22 Aug 19

Priorslee Lake and The Flash

Priorslee Lake:  04:40 – 06:25 // 07:25 – 09:35
The Flash:  06:30 – 07:20

14.0°C > 18.0°C:  Mostly cloudy start. Some sunny periods after 07:00. Light / moderate SW wind. Very good visibility.

Sunrise: 06:03 BST

Priorslee Lake:  04:40 – 06:25 // 07:25 – 09:35

(203rd visit of the year)

Bird notes from today:
- After some weeks when several Grey Herons seemed content to be together, 'war' has now broken out and one bird chases any others away.
- More change in the Great Crested Grebes: now four (near-) fledged juveniles. Still not determined exactly how many in the latest brood - 2 seen but could be more on the parent's back.
- A party of 38 Racing Pigeons flew over c.07:40. Two other singles more likely Feral Pigeons.
- Many of the Lesser Black-backed Gulls were juvenile / first-winter birds, mostly not with older birds. Did not make a note of the ages until it was too late to do a full census.
- Two Swifts first noted over Teece Drive c.07:40 did not stay. A single, presumed different bird, was with House Martins over NE area 08:05 through 08:40 at least.
- at least 50 House Martins high over to W at 06:10. After 08:00 at least 40, presumably from the same group, were hawking over the N / NE trees.
- 18 Pied Wagtails on the ‘football' field was my highest count. Seemed to be more dog-walkers today reducing the number of all species on the grass.

Bird totals:

Birds noted flying over or flying near the lake:
- 76 Greylag Geese (all inbound in seven groups)
- 6 Canada Geese (outbound in one group)
- 21 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 40 Feral / Racing Pigeons (1 group; 2 singles)
- 2 Stock Doves
- 95 Wood Pigeons
- 1 Jackdaw
- no Rooks

Hirundines etc. noted:
- 3 Swifts
- 1 Barn Swallow only
- c.50 House Martins

Warblers noted (singing birds):
- 12 (3) Chiffchaffs
- 1 (0) Willow Warbler again
- 2 (0) Blackcaps only

Counts from the lake area:
- 2 + 6 (1 brood) Mute Swans
- 5 (2 drakes) Mallard
- 2 Grey Herons
- Little Grebe(s) heard only
- 7 + 6 (>2 broods) Great Crested Grebes
- 2 + 3 (2 broods) Moorhens
- 79 + 1 (late brood) Coots
- 43 Black-headed Gulls: 3 juveniles / first-winters
- 1 Lesser Black-backed Gulls ('gas and go')

On the lamp poles pre-dawn:
- 1 Dingy Dowd moth (Blastobasis adustella)
- 1 White-streak Grass-veneer moth (Agriphilla latistria)
- 1 green lacewings, likely Chrysoperla carnea
- 1 a plumed midge, likely Chironomus plumosus
- 1 mayfly sp. possibly a Small Dark Olive (Baetis scambus)
- 1 very small unidentified spider

The following logged later:
- Butterflies
        - Speckled Wood (Pararge aegeria)
        - Gatekeeper (Pyronia tithonus)
        - Painted Lady (Vanessa cardui)
- No moths
- Damselflies etc:
        - Common Blue Damselfly
        - Hawker dragonfly sp.
- Hoverflies (in alphabetic order of scientific name):
        - Tapered Drone Fly (Eristalis pertinax)
        - Common Drone Fly (Eristalis tenax)
        - The Footballer (Helophilus pendulus)
        - Deadhead Hoverfly (Myathropa florea)
And other things:
- several wasps (Vespula sp.)
- 1 Spiked Shieldbug (Picromerus bidens)
- 1 Dock Bug (Coreus marginatus)
- 1 Harlequin Ladybird (Harmonia axyridis)
- 2 Grey Squirrels

This seems to be a fresh specimen of a Deadhead Hoverfly (Myathropa florea). The cross markings on the thorax are rather more distinct than on most I have seen recently.

This is a Spiked Shieldbug (Picromerus bidens). From this angle only the 'spike' on the right 'shoulder' is visible, that on the left is pointing straight at us and hard to discern.

And a Dock Bug (Coreus marginatus). At this date it is likely a new adult. It will over-winter and mate in the Spring with the larvae feeding on next year's dock (Rumex sp.) plants. It is not a 'shieldbug' and is generally referred to as one of the squash bugs.

My first Harlequin Ladybird (Harmonia axyridis) for a while. This one is of the form succinea.

This mayfly with 'bug-eyes' and rather small rounded wings fits Small Dark Olive (Baetis scambus). A slight caution in that the web suggests the habitat as "flowing water. It is found in steep stony streams as well as in weed-rich chalk streams" which does not seen entirely appropriate!

(Ed Wilson)

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The Flash:  06:30 – 07:20

(194th visit of the year)

Notes from here:
- Both juvenile Great Crested Grebes were begging separate adults.
and, all on lamp poles:
- 1 Common Grass-veneer moth (Agriphila tristella)
- 1 unidentified spider sp.
also
- 2 Grey Squirrels

Birds noted flying over / near The Flash:
- 1 Lesser Black-backed Gull
- 6 Feral Pigeons (2 groups)
- 13 Wood Pigeons

Hirundines etc. noted:
- 6 House Martins

Warblers noted (singing birds):
- 4 (1) Chiffchaffs
- 2 (0) Blackcaps

Counts from the water:
- 3 Mute Swans
- 1 Greylag Goose: arrived
- 6 Canada Geese
- 33 (15 drakes) Mallard
- 22 (7 drakes) Tufted Ducks
- 1 Grey Heron
- 2 + 2 (1 brood) Great Crested Grebes
- 1 + 2 (2 broods) Moorhens
- 19 Coots
- 4 Black-headed Gulls again: no juveniles
- 1 Kingfisher

The Tufted Ducks here are in maximum confusion plumage at the moment. Looking at the flanks there is some white areas suggesting a drake. The white at the base of the bill suggests a duck as does the rather brown tones in amongst the white in the flanks. Perhaps a first-year drake?

Possibly my most instructive shot of a Common Grass-veneer moth (Agriphila tristella). Note how the white streak fades before the wing-edge and splits in to several segments. Often these segments are somewhat longer, if less distinct.

Apart from noting that it is very hairy and has a white streak along its back there is little to say about this unhelpfully-angled spider sp.

(Ed Wilson)

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Between the lake and The Flash:

- a second-brood juvenile Moorhen on the grass beside the lower pool

(Ed Wilson)

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

2018
Priorslee Lake
Today's Report Here

2016
Local Area
Today's Sightings Here

2014
Priorslee Lake
Today's Sightings Here

2012
Priorslee Lake
Peregrine Falcon
Yellow Wagtail
(Ed Wilson)

2006
Priorslee Lake
3 Sandwich Terns
Common Tern
Kingfisher 
Tree Pipit
(Ed Wilson)

2005
Priorslee Lake
Common Tern
Raven
Kingfisher
(Ed Wilson