sunrise: 05:03 BST

* = a species photographed today
! = a first sighting of the species this year
$ = a new species for me in this area

Priorslee Balancing Lake: 04:45– 05:55 // 07:00 – 09:35

(159th visit of the year)

Bird notes:
- Initially six Canada Geese with another two flying in to join them. The lone adult Greylag remains.
- a part-grown Mallard duckling noted. Fewer adults though numbers hard to judge as they are now flying again and coming and going.
- ten Black-headed Gulls, all adults, were around most of the time. It was probably eight of these that visited the football field c.05:35.
- the trio of juvenile Great Crested Grebes seen again with their parents. A single similar-aged juvenile was noted with its parents. Also a full-sized but still stripe-headed independent immature bird.
- at least 25 Swifts were overhead c.05:15. Just two by 08:00 with none seen later.
- five Sand Martins were overhead Teece Drive c.05:50.
- many more Jackdaws and Rooks were seen passing over on roost dispersal. Partly due to the clear skies but also now that the sun rises later my arrival coincides with their dispersal.

Bird(s) noted flying over here:
- 1 Canada Goose: flew East
- 2 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 116 Wood Pigeons
- 141 Jackdaws
- 56 Rooks

Counts from the lake area:
- 8 Canada Geese: of these two arrived
- 1 Greylag Goose
- 2 Mute Swans
- 23 (?♂) + 1 (1 brood) Mallard
- 6 Moorhens: two of these immatures
- 36 Coots
- *5 + 5 (3 broods) Great Crested Grebes: see notes
- 10 Black-headed Gulls: no juveniles noted
- 1 Herring Gull
- 2 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- no Cormorants
- no Grey Herons

Hirundines etc. noted:
- >25 Swifts
- 5 House Martins

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

Also noted:

Butterflies:
- *1 Green-veined White Pieris napi
- 1 Speckled Wood Pararge aegeria
- 11 Meadow Brown Maniola jurtina
- 42+ Gatekeeper Pyronia tithonus: gulp!
- 4 Red Admiral Vanessa atalanta
- *1 Painted Lady Vanessa cardui
- *2 Peacock Aglais io

Moths:
- c.10 "grass moths": none stayed to be identified. Many fewer in today's sun than yesterday's cloud.

Bees, wasps etc.:
- Honey Bee Apis mellifera
- Red-tailed Bumblebee Bombus lapidarius
- *Common Carder Bee Bombus pascuorum
- Buff-tailed Bumblebee Bombus terrestris
- wasp sp.: either German Wasp Vespula germanica or Common Wasp V. vulgaris

Hoverflies:
- *Bumblebee Blacklet Cheilosia illustrata
- Common Dronefly Eristalis tenax
- *Common Copperback Ferdinandea cuprea [Bronze Sap Hoverfly; Eurasian Copperback]
- Chequered Hoverfly Melanostoma scalare [Long-winged Duskyface]
- *Tuberculate Stripe-back Parhelophilus frutetorum
- Syrphus sp. S. ribesii / S. vitripennis / S. torvus
- *Pellucid Fly Volucella pellucens [Pied Plumehorn; Great Pied Hoverfly]

Damsel / Dragon-flies:
- *Common Blue Damselfly Enallagma cyathigerum [Common Bluet]: just four males
- *Common Darter Sympetrum striolatum
two other species of dragonfly seen in flight only

Four-winged flies:
- *Common Green Lacewing Chrysoperia carnea

True flies:
very few including...
- greenbottle Lucilia sp.
a few other unidentified flies

Bugs:
- *instar of Common Green Shieldbug Palomena prasina

Beetles:
- 7 Spot Ladybird Coccinella 7-punctata
- *Rough-haired Lagria Beetle Lagria hirta
- Common Red Soldier Beetle Rhagonycha fulva : just one again

Spiders, harvestmen etc.:
none

Mammals:
- *1 dead (European) Mole Talpa europaea

On the West end street lamp poles around dawn:

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

"Where's breakfast?" The humbug Great Crested Grebe trio searching for a parent with food. By this time in their development juveniles are often seen in close company with their chosen adult. I always wonder whether they choose the same adult each day and what the sex relationship between the adult and any juvenile is. I doubt I will ever find out.

Here they are seen later playing happy sleepy families.

So where have all the "white" butterflies gone? A few days ago there were double figures and more. Today I saw just this one Green-veined White Pieris napi .

It was sunny today so it was even more unexpected to see a Painted Lady butterfly Vanessa cardui with its wings closed. The long tongue of this species has no trouble dealing with Knapweed Centaurea nigra.

It has taken me some while to realise why the "eyes" on the wings of a Peacock butterfly Aglais io look blurred in my photos. They are blurred.

A Common Carder Bee Bombus pascuorum also on Knapweed. How do they get at the nectar? Their tongue in miniscule compared with that of any butterfly?

 This is also a Common Carder Bee: presumably a worn specimen.

This hoverfly is a Bumblebee Blacklet Cheilosia illustrata.

A species of hoverfly I do not see very often: a Common Copperback Ferdinandea cuprea also known as a Bronze Sap Hoverfly or Eurasian Copperback.

So here is another photo of the same one. A distinctive species.

On date and location this hoverfly is most likely a Tuberculate Stripe-back Parhelophilus frutetorum, here deep inside a flower of Field Bindweed Convolvulus arvensis. There are several species in this genus of hoverfly that are difficult to separate.

On the left a Pellucid Fly Volucella pellucens also known as a Great Pied Hoverfly. Just about visible on the right is the orange "pile" on the thorax of another Common Carder Bee.

Here is 50% of the Common Blue Damselflies Enallagma cyathigerum I noted today – all males – are in this photo. Where were all the damselflies today?

A typical pose by a Common Darter Sympetrum striolatum. The strong sun has "blown out" the colour and markings on the abdomen and I cannot be sure whether this is an immature or an adult female.

I think, trying to hide, is a Common Green Lacewing Chrysoperia carnea even though it does not look very green. The body, largely obscured by the folded wings, does look greenish.

About to investigate one of my fingers is an early instar of a Common Green Shieldbug Palomena prasina. This year I have yet to see an adult of this usually common species.

This Rough-haired Lagria Beetle Lagria hirta was hiding under a leaf forcing me to use camera flash. At least it shows the hairy nature of this species.

The Bridge Orb-web Spider Larinioides sclopetarius choosing its breakfast from the larder. The dearth of moths on the street lamp poles here has me wondering whether the lights were working. I think the number of insects caught in the web suggests this one is.

Poor thing: a dead (European) Mole Talpa europaea I found on the path along the North side. A cat was suspiciously in the area. I cannot see any bad injury on the mole.

(Ed Wilson)

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In the Priorslee Avenue tunnel:

Moths:
- *1 Brown House-moth Hofmannophila pseudospretella

Flies:
- 6 midges of several species
- *2 mayfly, possibly Pond Olive Cloeon dipterum again
- 2 moth fly Psychodidae sp. [Drain Fly or Owl Fly]: one a day but never in the same place on the wall

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

A Brown House-moth Hofmannophila pseudospretella. This species seems to like the tunnel walls.

There were two mayflies, possibly Pond Olives Cloeon dipterum again. Something I had failed to notice yesterday was that neither had the "turbinate" eyes shown by males of many mayfly species.

Among all the Missing Sector Orb-web Spider Zygiella x-notata in the tunnel I noted this spider, clearly a male with large pedipalps. Neither of my apps gave me an identity with which I am happy. The way it is moving misled them in to thinking it is a species of crab spider which I don't believe it is.

(Ed Wilson)

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The Flash: 06:00 – 06:55

(156th visit of the year)

Bird notes:
- "only" 14 Mute Swans noted.
- many of the Greylag Geese decided to rest on the East side of the island where the Coots have recently been congregating. I did not find where many of these Coots might be lurking instead.
- single Great Crested Grebes seen at both ends of the water. Later two seen around the island. So certainly two: perhaps three.

Bird(s) noted flying over here:

None

Noted on / around the water:
- 135 Canada Geese
- 85 Greylag Geese
- 14 Mute Swans
- 24 (?♂) Mallard
- 27 (?♂) Tufted Duck again
- 3 Moorhens only
- 39 Coots only: see notes. Of these five were dependent juveniles
- 2 (or 3?) Great Crested Grebes: see notes
- 2 Black-headed Gulls
- 1 Grey Heron

Hirundines etc. noted:
- 4 House Martins, briefly

Warblers noted (the number in brackets refers to birds singing):
- no Chiffchaffs again
- 1 (1) Blackcap again

Noted around the area:

Butterflies:
- *2 Red Admiral Vanessa atalanta

Moths:
- 1 Garden Grass-moth Chrysoteuchia culmella [was Garden Grass-veneer]
- *1 Small Fan-footed Wave Idaea biselata

Nothing else!

If you look hard there are two Red Admiral butterflies Vanessa atalanta in the photo. The antennae of one can be seen toward the top left. I forgot to look at this area yesterday where this species has been sunning itself c.07:00 for several days.

This moth is another Small Fan-footed Wave Idaea biselata.

(Ed Wilson)

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2012
Priorslee Lake
Common Tern
Possible Otter
(Ed Wilson)

2011
Priorslee Lake
A female Ruddy Duck
(Ed Wilson)

2006
Priorslee Lake
A drake Ruddy Duck
(Ed Wilson)

2005
Priorslee Lake
Common/Arctic Tern
(Martin Adlam)