5 May 26

Priorslee Balancing Lake and The Flash

8.0°C > 12.0°C: Clear early. Cloud bubbled up after c.09:00 and mostly cloudy by 09:45. Moderate north-westerly breeze. Very good visibility.

Sunrise: 05:30 BST

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

Priorslee Balancing Lake: 05:15 – 06:25 // 07:30 – 09:55

(107th visit of the year)

Bird notes:
- the seven Greylag Geese goslings remain.
- a group of seven Mallard ducklings seen. These were not very new but certainly hatched since I last noted any here.
- seven drakes were still chasing one female Tufted Duck. No others seen today.
- the Great Crested Grebes were all out on the water today: it was the Coots that were hiding.
- one Common Sandpiper noted.
- no gulls seen today.
- a few changes in the warblers:
now two Sedge Warblers along the South side. One songster still beside of the path just inside the Castle Farm Way gate.
seven singing Reed Warblers one of which was singing from the scrubby area between the South side path and the M54: a strange location.
a Garden Warbler was singing from its traditional nesting area in the tallest bushes alongside the M54.
*two Common Whitethroats neither around the usual nest site. One was halfway along the South side, the other at the West end alongside the footpath.
- *in addition to five Starlings passing over the football field on food collection duty I noted five doing the same on the grass alongside the upper pool between the lake and The Flash. I cannot recall seeing any there previously.

Bird(s) noted flying over here:
- 2 Stock Doves: together
- 12 Wood Pigeons
That's all!

Counts from the lake area:
- 2 Canada Geese throughout
- 2 + 7 (1 brood) Greylag Geese throughout
- 2 Mute Swans
- *9 (8♂) + 7 (1 brood) Mallard
- 9 (8♂) Tufted Duck
- 1 Moorhen only
- 19 Coots only
- 6 Great Crested Grebes
- 1 Common Sandpiper
- 1 Grey Heron

Hirundines etc. noted:
- 6 Swifts
- 8 Barn Swallows

Warblers noted (the number in brackets refers to birds singing):
- 14 (13) Chiffchaffs
- 3 (3) Sedge Warbler again: see notes
- 8 (7) Reed Warblers: see notes
- 20 (17) Blackcaps
- *2 (2) Common Whitethroat: see notes
- 1 (1) Garden Warbler: see notes

On the West end street lamp poles post-dawn:
Disappointing again:

Flies:
- *1 probably long-legged fly Scellus notatus

Noted around the area later:

Butterflies:
- 4 Orange-tip Anthocharis cardamines: all males
- 1 Green-veined White Pieris napi
- 2 Speckled Wood Pararge aegeria

Caterpillar:
- *unidentified caterpillar – butterfly? moth? sawfly?

Bees, wasps etc.:
- *Orange-tailed Mining Bee Andrena haemorrhoa aka Early Mining Bee
- *Red Mason Bee Osmia bicornis
- *sawfly Aglaostigma fulvipes

Hoverflies:
- *Buttercup Cheilosia Cheilosia albitarsus
- Tapered Dronefly Eristalis pertinax
- *Common Spotted Field Syrph Eupeodes luniger [Lunuled Aphideater]
- Chequered Hoverfly Melanostoma scalare [Long-winged Duskyface]
- *probable Tuberculate Stripe-back Parhelophilus frutetorum
- *Humming Syrphus Syrphus ribesii [Common Flower Fly]
- Syrphus sp.

Dragon- / damsel-flies:
- *Common Blue Damselfly Enallagma cyathigerum [Common Bluet]: my earliest date for this species – one day earlier than 2025 which was my earliest.
- *Large Red Damselfly Pyrrhosoma nymphula

Other flies:
- *dagger fly Empis tessellata
- Yellow Dung Fly Scathophaga stercoraria
- *Tachinid fly Tachina fera
- *cranefly Tipula sp.
- other unidentified flies

Bugs:
- *Red-and-Black Froghopper Cercopis vulnerata

Alder Flies and allies:
- Alder Fly Sialis lutaria

Beetles:
- *Soldier beetle Cantharis nigricans: my earliest date for this species
- 7 Spot Ladybird Coccinella 7-punctata
- *unidentified leaf beetle

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

New flowers for the year
- *Yellow Flag Iris pseudacorus
- *Prickly Sow-thistle Sonchus asper
- *Bush Vetch Vicia sepium

A clear start to the day.

Mrs. Mallard with her seven ducklings.

A local Common Buzzard cruises over Teece Drive.

Not one but two poor photos of male Common Whitethroats. This one (just about recognisable) was along the South side and taking Poplar "fluff" - the dispersing seeds – probably as nest lining.

And the other one diving for cover beside the West end footpath.

One of the five Starlings collecting from the grass alongside the upper pool toward The Flash. They all seemed able to find easily the grubs they were collecting.

An unidentified caterpillar with its life hanging by a thread.

This I believe to be a female Orange-tailed Mining Bee Andrena haemorrhoa aka Early Mining Bee. The "orange-tail" gas mostly worn away as has much of the rufous hair that once covered all the thorax. I have no idea why the hind legs are so "powdery" Perhaps pollen? The photos on Steven Falk's Flickr pages do show some individuals with some fluffy rear legs but nowhere near so extensive as this one.

A head-on view of the same bee.

I have recorded more Red Mason Bees Osmia bicornis this year than previously.

This seems to be the sawfly Aglaostigma fulvipes. A new species for me.

And again, here showing more clearly the red band across the abdomen.

Obsidentify is 100% sure this a Buttercup Cheilosia Cheilosia albitarsus. The Cheilosia group is "difficult". Checking with Steven Falk's Flickr pages I am happy with this identification.

A Common Spotted Field Syrph Eupeodes luniger. The Obsidentify name of Lunuled Aphideater refers to the shape of the yellow marks and the preferred food of the larvae.

Another hoverfly from a difficult group. On date and location it is probably a Tuberculate Stripe-back Parhelophilus frutetorum. This group is unusual in that on the males (this is one) the eyes do not meet.

 A female showing the rear leg clearly and confirming she is a Humming Syrphus Syrphus ribesii.

A male Common Blue Damselfly Enallagma cyathigerum. This is my earliest date for this species – one day earlier than 2025 which had been my earliest. Many species of damselfly acquire their colour over several days after their emergence.

It has been a good year for Large Red Damselflies Pyrrhosoma nymphula.

Perhaps my best-ever photo of the dagger fly Empis tessellata.

The only creature I found on the West end street lamp poles around dawn was this probable long-legged fly Scellus notatus.

I am sure its mummy loves it! A Tachinid fly Tachina fera [of course in reality its mother is long-since dead after laying one of dozens of eggs that became a larva before it emerged as this fly]

Close up and personal with a cranefly Tipula sp. I cannot find any species illustrated on the internet with a red area around the base of the legs.

Splendid: a Red-and-Black Froghopper Cercopis vulnerata

The soldier beetle Cantharis nigricans: my earliest date for this species.

Very odd: I suppose it is one of the many leaf beetles. It looks all scrunched up.

It is that time of the year when Long-jawed Orb-web Spider Tetragnatha sp. can be seen among the vegetation hanging in their webs.

There has been a good crop of Dandelions Taraxacum sp.!

All the Yellow Flag Iris pseudacorus were along the base of the dam. I am sure I can do better in a few days when some closer flowers emerge.

I can confirm that Prickly Sow-thistle Sonchus asper of prickly.

Usual caveat: I am not a botanist but I think this is Bush Vetch Vicia sepium.

(Ed Wilson)

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Noted in the Priorslee Avenue tunnel:

Flies:
- 10 midges of several species
- *1 unidentified cranefly

Arthropods:
- 1 Common Rough Woodlouse Porcellio scaber

This looks an "easy" cranefly to ID. I am sure it is a Tipula species. The features tend toward one of the Autumn-flying species so I am confused.

(Ed Wilson)

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The Flash: 06:30 – 07:25

(104th visit of the year)

Bird notes:
- a single unringed visiting Mute Swan chased away.
- only the Great Crested Grebe on the nest platform seen
- a Long-tailed Tit party along the East side included juveniles.

Bird(s) noted flying over here:

None

Noted on / around the water:
- 19 Canada Geese
- 9 Greylag Geese: of these a trio departed
- *3 Mute Swans: see notes (the pen assumed to be present on the nest)
- 19 (17♂) Mallard
- 3 (3♂) Tufted Duck
- 3 Moorhens only
- 18 Coots
- 1 Great Crested Grebes

Hirundines etc. noted:
- 1 House Martin

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

Notes around the area:

Bees, wasps etc.:
- *1 unidentified braconid wasp

The visiting Mute Swan.

The resident cob making it quite clear visitors are not welcome.

The only insect I noted here was this unidentified braconid wasp. There are almost 1500 species of this part of the ichneumon group in the UK. Identification is a challenge!

(Ed Wilson)

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2012
Wrekin
Several Pied Flycatchers
2 male Common Redstarts
2 Wood Warbler
3 male Tree Pipits
(Glenn Bishton)

2011
Priorslee Lake
2 Common Sandpiper
(John Isherwood)

Nedge Hill
1 Wheatear
(John Isherwood)

2007
Nedge Hill
2 Wheatears
(John Isherwood)

2006
Priorslee Lake
1 drake Ruddy Duck
(Ed Wilson)

4 May 26

Priorslee Balancing Lake and The Flash

10.0°C: Overcast. Light north-easterly breeze. Good visibility.

Sunrise: 05:32 BST

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

Priorslee Balancing Lake: 05:20 – 06:35 // 07:30 – 09:10

(106th visit of the year)

New bird species:
I managed to just about squeeze a new bird species for year here for me. A VERY distant male Pheasant was heard calling above the negligible noise of Bank Holiday traffic along Castle Farm Way c.05:30. I need all the help I can get as I am at least 12 species below "normal" for this date. Bird species #83.

Other bird notes:
- as so often recently a pair of Canada Geese flew in and were chased away by the cob Mute Swan.
- *the seven Greylag Geese goslings remain. Another adult pair were present at dawn only.
- no Mallard ducklings seen.
- an unusually high count of Tufted Duck for this date with seven drakes chasing one female.
- the "missing" Great Crested Grebes (only three birds noted) may well be sitting on nests hidden in the reeds.
- a first year Lesser Black-backed Gull was on the football field c.06:15.
- small groups of Swifts, Sand Martins and Barn Swallows were sometimes low over then water, sometimes in the air and sometimes apparently absent. How many different individuals were involved is impossible to say.
- a few changes in the warblers:
the same Sedge Warbler still along the South side. Single songsters each side of the path just inside the Castle Farm Way gate must surely be passing birds: not suitable habitat I would have thought..
six singing Reed Warblers with at least one other bird, likely a female, seen.
possibly three Common Whitethroats. One was singing persistently a few yards to the East of where the usual bird sings. A short time later two birds were seen around the usual nest site.
a Garden Warbler was singing from the Ricoh copse alongside Teece Drive as I walked to The Flash. I did not hear it when I walked back an hour later.
- a Mistle Thrush was heard calling from the south-east copse.

Bird(s) noted flying over here:
- 2 Canada Geese: a pair flew East
- 2 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 2 Wood Pigeons only
That's all!

Counts from the lake area:
- 2 Canada Geese: arrived and departed
- *4 + 7 (1 brood) Greylag Geese: a pair departed
- 2 Mute Swans
- *11 (9♂) Mallard
- 15 (11♂) Tufted Duck: see notes
- 4 Moorhens
- 27 Coots
- 3 Great Crested Grebes
- 1 Grey Heron

Hirundines etc. noted:
- *>6 Swifts
- >10 Sand Martins
- *>10 Barn Swallows
- no House Martins

Warblers noted (the number in brackets refers to birds singing):
- 16 (16) Chiffchaffs
- 3 (3) Sedge Warbler: see notes
- 7 (6) Reed Warblers: see notes
- 17 (17) Blackcaps
- 3? (2?) Common Whitethroat: see notes
- 1 (1) Garden Warbler: see notes

On the West end street lamp poles post-dawn:
disappointing again:

Spiders, harvestmen etc.:
- *1 Bridge Orb-web Spider Larinioides sclopetarius [Bridge Orbweaver] (about to devour a male plumed midge)
- *1 exoskeleton from an unidentified spider.

Noted around the area later:
Chilly, overcast and cheerless: the only insect seen was....

Beetles:
- *small leaf beetle, perhaps Gastrophysa polygoni

New flowers for the year
- *Red Campion Silene dioica or Melandrium rubrum
- *Guelder-rose Viburnum opulus [aka dogberry; water elder; cramp bark; snowball tree; European cranberry bush]

The Greylag Geese with their seven goslings. They seem to have transferred their allegiance from the south-west grass to the dam-top. No doubt the sailing club disturbed them over the weekend.

A drake Mallard about to...

...go water-skiing!

Another drake Mallard displaying its mauve speculum.

Not a stunning photo but it shows a Swift with tail spread as it makes a sharp turn.

About the best I could do with the many Barn Swallows around. A male I would judge from the length of the tail-streamers.

Perhaps a female with shorter tail-streamers?

Two pairs of Barn Swallows having a dispute? No favouritism: I have pictured all of them equally just out-of-focus!

In the poor light a Dunnock with a mouthful of food for its brood. As usual the birds had more luck than I did in finding insects. But then their lives depend on it and I can go to Aldi (other food emporia are available).

The only insect I found was this small leaf beetle, perhaps Gastrophysa polygoni.

A Bridge Orb-web Spider Larinioides sclopetarius about to devour a male plumed midge.

Chomp!

An exoskeleton from an unidentified spider. As spiders grow they cast off their outer "skin" and a new more elastic "skin" below gradually hardens to a new, larger exoskeleton.

 I noted two new flowers for the year here: this is Red Campion Silene dioica or Melandrium rubrum.

And this is Guelder-rose Viburnum opulus. The outer ring comprise large sterile flowers, the inner florets will open as small fertile flowers that develop in to shiny red berries by the end of August.

(Ed Wilson)

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Noted in the Priorslee Avenue tunnel:

Flies:
- 11 midges of several species
- 1 moth fly Psychodidae sp. [Drain Fly or Owl Fly]

(Ed Wilson)

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The Flash: 06:40 – 07:25

(103rd visit of the year)

New bird species:
An addition to my bird species year list from here: at least four House Martins were over the North and East part of the area c.07:10. Species #65 this year.

Other bird notes:
- 1 hope the Long-tailed Tits have successfully fledged their young. I did not see or hear them today.
- No sight or sound of any Sedge Warbler either.

Bird(s) noted flying over here:
- 2 Greylag Geese: a pair flew past heading South
- 5 Lesser Black-backed Gulls: adults, together in a noisy group

Noted on / around the water:
- 13 Canada Geese
- 2 Greylag Geese: these departed as a pair
- 2 Mute Swans: the pen assumed to be present on the nest
- 15 (13♂) Mallard
- 1 (1♂) Tufted Duck only
- 6 Moorhens
- 20 Coots
- 2 Great Crested Grebes: one still on the nest platform

Hirundines etc. noted:
- 4 House Martins

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

Around the area:

Nothing of note

(Ed Wilson)

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2007
Priorslee Lake
1 Gadwall
(John Isherwood)

2006
Priorslee Lake
4 Ruddy Ducks
1 Common Sandpiper
(Ed Wilson)

3 May 26

No sightings in today.

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2013
Nedge Hill
7 Wheatear
2 Fieldfare
(John Isherwood)

Wrekin
2 Wood Warbler
2 Tree Pipit
Pied Flycatchers
Common Redstarts
(Jim Almond)

2012
Nedge Hill
4 Wheatear
Hobby
(Martin Grant / Arthur Harper)

2010
Nedge Hill
20 Wheatear
(John Isherwood)

2006
Priorslee Lake
2 Common Sandpipers
2 Ruddy Ducks
(Ed Wilson)

2 May 26

No sightings in today.

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2013
Wrekin
6 Tree Pipits
1 Wheatear
5 Pied Flycatchers
2 Common Redstarts
3 Wood Warblers
(Ed Wilson)

2012
Priorslee Lake
Whimbrel
Grasshopper
5 Common Sandpiper
Wheatear
(John Isherwood)

Wrekin
1 Wood Warbler
1 Common Redstart
3 Tree Pipit
2 Pied Flycatcher
(J Reeves)

2006
Priorslee Lake
3 Common Sandpipers
2 Ruddy Ducks
(Ed Wilson)

1 May 26

No sightings in today.

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2013
Priorslee Lake
3 Great Crested Grebes
6 Cormorants
3 Reed Warblers
2 Common Whitethroat
8 Blackcaps
9 Chiffchaffs
3 Willow Warblers
(Ed Wilson)

The Flash
2 Greylag Geese
1 Richardson's / Cackling-type Canada Goose
17 Tufted Duck
2 Song Thrushes
3 Blackcaps
4 Chiffchaffs
3 Willow Warblers
(Ed Wilson)

Nedge Hill
16 Wheatears
1 Lesser Whitethroat
3 Common Whitethroats
1 Blackcaps
2 Chiffchaffs
3 Fieldfare
5 Linnets
4 Yellowhammers
1 Raven
(Ed Wilson)

Long Lane, Wellington
2 Whimbrel
(JW Reeves)

2011
Priorslee Lake
2 Common Sandpiper
1 Sedge Warbler
2 Raven
(John Isherwood)

Priorslee Flash
1 Common Sandpiper
(John Isherwood)

Nedge Hill
1 Whinchat
4 Wheatear
2 Garden Warbler
(John Isherwood)

2010
Priorslee Lake
5 Reed Warbler
(John Isherwood)

Nedge Hill
1 Whinchat
1 Lesser Whitethroat
22 Wheatear
(John Isherwood)

2009
Priorslee Lake
7 Swans
3 Common Sandpipers
Sedge Warbler
Garden Warbler
9 Reed Warblers
Common Whitethroat
Lesser Whitethroat
(Ed Wilson)

Lanes to the E / SE of the lake
2 Lesser Whitethroats
3 Whitethroats
(Ed Wilson)

The Flash
8 Tufted Duck
2 Willow Warblers
1 Chiffchaff
2 Blackcaps
(Ed Wilson)

Nedge Hill
Lesser Whitethroat
Common Whitethroat
Garden Warbler
Blackcap
Chiffchaff
Willow Warbler
2 Linnets
2 Yellowhammers
5 Wheatears
4 Skylarks
2 Jays
(Ed Wilson)

The Wrekin
5+ Tree Pipit
3 Redstart
Wood Warbler
Garden Warbler
Wheatear
7 Meadow Pipits
(Ed Wilson)

2008
Priorslee Lake
13 Mute Swans
(Martin Adlam)

2007
Priorslee Lake
Whimbrel
4 Great Crested Grebes
3 Tufted Ducks
Sparrowhawk
Kestrel
1 Common Sandpiper
2 Stock Doves
2 Grey Wagtails
2 Sedge Warblers
4 Reed Warblers
Chiffchaff
Willow Warbler
Lesser Whitethroat
Jay
119 Jackdaw
3 House Sparrows
(Ed Wilson)

2006
Priorslee Lake
4 Great Crested Grebes
1 Heron
1 Tufted Duck
2 Ruddy Ducks
1 Dunlin
1 Whimbrel
5 Common Sandpipers
8 Swifts
1 Skylark
97 Sand Martins
31 Swallows
3 House Martins
2 Grey Wagtails
1 Sedge Warbler
1 Reed Warbler
2 Lesser Whitethroats
1 Garden Warbler
10 Blackcaps
6 Chiffchaffs
2 Willow Warblers
6 Greenfinches
1 Linnet
4 Reed Bunting

Lanes to the east of the Lake
3 Mallards
1 Lesser Whitethroat
5 Whitethroats
3 Jay
3 Skylarks
2 Blackcaps
2 Chiffchaffs
1 Willow Warbler
4 Greenfinches
3 Linnets
4 Bullfinches
8 Yellowhammers.
(Ed Wilson)

30 Apr 26

Priorslee Balancing Lake and The Flash

7.0°C > 14.0°C: Clear skies. Moderate easterly breeze. Very good visibility.

Sunrise: 05:40 BST

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

I will be concentrating on my aviation hobby for the next few days (weather permitting). Next report Monday?

Priorslee Balancing Lake: 05:20 – 06:30 // 07:25 – 09:45

(105th visit of the year)

Bird notes:
- a pair of Canada Geese flew in and were eventually chased away by the cob Mute Swan. Meanwhile another pair were on the football field c.06:15.
- the seven Greylag Geese goslings still doing well. Another adult pair visited, the parents chasing them away.
- two broods of Mallard ducklings: a brood of two several day old ducklings; another uncounted brood mainly hiding in the reeds.
- a Common Sandpiper present throughout.
- no gulls anywhere today.
- now at least 15 Swifts screaming overhead.
- a Skylark half-singing and half-calling over Castle Farm Way. Traffic noise prevented me from determining its direction. It is some weeks since I heard a Sky Lark without visiting Woodhouse Lane.
- a few changes in the warblers:
the same Sedge Warbler noted.
only five Reed Warblers heard.
no Lesser Whitethroats heard
the Common Whitethroat singing early only.
nothing that sounded anything like a Garden Warbler.
- a Mistle Thrush was seen flying out of the south-east copse across Castle Fame Way. Later two were seen in flight over Teece Drive. Probably two pairs nesting in the area.

Bird(s) noted flying over here:
- *1 Greylag Goose: flew West
- 2 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 4 Wood Pigeons only
- 2 Collared Doves

Counts from the lake area:
- 4 Canada Geese: see notes
- *4 + 7 (1 brood) Greylag Geese: see notes
- 2 Mute Swans
- 14 (11♂) + >24 (2 broods) Mallard: see notes
- 2 (1♂) Tufted Duck still
- 3 Moorhens only
- 22 Coots
- 6 Great Crested Grebes
- 1 Common Sandpiper
- *1 Grey Heron

Hirundines etc. noted:
- c.15 Swifts
- 3 Sand Martins
- 2 Barn Swallows
- still no House Martins

Warblers noted (the number in brackets refers to birds singing):
- 14 (14) Chiffchaffs
- 1 (1) Sedge Warbler
- 5 (5) Reed Warblers
- 23 (21) Blackcaps
- no Lesser Whitethroats
- 1 (1) Common Whitethroat

On the West end street lamp poles post-dawn:
Disappointing: nothing. It was windy but mild

Noted around the area later:

Butterflies:
- *2 Speckled Wood Pararge aegeria

Moths:
- *1 Green Long-horn Adela reaumurella

Bees, wasps etc.:
- *Tawny Mining Bee Andrena fulva
- *Chocolate Mining Bee Andrena scotica
- Red-tailed Bumblebee Bombus lapidarius
- *Red Mason Bee Osmia bicornis

Hoverflies:
- *Buttercup Cheilosia-type: either Cheilosia albitarsus or C. ranunculi.
- *Stripe-backed Fleckwing Dasysyrphus albostriatus [Stripe-backed Brusheye]
- *Early Epistrophe Epistrophe eligans [Spring Smoothtail]
- *Tapered Dronefly Eristalis pertinax
- *Tiger Hoverfly Helophilus pendulus [Tiger Marsh Fly; Sun Fly]
- Chequered Hoverfly Melanostoma scalare [Long-winged Duskyface]
- Syrphus sp.

Dragon-/damsel-flies:
- *Large Red Damselfly Pyrrhosoma nymphula

Other flies:
- *dagger fly Empis tessellata
- Greenbottle Lucilia sp.
- Yellow Dung Fly Scathophaga stercoraria
- *other unidentified flies

Bugs:
- Dock Bug Coreus marginatus

Beetles:
- 7 Spot Ladybird Coccinella 7-punctata

The most exciting I could make the clear skies.

The Greylag Geese with their seven goslings.

The only fly-over goose today was this lone Greylag.

My friend the Grey Heron was watching me carefully from among the fast-growing reeds along the front of the dam.

One of two Speckled Wood butterflies Pararge aegeria I noted.

A Green Long-horn moth Adela reaumurella. The wings are metallic-looking and only appear green with the light at the correct angle.

Tucking it to the last remaining flower on a spike of Cherry Laurel Prunus laurocerasus is a Tawny Mining Bee Andrena fulva.

This is a Chocolate Mining Bee Andrena scotica.

Here is another Red Mason Bee Osmia bicornis . It lacks the hairs on the thorax of the somewhat similar Tawny Mining Bee. April is by far the month to see mining and mason bees.

Probably a Buttercup Cheilosia-type hoverfly: either Cheilosia albitarsus or C. ranunculi. Apart from one very distinctive species all the other Cheilosia hoverfly species are essentially black and hard to identify.

A "first of the year" hoverfly for me was this Stripe-backed Fleckwing Dasysyrphus albostriatus known to Obsidentify as Stripe-backed Brusheye. The down-sloping yellow marks combined with the two lines down the thorax identify this species.

Yet another Early Epistrophe Epistrophe eligans, this a female. I do not record this species every year yet I must have seen double-figures today.

A well-posed male Tapered Dronefly Eristalis pertinax

Another "first of the year" species is this Tiger Hoverfly Helophilus pendulus known to Obsidentify as a Tiger Marsh Fly and in some internet sites as a Sun Fly.

This is a Large Red Damselfly Pyrrhosoma nymphula. Own up time: on 24 April I labelled a photo of this species as Red-eyed Damselfly Erythromma naja by mistake. This latter species has a blue abdomen and red eyes. I also noted that it was my first April record of the species. That was not true either but it was my earliest-ever date for a Large Red Damselfly.

There were several of these dagger flies Empis tessellata around today. I could not get a photo that included the "dagger" mouth-parts. The two stripes on the thorax and orange wing-bases separate this from other Empis dagger flies.

Forgive me: I am out of time and cannot delve in to the mysteries of fly identification. A number of well-marked examples I noted this morning follow. This is #1.

 #2.

 #3.

And #4.

(Ed Wilson)

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Noted in the Priorslee Avenue tunnel:

Flies:
- 8 midges of several species

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

I've not shown one of the c.100 species of moth flies Psychodidae sp. for a while. I still can't find "real" moths here this year!

(Ed Wilson)

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The Flash: 06:35 – 07:20

(104th visit of the year)

Bird notes:
Notable today was a Sedge Warbler singing again from the same spot as four of the other five records this year. It is in the sedges immediately behind the Long-tailed Tits nest which prevents any exploration. Often this species will sit out when singing but perhaps only when there are others nearby and it wishes to be seen. I saw the bird move but not well enough to tell the species. The song is distinctive so there is no question as to its identity.

Other bird notes:
- no Mallard ducklings seen.
- both Great Crested Grebes seen.
- *the Long-tailed Tits were still taking food to the nest so yesterday's Magpie did not return. At one point I noted three adults depart in quick succession.

Bird(s) noted flying over here:

None

Noted on / around the water:
- 17 Canada Geese
- no Greylag Geese
- 2 Mute Swans
- 23 (17♂) Mallard
- 9 (7♂) Tufted Duck
- 3 Moorhens
- 19 Coots again: also one well-grown juvenile
- 2 Great Crested Grebes

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

Noted around the area:
- *unidentified fly!

Traffic jam at the Long-tailed Tit nest. Two about to enter with breakfast...

...and a third waiting its turn.

And an unidentified fly here as well.

(Ed Wilson)

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

2013
Priorslee Lake
1 Common Sandpiper
2 Raven
2 Reed Warbler
(John Isherwood)

Nedge Hill
1 Whinchat
1 Yellow Wagtail
1 White Wagtail
2 Common Redstart
40 Wheatear
(John Isherwood)

Long Lane, Wellington
3 Whimbrel
(JW Reeves)

2012
Priorslee Lake
1 Lesser Whitethroat
1 Reed Warbler
(John Isherwood)

Nedge Hill
1 Common Redstart
15 Wheatear
1 Lesser Whitethroat
2 Raven
(John Isherwood)

The Wrekin
2 Pied Flycatchers
Common Redstart
(Observer Unknown)

2009
Priorslee Lake
Hobby
2 Red-legged Partridge
Lesser Whitethroat
Cormorant
5 Lapwings
6 Reed Warblers
3 Whitethroats
8 Blackcaps
5 Chiffchaffs
4 Linnet
(Ed Wilson)

2008
Priorslee Lake
17 Mute Swans
(Martin Adlam)

2007
Priorslee Lake
1 Swift
c.20 Sand Martins
1 Swallow
6 House Sparrows
2 Sparrowhawk
Buzzard
Kestrel
2 Stock Dove
2 Grey Wagtails
1 Sedge Warbler
4 Reed Warblers
Chiffchaff
126 Jackdaw
(Ed Wilson)

Nedge Hill
2 Buzzards
Swallow
Ring Ouzel
2 Common Whitethroat
1 Chiffchaff
2 Linnets
(Ed Wilson)

Priorslee Flash
3 Great Crested Grebes
Reed Bunting
(Ed Wilson)

2006
Priorslee Lake
5 Great Crested Grebes
2 Greylag Geese
6 Tufted Ducks
2 Common Sandpiper
1 Cuckoo
1 Skylark
c.10 Sand Martins
c.8 Swallows
c.20 House Martins
1 Meadow Pipit
2 Grey Wagtails
32 Wren
26 Blackbirds
2 Sedge Warblers
3 Reed Warblers
2 Lesser Whitethroats
2 Garden Warbler
10 Blackcaps
6 Chiffchaffs
1 Willow Warbler
1 Jay
11 Chaffinches
8 Greenfinches
3 Reed Buntings
(Ed Wilson)