Priorslee Lake: 04:30 – 06:30 // 07:30 – 09:15
The Flash: 06:35 – 07:25
12.0°C > 16.0°C: Showery rain from broken cloud, clearing. Puffy clouds later. Light WSW wind. Very good visibility
Sunrise: 05:58 BST
Priorslee Lake: 04:30 – 06:30 // 07:30 – 09:15
(200th visit of the year)
Bird notes from today
- A very late brood of Coots noted - just a single red/bare-headed small juvenile noted.
- There were 33 Black-headed Gulls back on the ‘football’ field with 13 more on the academy spots ground and 12 at the lake.
- Four Swifts arrived at 06:20 but had gone by 07:30.
- 37 Pied Wagtails on the ‘football' field at 06:25.
Bird totals:
Birds noted flying over or flying near the lake:
- 77 Greylag Geese (all inbound (4 groups))
- 120 Canada Geese (22 (4 groups) outbound; 78 (8 groups) inbound)
- 7 Black-headed Gulls
- 15 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 2 Feral / Racing Pigeons
- 3 Stock Doves
- 75 Wood Pigeons
- 1 Jackdaw
- no Rooks
- 3 Ravens
Hirundines etc. noted:
- 4 Swifts
- 22 House Martins
Warblers noted (singing birds):
- 13 (3) Chiffchaffs
- 5 (0) Blackcaps
- 2 (0) Reed Warblers
Counts from the lake area:
- 2 + 6 (1 brood) Mute Swans
- 5 (3♂) Mallard
- Tufted Duck heard only
- 1 Grey Heron
- 1 + 1 (1 brood) Little Grebes
- 6 + >2 (3 broods) Great Crested Grebes
- 2 + 1 (1 brood) Moorhens
- 72 Coots: also one of the two recent juveniles; and a single 'red-headed' juvenile from a very late brood
- 58 Black-headed Gulls: no juveniles
On the lamp poles pre-dawn:
- 5 Common Grass-veneer moths (Agriphila tristella)
- 1 Flounced Rustic moth (Luperina testacea): new for the year
- 1 harvestman Dicranopalpus ramosus
- 1 harvestman Leiobunum rotundum
The following logged later:
- Butterflies
- Gatekeeper (Pyronia tithonus)
- Red Admiral (Vanessa atalanta)
- Painted Lady (Vanessa cardui)
- Moths (in species order):
- only unidentified grass moths
- Damselflies etc:
- only Common Blue Damselfly
- Hoverflies (in alphabetic order of scientific name):
- Marmalade Hoverfly (Episyrphus balteatus)
- Tapered Drone Fly (Eristalis pertinax)
- Common Drone Fly (Eristalis tenax)
- The Footballer (Helophilus pendulus)
- Myathropa florea (so-called deadhead hoverfly)
- Volucella zonaria (hornet mimic)
And other things:
- several wasps (Vespula sp.)
- 2 Grey Squirrels (1 a road casualty)
- 1 bat sp. over the SW grass in the rain
The moon just starting to wane. The surprising thing was that I took this photo in the rain.
I think this is a Garden Spider (Araneus diadematus). Rather handsome whatever it is!
Another view of the 'business end'.
(Ed Wilson)
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The Flash: 06:35 – 07:25
(191st visit of the year)
Notes from here:
- It would be interesting to know whether it is the same Willow Warbler that has been singing here for over a week most days. I do not believe they bred here.
and
- 2 Common Grass-veneer moths (Agriphila tristella)
- 1 harvestman Leiobunum rotundum
Birds noted flying over / near The Flash:
- 1 Sparrowhawk
- 1 Feral Pigeon
- 3 Wood Pigeons
Hirundines etc. noted:
- 12 House Martins
Warblers noted (singing birds):
- 5 (1) Chiffchaffs
- 1 (1) Willow Warbler again
Counts from the water:
- 3 Mute Swans
- no Greylag Geese
- 12 Canada Geese (7 of these departed)
- 30 (15♂) Mallard
- 19 (>9♂) Tufted Ducks
- 2 + 2 (1 brood) Great Crested Grebes
- 2 Moorhens
- 16 Coots only
- 2 Black-headed Gulls: one juvenile
(Ed Wilson)
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Between the lake and The Flash:
- 1 Chiffchaff calling at the lower pool
- 1 Blackcap also calling at the lower pool
also
- 3 Common Grass-veneer moths (Agriphila tristella)
- 1 harvestman Dicranopalpus ramosus
- 1 harvestman Leiobunum rotundum
(Ed Wilson)
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