21 Oct 18

Priorslee Lake and The Flash

Priorslee Lake: 06:35 – 09:40
The Flash: 09:45 – 10:25

8°C > 10°C: Some medium-level cloud produced another great sunrise before it retreated to the N. Light SW wind. Very good visibility

Sunrise: 07:45 BST

Priorslee Lake: 06:35 – 09:40

(130th visit of the year)

Bird notes:
- all 3 cygnets went for several flights today, all making turns successfully. One of the fishermen told me they were flying around a lot all day yesterday
- no Water Rails recorded: but this morning I was in the wrong place to hear their calls, usually given pre-dawn only
- no Starlings left the NE reeds this morning: was not in a position to see the NW reeds
- in addition to the fly-over Siskin another 3 birds perched briefly in trees by the Teece Drive gate
- group of 4 Reed Buntings seen flying off W seemed to have come from a breeding site along the S side (rather than being fly-overs)

Bird totals

Birds noted flying over or flying near the lake
- 40 Canada Geese (13 outbound [1 group]; 27 inbound [1 group])
- 1 Cormorant again
- 1 Black-headed Gull
- 2 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 4 Stock Doves
- 506 Wood Pigeons (includes 490 migrants in 16 groups)
- 186 Jackdaws
- 3 Skylarks
- 40 Starlings (5 groups)
- 93 Fieldfare (3 groups)
- 3 Redwings (1 group)
- 3 Pied Wagtails
- 2 Meadow Pipits
- 1 Chaffinch
- 1 Brambling
- 2 Goldfinches
- 1 Siskin again
- 4 Lesser Redpolls

The counts from the lake area
- 2 + 3 (1 brood) Mute Swans as usual
- 2 (1♂) Gadwall again
- 9 (7♂) Mallard
- 1 (0♂) Pochard
- 42 (15♂) Tufted Ducks
- 1 Grey Heron
- 1 Little Grebe
- 3 + 1 (1 brood) Great Crested Grebes as usual
- no Water Rails heard
- 7 Moorhens
- 124 Coots
- 57 Black-headed Gulls
- 1 Lesser Black-backed Gull

And other notes
- two of the Autumnal-type moths were dead in spider webs
- my log today consisted of just
- 12 Autumnal-type moths (Epirrita sp.) on the lamp poles
- 1 Feathered Thorn moth on a lamp pole

Yet another sunrise worth getting out of bed for.

A bit later as the cloud begins to move away to the N.

Will do better next time but we can see this is a male Siskin with his black cap.

A Feathered Thorn moth on one of the lamps. Again the dew is somewhat conceals the pattern: however the feathered antenna that give this moth its name are easy to see.

(Ed Wilson)

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The Flash: 09:45 – 10:25

(106th visit of the year)

Generally rather quiet

Notes from here
- the adult Mute Swans went for a fly together. I did not see whether they left the pool. If they are trying to encourage the cygnets to take to the wing they are rather premature. The late pairing and nesting of these adults means they are some weeks from flying
and
- 1 Autumnal-type moths (Epirrita sp.) on a lamp pole
- 1 Mottled Umber moth on a different lamp pole
- >50 wasps on the ivy by Priorslee Academy
- 1+ Tapered Drone-Fly (Eristalis pertinax) [hoverfly] here too, with
- 1+ Common Drone Fly (Eristalis tenax)

Birds noted flying over / near The Flash
- 1 Common Buzzard
- 1 Skylark

The counts from the water
- 2 + 3 Mute Swans
- 49 Canada Geese
- 38 (22♂) Mallard
- 11 (5♂) Tufted Ducks
- 1 Grey Heron still
- 1 Great Crested Grebe
- 1 Moorhen only
- 9 Coots
- 23 Black-headed Gulls

This is a Mottled Umber moth. It is a male – the females are wingless. Compare with the Feathered Thorn at the lake: it lacks the feathered antenna and the marking on the wings is more of a band. This is a very variable species both in the strength and colour of the band and in the background tone.

Separation of Eristalis pertinax (Tapered Drone-fly) from Eristalis tenax (Common Drone-fly) is never easy. Photos, as here, help. We see the body does indeed look tapered. The main feature is the leg-colour and from this we confirm this as a Tapered Drone-fly.

Another look at the same specimen.

And again: the insect is feeding on the Ivy nectar.

This shows how difficult it can be to separate these species. While the body looks somewhat tapered the legs are dark so it is a Common Drone-fly.

(Ed Wilson)

Note: Click here for Venus Pool photos from Saturday 20 Oct 18.

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

2017
Priorslee Lake
Today's Sightings Here

2016
Priorslee Lake
Today's Sightings Here

2010
Priorslee Lake
Little Grebe
5 Lapwings
1487 Fieldfare logged, mostly flying W. 7 of the flocks estimated at between 110 and 130 birds
25 Redwings
Raven
56 Goldfinch
(Ed Wilson)

2009
Priorslee Lake
62 Swans
5 Wigeon
14 Pochard
22 Tufted Ducks
231 Coots
Great Black-backed Gull
3 Buzzards
1 Kestrel
27 Redwings
Chiffchaff
c.250 Starlings
8 Siskins
c.15 Goldfinches
(Ed Wilson)

2006
Priorslee Lake
1 Cormorant
25 Pochard
72 Tufted Ducks
1 Kestrel
1 Kingfisher
20 Robins
17 Blackbirds
15 Song Thrushes
59 Redwing
3 Mistle Thrushes
1 Chiffchaff
1 Blackcap
5 Goldcrests
(Martin Adlam)