27 Aug 19

Priorslee Lake and The Flash

Priorslee Lake:  05:00 – 06:30 // 07:30 – 09:15
The Flash:  06:35 – 07:25

15.0°C > 18.0°C:  Clear but rather hazy. Almost calm. Moderate visibility.

Sunrise: 06:11 BST

Priorslee Lake:  05:00 – 06:30 // 07:30 – 09:15

(208th visit of the year)

Best today was the Spotted Flycatcher seen in the SW copse c.08:45 for a few minutes. My 95th bird species around the lake this year. I record this declining species infrequently – the last time on 12 August 2016 when one was in the front garden of a house along Teece Drive. They are more often seen on their slow Autumn return migration. I did see one in Spring many years ago when a thunderstorm grounded a number of species.

Other bird notes from today:
- Yet another adult Great Crested Grebe located this morning, consorting with the loose group of six well-grown juveniles. Some flying about again.
- For several days now the largest number of Black-headed Gulls has been on the ‘football’ field c.06:15 with rather fewer on the lake [51 vs. 11 today was a rather extreme example].
- Most of the Lesser Black-backed Gulls flew over before there was enough light to age them.
- A few House Martins heard calling overhead c.06:20. Too hazy to locate.
- Seven Pied Wagtails back on the ‘football’ field.

Bird totals:

Birds noted flying over or flying near the lake:
- 224 Greylag Geese (103 outbound in 15 groups; 121 inbound in 7 groups)
- 97 Canada Geese (78 outbound in 8 groups; 19 inbound in one group)
- 16 Black-headed Gulls
- 70 Lesser Black-backed Gulls: at least 11 of these juveniles (1st winters?)
- 9 Feral / Racing Pigeons
- 5 Stock Doves
- 71 Wood Pigeons
- 7 Jackdaws
- 9 Rooks

Hirundines etc. noted:
- ? House Martins (see notes)

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

Counts from the lake area:
- 2 + 6 (1 brood) Mute Swans
- 11 (6♂) Mallard
- 2 Grey Herons
- Little Grebe(s) heard again
- 7 + 12 (>2 broods) Great Crested Grebes
- 5 + 5 (3 broods) Moorhens
- 82 Coots
- 51 Black-headed Gulls: 9 juveniles / first-winters
- 1 Lesser Black-backed Gull: ‘gas and go’
- 1 Kingfisher

On the lamp poles pre-dawn:
- 1 Square-spot Rustic moth (Xestia xanthographa)
- 1 Red-legged Shieldbug (Pentatoma rufipes: aka Forest Bug)
- 1 Earwig (Forficula auricularia)

The following logged later:
- Butterflies:
        - Speckled Wood (Pararge aegeria)
        - Painted Lady (Vanessa cardui)
        - Small Tortoiseshell (Aglais urticae)
- No moths.
- Damselflies etc:
        - unidentified hawker dragonfly
- Hoverflies (in alphabetic order of scientific name):
        - Drone-flies (Eristalis sp.)
- The Footballer (Helophilus pendulus)
        - Chequered Hoverfly (Melanostoma scalare)
And other things:
- 1 Grey Squirrel

Clear, if hazy, skies do not make for great sunrise photos so another ‘burning bush’.

This gave me an ID headache. The size of a robust warbler, with a vertical stance and a relatively long bill with a slightly hooked tip. No plumage features readily apparent apart from dark wings.

Luckily it flew and perched in the open briefly, revealing itself as my first Spotted Flycatcher of the year. ‘Spotted’ is not a very accurate epithet for this species – ‘streaked’ would be better, but that name has already been applied to a very common and widespread New World bird. Seems to be an adult with the all dark bill and no obvious pale spotting on the back.

I am fairly sure this is another Square-spot Rustic moth (Xestia xanthographa). It is much paler that recent specimens and lacks the obvious dark ‘square spot’ between the oval and kidney marks on the wing. However the paleness of the kidney mark seems to rule out the obvious two confusion (and confusing) species – The Uncertain and Rustic (Hoplodrina sps.)

Not had one of these for a while – a Small Tortoiseshell butterfly (Aglais urticae) on what remains of the buddleia flowers.

This is the hoverfly known as The Footballer (Helophilus pendulus). There are several similar species and I always like to check.

This one showed some orange tones so another to check – just another Footballer from the arrangement of the markings.

A Red-legged Shieldbug (Pentatoma rufipes: aka Forest Bug) on one of the lamp poles. 

(Ed Wilson)

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The Flash:  06:35 – 07:25

(199th visit of the year)

Notes from here:
- The lone Mallard duckling found again and growing well.
- Mallard numbers difficult today as many birds flying around. Probably already starting to pair up.
- As at the lake too hazy to locate the calling House Martin(s) overhead.
also
(nothing at all on any lamp)
- 1 Grey Squirrel

Birds noted flying over / near The Flash:
- 3 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 2 Feral Pigeons
- 22 Wood Pigeons
- 2 Ravens

Hirundines etc. noted:
- House Martin(s) heard only

Warblers noted (singing birds):
- 5 (1) Chiffchaffs

Counts from the water:
- 3 Mute Swans
- 8 Canada Geese
- 37 (15♂) + 1 (1 brood) Mallard
- 19 (6?♂) Tufted Ducks
- 1 Grey Heron again
- 2 + 2 (1 brood) Great Crested Grebes as ever
- 4 + 1 (1 brood) Moorhens
- 17 Coots
- 10 Black-headed Gulls: 2 juveniles / 1st winter

(Ed Wilson)

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Between the Lake and The Flash 

- A second-brood juvenile Moorhen on the grass at the upper pool.
- 3 Grey Squirrels

One of the juvenile Moorhens on the grass around the upper pool between the lake and The Flash. The residents tell me that these birds often climb over their fences to get to the bird tables rather than fly there – Moorhens are unexpectedly agile.

(Ed Wilson)

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

2018
Priorslee Lake
Today's Report Here

2016
Priorslee Lake
Today's Sightings Here

2013
Priorslee Lake
Green Sandpiper
3 eclipse Teal
(Ed Wilson)

2010
Priorslee Lake
Greenshank
(Ed Wilson)

2005
Priorslee Lake
Black Swan flew over
233 Canada Geese over
11 Greylag Geese over
123 Jackdaws
234 Rooks
143 Greenfinches
1 Willow Warbler
2 Blackcaps
Cormorant flew over
(Ed Wilson)