17 Nov 17

Priorslee Lake and The Flash

1.0°C > 3.5°C: Some cloud cover had kept the frost away until a clearance allowed the grass to turn white. Very light SSW wind. Very good visibility

Sunrise: 07:35 GMT

Priorslee Lake: 06:35 – 09:20

(134th visit of the year)

Some numbers may have been impacted by last night’s unauthorised firework party, the remains of which I cleared up from the dam-top

Other notes from today:
- a drake Goosander flew W at the unusually late time of 08:20 – normally soon after sun-up
- I think there were 5 Great Crested Grebes today: a juvenile was heard begging early on but not seen with any of the adults later. There seemed to be two different juveniles. The birds are no longer keeping to ‘territory’ making counting difficult as they move around under water
- most of the migrating Wood Pigeons were heading N or NNW this morning – as were most Redwings
- will be interesting to see whether the Starlings use the roost again tomorrow: as the main body left what seemed to be a Sparrowhawk dived in to the pack and flew off with a hapless bird in its talons. Whether this was just luck as it was passing-by or whether it ambushed them from a perch is a moot point. Whatever it caused great consternation, not only among the Starlings but also among the 100 or so Black-headed Gulls that were on the water by the reeds trying to steal food from the diving Tufted Ducks
and
- no moths on the lamps this cold morning, but ...
- a Caddis Fly sp on one of the lamps – strange date. Likely Stenophylax permistus

On with today’s bird totals

Birds noted flying over the lake:
- 2 Canada Geese (1 group, inbound)
- 3 (2♂) Mallard yet again
- 1 (1♂) Goosander
- 50, exactly, Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 2 Stock Doves (singles)
- 704 Wood Pigeons (of these 656 migrants in 13 groups)
- >440 Jackdaws
- 1 Rook
- 56 Redwings (4 groups)
- 1 Meadow Pipit
- 1 Greenfinch again
- 1 Chaffinch
- 3 Siskins (all singles)

Birds noted leaving roosts around the lake:
- >20 Magpies
- c.105 Starlings in 6 groups
- 7 Redwings

The counts from the lake area
- 2 + 3 Mute Swans
- 9 (5♂) Gadwall again
- 10 (6♂) Mallard yet again
- 3 (2♂) Pochard
- 38 (24♂) Tufted Ducks
- 2 Grey Herons
- 5 Great Crested Grebes
- 2 Water Rails heard
- 9 Moorhens
- 149 Coots
- c.145 Black-headed Gulls
- 3 Lesser Black-backed Gulls

Not too promising a-sunrise.

But it did get better.

A young male Blackbird attacks the haws.

My best effort at identifying this caddis fly is Stenophylax permistus. There are 199 species to choose from, though to be fair many of these look nothing like this mainly brown species. The excellent Naturespot web site notes this species as coming to light and flying unusually late in the year which seems to fit.

After the sun rose it melted the frost and left a damp coating on the always attractive Blackberry (Rubus sp.) leaves.

Here are some more Blackberry leaves. A fine example of Autumn ....

But look: it’s Spring! These Alder (Alnus glutinosa) catkins. As far as I can tell from the web there should not be any catkins before February.
(Ed Wilson)

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The Flash: 09:25 – 10:15

(95th visit of the year)

Notes from here
- geese resumed mainly somewhere else
- still low number of Coots: as many Moorhens today
- quite a few things flying over: nothing too special
and
a visit to the bank of Ivy which was in full sun produced an array of sightings despite the ambient temperature being c.3C
- >5 wasps sp., several of which seemed rather small but probably all Common Wasps (Vespula vulgaris)
- >3 hoverflies, all those ID-ed being Tapered Drone Flies (Eristalis pertinax)
- >20 flies of at least 2 species: provisionally Eudasyphora cyanella and Sepsis fulgens

Birds noted flying over
- 1 Sparrowhawk
- 1 Lesser Black-backed Gull
- 1 Feral Pigeon
- 1 Raven
- 2 Starlings
- 1 Pied Wagtail
- 1 Chaffinch
- 1 Siskin

The counts from the water
- 2 + 1 Mute Swans
- 2 Canada Geese again
- 1 white feral goose remains
- 29 (20♂) Mallard
- 2 (2♂) Pochard
- 31 (12♂) Tufted Ducks
- 2 Great Crested Grebes again
- 9 Moorhens
- 9 Coots
- 47 Black-headed Gulls
- 1 Lesser Black-backed Gull
- 1 Kingfisher

Always happy to take the photograph of a posing Dunnock.

One of the wasps on the Ivy. It is likely a Common Wasp (Vespula vulgaris) as the very similar German Wasp (Vespula germanica) is slightly larger and this specimen looked small. They can only be separated by looking head-on at the face. The German Wasp’s flight period ends somewhat earlier than that of the Common Wasp. It is late for any wasp.

Here we see one of the few hoverflies that are still flying in November – the Tapered Drone Fly (Eristalis pertinax).

And another specimen.

One of the many flies on the Ivy this morning. Under the wing we can see a glossy green tone and it is likely this is Eudasyphora cyanella. This fly over winters and is active both late in the year and in Spring. Older specimens lose some of the bright green gloss.

A different specimen: from this angle the slight green gloss is easier to see.

My best effort at this very small fly is Sepsis fulgens, an ant-mimic.

(Ed Wilson)

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

2016
Local Area
Today's Sightings Here

2013
Priorslee Lake
1 Wigeon 
2 Gadwall 
2 Teal 
62 Tufted Duck 
214 Coots 
9 Lapwings over 
c.210 Black-headed Gulls
c.250 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
2 Herring Gulls
7 Fieldfare
10 Redwings 
2 Siskins
1 Redpoll
(Ed Wilson)

2011
Priorslee Lake
Caspian Gull
(Andy Latham)

2006
Priorslee Lake
1 Little Grebe
37 Pochard
55 Tufted Ducks
 >625 Black-headed Gulls
2245 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
2 Herring Gulls
1 Great Black-backed Gull
424 Wood Pigeons
23 Blackbirds
374 Fieldfares
58 Redwings
379 Jackdaws
151 Rooks
4 Reed Buntings
(Ed Wilson)