17 Mar 26

Priorslee Balancing Lake and The Flash

9.0°C > 12.0°C: Low cloud broke earlier than forecast to leave a pleasant Spring morning – out of the fresh southerly wind. Very good visibility.

Sunrise: 06:20 GMT

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

Priorslee Balancing Lake: 05:45 – 09:05

(61st visit of the year)

Bird notes:
- two pairs of Canada Geese throughout. Another pair arrived causing much noise.
- no Goosander seen.
- after many weeks with as many as 16 Coots grass-feeding on the dam top there were only three there this morning with many disputing the water in the south-east area instead.
- gulls today:
- 15 unidentified large gulls flew south-east at 06:00.
- 11 Lesser Black-backed Gulls (all apparently adults) flew South at 06:25. Another much later.
- 2 immature Herring Gulls flew North at 08:20.
- 5 Black-headed Gulls (two adults and three first year bird) flew West at 08:30.
- the only Cormorant of the morning went straight to work diving for food and did not appear on the boating platforms at all.
- a Great (White) Egret present much of the time. It is depressing that this large white bird can arrive and depart without me seeing it. What else do I miss?
- the Skylark singing over the fields to the East was heard again.
- no Reed Bunting seen or heard.

Bird(s) noted flying over here:
- 3 Canada Geese: a pair flew North; a single flew West
- 4 Greylag Geese: a pair flew East after circling once; a pair flew West
- 5 Black-headed Gulls
- 2 Herring Gulls
- 12 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 15 unidentified large gulls
- 21 Wood Pigeons
- 113 Jackdaws
- 17 Rooks

Counts from the lake area:
- 6 Canada Geese: of these a pair arrived
- 2 Mute Swans
- 10 (7♂) Mallard
- 21 (13♂) Tufted Duck
- no Goosander
- 7 Moorhens
- 25 Coots
- *5 Great Crested Grebes
- no gulls
- 1 Cormorant
- 1 Grey Heron
- 1 Great (White) Egret

Warblers noted (the number in brackets refers to birds singing):
- 1 (1) Cetti's Warbler
- 9 (9) Chiffchaffs

Noted on the West end street lamp poles pre-dawn:

Bugs:
- *1 probable Hawthorn Shieldbug Acanthosoma haemorrhoidale

Noted later:

Bees, wasps etc.:
- *1 Buff-tailed Bumblebee Bombus terrestris

Flowers:
- *Common Hogweed Heracleum sphondylium

My weather apps both suggested it would be late morning before the cloud broke. By 06:25, just as the sun was rising, the cloud was already starting to break.

Typical: yesterday a pair of Great Crested Grebes were displaying at some distance. Today two (a pair?) came close but were only interested in looking for (and failing to find) fish. I am not sure why one has a more chestnut flank. I am not aware of any distinction in plumage between the sexes.

It is that time of the year when the local Common Buzzards are staking out their territory.

At last some sun. A very intent-looking Dunnock.

They may be the archetypical small brown bird but in detail they do not deserve that moniker.

A Buff-tailed Bumblebee Bombus terrestris apparently admiring its shadow.

Splat!

A very awkward angle on this shieldbug. Certainly not a Red-legged Shieldbug Pentatoma rufipes as suggested by Obsidentify. Where did it get that idea from? I think it is a Hawthorn Shieldbug Acanthosoma haemorrhoidale.

The larger outer petals on this umbellifer identify it as Common Hogweed Heracleum sphondylium. It seems an unusual date to see this species. It often "hangs on" in to Winter. This Winter's snow would have flattened any they were still extant so this has to be an early example from this year.

(Ed Wilson)

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The Flash: 09:10 – 10:30

(59th visit of the year)

Bird notes:
- the single adult Great Crested Grebe was heard calling: too whom?
- the feeding station had a lone Chaffinch precariously perched.
- one Siskin at the bottom end was the only one noted today.

Bird(s) noted flying over here:
- 6 Wood Pigeons: flew very high North well beyond (my) visual range
- 2 Jackdaws

Noted on / around the water:
- 25 Canada Geese
- 3 Greylag Geese: of these a pair departed
- 2 Mute Swans
- *21 (15♂) Mallard
- 30 (19♂) Tufted Duck
- 7 Moorhens
- 27 Coots
- 1 Great Crested Grebe
- *1 Herring Gull: first year

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

Of note around the area:

Bees, wasps etc.:
- *2 mining bees, one possibly Tawny Mining Bees Andrena fulva
- 2 Buff-tailed Bumblebees Bombus terrestris
- *1 unidentified ichneumon

Flies:
- *1 clusterfly Pollenia sp.
- *very many small midges
- other unidentified flies

Beetles:
- >7 7 Spot Ladybird Coccinella 7-punctata

Molluscs:
- *a shell of a freshwater mussel, either Swan Mussel Anodonta cygnea or Duck Mussel A. anatina.

Spiders, harvestmen etc.:
- *1 probable Long-jawed orb-weaver spider Pachygnatha degeeri

A pair of likely lads dressed to impress.

I wonder whether this is the same first year Herring Gull. A second year would show a pale grey panel in the centre of the wing and a less contrasting tail-band.

From below Herring Gulls at all ages show the paler inner primaries. Also at this age a Lesser Black-backed Gull would have darker tips to the underwing feathers making the underwing look banded.

It is the time of the year when mining bees are around. I find them a real challenge to identify. The males and females look different and there are very few I feel at all confident about identifying. My best suggestion for this is Tawny Mining Bees Andrena fulva.

I am sure a different mining bee species: but which? It looks longer and proportionally more slender. It is a bee and not a hoverfly because of the long antennae.

An unidentified ichneumon but an intriguing species. Very long antennae; red eyes, orange body. With an ovipositor it has to be a female.

Among many flies that I didn't bother with was this clusterfly Pollenia sp. with the checker-board markings on its abdomen. A hand-lens and a knowledge of the identification key for the genus might have got a full identity for this one.

The currently abundant small midge: this a male. Note the slim body extending beyond the folded wings.

Is this just the female of the same species. No plumes on the antennae of course. Note the stouter and shorter body.

This looks to be a very different midge species with wide banding on the abdomen. No idea as to its identity.

I found this shell lying on the east-side grass. It is a shell of a freshwater mussel, either Swan Mussel Anodonta cygnea or Duck Mussel A. anatina. On size likely the former. I needed to have examined the shape around the hinge to have obtained confirmation. How did it get where I found it?

This looks a good match for the Long-jawed orb-weaver spider Pachygnatha degeeri. The white areas on the abdomen are real markings and not reflections of light. It would be a new species for me. I'll see whether I can get back in contact with the Shropshire spider recorder for his thoughts.

(Ed Wilson)

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2012
Priorslee Lake
3 Bramblings
2 Chiffchaffs singing
(Martin Grant)

Priorslee Flash
2 Shoveler
(John Isherwood)

Nedge Hill
1 Stonechat
3 Wheatear
(John Isherwood)

2011
Priorslee Lake
1 Wigeon
14 Pochard
25 Tufted Duck
1 Lapwing
2 Sand Martins
26 Greenfinches
23 Linnets
(Ed Wilson)

The Flash
2 Cormorants
24 Tufted Duck
1 Kestrel
1 Tree Sparrow
2 Reed Buntings
1 Chiffchaff singing
Siskins
(Ed Wilson)

2010
Priorslee Lake
2 Little Grebe
5 Great Crested Grebe
12 Swan
6 Gadwall
20 Tufted Duck
(Ed Wilson)

2009
Priorslee Lake
Mute Swan nest building
16 Tufted
(Mike Cooper)

The Flash
c.25 Tufted Duck
Chiffchaff singing
(Mike Cooper)

2007
Priorslee Lake
2 Great Crested Grebe
3 Cormorant
12 Tufted Duck
1 Ruddy Duck
2 Kestrel
2 Stock Dove
1 Green Woodpecker
31 Wren
36 Robin
6 Redwing
5 Chiffchaff
2 Willow Tit
44 Magpie
9 Greenfinch
8 Reed Bunting
(Ed Wilson)

The Flash
6 Great Crested Grebe
2 Pochard
33 Tufted Duck
1 Great Spotted Woodpecker
2 Chiffchaff singing
1 Redpoll
1 Reed Bunting
(Ed Wilson)

16 Mar 26

Priorslee Balancing Lake and The Flash

5.0°C > 9.0°C: A few early sunny intervals. Moderate south-westerly wind abated for a while before increasing as more cloud arrived. Very good visibility.

Sunrise: 06:22 GMT

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

Priorslee Balancing Lake: 05:50 – 09:00

(60th visit of the year)

Bird notes:
- two pairs of Canada Geese throughout. Just after I arrived one of geese set off to hassle the pair of Mute Swans. It did not succeed. I wondered whether it was (optically) short-sighted and mistook the swans for another pair of geese. It was certainly a short-sighted move.
- another pair of Canada Geese flew in. It was the Mute Swans that chased them away.
- *the Mute Swans also had a visiting pair(?) of visitors to chase away which they did within five minutes.
- just one Goosander was not at first light. I did not see it again.
- an adult Black-headed Gull flew through at 07:35. A first-year visited for a few minutes around 08:00.
- two adult Lesser Black-backed Gulls dropped in c.08:20, leaving separately.
- a Skylark singing over the fields to the East was heard again despite the weekday traffic noise.
- *the south-side Reed Bunting finally emerged from deep in the reeds to sing from a bush-top.

Bird(s) noted flying over here:
- 2 Canada Geese: a pair flew East
- 2 Greylag Geese: a pair flew West
- 1 Herring Gull
- 8 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- *19 Wood Pigeons
- *1 Sparrowhawk: presumed the same seen on three occasions
- 181 Jackdaws
- 3 Rooks

Counts from the lake area:
- 6 Canada Geese: see notes
- *4 Mute Swans: see notes
- 12 (8♂) Mallard
- 21 (16♂) Tufted Duck
- 1 (0♂) Goosander: departed
- 5 Moorhens
- *23 Coots
- *5 Great Crested Grebes: yet again
- 2 Black-headed Gulls
- 2 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- no Cormorant
- 2 Grey Herons

Warblers noted (the number in brackets refers to birds singing):
- 1 (1) Cetti's Warbler
- 7 (7) Chiffchaffs

Noted on the West end street lamp poles pre-dawn:

Flies:
- 1 winter cranefly Trichocera regelationis

Springtails:
- *1 springtail Tomocerus vulgaris
- 1 very small unidentified springtail

Noted later:

Bees, wasps etc.:
- *1 Honey Bee Apis mellifera

An experiment to see how landscape photos work. The best of the sunrise.

Later a weak sun through encroaching cloud.

Two visiting Mute Swans arrive toward the far end of the lake.

The resident cob is quick off the mark and on the warpath.

He soon moved them away.

Both residents had to get involved before the visitors got the hint.

Climbing away making one lap to gain height...

...before heading off the way they came.

This Wood Pigeon flew in good light in front of the camera so it would have been churlish not to have taken its photo.

Not the best of lighting conditions but a few tweaks with the photo editor provides a reasonable image of a female Sparrowhawk...

...as she dashes past. She is significantly larger than the male. He has rufous across his chest.

Yesterday I proved that Carrion Crows are not as black as they seem. Th same is true of Coots.

Two Great Crested Grebes displaying in the distance. I have not seen any do their full dance with weed as an offering so far this year.

A male Reed Bunting giving its undistinguished song. Note the shape of the lower mandible, common to all species of bunting (which includes Yellowhammer). Females have brown heads and less chestnut in the wings.

Not my best: my third Honey Bee Apis mellifera of the year.

Here is a springtail Tomocerus vulgaris sneaking up on an unidentified very small springtail.

(Ed Wilson)

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The Flash: 09:05 – 10:20

(58th visit of the year)

Bird notes:
- as yesterday I noted only one adult Great Crested Grebe: the dead body is still in the water.
- one first-year Black-headed Gull, briefly.
- no Blackcaps today: too dull and windy?
- the feeding station was devoid of attendees with a lone Chaffinch looking for non-existent spoils.
- six Siskins were in trees at the top end.

Bird(s) noted flying over here:

None

Noted on / around the water:
- 23 Canada Geese
- no Greylag Geese
- 2 Mute Swans
- 22 (16♂) Mallard
- 16 (8♂) Tufted Duck
- 8 Moorhens
- 26 Coots
- 1 Great Crested Grebe (plus the dead body)
- 1 Black-headed Gull

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

Of note around the area:

Bees, wasps etc.:
- *1 Buff-tailed Bumblebee Bombus terrestris

Flies:
- *very many small midges

Plants:
- *Wood Avens Geum urbanum [Herb Bennet]

A calling Common Buzzard from the local wooded area.

Another Buff-tailed Bumblebee Bombus terrestris and likely a queen looking for a nest site. This is a typical individual showing a thin line of colour between the (off-) white tail and the black abdomen. Workers of this species have whiter tails and are not safely separable from White-tailed Bumblebees B. lucorum. That species is not thought to occur in our area.

One of very many midges that were annoying everyone in areas sheltered from the breeze. Species unknown.

This is Wood Avens Geum urbanum also known as Herb Bennet. My records show an earliest date for this flower as 24 April. NatureSpot notes "May to September" as the flowering period. Not sure why it is so early.

(Ed Wilson)

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2013
Little Wenlock, Candles Landfill Site
1 Iceland Gull
1 Yellow-legged Gull.
(Tom Lowe)

2012
Priorslee Lake
1 Kittiwake
2 adult Little Gulls
(J Reeves / Jim Almond / Andy Latham)

2011
Priorslee Lake
13 Pochard
18 Tufted Duck
5 Great Crested Grebe
12+ Sand Martin
3 Chiffchaff
17 Pied Wagtails
23 Linnets
11 Greenfinches
(Mike Cooper, (Martin Grant, Ed Wilson)

Priorslee Flash
2 Great Crested Grebe
c.12 Tufted Duck
4 Teal
2 Chiffchaff singing
1 Kingfisher
(Ed Wilson)

Trench Lock
30 Tufted Duck
6 Sand Martins
3 Chiffchaffs
1 Willow Warbler
( Ed Wilson)

2010
Priorslee Lake
1 Little Grebe
7 Great Crested Grebe
1 Heron
6 Gadwall
19 Tufted Duck
2 Reed Buntings
( Ed Wilson)

2007
Priorslee Lake
4 Great Crested Grebe
15 Tufted Duck
1 Ruddy Duck
3 Buzzard
1 Kestrel
46 Golden Plover
4 Stock Dove
281 Wood Pigeon
27 Wren
38 Robin
21 Blackbird
1 Redwing
4 Chiffchaff singing
3 Jay
35 Magpie
159 Jackdaw
3 Reed Bunting
( Ed Wilson)

15 Mar 26

Priorslee Balancing Lake and The Flash

5.0°C > 8.0°C: Broken medium-level cloud dissipated; increasing amounts of lower cloud developing. Increasing southerly wind eventually gusting fresh. Very good visibility.

Sunrise: 06:25 GMT

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

Priorslee Balancing Lake: 05:40 – 08:30

(62nd visit of the year)

Bird notes:
- three pairs of Canada Geese flew off, all to the East this morning leaving one pair behind. These saw off a later visiting pair that was accompanied by a Greylag Goose. An earlier arriving pair of Greylags had been ignored with these soon leaving of their own volition,
- a brief visit by a single Lesser Black-backed Gull at 06:00 was the only gull on the water.
- no Great (White) Egret. Two Grey Herons seemed to be getting on OK.
- of the Jackdaws one large group almost immediately disappeared below the tree-level even from my elevated vantage point. So many more that I have noted I am sure.
- no Reed Buntings heard or seen.

Bird(s) noted flying over here:
- 1 Greylag Goose: flew West
- 2 Herring Gulls
- 2 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 30 Wood Pigeons
- >140 Jackdaws: see notes
- 43 Rooks

Counts from the lake area:
- 10 Canada Geese: see notes
- 3 Greylag Geese: see notes
- 2 Mute Swans
- *13 (9♂) Mallard
- 38 (29♂) Tufted Duck
- *4 (0♂) Goosander: again
- 7 Moorhens
- 22 Coots
- 5 Great Crested Grebes: again
- 1 Lesser Black-backed Gull
- no other gulls
- 2 Cormorant
- *2 Grey Herons
- no Great (White) Egret

Warblers noted (the number in brackets refers to birds singing):
- 1 (1) Cetti's Warbler
- 9 (9) Chiffchaffs

Noted on the West end street lamp poles pre-dawn:

Flies:
- *1 winter cranefly Trichocera sp.
- *1 male small plumed midge

Springtails:
- *1 springtail Pogonognathellus longicornis-type

Noted later:

Moths:
- *1 Shoulder Stripe Earophila badiata

I thought there would be too much cloud for a decent sunrise.

Wrong!

Spectacular for a short time.

A pleasing view with the white flowers of Blackthorn Prunus spinosa ; the red of what I believe to be Red Stem Dogwood Cornus stolonifera [there are other cultivars]; next to a clump of reeds that yesterday held a singing Reed Bunting. He was not there today.

A well-synchronised pair of Mallard.

I am still perplexed by this Goosander. I am sure a female should not show so much white in the folded wings. As far as I know a first-year drake should not still have a brown head at this date.

Here are two real brownheads.

And here are all three with the tone of the brown on the head depending on the angle of the light.

A very friendly Grey Heron. This view is straight from the camera which was not fully zoomed-in.

Doesn't look so friendly when zoomed-in and enlarged!

"I am standing up straight"

"I am sure I saw something move".

"It was there". I stood as still as the heron for at least five minutes and my arms ached holding the camera ready for action. Nothing happened. The heron eventually wandered off. So did I.

Full plumes at this time of year.

And you thought Carrion Crows were black. Some of its wing-feathers have seen better days and there are several months to go before its regular moult.

This is likely its partner. Often with this species they fly well apart.

A surprise find on the Teece Drive fence was this smart Shoulder Stripe moth Earophila badiata.

Not much on the West end street lamp poles pre-dawn. On the left a springtail Pogonognathellus longicornis-type. On the right a male small plumed midge.

A winter cranefly Trichocera sp. The only species in this group easily identifiable from photos has a dark mark in the wing. Not here.

(Ed Wilson)

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The Flash: 08:35 – 10:05

(57th visit of the year)

Bird notes:
- just as I was about to leave seven Tufted Duck flew in: probably refugees from the Balancing Lake displaced as the sailing club arrived? I was unable to sex these.
- only one adult Great Crested Grebe: the dead body still in the water.
- two Black-headed Gulls: one adult and one first-year.
- what was probably the same first year Herring Gull as yesterday was present throughout.
- two Blackcaps singing: one at the top end seemed to be passing through; the other was near the feeding station and perhaps one of those that spent the Winter in the area.
- the feeding station was devoid of attendees.
- *a Lesser Redpoll was seen along the West side. What I think was a different bird was heard flying over.
- *Siskins were in trees above the feeders and at the bottom end.

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

Noted on / around the water:
- 26 Canada Geese
- 5 Greylag Geese
- 2 Mute Swans
- 24 (19♂) Mallard
- 29 (>13♂) Tufted Duck: see notes
- 7 Moorhens only
- 29 Coots
- 1 Great Crested Grebe (plus the dead body)
- 2 Black-headed Gulls
- 1 Herring Gull: a first year.

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

Around the area:

Nothing else of note

A Long-tailed Tit looks down upon me.

Not interested.

A Lesser Redpoll. Its portrait spoilt by a shadow across its face and dirt on its all- yellow bill.

The daily Siskin photo.

(Ed Wilson)

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2013
Horsehay Pool
4 Great Crested Grebes
20 Goosander
1 Glaucous Gull
1 Yellow-legged Gull
(Paul King)