------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
On this day in ...........
2014Local area
Today's News Here
29 Jul 16
River Severn, Buildwas and Leighton
Location
08:30 this morning:
1 Redstart
1 Common Sandpiper
12 Goosander
Nothing of note at Priorslee Lake (06:15) or Devil's Dingle (07:30)
Location
08:30 this morning:
1 Redstart
1 Common Sandpiper
12 Goosander
Nothing of note at Priorslee Lake (06:15) or Devil's Dingle (07:30)
(John Isherwood)
Local area
Today's News Here
2006
Priorslee Lake
1 Common Terns
(Ed Wilson)
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
On this day in ...........
2015Local area
Today's News Here
2006
Priorslee Lake
1 Common Terns
(Ed Wilson)
28 Jul 16
No sightings in today.
Priorslee Lake
Grasshopper Warbler
(John Isherwood)
Nedge Hill
17 Mistle Thrush including several juveniles
(John Isherwood)
2006
Priorslee Lake
2 Common Terns
(Ed Wilson)
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
On this day in ...........
2012Priorslee Lake
Grasshopper Warbler
(John Isherwood)
Nedge Hill
17 Mistle Thrush including several juveniles
(John Isherwood)
2006
Priorslee Lake
2 Common Terns
(Ed Wilson)
27 Jul 16
No sightings in today.
Priorslee Lake
Redshank
(Ed Wilson)
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
On this day in ...........
2006Priorslee Lake
Redshank
(Ed Wilson)
26 Jul 16
No sightings in today.
Priorslee Lake
Willow Tit
(Ed Wilson)
2006
Priorslee Lake
Common Sandpiper
(Ed Wilson)
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
On this day in ...........
2013Priorslee Lake
Willow Tit
(Ed Wilson)
2006
Priorslee Lake
Common Sandpiper
(Ed Wilson)
25 Jul 16
No sightings in today.
Priorslee Lake
Common Sandpiper
(Ed Wilson)
2007
Priorslee Lake
Oystercatcher
Yellow-legged Gull
(Ed Wilson)
2006
Priorslee Lake
(Ed Wilson)
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
On this day in ...........
2013Priorslee Lake
Common Sandpiper
(Ed Wilson)
2007
Priorslee Lake
Oystercatcher
Yellow-legged Gull
(Ed Wilson)
2006
Priorslee Lake
(Ed Wilson)
22 Jul 16
The Flash: 06:55 – 07:20
Sunrise: 05:13 BST
16°C > 19°C. Variable amounts of cloud and some sunny spells. Calm start with very light S wind later. Very good visibility
(75th visit of the year)
Notes
- 3 Tufted Duck ducklings still around
Birds noted flying over
None
Hirundines etc. seen here today
- 8 Swifts
- House Martins heard only
Warblers seen / heard around the water: numbers in brackets are singing birds
- 1 (0) Chiffchaff
- 3 (3) Blackcaps
The counts from the water
- 2 + 1 Mute Swans
- 54 Greylag Geese
- 50 Canada Geese
- 1 all white feral-goose
- 18 (13♂) Mallard
- 22 (11♂) + 3 (1 brood) Tufted Ducks
- 1 Grey Heron
- 2 + 1 Great Crested Grebes again
- 2 Moorhens
- 20 + 5 (2 broods) Coots
- 15 Black-headed Gulls (2 juveniles)
(Ed Wilson)
Priorslee Lake: 07:25 – 09:25
(110th visit of the year)
Notes from today
- the Swan did not seem really too concerned about either the Greylag or the Canada Geese
- another new brood of Coots: both of yesterday’s new broods already lots one of their number
- 49 mainly white / very pale birds flew S in a tight group – not the usual direction for racing pigeons
- 2 Kingfishers heard and then seen chasing in flight
- family party of Goldcrests seen
- family party of Dunnocks seen
- 4 juvenile Pied Wagtails from another recent brood together
and
- the lamps today held a Riband Wave, a Yellow-tail, a Beauty sp., and a
- grass moths Pearl Veneer (Agriphila straminella); the micro moth Pale Straw Pearl (Udea lutealis); and Shaded Broad-bar moths all flushed from the grass
- Small Skipper, Large Skipper, Large White, Small White, Green-veined White, Red Admiral, Speckled Wood, Gatekeeper, Meadow Brown and Ringlet butterflies all logged. Both Large Skipper and Red Admiral were new for my Priorslee 2016 list
- the lone Ringlet butterfly was very worn and this species is likely about finished this year
- Common Blue and Blue-tailed Damselflies as usual
- Common Darter dragonfly also seen
- Black-tailed Skimmers seen: new for the year here
- two more species of hawker dragonfly seen – but they shot by too quickly to ID
- a whole slew of small flies with white wing-tips that they seemed to wave in a display as they jumped about on the margins of the water. These were Poecilobothrus nobilitatus.
Counts of birds flying over the lake (in addition to those on / around lake)
- 51 Feral Pigeons
- 1 Stock Dove
- 8 Wood Pigeons
[- no Jackdaws or Rooks]
- 1 Goldfinch
Hirundines etc. seen here today
- 3 Swifts
- 1 Swallow
- 3 House Martins
Warblers seen / heard around the lake: numbers in brackets are singing birds
- 6 (2) Chiffchaffs
- 8 (3) Blackcaps
- 4 (0) Common Whitethroat
- 5 (2) Reed Warblers
The counts from the lake area
- 2 + 1 Mute Swans
- 1 Greylag Goose
- 4 Canada Geese
- 32 (?♂) Mallard
- 9 (6♂) Tufted Ducks
- 1 juvenile Grey Heron again
- 6 + 4 (2 broods) Great Crested Grebes
- 3 + 3 (2 broods) Moorhens again
- 41 + 17 (11 broods) Coots
- 28 Black-headed Gulls (1 juvenile)
- 3 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
Amazing Poecilobothrus nobilitatus flies dancing around: at rest they have green eyes and white tips on dark ends to the wings which they wave is some type of display. This fly was one of the species in the Name a Species 2012 competition and won the lovely English name of Semaphore Fly.
Priorslee Lake
Report from today Here
Sunrise: 05:13 BST
16°C > 19°C. Variable amounts of cloud and some sunny spells. Calm start with very light S wind later. Very good visibility
(75th visit of the year)
Notes
- 3 Tufted Duck ducklings still around
Birds noted flying over
None
Hirundines etc. seen here today
- 8 Swifts
- House Martins heard only
Warblers seen / heard around the water: numbers in brackets are singing birds
- 1 (0) Chiffchaff
- 3 (3) Blackcaps
The counts from the water
- 2 + 1 Mute Swans
- 54 Greylag Geese
- 50 Canada Geese
- 1 all white feral-goose
- 18 (13♂) Mallard
- 22 (11♂) + 3 (1 brood) Tufted Ducks
- 1 Grey Heron
- 2 + 1 Great Crested Grebes again
- 2 Moorhens
- 20 + 5 (2 broods) Coots
- 15 Black-headed Gulls (2 juveniles)
The Tufted Duck family
(Ed Wilson)
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Priorslee Lake: 07:25 – 09:25
(110th visit of the year)
Notes from today
- the Swan did not seem really too concerned about either the Greylag or the Canada Geese
- another new brood of Coots: both of yesterday’s new broods already lots one of their number
- 49 mainly white / very pale birds flew S in a tight group – not the usual direction for racing pigeons
- 2 Kingfishers heard and then seen chasing in flight
- family party of Goldcrests seen
- family party of Dunnocks seen
- 4 juvenile Pied Wagtails from another recent brood together
and
- the lamps today held a Riband Wave, a Yellow-tail, a Beauty sp., and a
- grass moths Pearl Veneer (Agriphila straminella); the micro moth Pale Straw Pearl (Udea lutealis); and Shaded Broad-bar moths all flushed from the grass
- Small Skipper, Large Skipper, Large White, Small White, Green-veined White, Red Admiral, Speckled Wood, Gatekeeper, Meadow Brown and Ringlet butterflies all logged. Both Large Skipper and Red Admiral were new for my Priorslee 2016 list
- the lone Ringlet butterfly was very worn and this species is likely about finished this year
- Common Blue and Blue-tailed Damselflies as usual
- Common Darter dragonfly also seen
- Black-tailed Skimmers seen: new for the year here
- two more species of hawker dragonfly seen – but they shot by too quickly to ID
- a whole slew of small flies with white wing-tips that they seemed to wave in a display as they jumped about on the margins of the water. These were Poecilobothrus nobilitatus.
Counts of birds flying over the lake (in addition to those on / around lake)
- 51 Feral Pigeons
- 1 Stock Dove
- 8 Wood Pigeons
[- no Jackdaws or Rooks]
- 1 Goldfinch
Hirundines etc. seen here today
- 3 Swifts
- 1 Swallow
- 3 House Martins
Warblers seen / heard around the lake: numbers in brackets are singing birds
- 6 (2) Chiffchaffs
- 8 (3) Blackcaps
- 4 (0) Common Whitethroat
- 5 (2) Reed Warblers
The counts from the lake area
- 2 + 1 Mute Swans
- 1 Greylag Goose
- 4 Canada Geese
- 32 (?♂) Mallard
- 9 (6♂) Tufted Ducks
- 1 juvenile Grey Heron again
- 6 + 4 (2 broods) Great Crested Grebes
- 3 + 3 (2 broods) Moorhens again
- 41 + 17 (11 broods) Coots
- 28 Black-headed Gulls (1 juvenile)
- 3 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
A Buzzard on a lamp post along Teece Drive. Did not fly off immediately as they usually do.
An immature bird I am sure.
Ruby Tiger moth on one of the lamps
You can just about see the yellow tail on the Yellow-tail moth.
A drake Mallard mainly in eclipse plumage but with a vestige of green sheen.
A male Black-tailed Skimmer.
Gatekeeper butterfly
Common Darter dragonfly
(Ed Wilson)
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
On this day in ...........
2014Priorslee Lake
Report from today Here
2011
Priorslee Lake
1 Kingfisher
Female Ruddy Duck
(John Isherwood)
2009
Priorslee Lake
1 Kingfisher
(Ed Wilson)
2006
Priorslee Lake
A drake Ruddy Duck
(Ed Wilson)
Priorslee Lake
1 Kingfisher
Female Ruddy Duck
(John Isherwood)
2009
Priorslee Lake
1 Kingfisher
(Ed Wilson)
2006
Priorslee Lake
A drake Ruddy Duck
(Ed Wilson)
21 Jul 16
The Flash: 07:00 – 07:25
Sunrise: 05:12 BST
14°C > 18°C. Fine with areas of medium / high level cloud; some lower puffy cloud later. Light WSW wind. Very good visibility
(74th visit of the year)
Notes
- no Tufted Duck ducklings seen but they could have been the other side of the island
- the duck Tufted Duck have taken over here as well now
- one Grey Heron flew off: it, or another, flew in from a slightly different direction a few minutes later to join the two that remained
- the 16 House Martins suddenly appeared in a tight group overhead and then just as quickly disappeared: did not seem to be migrating, just flying about (but none was seen at the lake later)
Birds noted flying over
- 1 Jackdaw only
Hirundines etc. seen here today
- 2 Swifts
- 16 House Martins
Warblers seen / heard around the water: numbers in brackets are singing birds
- 1 (1) Chiffchaff
- 1 (1) Blackcap
The counts from the water
- 2 + 1 Mute Swans
- 39 Greylag Geese
- 61 Canada Geese
- 1 all white feral-goose
- 23 (19?) Mallard
- 24 (10?) Tufted Ducks
- 3, perhaps 4, Grey Herons
- 2 + 1 Great Crested Grebes
- 3 + 3 (2 broods) Moorhens
- 23 + 4 (2 broods) Coots
- 3 Black-headed Gulls
This is my first returning 1st year (and hence non-breeding) Black-headed Gull. The black tail-band and the markings on the wing tell us it is not an adult with the red on the bill and the black on the head indicating it is not a juvenile of this year. Any adult might show the rather faded black on the head as they too start their post-breeding moult. We also see that the bird is in wing moult with some of the inner primaries missing.
(Ed Wilson)
Now getting very quiet: for the first time this year no Song Thrushes were heard singing. And very few warblers either. Most song was very sporadic
Notes from today
- I initially logged 7 Tufted Duck with one clearly a well ‘tufted’ drake; but later I could only find 5 with 3 of these being drakes
- the ‘centre’ family of Great Crested Grebes was again not seen today with a single adult moving in and out of the reeds. The additional ‘pair’ present again along the S side
- three recent broods of Coots with two of these broods apparently new since Monday
- no Swifts today: last night they were swarming over Newport and I did wonder whether they were about to leave – Swifts are the first summer visitors to depart; most will have gone before August though a few will linger if they have late replacement broods
- a Grey Wagtail again heard and then seen on the one of the boat-launching platforms: a juvenile today
and
- a Riband Wave moth on one of the lamps: another in the Priorslee Avenue tunnel
- a grass moth, probably Pearl Veneer (Agriphila straminella) and the micro moth Pale Straw Pearl (Udea lutealis) flushed from the grass
- Small Skipper, Essex Skipper, Large White, Green-veined White, Speckled Wood, Meadow Brown and Gatekeeper butterflies logged. Gatekeeper new for my Priorslee 2016 list
- Common Blue and Blue-tailed Damselflies as usual
- four species of hoverfly including a new species for me: Chrysotoxum bicinctum (very few hoverflies have venacular names)
Counts of birds flying over the lake (in addition to those on / around lake)
- 9 Lesser Black-backed Gulls (4 groups)
- 18 Wood Pigeons
- 14 Jackdaws
[- no Rooks]
- 3 Pied Wagtails
- 1 Greenfinch
- 2 Goldfinches
Hirundines etc. seen here today
- 1 Swallow only
Warblers seen / heard around the lake: numbers in brackets are singing birds
- 5 (3) Chiffchaffs
- 3 (2) Blackcaps
- 3 (0) Common Whitethroat
- 4 (0) Reed Warblers
The counts from the lake area
- 2 + 1 Mute Swans
- 27 (??) Mallard
- 5 (3?) Tufted Ducks
- 1 juvenile Grey Heron
- 7 + 4 (2 broods) Great Crested Grebes
- 4 + 3 (3 broods) Moorhens again
- 40 + 13 (10 broods) Coots
- 17 Black-headed Gulls (2 juveniles)
This juvenile Black-headed Gull was rather distant but conveniently losing its balance on the buoy as it tried to preen and gave occasional views of its very distinctive wing-patterning. Much of this patterning is soon lost as it starts to moult from juvenile to first-winter plumage.
Another, but very different-looking, juvenile Black-headed Gull. The brown tones on the body mean it cannot be a first-summer bird even though the wings and tail are hardly juvenile-like. This looks like an early-to-fledge bird well advanced in its moult to first-winter plumage.
But this view shows how the angle can be important. Here we see more of the mantle on the same bird: there is now no doubt that it is a juvenile.
Now THESE are ugly ducklings Mr. Andersen! The latest brood of Coots on what must be almost their first outing.
Today’s Grey Wagtail, not in the best light, but good-enough to see it lacks any colour on the breast and is therefore a juvenile.
I have recently shown the underwing of Green-veined White butterfly: here we see some of the upperwing.
And here is all the upperwing. It is the female of this species that shows this strength and extent of the dark markings.
... whereas this was on one of the lamps. Note this specimen is of the ‘ribboned’ form which has the dark grey cross band. In our area this form is less frequent than form shown from the tunnel – the further south in the UK you are the more likely it is for the ‘ribboned’ form to occur. Note the lurking harvestman – and the small midge which seems to be using the moth as cover.
This grass moth looks typically ‘surprised’. This specimen is rather too worn to get a positive ID but is most likely ‘just’ Agriphila straminella (Pearl Veneer).
A blue-form female of Blue-tailed Damselfly. The pterostigma (the mark toward the tip of the folded wing) of this species is always bi-coloured.
This is an intriguing insect. It was only behaving a bit like a hoverfly, making short forays and then returning to the same leaf to rest. The length of the antenna suggested it is not a hoverfly. However these features indicate the rather atypical hoverfly Chrysotoxum bicinctum which can nevertheless be quite common in grassy areas. A new species for me.
A splendidly symmetrical flower head of Goat's-beard or Jack-go-to-bed-at-noon (Tragopogon sp.) - as it needs to be to make that wonderful and intricate 'clock'.
(Ed Wilson)
Local Area
Report from today Here
2014
Priorslee Lake
Report from today Here
Sunrise: 05:12 BST
14°C > 18°C. Fine with areas of medium / high level cloud; some lower puffy cloud later. Light WSW wind. Very good visibility
(74th visit of the year)
Notes
- no Tufted Duck ducklings seen but they could have been the other side of the island
- the duck Tufted Duck have taken over here as well now
- one Grey Heron flew off: it, or another, flew in from a slightly different direction a few minutes later to join the two that remained
- the 16 House Martins suddenly appeared in a tight group overhead and then just as quickly disappeared: did not seem to be migrating, just flying about (but none was seen at the lake later)
Birds noted flying over
- 1 Jackdaw only
Hirundines etc. seen here today
- 2 Swifts
- 16 House Martins
Warblers seen / heard around the water: numbers in brackets are singing birds
- 1 (1) Chiffchaff
- 1 (1) Blackcap
The counts from the water
- 2 + 1 Mute Swans
- 39 Greylag Geese
- 61 Canada Geese
- 1 all white feral-goose
- 23 (19?) Mallard
- 24 (10?) Tufted Ducks
- 3, perhaps 4, Grey Herons
- 2 + 1 Great Crested Grebes
- 3 + 3 (2 broods) Moorhens
- 23 + 4 (2 broods) Coots
- 3 Black-headed Gulls
(Ed Wilson)
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Priorslee Lake: 07:30 – 09:55Now getting very quiet: for the first time this year no Song Thrushes were heard singing. And very few warblers either. Most song was very sporadic
Notes from today
- I initially logged 7 Tufted Duck with one clearly a well ‘tufted’ drake; but later I could only find 5 with 3 of these being drakes
- the ‘centre’ family of Great Crested Grebes was again not seen today with a single adult moving in and out of the reeds. The additional ‘pair’ present again along the S side
- three recent broods of Coots with two of these broods apparently new since Monday
- no Swifts today: last night they were swarming over Newport and I did wonder whether they were about to leave – Swifts are the first summer visitors to depart; most will have gone before August though a few will linger if they have late replacement broods
- a Grey Wagtail again heard and then seen on the one of the boat-launching platforms: a juvenile today
and
- a Riband Wave moth on one of the lamps: another in the Priorslee Avenue tunnel
- a grass moth, probably Pearl Veneer (Agriphila straminella) and the micro moth Pale Straw Pearl (Udea lutealis) flushed from the grass
- Small Skipper, Essex Skipper, Large White, Green-veined White, Speckled Wood, Meadow Brown and Gatekeeper butterflies logged. Gatekeeper new for my Priorslee 2016 list
- Common Blue and Blue-tailed Damselflies as usual
- four species of hoverfly including a new species for me: Chrysotoxum bicinctum (very few hoverflies have venacular names)
Counts of birds flying over the lake (in addition to those on / around lake)
- 9 Lesser Black-backed Gulls (4 groups)
- 18 Wood Pigeons
- 14 Jackdaws
[- no Rooks]
- 3 Pied Wagtails
- 1 Greenfinch
- 2 Goldfinches
Hirundines etc. seen here today
- 1 Swallow only
Warblers seen / heard around the lake: numbers in brackets are singing birds
- 5 (3) Chiffchaffs
- 3 (2) Blackcaps
- 3 (0) Common Whitethroat
- 4 (0) Reed Warblers
The counts from the lake area
- 2 + 1 Mute Swans
- 27 (??) Mallard
- 5 (3?) Tufted Ducks
- 1 juvenile Grey Heron
- 7 + 4 (2 broods) Great Crested Grebes
- 4 + 3 (3 broods) Moorhens again
- 40 + 13 (10 broods) Coots
- 17 Black-headed Gulls (2 juveniles)
and again.
You find one and then they are common – another Essex Skipper.
This Riband Wave moth was actually on the roof of the foot tunnel under Priorslee Avenue ...
This is the micro moth Udea lutealis (Pale Straw Pearl).
This is the brown-form female (fuscans) of Blue-tailed Damselfly.
A furry bee sp. at work on a Perforate St. John's Wort (Hypericum perforatum) flower
This specimen has the symmetry spoilt by a Sphaerophoria sp. hoverfly
(Ed Wilson)
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
On this day in ...........
2015Local Area
Report from today Here
2014
Priorslee Lake
Report from today Here
2013
Priorslee Lake
1 Common Tern
1 Common Sandpiper
(Ed Wilson)
2010
Priorslee Lake
Best was at least 14 Common Sandpipers, perhaps a few more tucked up hidden by all the vegetation on the dam. This number is unprecedented on return passage and has been rarely exceeded on Spring passage. No doubt due to the thundery weather.
(Ed Wilson/Mike Cooper)
2006
Priorslee Lake
Common Tern
(Ed Wilson)
19 Jul 16
No Sightings in today.
Priorslee Lake
Report from today Here
2011
Priorslee Lake
4 Common Sandpiper
Female Ruddy Duck
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
On this day in ...........
2014Priorslee Lake
Report from today Here
2011
Priorslee Lake
4 Common Sandpiper
Female Ruddy Duck
(John Isherwood)
2006
Priorslee Lake
A male Cockatiel
1 drake Ruddy Duck
(Ed Wilson)
2006
Priorslee Lake
A male Cockatiel
1 drake Ruddy Duck
(Ed Wilson)
18 Jul 16
The Flash: 07:00 – 07:25
Location
Sunrise: 05:07 BST
?°C. Fine clear and calm start with a few puffy clouds later. Very good visibility
(73rd visit of the year)
Notes
- no goslings noted again
- just 3 Tufted Duck ducklings seen, all diving away and feeding themselves with mum in close attendance
- a 3rd adult Great Crested Grebe for sure: possibly a 4th – as usual hard to keep track of these birds
- 3 broods of Coots seen today
- juvenile Coal Tits seen
- a Blackcap’s turn to be singing this morning
Birds noted flying over
- 1 Sparrowhawk
- 3 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 4 Wood Pigeons
- 1 Pied Wagtail
- 3 Starlings
Hirundines etc. seen here today
- 19 Swifts
- 4 House Martins
Warblers seen / heard around the water: numbers in brackets are singing birds
- 1 (1) Blackcap
The counts from the water
- 2 + 1 Mute Swans
- 84 Greylag Geese
- 92 Canada Geese
- 1 all white feral-goose
- 19 (17♂) Mallard
- 21 (17♂) + 3 (1 brood) Tufted Ducks
- 1 Grey Heron
- 3 + 1 Great Crested Grebes (see notes)
- 2 + 1 Moorhens
- 26 + 6 (3 broods) Coots
- 2 Black-headed Gulls
A rather unusual pose from a flying Great Crested Grebe with legs splayed. Illustrates the extent of the white in the upperwing even though the white trailing edge to the secondaries is rather ‘blown out’ and makes the wing appear ‘stepped’.
(Ed Wilson)
Priorslee Lake
Location
Evening Update: 16:20 - 16:50
Nothing too special bird wise except a Grey Wagtail.
Lots of 'Blue' Damselflies both Azure and Common Blue.
>3 Blue-tailed Damselflies
>2 Red-eyed Damselflies (male and female ovipositing)
2 cracking Emperor Dragonflies along the dam
>3 Black-tailed Skimmer
(Gary Crowder)
Morning Report: 07:30 – 09:25
(108th visit of the year)
Main highlight today was yet another new species of butterfly for me: an Essex Skipper. A species I have only recently realised is ‘possible’ here and a species for which digital photography has been a boon in checking the ID features – the colour of the underside of the antenna tips!
Other notes from today
- the single Canada Goose was left alone by the Swans
- all 7 Tufted Duck were ducks this morning: odd that 10 days ago it was all drakes at The Flash and now it is ducks that predominate here (with several at The Flash as well)
- one family of Great Crested Grebes not seen today
- just one of the juvenile Coots was from a very recent brood
- many of the Black-headed Gulls were swirling around above the Ricoh area probably feeding on the hatch of flying ants
- the Sedge Warbler seems to have gone
- an over flying Grey Wagtail. Later an adult male was on the dam – possibly the same bird. My first here since one overhead on 8th June; the last bird on the dam was as long ago as 7th March
and
- no moths on the lamps: just a single unidentified caddis fly sp.
- several Shaded Broad-bar and grass moths Agriphila straminella (aka Pearl Veneer) flushed from the grass
- in addition to the Essex Skipper I logged Small Skipper, Large White, Small White, Green-veined White, Small Tortoiseshell, Speckled Wood and Meadow Brown. Of these Small Skipper, Large White and Small Tortoiseshell were new for my Priorslee 2016 list
- Common Blue and Blue-tailed Damselflies as usual
- an unidentified large hawker dragonfly only seen in flight
- - three species of hoverfly: a male Sphaerophoria scripta was new for me
- another single specimen of the beetle Rhagonycha fulva (aka Hogweed Bonking-beetle), today found on a grass stem
Counts of birds flying over the lake (in addition to those on / around lake)
- 1 Stock Dove
- 11 Wood Pigeons
- 1 Collared Dove
- 1 Jackdaws
- 3 Rooks
- 1 Grey Wagtail (see notes)
- 1 Pied Wagtail
- 1 Goldfinch again
Hirundines etc. seen here today
- 5 Swifts
- 1 Swallow
- House Martins heard only
Warblers seen / heard around the lake: numbers in brackets are singing birds
- 5 (4) Chiffchaffs
- 6 (3) Blackcaps
- 1 (1) Common Whitethroat
- 5 (2) Reed Warblers
The counts from the lake area
- 2 + 1 Mute Swans
- 1 Canada Goose
- 27 (22♂) Mallard
- 7 (0♂) Tufted Ducks
- 1 adult Grey Heron
- 6 + 4 (2 broods) Great Crested Grebes
- 1 Common Sandpiper
- 4 + 3 (3 broods) Moorhens
- 44 + 8 (8 broods) Coots
- c.25 Black-headed Gulls
Great lighting on the eclipse-plumaged drake Mallard – as previously noted it is the yellow-green bill, the colour of which is retained throughout the moult, is the easiest way to sex these birds at the moment. Something I had not previously noted was the white feathers sticking up in the wing rather like a very small version of the ‘sails’ of drakes of the completely unrelated Mandarin Duck.
All buoys together! Note how the right hand of this trio of adult Black-headed Gulls has already lost most of the breeding plumage black ‘hood’.
A Reed Warbler peers out of the willow scrub. A much longer and thicker bill than would be shown by a Chiffchaff and only the faintest hint of a paler supercilium.
A male Grey Wagtail, the bib being black rather than the grey shown by females or 1st summer males.
Another view: these birds can often be hard to approach and the energetically pumped tail can be difficult to get sharp in photos.
The rather diffuse dark trailing edge to this skipper butterfly identify it as a Small Skipper. There is no ‘scent’ mark in the forewing so this is a female. And we can just see orange on the tip on the antenna which rules out the very similar and largely misnamed Essex Skipper.
This rather worn specimen is a male Small Skipper and shows a rather faded ‘scent’ mark in the forewing. The orange on the antenna is clear here and reaches to the tips.
I have no experience with Essex Skipper but this looks good to me with the dark tips to the antenna. The scent mark is parallel to the outer edge of the wing which is another good feature for males of this species. Essex Skipper was generally thought of a species with a ‘south and east’ distribution but that has been partly due ti its vernacular its name. Now that observers are more aware of its features it is being found in new localities. It was recorded in Shropshire on Prees Heath in 2014. And there is no reason why it would not appear at Priorslee.
An attractive hoverfly from the genus Sphaerophoria. All species within this genus are rather variable and therefore hard to identify. However this specimen shows an abdomen longer than the wings and is therefore a male S. scripta. A new species of hoverfly for me.
This is a pair of Greenbottles – a name applied to a number of different species of green flies. Likely here we have Lucilia caesar noted to have silvery jowls.
This seems to be a Common Blue Damselfly. Too pale for a male and lacks the ‘spade’ marking in segment 2. The extensive black might suggest a female Azure Damselfly which lacks the ‘U’’ shape mark on segment 2 shown by the male: however she would show a broken line on the thorax that this does not show.
(Ed Wilson)
Priorslee Lake
Report from today Here
2014
Priorslee Lake
Report from today Here
Location
?°C. Fine clear and calm start with a few puffy clouds later. Very good visibility
(73rd visit of the year)
Notes
- no goslings noted again
- just 3 Tufted Duck ducklings seen, all diving away and feeding themselves with mum in close attendance
- a 3rd adult Great Crested Grebe for sure: possibly a 4th – as usual hard to keep track of these birds
- 3 broods of Coots seen today
- juvenile Coal Tits seen
- a Blackcap’s turn to be singing this morning
Birds noted flying over
- 1 Sparrowhawk
- 3 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 4 Wood Pigeons
- 1 Pied Wagtail
- 3 Starlings
Hirundines etc. seen here today
- 19 Swifts
- 4 House Martins
Warblers seen / heard around the water: numbers in brackets are singing birds
- 1 (1) Blackcap
The counts from the water
- 2 + 1 Mute Swans
- 84 Greylag Geese
- 92 Canada Geese
- 1 all white feral-goose
- 19 (17♂) Mallard
- 21 (17♂) + 3 (1 brood) Tufted Ducks
- 1 Grey Heron
- 3 + 1 Great Crested Grebes (see notes)
- 2 + 1 Moorhens
- 26 + 6 (3 broods) Coots
- 2 Black-headed Gulls
Here we see the whole upper wing in more favourable light and with the legs now closed.
And the underside is very pale too.
A rather better shot of the adult and the lone juvenile Great Crested Grebe here.
(Ed Wilson)
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Priorslee Lake
Location
Evening Update: 16:20 - 16:50
Nothing too special bird wise except a Grey Wagtail.
Lots of 'Blue' Damselflies both Azure and Common Blue.
>3 Blue-tailed Damselflies
>2 Red-eyed Damselflies (male and female ovipositing)
2 cracking Emperor Dragonflies along the dam
>3 Black-tailed Skimmer
(Gary Crowder)
Morning Report: 07:30 – 09:25
Main highlight today was yet another new species of butterfly for me: an Essex Skipper. A species I have only recently realised is ‘possible’ here and a species for which digital photography has been a boon in checking the ID features – the colour of the underside of the antenna tips!
Other notes from today
- the single Canada Goose was left alone by the Swans
- all 7 Tufted Duck were ducks this morning: odd that 10 days ago it was all drakes at The Flash and now it is ducks that predominate here (with several at The Flash as well)
- one family of Great Crested Grebes not seen today
- just one of the juvenile Coots was from a very recent brood
- many of the Black-headed Gulls were swirling around above the Ricoh area probably feeding on the hatch of flying ants
- the Sedge Warbler seems to have gone
- an over flying Grey Wagtail. Later an adult male was on the dam – possibly the same bird. My first here since one overhead on 8th June; the last bird on the dam was as long ago as 7th March
and
- no moths on the lamps: just a single unidentified caddis fly sp.
- several Shaded Broad-bar and grass moths Agriphila straminella (aka Pearl Veneer) flushed from the grass
- in addition to the Essex Skipper I logged Small Skipper, Large White, Small White, Green-veined White, Small Tortoiseshell, Speckled Wood and Meadow Brown. Of these Small Skipper, Large White and Small Tortoiseshell were new for my Priorslee 2016 list
- Common Blue and Blue-tailed Damselflies as usual
- an unidentified large hawker dragonfly only seen in flight
- - three species of hoverfly: a male Sphaerophoria scripta was new for me
- another single specimen of the beetle Rhagonycha fulva (aka Hogweed Bonking-beetle), today found on a grass stem
Counts of birds flying over the lake (in addition to those on / around lake)
- 1 Stock Dove
- 11 Wood Pigeons
- 1 Collared Dove
- 1 Jackdaws
- 3 Rooks
- 1 Grey Wagtail (see notes)
- 1 Pied Wagtail
- 1 Goldfinch again
Hirundines etc. seen here today
- 5 Swifts
- 1 Swallow
- House Martins heard only
Warblers seen / heard around the lake: numbers in brackets are singing birds
- 5 (4) Chiffchaffs
- 6 (3) Blackcaps
- 1 (1) Common Whitethroat
- 5 (2) Reed Warblers
The counts from the lake area
- 2 + 1 Mute Swans
- 1 Canada Goose
- 27 (22♂) Mallard
- 7 (0♂) Tufted Ducks
- 1 adult Grey Heron
- 6 + 4 (2 broods) Great Crested Grebes
- 1 Common Sandpiper
- 4 + 3 (3 broods) Moorhens
- 44 + 8 (8 broods) Coots
- c.25 Black-headed Gulls
The best of the bunch.
This more or less ‘head-on’ view seems to clinch the ID.
Might as well go all the way around: just look at that long tongue.
After that excitement something more mundane but a fine shot of a Ringlet butterfly.
Well: I know we are passed the Summer Solstice but is it autumn already?
(Ed Wilson)
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
On this day in ...........
2015Priorslee Lake
Report from today Here
2014
Priorslee Lake
Report from today Here
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)