19 Sep 19

Priorslee Lake, The Flash, Trench Lock Pool and Trench Middle Pool

Priorslee Lake:  05:40 –09:05
The Flash:  09:10 – 09:50
Trench Lock Pool:  10:00 – 10:10 // 10:55 – 11:10
Trench Middle Pool:  10:15 – 10:40

9.0°C > 15.0°C:  Fine and clear. Slight mist over lake early. Almost calm. Very good visibility.

Sunrise: 06:50 BST

Priorslee Lake:  05:40 – 09:05

(226th visit of the year)

Two highlights today
- I heard what sounded like a Eurasian Wigeon call at 06:00 but could see nothing. Then at 07:15 when I returned from the ‘football’ field area I flushed a pair from the NW area whilst I was otherwise occupied ....
- ... taking a ‘record shot’ of a Little Egret on the SW shore. When I looked back from watching the departing wigeon the egret had also flown off and I could not see to where it departed. At 08:50 the same, or another, Little Egret flew N, high overhead the Ricoh factory.

Bird notes from today:
The 06:55 ‘football’ field count gave me 168 Black-headed Gulls, 1 first-winter Lesser Black-backed Gull, just six Wood Pigeons, eight Magpies, the usual single Carrion Crow and 65 Pied Wagtails.

Other notes:
- Initially only three duck Tufted Ducks noted. Later five counted, all ducks. By 08:45 they seemed to have gone.
- Three of the well-grown juvenile Great Crested Grebes not seen.
- The first Black-headed Gulls arrived, unusually from the NE – I guess all the usual birds from the W had gone straight to the ‘football’ field.
- Not sure where the first of the large gulls came from – they were seen spiralling down from a great height. Many fewer gulls today: still mainly first-winter birds.
- >100 additional Wood Pigeons were noted flying around the fields and trees to the N / NE again.

Bird totals:

Birds noted flying over or flying near the lake:
- 7 (?♂) Mallard: perhaps flying off rather than over?
- 1 Little Egret
- c.25 Black-headed Gulls
- 7 Lesser Black-backed Gulls: three of these first-winter birds
- 13 unidentified large gulls: too dark to ID
- 3 Feral Pigeons
- 101 Wood Pigeons
- 1 Collared Dove again
- 56 Jackdaws
- 151 Rooks
- 1 Skylark
- 3 Starlings
- 2 Meadow Pipits

Hirundines etc. noted:
- 3 House Martins

Warblers noted (singing birds):
- 6 (2) Chiffchaffs
- 3 (1) Blackcaps again: one in sub-song again

Counts from the lake area:
- 2 + 6 (1 brood) Mute Swans
- 2 (1♂) Wigeon: flew off
- 5 (3♂) Mallard
- 5 (0♂) Tufted Ducks: flew off
- 1 Little Egret: flew off
- 1 Grey Heron
- 1 immature Little Grebe again
- 8 adult + 1 immature + 9 juvenile (3 broods) Great Crested Grebes again
- 6 + 4 (3 broods) Moorhens
- 106 Coots
- c.200 Black-headed Gulls
- 54 Lesser Black-backed Gulls : 51 of these first-winter birds
- 68 unidentified large gulls: too dark to ID
- 1 Kingfisher

On the lamp poles pre-dawn. A good haul of moths.
- 1 Common Marble moth (Celypha lacunana)
- 1 Common Marbled Carpet moth (Dysstroma truncata): moth species #70 here this year
- 1 Sallow moth (Cirrhia icteritia (was Xanthia icteritia)) : moth species #71 here this year
- 1 springtail Pogonognathellus longicornis
- 1 Earwig (Forficula auricularia)
- 2 Garden Spiders (Arameus diadematus)
- 1 spider –unknown species
- 1 Dicranopalpus ramosus harvestman
- 1 Paroligolophus agrestis harvestman
- 1 Grey Squirrel

No much logged later as still very cool
- 1 Common Crane-fly (Tipula oleracea)
- 1 wasp sp.

Another day; another sunrise. Reflections in the water always enhance the view.

Slightly later and as mist formed over the lake it prompted the sky to colour up before ....

... the colour quickly faded as the sun was about to pop over the horizon.

A ‘record shot’ of the drake Eurasian Wigeon as it departs. The distinctive pattern of white in the wing is sufficient to ID the bird from this dreadful photo.

Another ‘record shot’, here of the soon to depart Little Egret. The black bill prevents confusion with any other egret species.

Now is this a ‘record shot’ of the same Little Egret flying over some 90 minutes later? Could be, though this species is common-enough these days for it to be as likely to be a different bird. Even in this poor shot we can see the diagnostic yellow feet.

Typical behaviour of Dunnock, shuffling about on the ground amongst leaf litter and hedge cuttings provided by the council contractors clearing the footpath at the W end.

After a prolonged absence during the breeding season Grey Wagtails are now a frequent sight around the dam-face. Sexes are almost identical in winter, losing all the black on the throat and bib.

This Common Marble moth (Celypha lacunana) had better watch out – there is a Garden Spider (Arameus diadematus) looking for breakfast. I had to wait until the dew had dispersed before I could identify the moth .....

... as here where we can see it is a Common Marble moth. The moth evidently survived any attention from the spider – perhaps the spider did not fancy a soggy meal.

This Common Marbled Carpet moth (Dysstroma truncata) stayed until well after daylight and did not need ‘flash’ photography. This is a very variable species and some forms can be hard to separate from other carpet moth. This common rufous form is quite distinctive and cannot be confused with any other species.

Also all covered in dew is this Sallow moth (Cirrhia icteritia (was Xanthia icteritia)). A number of broadly similar yellow-toned moths occur at this time of year and portend Autumn.

All the moths were amazingly cooperative in staying. This Sallow moth had shuffled slightly but was still present in full sun. The pattern is now clear and any confusion species can be eliminated.

 Another Garden Spider (Arameus diadematus), this one already wrapping up another meal.

Some hours later what is probably the same Garden Spider is after another meal ...

... but I cannot work out what the prey might have been.

(Ed Wilson)

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The Flash:  09:10 – 09:50

(215th visit of the year)

Notes from here:
- The same family party of five Greylag x Canada Geese again with their Greylag parent. The rather different hybrid bird in amongst Canada Geese.
- 1 Grey Wagtail.
also
- 1 Dicranopalpus ramosus harvestman on the usual lamp pole.
- 1 Rufous-toned spider sp. on a different lamp pole.
- 1 Terrapin sp. (presumed Yellow-bellied Slider) yet again.

Birds noted flying over / near The Flash:
- 1 Lesser Black-backed Gull: (near?) adult
- 3 Feral Pigeons
- 4 Wood Pigeons
- 4 Jackdaws

Hirundines etc. noted again.
None

Warblers noted (singing birds):
- 2 (0) Chiffchaffs

Counts from the water:
- 3 Mute Swans
- >39 Greylag Geese
- 6 Greylag x Canada Geese again
- >102 Canada Geese
- 37 (20♂) Mallard
- 31 (?♂) Tufted Ducks
- 2 Great Crested Grebes as ever
- 2 Moorhens
- 22 Coots
- 9 Black-headed Gulls: none of these a first-winter bird
- 1 Kingfisher

This is a very distinctive spider the like of which I have not seen before. A search through all the photos of spiders in the Naturespot web site and a Google search of ‘spiders with red legs’ has failed to provide any clue to its identity.

The Yellow-bellied Slider Terrapin was rather better positioned for a photo this morning – no distracting background.

Here is its passport photo.

(Ed Wilson)

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Trench Lock Pool:  10:00 – 10:10 // 10:55 – 11:10

(41st visit of the year)

I spent a while talking with the fishermen who have camper vans to stay in around the water. They tell me that c.300 ‘gulls’ roost here, arriving more or less at dark and leaving before first light. Very few visit during the day.

Other notes from here:
- The drake Pochard apparently arrived while I was at Middle Pool.
- No idea where all the Coots could be hanging out. Have so many really departed? Are they at Middle Pool and if so why?
- One of the first-winter Lesser Black-backed Gulls was in a poor state. Seemed unable to fly and when in attempted to do so the wing-feathers looked shredded.
Also
- 1 wasp sp.

Birds noted flying over / near here [other than local Wood Pigeons and Jackdaws].
- 4 (0♂) Goosanders

Hirundines etc. noted.
None

Warblers noted (singing birds):
- 1 (0) Chiffchaff

Counts from the water:
- 2 Mute Swans
- 2 (2♂) Mallard
- 1 (1♂) Pochard
- 2 + 3 (1 brood) Great Crested Grebes
- 2 + 1 (1 brood) Moorhens again
- 7 Coots only
- 3 Black-headed Gulls: none of these first winter birds
- 4 Lesser Black-backed Gulls: all first winter birds

(Ed Wilson)

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Trench Middle Pool:  10:15 – 10:40

(41st visit of the year)

Work on the N-side embankment continues. No workers within hailing distance to ask and none of the locals I met knew how much longer work might take to complete.

Notes from here:
- The first Teal of the winter.
- The first Goosander of the winter – then four more over Trench Lock later.
- Perhaps all the Coots missing from Trench Lock are here?!
- The calling Blackcap was a surprise.
- Two Grey Wagtails.
also
- 1 Common Darter dragonfly
- 4 Terrapin sp. (presumed Yellow-bellied Slider)

Birds noted flying over / near here:
- 1 Common Buzzard
- 2 Lesser Black-backed Gulls: one of these a first winter

Hirundines etc. noted.
None

Warblers noted (singing birds):
- 1 (0) Blackcap

Counts from the water:
- 2 Mute Swans
- 1 Greylag Goose
- 18 Canada Geese
- 2 (0♂) Teal
- 23 (16♂) Mallard
- 13 (1♂) Tufted Duck
- 1 (0♂) Goosander
- 1 Grey Heron
- 2 + 3 (1 brood) Great Crested Grebes
- 2 + 1 (1 brood) Moorhens
- 45 Coots
- 3 Black-headed Gulls: none of these first winter birds
- 1 Lesser Black-backed Gull: first winter

The first Common Teal of the season here. This is an eclipse or juvenile drake as there is no white in the side of the tail. A slight pale area from the bill to below the eye and the hint of orange-yellow at the bill-base both suggest a juvenile.

The first Goosander of the season is also back. My guidebook tells me the white patch behind the bill indicates a juvenile but I have to say the extent of the crest and the white area in the wing suggest otherwise to me.

One of the local Common Buzzards overhead. Missing one tail-feather at least – likely just part of the annual moult.

A juvenile Moorhen has found a sunny spot to rest up.

A group of four Yellow-bellied Slider Terrapins basking here. All good friends apparently.

This is a Cyclamen flower. In the UK this family are all semi-naturalised garden escapes, though there are no gardens in this area. The flower most closely resembles Ivy-leafed Sowbread (Cyclamen hederifolium) though, as I recall, the leaves of the plants were not ivy-shaped.

(Ed Wilson)

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

2018
Priorslee Lake
Today's Sightings Here

2011
Priorslee Lake
Common Sandpiper
(Ed Wilson)

2008
Priorslee Lake
Water Rail
129 Greenfinches leaving roost
(Ed Wilson)

2007
Priorslee Lake
Kingfisher
2 Redwings
(Ed Wilson)

2006
Priorslee Lake
4 Black-tailed Godwit
(Martin Adlam)