23 May 26

The Flash and Priorslee Balancing Lake

13.0°C > 18.0°C: A clear start. Clouded for a while, then scattered cloud. Light westerly breeze. Very good visibility.

Sunrise: 05:01 BST

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

A slightly delayed start with The Flash first and only one lap of the lake.

Priorslee Balancing Lake: 07:05 – 09:50

(121st visit of the year)

Bird notes:
- the seven Greylag Geese goslings present and correct.
- no Mallard ducklings seen.
- two broods of juvenile Coots seen. Numbers provisional as they were in and out of the reeds.
- one Great Crested Grebe was seen carrying a small fish, I assume to its partner on a nest hidden in the reeds
- three of the eight Reed Warblers heard were in scrub vegetation rather than in reeds,
- a Garden Warbler was heard singing from the bushes between the lake and the M54 about as far away from the paths as possible.
- juvenile Goldfinches seen being fed by parents.

Bird(s) noted flying over here:
- 2 Greylag Geese: flew East together
- 1 Lesser Black-backed Gull
- 2 Wood Pigeons
- 1 Jackdaw
That's all folks.

Counts from the lake area:
- 2 Canada Geese: of these two pairs departed
- 2 + 7 (1 brood) Greylag Geese
- 2 Mute Swans
- 16 (12♂) Mallard
- 1 Moorhen only again
- 22 + 5 (2 broods) Coots: see notes
- 3 Great Crested Grebes: see notes

Hirundines etc. noted:
- 1 Swift sped through

Warblers noted (the number in brackets refers to birds singing):
Number perhaps incomplete as I was not present for the dawn chorus
- 13 (10) Chiffchaffs
- 8 (8) Reed Warblers: see notes
- 18 (17) Blackcaps
- 1 (1) Garden Warbler

Also noted

Butterflies:
- *1 female Large White Pieris brassicae
- *2 Speckled Wood Pararge aegeria

Moths:
- *2 Common Nettle-taps Anthophila fabriciana: moth species #10 here this year for me.
- *1 Silver-ground Carpet Xanthorhoe montanata
My 2026 moth species total moves on to #23.

Bees, wasps etc.:
- Tree Bumblebee Bombus hypnorum
- Early Bumblebee Bombus pratorum

Hoverflies:
- Buttercup Blacklet Cheilosia albitarsus [Late Buttercup Cheilosia]
- Tiger Hoverfly Helophilus pendulus [Tiger Marsh Fly; Sun Fly]
- *Blotch-winged Hoverfly Leucozona lucorum [Blotch-winged Whitebelt]

Damsel / Dragon-flies:
- *Common Blue Damselfly Enallagma cyathigerum [Common Bluet]

Other flies:
- root-maggot fly Anthomyia procellaris
- dagger fly Empis tessellata
- *cranefly Limonia phragmitidis
- Scorpion Fly Panorpa sp.
- Yellow Dung Fly Scathophaga stercoraria
- other unidentified fly species

Bugs:
- none

Beetles:
- *2 Spot Ladybird Adalia bipunctata
- Alder Leaf Beetle Agelastica alni
- *Soldier beetle Cantharis pellucida
- 7 Spot Ladybird Coccinella 7-punctata
- *Green Dock Beetle Gastrophysa viridula
- *Harlequin Ladybird Harmonia axyridis var. spectabilis
- *Harlequin Ladybird Harmonia axyridis var. succinea
- False Blister Beetle Oedemera lurida or O. virescens
- *Swollen-thighed Beetle Oedemera nobilis [False Oil Beetle or Thick-legged Flower Beetle]
- *Nettle Weevil Phyllobius pomaceus

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

A female Large White Pieris brassicae . It is a female because there are four spots in the wings (just two in a male). And a Large White because the black of the wing-tip significantly extends down both edges.

A Speckled Wood butterfly Pararge aegeria

A Common Nettle-tap moth Anthophila fabriciana.

"Record shot" - just about! A Silver-ground Carpet Xanthorhoe montanata. The dark cross-line on the silvery background identifies this moth. commonly disturbed from vegetation for the next few weeks. I should get a better photo.

A Blotch-winged Hoverfly Leucozona lucorum. For a hoverfly the antennae are unusually long.

The club-shaped mark on the first obvious body segment identifies this as a male Common Blue Damselfly Enallagma cyathigerum.

And a female who may or may not become fully blue.

A different-looking cranefly. This is the cranefly Limonia phragmitidis. It is a female with the ovipositor.

A 2 Spot Ladybird Adalia bipunctata. I do not often see this species these days. It is being out-competed by the larger and alien Harlequin Ladybird Harmonia axyridis. This species has several forms sometimes with a black-based elytra and four or six spots.

Definitely a beetle morning. Here is a Soldier beetle Cantharis pellucida

On the left is a Green Dock Beetle Gastrophysa viridula. The other one would look more like an Alder Leaf Beetle Agelastica alni apart from the pale green areas. I cannot explain.

A Harlequin Ladybird of the less common spectabilis form (complete with part of a thumb-nail)

And here two Harlequin Ladybirds of the more common form succinea are mating. Mating between the forms is common but the offspring are not hybrids but true to one or other of the forms.

My first Swollen-thighed Beetle Oedemera nobilis of this year. Only the males have the swollen thighs but note how the wing cases (elytra) are held slightly open...

...as they are on the female as shown here.

A well-posed Nettle Weevil Phyllobius pomaceus . When freshly emerged they look like this. The green scaling quickly wears away.

A side-elevation view of another.

And a pair mating. As noted above the green scaling is wearing away.

A wolf spider Pardosa sp. is hardly camouflaged in the buttercup!

A Long-jawed Orb-web Spider Tetragnatha sp. sitting in its web apparently with breakfast in its mouth.

Spiders have been here! The remains of two craneflies.

(Ed Wilson)

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In the Priorslee Avenue tunnel:

Flies:
- 14 midges of several species
- 1 caddis fly
- 1 cranefly

Arthropods:
- *1 Common Shiny Woodlouse Oniscus asellus

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

The only "interesting" occupant of the tunnel was this Common Shiny Woodlouse Oniscus asellus.

(Ed Wilson)

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The Flash: 05:55 – 07:00

(119th visit of the year)

Bird notes:
- back to the five visiting Mute Swans and the presumption of the resident pen on the nest.
- only one Canada Goose goslings seen and that seemed to be smaller than any seen recently. A larger number of adults were seen than on recent days.
- just two Greylag Geese departed together,
- only two juvenile Coots seen. However the area where the two broods each of four were in an area where (pre-?) *spawning Common Carp Cyprinus carpio were thrashing about sending birds scattering.
- a single adult Great Crested Grebes seen.

Bird(s) noted flying over here:
- 2 Lesser Black-backed Gulls: adults, separately
- 1 Grey Heron

Noted on / around the water:
- 51 + 1 (1 brood) Canada Geese: of these at least eight departed as a pair and two trios
- 2 Greylag Geese: departed together
- 7 Mute Swans: assuming the pen is on the hidden nest?
- 25 (20♂) Mallard
- 3 Moorhens yet again
- 24 + 2 (1 broods) Coots: see notes
- 1 Great Crested Grebe

Hirundines etc. noted:

None

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

Notes around the area:

Moths:
- *1 Common Marble Celypha lacunana: moth species #12 for me here in 2026

Bees, wasps etc.:
- none

Flies:
- various other unidentified flies and midges

Beetles:
- none

Spiders, harvestmen etc.:
- *Stout Sac Spiders Clubiona sp.

A pair of Canada Geese with just one gosling. On size the male (gander) is leading.

Not a very good photo of a Common Marble moth Celypha lacunana sitting in full sun. I should see more.

On one of the street lamp poles I noted this Stout Sac Spider Clubiona sp. with two of its eight eyes catching eye-shine from the camera flash.

And on the adjacent street lamp poles was another, this one clearly a male.

Common Carp Cyprinus carpio thrashing about in the water and scattering the birds.

(Ed Wilson)

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2006
Priorslee Lake
Mink seen by locals
(Ed Wilson)

22 May 26

No sightings in today.

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2013
Priorslee Lake
2 Little Ringed Plover
Garden Warbler
Reed Warbler
Stock Dove
2 Lapwing
(John Isherwood)

2006
Priorslee Lake
2 Ruddy Duck
(Ed Wilson)

21 May 26

The Flash and Priorslee Balancing Lake

14.0°C > 21.0°C: A cloudy start with bright and then sunny spells developing. Moderate south-westerly breeze. Very good visibility.

[Sunrise: 05:05 BST]

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

This could become a habit. Another late start. Tomorrow will be even later – Saturday.

Priorslee Balancing Lake: 10:50 – 12:55

(120th visit of the year)

I did a full walk around today.

Bird notes:
- the seven Greylag Geese goslings present and correct.
- *the pen Mute Swan came off the nest for a while. No sign of any cygnets and she soon returned to the nest site.
- *five Mallard ducklings seen: the two well-grown and independent birds together; and a brood of three sizeable ducklings with their mother.
- despite the warmer weather I could see no juvenile Coots.
- all three usual warbler species heard but no counts taken again.
- I did not hear the Reed Bunting singing from along the South side.

Bird(s) noted flying over here:
- 1 Lesser Black-backed Gull again
- 2 Wood Pigeons
That's all folks but my heard was buried in the undergrowth much of the time.

Counts from the lake area:
- 6 Canada Geese: of these two pairs departed
- 2 + 7 (1 brood) Greylag Geese
- *2 Mute Swans
- *15 (11♂) + 5 (2 broods) Mallard
- 1 Moorhen again
- 19 Coots
- 3 Great Crested Grebes

Hirundines etc. noted:

None

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

Also noted

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

Moths:
- *1 Thistle Root-borer Epiblema cirsiana

Bees, wasps etc.:
- Tree Bumblebee Bombus hypnorum
- Red-tailed Bumblebee Bombus lapidarius
- Common Carder Bee Bombus pascuorum
- *Early Bumblebee Bombus pratorum
- *Buff-tailed Bumblebee Bombus terrestris
- sawfly of the Tenthredo arcuata / brevicornis / notha / schaefferi complex
- "black ant"

Hoverflies:
- Buttercup Blacklet Cheilosia albitarsus [Late Buttercup Cheilosia]
- *Tiger Hoverfly Helophilus pendulus [Tiger Marsh Fly; Sun Fly]
- *Chequered Hoverfly Melanostoma scalare [Long-winged Duskyface]
- Grey-spotted Boxer Platycheirus albimanus [Grey-spotted Sedgesitter or White-footed Hoverfly]

Damsel / Dragon-flies:
- *Blue-tailed Damselfly Ischnura elegans [Common Bluetail]

Other flies:
- *root-maggot fly Anthomyia procellaris
- *Common Blow Fly Calliphora vicina
- Greenbottle Lucilia sp.
- owl midge Psychodidae sp. [Drain Fly, Moth Fly or Owl Fly]
- Downlooker Snipefly Rhagio scolopaceus
- *Marsh Snipefly Rhagio tringarius
- other unidentified fly species

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

Beetles:
- Alder Leaf Beetle Agelastica alni
- *Soldier beetle Cantharis nigricans
- 7 Spot Ladybird Coccinella 7-punctata
- *Harlequin Ladybird Harmonia axyridis var. succinea
- pollen beetle Meligethes sp.
- False Blister Beetle Oedemera lurida or O. virescens
- Nettle Weevil Phyllobius pomaceus
- *14 Spot Ladybird Propylea quattuordecimpunctata

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

Both Mute Swans on the water and no cygnets in sight.

To the right are the two independent Mallard ducklings. At the back the three fast-growing ducklings with their mother.

The best I could do with this Thistle Root-borer moth Epiblema cirsiana before it flew off. The tuft of cells on the thorax are visible as are the rufous markings toward the tip of the wings.

An Early Bumblebee Bombus pratorum ticks in.

Also tucking in is a Buff-tailed Bumblebee Bombus terrestris. Hard to separate legs, antennae and tongue.

At a strange angle is this sawfly of the Tenthredo arcuata / brevicornis / notha / schaefferi complex. Is it missing a leg, or is the leg tucked under?

A Tiger Hoverfly Helophilus pendulus also known as a Tiger Marsh Fly or Sun Fly.

A Chequered Hoverfly Melanostoma scalare.

I saw my first Blue-tailed Damselflies Ischnura elegans of the year today and here is one. It is the only "blue" damselfly species that shows a coloured stigma in the wings.

One of the "bluebottles": a Common Blow Fly Calliphora vicina.

As yesterday the clear marks on the thorax identifies this as the root-maggot fly Anthomyia procellaris. It seems common at the moment.

This handsome fly is a Marsh Snipefly Rhagio tringarius

Not sure about this fly. Obsidentify was 90% sure it is one the blowflies in the genus Bellardia which I have not knowing seen before. The NatureSpot photo gallery suggests that this genus is more hairy than this, especially on the thorax. Google Lens suggested it was from the large and complex Tachinid family. Whatever its wings seem to be battered.

A Soldier beetle Cantharis nigricans

This Harlequin Ladybird Harmonia axyridis of the form succinea has lost (or never had) its spots. Identify by the extensive white on the "face".

A 14 Spot Ladybird Propylea quattuordecimpunctata. With a scientific name like that it is just as well it does not wear a name badge. I am not sure about the "14 spot" bit!

A Cucumber Green Orb Spider Araniella sp. either A. cucurbitina or A. opisthographa. This species constructs a web across the surface of a leaf and then sits upside-down ready to pounce when anything blunders in to the web.

An easy spider to identify: a Zebra Spider Salticus scenicus. This is one of the jumping spiders that ambush their prey....

...as this one has done with a midge.

(Ed Wilson)

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The Flash: 09:15 – 10:40

(118th visit of the year)

Bird notes:
- *I am confused about the Mute Swans. At one point I noted eight on the open water. I have no idea whether the resident pen was one of these. Two of them seemed to be acting as a pair and both had their wings arched as if they might be carrying cygnets on their back. One upended and would have tipped any cygnets in the water. The other gave me a clear view of an empty back.
- *two Canada Goose goslings seen: I assume the brood seen by another birdwatcher two days ago. The erstwhile brood of three not located again.
- just one Greylag Goose and that flew in.
- the same three groups of juvenile Coots seen: nine youngsters again. It was a different group that was a juvenile short today.
- no sign of any Great Crested Grebes.
- I have yet to see any Swifts here this year. I was told by one of the fishermen that they are around in the evenings.

Bird(s) noted flying over here:
- 3 Jackdaws: singles

Noted on / around the water:
- *22 + 2 (1 brood) Canada Geese
- 1 Greylag Goose: arrived
- *8 Mute Swans: was there a ninth on the nest?
- 22 (17♂) Mallard
- 3 Moorhens again
- 21 + 9 (3 broods) Coots
- no Great Crested Grebes

Hirundines etc. noted:

None

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

Notes around the area:

Moths:
- *1 Common Nettle-tap Anthophila fabriciana: moth species #10 here this year for me.
- *1 Yellow-barred Longhorn Nemophora degeerella: moth species #11 here this year for me.

Bees, wasps etc.:
- Tree Bumblebee Bombus hypnorum
- Common Carder Bee Bombus pascuorum
- Early Bumblebee Bombus pratorum

Flies:
- Greenbottle Lucilia sp.
- *Scorpion Fly Panorpa sp.
- owl midge Psychodidae sp. [Drain Fly, Moth Fly or Owl Fly]
- *phantom cranefly Ptychoptera contaminata
- *Downlooker Snipefly Rhagio scolopaceus
- various other unidentified flies and midges

Beetles:
- Alder Leaf Beetle Agelastica alni
- pollen beetles Meligethes sp.

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

These two Canada Goose goslings are clearly a week or so old.

No sign of any cygnets on the back of this Mute Swan. Its partner(?) with similarly raised wings then up-ended to feed and would have thrown any cygnets in to the water!

A Blue Tit arriving with food, cases the area....

....and dives in. There may be a dozen hungry mouths to choose. Very few of the fledglings will survive their first few days. Simple maths will tell you that if they did in a few years we would be knee-deep in Blue Tits. Sad but true.

A Common Nettle-tap moth Anthophila fabriciana. Can be tricky to find as it flits around and while it is so doing can be mistaken for an owl midge Psychodidae sp.

No mistaking this Yellow-barred Longhorn moth Nemophora degeerella.

A female Scorpion Fly Panorpa sp. She does not show the scorpion-like "sting" that is the male genitalia held proud.

This handsome insect is the phantom cranefly Ptychoptera contaminata.

Not behaving properly is a Downlooker Snipefly Rhagio scolopaceus. They do often sit on tree trunks or street lamp poles head down. I could have turned the photo up the other way...

(Ed Wilson)

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2012
Priorslee Lake
Grasshopper Warbler
(Ed Wilson)

2009
Priorslee Lake
Redshank
Common Tern
(Ed Wilson)

Nedge Hill
Cuckoo
(Ed Wilson)

2006
Priorslee Lake
1 Ruddy Duck
(Ed Wilson)