15 May 20

Priorslee Lake: 05:00 – 06:15 // 07:05 – 09:01
The Flash: 06:20 – 07:00

6.0°C > 10.0°C: Cloud increased throughout after an almost clear start. Light / moderate WNW wind. Very good visibility.

Sunrise: 05:11 BST

Priorslee Lake:

(82nd visit of the year)

Despite my comment yesterday about the return of the Sailing Club the entrance gate still displays Severn Trent’s ‘Site Closed’ sign.

Best bird today was a singing Sedge Warbler at the W end. Difficult to speculate about this bird. A late migrant? After all a Reed Warbler arrived at The Flash yesterday. One of the earlier birds (last noted on 2nd May) having been quiet for several weeks? Unlikely, as this is a typically noisy species. A bird having lost territory elsewhere seeking pastures new?

Bird notes:
- The cob Mute Swan was being very solicitous around the nest area. The pen was then noted standing at the nest site and then later joining the cob on the water for a few minutes. She then climbed back to the nest. The nest itself is well-obscured by reeds. Long-range photos seemed to show at least four cygnets.
- A pair of Tufted Duck flew off W (to The Flash?) at 05:10 leaving a pair on the water. Later another pair was also on the water: not seen to arrive.
- There were five Reed Warblers singing along the N side reeds. Assuming there are still four at the W end this would give the highest number of singing birds for several years. It is hard-enough to pinpoint how many birds are singing from the W end reeds at the best of times. With the added distraction of a Sedge Warbler singing at full volume and being chased by Reed Warblers who can say ...?

Birds noted flying over / near here:
- 2 Greylag Geese (pair inbound)
- 3 Canada Geese (trio outbound)
- 5 Cormorants (together)
- 13 Lesser Black-backed Gulls: ages not determined
- 10 Wood Pigeons
- 2 Collared Doves
- 6 Jackdaws
- 8 Rooks

Birds noted on the ‘football’ field [Wood Pigeons and Magpies excluded]:
None

Birds noted on the academy playing field [Wood Pigeons and Magpies excluded here too]:
- 11 Starlings only

Count of hirundines etc logged:
- 10 Swifts
- 6 Sand Martins
- 4 Barn Swallows
- 4 House Martins

Count of warblers logged (singing birds in brackets):
- 13 (9) Chiffchaffs
- 20 (19) Blackcaps
- 5 (4) Garden Warblers
- 3 (3) Common Whitethroats
- 1 (1) Sedge Warbler
- 9 (9) Reed Warblers (see notes)

Counts from the lake area:
- 2 + >4 (1 brood) Mute Swans (see notes)
- 1 (1♂) Gadwall: throughout
- 7 (6♂) Mallard
- 6 (3♂) Tufted Ducks (see notes)
- 3 Great Crested Grebes again
- 5 Moorhens again
- 15 + 0 (no broods seen) Coots
- 7 Lesser Black-backed Gulls: one first year; two second years; 4 (near) adults, all briefly

Nothing on / around the street lights:
Moths are really scarce here so far this year

Insects / other things etc noted:

Hoverflies
- Criorhina sp.,probably floccosa: new for me
- Marmalade Hoverfly (Episyrphus balteatus)
- Leucozona lucorum

Crane flies
- Tipula fascipennis
- Tipula lateralis

Other things
- Red-and-Black Froghopper (Cercopis vulnerata)
- froghopper nymphs in ‘cuckoo-spit’
- Tetragnatha sp. stretch spider

No additional plant species recorded for the year at this site:

The sunrise today with some of the later cloud menacing already

The pen Mute Swan standing at the nest site. I think I can make out at least four cygnets. Likely others hidden. Usual number of eggs is between seven and ten. Sometimes one or more egg will be infertile. Often one or more cygnets will be weak and ignored. We shall see.

A species I have neglected to photograph recently, mainly because they have been singing high up on trees now in full leaf. So here is a Chiffchaff. Legs not really black, more dark orange.

Again.

A very contrasting image: the bright Hawthorn flowers; and the dark insect. This is a ‘bumblebee mimic’ hoverfly (the short antennae mean it is not a ‘real’ bee). It is in the genus Criorhina. Both hoverflies in this genus are uncommon. It is likely C. floccosa. There is the oxyacanthae form of C. berberina which is very difficult to separate visually. Reading the literature suggests this is less likely at this date and to be feeding on Hawthorn.

The small and very common Marmalade Hoverfly (Episyrphus balteatus).

A very well-marked and attractive hoverfly is this Leucozona lucorum. This species shows a very obvious wing cloud.

This is the same species. Some individuals do not show the obvious pale area on the body – this is not sexual dimorphism. Note the same very obvious wing cloud.

Note: I am greatly indebted to Leon Truscott from Saltash in Cornwall who first got me interested in hoverflies and who continues to help with identification puzzles.

This is a male crane fly Tipula fascipennis with the unrelieved orange body. It is female crane flies that have pointed abdomen (ovipositors).

One of the identification feature – the body pattern – is sadly hidden on the photo of this crane fly. The marking in the wing and what can be seen on the thorax suggest it is Tipula lateralis – a very common species which flies from March until late Autumn.

Many of my photos of stretch spiders are of them on the street-light poles. Here is one in a more natural setting, lying in wait for a passing meal. They are often seen lying along the spine of leaves, better camouflaged.. From the genus Tetragnatha: not further separable from photos.

(Ed Wilson)

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The Flash:

(69th visit of the year)

Bird notes:
- The Reed Warbler still singing in the small reed patch.

Birds noted flying over / near The Flash:
- 5 Wood Pigeons
- 3 Jackdaws

Hirundines etc logged:
- 2 House Martins

Count of warblers logged (singing birds in brackets):
- 5 (4) Chiffchaffs
- 1 (1) Blackcap only
- 1 (1) Reed Warbler again

Counts from the water:
- 3 + 9 (1 brood) Mute Swans
- 1 Greylag Goose: departed
- 15 Canada Geese
- 21 (16♂) + 7 (1 brood) Mallard
- 16 (9♂) Tufted Duck
- 2 Great Crested Grebes
- 3 Moorhens
- 15 + 2 (1 brood) Coots

Otherwise of note:
- 1 Swallow Prominent moth (Pheosia tremula)

I am told that the Priorslee Facebook group has been awash with photos and videos of the cygnets and the Mute Swans. Why should I miss out ...?

Mum Mallard and seven offspring, all neatly in line.

Same lamp pole for this Swallow Prominent moth (Pheosia tremula). Seen here on 1st May. Probably a different individual.

(Ed Wilson)

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Between the lake and The Flash:

Noteworthy
- 1 adult Moorhen on the lower pool
- 1 adult Moorhen heard and 1 juvenile seen on the upper pool
- 1 Great Spotted Woodpecker flew from around the lower pool to the Ricoh copse
- 1 Blackcap singing at the lower pool
- 1 Blackcap singing at the upper pool
- 1 Song Thrush singing near the upper pool: then two Song Thrushes nearly decapitated me, before ...
- 1 Song Thrush singing at the lower pool

(Ed Wilson)

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If you are on your daily exercise and keeping a safe distance from others, we would love to see any photos or sightings you have, from Priorslee Lake and The Flash, by emailing them to us at priorsleelake@hotmail.com

We look forward to hearing from you.😊

(Martin Adlam and Ed Wilson)

Note:
Here are a few Garden Sightings from Ed Wilson Here on our Readers Corner from the past few days

And

A few of Martin Adlam's Sightings from the Isle of Portland Here.

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

2015
Priorslee Lake
Today's Sightings Here

2006
Priorslee Lake
2 Ruddy Ducks
(Ed Wilson)

2012
Wrekin
Wood Warbler
3 Spotted Flycatchers
(Andy Latham)