2 Oct 19

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

Priorslee Lake:  06:00 –09:10
The Flash:  09:15 – 09:55
Trench Lock Pool:  10:35 – 11:10
Trench Middle Pool:  10:05 – 10:30 // 11:15 – 11:25

4.0°C > 10.0°C:  Clear start with cloud and light showers spreading from NW. Calm start with light W wind developing. Very good visibility.

Sunrise: 07:12 BST

Priorslee Lake:  06:00 –09:10

(237th visit of the year)

One of Mute Swan cygnets seemed to be caught up along the N side at an inaccessible point. Both Cuan Wildlife Rescue and the RSPCA have been informed. They will likely need a boat.

Other bird notes from today:
- The party of 17 geese outbound passed quite close: it was still too dark to positively identify them and rather unusually no calls were heard.
- Insignificant number of large gulls: indeed insignificant numbers of all gull species.
- For the last few days the early passage of Rooks has included a few Jackdaws mixed in. That was also true today: additionally several large groups of Jackdaws flew low to pass to the E some minutes later – a sure sign that winter is approaching.
- Two Song Thrushes were heard quietly singing.
- The Pied Wagtails seen overhead were likely bird flying to or from their time on the ‘football’ field

No visit was made to the ‘football’ field before 09:00 when there were 15 Magpies and 11 Pied Wagtails on the grass. No gulls or pigeons.

Bird totals:

Birds noted flying over or flying near the lake:
- 17 unidentified geese (1 group outbound)
- 1 Grey Heron
- 1 Common Buzzard once more
- 8 Lesser Black-backed Gulls: two of these a first-winter birds
- 18 unidentified large gulls: too dark to ID
- 77 Wood Pigeons
- 185 Jackdaws
- 137 Rooks
- 5 Pied Wagtails
- 3 Meadow Pipits

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

Counts from the lake area:
- 2 + 6 (1 brood) Mute Swans (see notes)
- 10 (5+♂) Mallard
- 4 (0♂) Tufted Ducks
- 2 Cormorants
- 3 Little Grebes again
- 8 adult + 3 immatures + 9 juvenile (3 broods) Great Crested Grebes again
- 7 Moorhens
- 110 Coots
- >45 Black-headed Gulls
- 13 Lesser Black-backed Gulls: 12 of these first-winter birds
- 2 Herring Gulls: both of these first-winter birds
- 1 Kingfisher

Pre-dawn sightings on the lamp poles:
- 1 Green-brindled Crescent (Allophyes oxyacanthae) of the form capucina
- 1 possible Scorpion-fly larva
- 1 presumed Chironomus plumosus (plumed midge)
- 2 different unidentified spiders

No later sightings:

I had just set off for this morning’s early ‘football’ field count when I turned around and noticed a sudden and rather dramatic sunrise.

A longer view. Lasted no more than five minutes – then it started to rain.

A moth that had me puzzled – for two reasons. Firstly I have not previously recorded this apparently common species in Shropshire; and secondly because it is the less common brown form (capucina) of Green-brindled Crescent (Allophyes oxyacanthae). My lake moth species count for 2019 moves on to a healthy 74. Thanks to Martin Adlam for getting this sorted for me.

This a larva, but I am far from certain what of. It is covered in dew obscuring some of the marks. The red head rules out it being any butterfly caterpillar. The rear end looks slightly fuzzy as if it might have spines sticking up, making it likely to be a scorpion fly larva.

So this will be a plumed midge then, probably Chironomus plumosus. This species is active all year. Only males have the plumes – for detecting the females’ pheromones

Yet another unidentified spider on a lamp pole. “My what big palps you have”. One of two different spiders noted this morning – the other was camera-shy and ran away.

(Ed Wilson)

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The Flash:  09:15 – 09:55

(225th visit of the year)

Notes from here:
- Very quiet this morning – at least until the geese returned. Most of these flew in while I was blind-sided searching for Goldcrests in a wooded area. Some had probably already disappeared inside the island before I could attempt a count.
- One group of c.20 Greylag Geese appeared to fly over: these birds could well have joined with other returning birds and become part of the 100+ that arrived a few minutes later
- Another increase in the Tufted Duck numbers.
No insects etc. noted but
- berries of Black Bryony (Tamus communis)

Birds noted flying over / near The Flash:
- 1 Wood Pigeon
- 1 Jackdaw

Warblers noted.
None

Counts from the water:
- 3 Mute Swans
- >124 Greylag Geese
- >88 Canada Geese
- no hybrid / feral geese
- 45 (24♂) Mallard
- 75 (17?♂) Tufted Duck
- 2 Great Crested Grebes
- 2 Moorhens
- 19 Coots again
- 15 Black-headed Gulls: five of these first-winter birds

Only when I looked at my photos did I see that a few Canada Geese were in amongst the big party of landing Greylag Geese. The Greylag on the far left is strangely contorted as it finds its landing spot.

A group in various stages of ‘final approach’.

The two on the left are training to be part of the ‘Red Arrow’ formation team. I am slightly puzzled as to why the legs of these two birds are a different colour. Age?

Numbers of Tufted Duck are increasing daily with 75 this morning. Many of them, like this group, are sleeping. Perhaps they have just arrived after a long flight from breeding grounds in Norway. Many of them very hard to sex at this time of year. The bird on the back left looks like a drake with a duck in front of him. Many others ...?

The poisonous berries of Black Bryony (Tamus communis). It always coils clockwise around its chosen support. It is in the Yam family and is no way related to White Bryony (Bryonia dioica), part of the Gourd family. My books say both bryony species often grow together. I have not found White Bryony in this area.

(Ed Wilson)

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Trench Lock Pool:  10:35 – 11:10

(43rd visit of the year)

A fly-over pair of Jays and single Skylark were both new bird species for me at this site this year: #58 & #59.
Jays seem particularly obvious at most locations at the moment. This species is known to move in large numbers if the acorn crop fails in mainland Europe. It is also an increasingly common breeding species in the UK and locally – there were three, perhaps four, territories around Priorslee Lake this year.
My last record of a Skylark here was on 10 October 2014, though I am certain they pass over every Spring and Autumn.

Other notes from here:
- There was a battle going on between the swans. One of the fishermen reported seeing two swans – likely the residents – holding another swan under the water and then pursuing it up the bank and along the Silkin Way. Perhaps the missing bird(s) from Middle Pool?
- A Blackcap heard calling was on an unexpectedly late date.
- Four Jackdaws seemed to vying for ownership of the chimney stacks of the Blue Pig.
also
- 1 Small Tortoiseshell butterfly (Aglais urticae): **new for me at this site this year
- >5 Common Drone-flies (Eristalis tenax)
- >5 wasps sp.
- 1 Dock Bug (Coreus marginatus)
- 1 Common Darter dragonfly: **also new for me at this site this year

Birds noted flying over / near here [other than local Wood Pigeons and Jackdaws].
- 1 Common Buzzard
- 2 Jays
- 1 Skylark

Warblers noted:
- 1 Chiffchaff
- 1 Blackcap

Counts from the water:
- 3 Mute Swans (see notes)
- 1 Greylag Goose
- 30 Canada Geese
- 10 (3♂) Mallard
- 3 (0♂) Tufted Duck: arrived
- 2 + 4 (2 broods) Great Crested Grebes
- 1 Moorhen
- 10 Coots
- 3 Black-headed Gulls: two of these first winter birds

This Chiffchaff gave me the run-around – here hiding. Note this individual shows a long and rather prominent supercilium, recalling Willow Warbler. The dark bill and legs rule out that species and it would be a very late date to see one anyway. Its rapid movements also tended to rule out Willow Warbler, a species that moves rather deliberately in comparison.

It stopped to have a quick peek and then ...

... launched itself to feast on more insects ahead of its journey to spend winter in the Mediterranean Basin.

A sunny interval between showers tempted this Dock Bug (Coreus marginatus) to soak up some warmth ...

... and this Common Drone-fly (Eristalis tenax).

(Ed Wilson)

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Trench Middle Pool:  10:05 – 10:30 // 11:15 – 11:25

(43rd visit of the year)

I parked here again because of on-going road closure towards the Blue Pig.

Work continues to stabilise the N side embankment with even more men and equipment. In theory only two more days ....

Notes from here:
- No Mute Swans for the first time in ages (see Trench Lock notes)
- Some of the Tufted Duck left between my two visits – to Trench Lock?
- The first-winter Lesser Black-backed Gulls seemed to be in poor condition and appeared to have a broken wing.
- Grey Wagtail again

Birds noted flying over / near here:
- 1 Common Buzzard
- 1 Raven

Warblers noted.
None

Counts from the water:
- 168 Canada Geese
- 11 (8♂) Mallard
- 1 all-white feral Mallard-type again
- 6 (1♂) Tufted Duck
- 2 + 3 (1 brood) Great Crested Grebes
- 10 Moorhens again
- 38 Coots
- 4 Black-headed Gulls: none of these first winter birds
- 1 Lesser Black-backed Gull: first winter bird.

(Ed Wilson)

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

2018
Priorslee Lake
Today's Sightings Here

2017
Priorslee Lake
Today's Sightings Here

2013
Candles Landfill Site
1st winter Caspian Gull
2nd winter Yellow-legged Gull.
(Tom Lowe)

2012
Priorslee Lake
Redwing
Swallow
(Ed Wilson)

2008
Priorslee Lake
2 Great Black-backed Gulls
(Mike Cooper)

2006
Priorslee Lake
1 Swallow
1 Chiffchaff
(Ed Wilson)