10 Oct 17

Priorslee Lake and The Flash

13.5°C > 15.5°C: Medium overcast to start. Cleared away to E leaving mainly high cloud and some sun. Moderate WSW wind. Very good visibility

Sunrise: 07:26 BST

Much quieter day today with many fewer overflights. Just two groups of Redwings (also one in the trees at the lake): and a scatter of mainly single birds of other species

Priorslee Lake: 06:35 – 09:35

(115th visit of the year)

Notes from today:
- the cygnets made a successful almost 180 degree turn at the end of their test flight this morning
- two inbound parties of 10 and 20 Canada Geese decided to stop at lake and resisted attempts by the cob Mute swan to move them on
- no Gadwall seen today (the Eurasian Wigeon was still present)
- just one of the juvenile Great Crested Grebes was not located this morning: perhaps it has followed its two siblings and left
- the two Sparrowhawks were seen sparring to the N. Clearly a male and female on size difference: too far away to age
- 14 of the Jackdaws were seen circling and then landing in the copse in the fields to the NW (Ward’s Rough): after some 10 minutes they resumed flying on the normal roost-dispersal line
- 3 Jackdaws and 2 Rooks were noted flying W soon after the main SSE dispersal: this is most unusual
- a Nuthatch was seen in with a tit party in the NE area of the lake and well away from its usual haunt in the trees alongside Teece Drive
and
- a harvestman was the only insect noted on the lamps (other than the usual unidentified sunbathing flies later)

On with today’s bird totals

Birds noted flying over the lake:
- 4 Greylag Geese (inbound)
- 27 Canada Geese (11 outbound; 16 inbound) – see also birds on lake
- 2 (1♂) Mallard
- 2 Sparrowhawks
- 2 Common Buzzards
- 6 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 2 Feral Pigeons (1 group)
- 3 Stock Doves
- 141 Wood Pigeons
- c.800 Jackdaws
- 3 Rooks
- 4 Skylarks
- 6 Starlings (singles and 1 group)
- 45 Redwings (2 groups)
- 4 Pied Wagtails
- 3 Meadow Pipits again
- 8 Goldfinches
- 1 Lesser Redpoll

Hirundines etc. seen today
None

Warblers seen or heard today
None

The counts from the lake area
- 2 + 3 Mute Swans
- 30 Canada Geese
- 1 (1♂) Eurasian Wigeon again
- 12 > 8 (3♂) Mallard
- 33 (14♂) Tufted Ducks
- 1 Grey Heron
- 6 + 5 (2 broods) Great Crested Grebes again
- 6 Moorhens
- 147 Coots
- >140 Black-headed Gulls
- 3 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 1 Kingfisher

At last: a proper view of the harvest moon even if it is waning somewhat.

Here is a different harvestman with rather short legs. It may be the species Paroligolophus agrestis – it seems to me that the legs are noticeably thick close to the body which is a feature of this species. However the pattern on the back does not match any individuals I can photos of on the web. That said most harvestmen are rather variable in marking.

Despite looking rather green I am sure this the ‘bluebottle’ fly Calliphora vicina. It is a metallic ‘blue’ and likely the flash that has altered the appearance somewhat.

(Ed Wilson)

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The Flash: 09:40 – 10:30

(85th visit of the year)

Other notes from here
- once again more geese inside the island not included in my totals
- the Grey Wagtail still around
and
- 3 Red Admiral butterflies on and around the ivy near the Academy again
- a few other insects around the ivy: both Honey Bees and Episyrphus hoverflies noted

Bird noted flying over
- 1 Wood Pigeon
- 1 Jay again
- 1 Jackdaw
- 1 Skylark

Warblers noted
None

The counts from the water
- 2 + 2 Mute Swans
- >20 Greylag Geese
- >42 Canada Geese
- 1 white feral goose
- 26 (17♂) Mallard
- 32 (17♂) Tufted Ducks
- 2 Great Crested Grebes again
- 9 Moorhens
- 12 Coots
- 84 Black-headed Gulls
- 1 Kingfisher

A correctly exposed in focus flying shot of an adult winter Black-headed Gull.

And again!

Perched birds are easier.

Not exactly ‘perched’ is this 1st winter Black-headed Gull.

A drake Mallard in flight. This bird is still to get the full breeding bottle-green head, though it is as likely that it there is some ‘feral duck’ in its genes and it may not go fully green. (Sorry about the rather distracting other Mallard taking off in the background).

Even better: three drakes and duck Mallard in ‘formation’.

And a flotilla of 5 drakes and a duck – yes bird 2 is a drake but another with some of retarded moult and / or ‘feral’ genes.

Proof that there is nectar in the Ivy blossom as this Red Admiral digs its tongue in.

Still looking for the Ivy Bee: this not it! At least it is a bee – we see a pollen basket (beware: the stamen(?) on one of the ivy flowers makes it look as if it has two baskets! I am reasonably certain it is ‘just’ a Honey Bee (Apis mellifera).

A different specimen.

This looks to me like a Common Wasp (Vespula vulgaris). Exactly what it has been eating is not clear.

Also at the nectar on the Ivy is this Common Drone Fly (Eristalis tenax).

From another angle.

The (very) short antenna tell us this is a hoverfly: I think a dark form of Eristalis abusivus. Several Eristalis ssp. have dark forms that are hard to separate without a microscope. From this angle we cannot see the tibia which might prove the ID.

(Ed Wilson)

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On this day..........

2014
Priorslee lake
Today's Sightings Here

2011
Priorslee Lake
 29 Redwing
(Ed Wilson)

2010
Priorslee Lake
1 Curlew
1 Goldeneye
1 Goosander
1 Shoveler
4 Wigeon
1 Teal
1 Common Gull
(John Isherwood)

2009
Priorslee Lake
1 Little Grebe
3 Lapwing
25+ Redwing
1 Siskin
(John Isherwood)

2008
Priorslee Lake
130 Tufted Ducks
4 Buzzards
Kingfisher
Chiffchaff
Meadow Pipits
Sky Larks
Redwings
Redpoll
Siskin
(Ed Wilson)

2007
Priorslee Lake
1 Little Grebe
1 Ruddy Duck
50 Robins
1 Redwing
4 Chiffchaffs
11 Siskins
(Ed Wilson)

2006
Priorslee Lake
37 Meadow Pipits
36 Pied Wagtails
1 Redwing
55 Tufted Ducks
2 Willow Tits
(Ed Wilson)