1 Jun 19

Priorslee Lake [with Woodhouse Lane] and The Flash

Priorslee Lake:  04:10 – 08:20
[Woodhouse Lane:  06:00 – 06:50]
The Flash:  08:25 – 09:10

12.0°C > 15.0°C:  Cloudy start, clearing for a while after 06:30; then cloudy again after 07:45. Very light S / SE breeze. Very good visibility.

Sunrise: 04:52 BST again.

Priorslee Lake:  04:10 – 08:20

(143rd visit of the year)

Since yesterday contractors have now mown some – but not all - of the verges. More wildflowers lost

Bird notes from today
- One of the cygnets spent most of the time on its mother’s back. I hope it is OK. Yesterday’s photos show one of the cygnets slightly away from its siblings.
- Two of the Coot families not seen today – either still in the reeds or lost?
- A Common Tern was more adventurous today arriving c.05:45. Climbed high in to the sky at 06:35 and left to the S.
- One of the Barn Swallows seemed to emerge from the reeds around the lake at 04:45 and flew off S calling loudly.
- Rooks flying to and fro at the moment, often carrying food. Oddly they seem to be going both ways with food!

Bird totals:

Birds noted flying over or flying near the lake:
- 31 Canada Geese (all inbound)
- 3 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 16 Wood Pigeons
- 69 Jackdaws
- 66 Rooks

Hirundines etc. noted:
- >25 Swifts
- 4 Barn Swallows
- 3 House Martins

Warblers noted (singing birds):
- 5 (5) Chiffchaffs
- 17 (17) Blackcaps again
- 4 (4) Garden Warblers
- 1 (0) (Common) Whitethroat
- 6 (6) Reed Warblers

Counts from the lake area:
- 2 + 7 (1 brood) Mute Swans
- 10 Canada Geese (departed)
- 11 (10♂) Mallard
- 2 (1) Tufted Ducks throughout again
- 1 Grey Heron at dawn only again
- 3 + 2 (1 brood) Great Crested Grebes again
- [no Moorhens]
- 28 + 17 (5 broods) Coots
- 1 Common Tern
- 1 Lesser Black-backed Gull (briefly)
- 1 Herring Gull (briefly)

Again nothing on the lamp poles pre-dawn.

Seen later:
- >10 Timothy Tortrix moths (Zelotherses paleana (was Aphelia paleana))
- 1 Common Marble moth (Celypha lacunana)
- >2 Red-headed Cardinal Beetles (Pyrochroa serraticornis)
- 1 unidentified ichneumon
- >4 pipistrelle-type bats
- >3 noctule-type bats

Rather garishly-edited to show the dark tip to the bill that separated this Common Tern from the similar Arctic Tern. The fact that it has longer legs is of limited use with a single bird.

This nondescript small moth is Timothy Tortrix (Zelotherses paleana (was Aphelia paleana)). Many flying around just after dawn – low light-levels for photos. It is scarcely marked anyway, the main feature being the rather yellowish head. My 22nd species of moth at the lake this year.

Another new species for the year here (#23) is the Common Marble moth (Celypha lacunana). A very common species with somewhat variable markings. Easily disturbed by day. Did not notice its very small friend until I looked at the photo – the moth is less than 10mm long [0.4 inches].

This is a Red-headed Cardinal Beetle (Pyrochroa serraticornis). There are other cardinal beetles that do not have the red head.

Identification of this apparent ichneumon has defeated me. We see a mainly red tail. If you look carefully there are two white areas in front of the head – these are where it was rapidly waving its white-tipped antenna around, the camera being unable to ‘freeze’ the motion.

This rather out of focus shot shows the distinctive wasp-waist – and also the still waving white-tipped antenna.

I showed photos of the flowers of several shrubs here. This is another – the flat-top dense clusters of Elder (Sambucus nigra).

(Ed Wilson)

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Notes from Woodhouse Lane (06:00 – 06:50)

(18th visit of the year)

Notes from here:
- One of the Common Whitethroats seen carrying food.
Also:
- Common Poppy (Papaver rhoeas) found in flower.
And a rather strange sighting of an apparent Demoiselle-type damselfly. This was glimpsed around tree-tops alongside the Wesley Brook. From my brief view before it disappeared in to leaves not to emerge was that it was a Beautiful Demoiselle. If so it would be a new species in Shropshire for me. But why would a stream-side insect be at the top of trees?

Totals of ‘interesting’ species (singing birds):
- 1 (1) Pheasant
- 5 (4) Skylarks
- 3 (2) Chiffchaffs
- 3 (3) Blackcaps
- 3 (1) (Common) Whitethroat
- 4 (4) Song Thrushes
- 5 (5) Chaffinches
- 2 Goldfinches
- 3 Linnets
- 7 (2) Yellowhammers

Now would you prefer your smart Yellowhammer against green foliage? Or ... 

... blue sky? 

Although mainly cloudy there was a sunny spell while I was in Woodhouse Lane and it looked great with still fresh green colours everywhere. Woodhouse Lane itself is rarely used by traffic other than cyclists avoiding the main roads and is characteristically 3-ply.

Another view looking toward the distant Clee Hills.

(Ed Wilson)

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The Flash:  08:25 – 09:10

(136th visit of the year)

Notes from here:
- Last year’s cygnet was being chased hard yesterday and was not noted today.
- Of the goose totals 10 Greylag and 18 Canada Geese arrived in several small groups.
- Many fewer Mallards than usual. Initially there was a ‘pile of Mallard’ on the island. Later these took to the water and revealed themselves as mostly the well-grown ducklings.
- One pair of Tufted Duck was getting real hassle from one of the Coots.

Birds noted flying over / near The Flash:
- 3 Feral Pigeons
- 1 Wood Pigeon
- 9 Rooks

Hirundines etc. noted:
- 1 Swift
- 2 House Martins

Warblers noted (singing birds):
- 1 (1) Chiffchaff
- 2 (2) Blackcap

Counts from the water:
- 2 + 4 Mute Swans
- 14 Greylag Geese
- 33 Canada Geese
- 12 (8♂) + 13 (2 broods) Mallard only
- 5 (3♂) Tufted Ducks only
- 1 Great Crested Grebe
- 9 Moorhens
- 21 + 8 (3 broods) Coots

(Ed Wilson)

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

2018
Priorslee Lake
Today's Sightings Here

2017
Priorslee Lake
Today's Sightings Here

2015
Priorslee Lake
Today's Sightings Here

2014
Priorslee Lake
Today's Sightings Here

2007
Priorslee Lake
Common Tern
(Martin Adlam)

2006
Priorslee Lake
2 Ruddy Ducks
Peregrine
(Ed Wilson)