18 Jun 20

Priorslee Lake and The Flash: 

13.0°C: Low cloud with light rain to start: then wet, very wet. Light E wind. Moderate visibility.

Sunrise: 04:45 BST:

The Met Office forecast said heavy rain all morning. The BBC forecast said light rain all morning. The weather radar suggested light rain for a while, then heavy rain. The latter was correct.

I decided to go anyway – FOMO (Fear of Missing Out)!

Priorslee Lake: 04:25 – 05:40 // 06:35 – 07:40

(114th visit of the year)

An addition to my 2020 lake list:

#89 Common Tern

A bird flew through just before 07:00. After my unidentified tern on Sunday 14th a welcome addition.

I have an audio recording of a rather strange warbler that is 'under investigation'.

The hardy over-night fishermen reported that a Tawny Owl was calling from the N side trees. This species did not seem to nest around the lake this year so perhaps a juvenile seeking a territory.

Other bird notes in poor conditions.

None

Birds noted flying over / near here:

- 1 (1♂) Mallard

- 1 Common Tern

- 2 Wood Pigeons

- 1 Jackdaw

- 3 Rooks

- 1 Starling

Hirundines etc. logged:

None

Count of warblers logged (singing birds in brackets):

- 14 (13) Chiffchaffs

- 11 (11) Blackcaps

- 3 (3) Garden Warblers

- 5 (3) Common Whitethroats

- 4 (4) Reed Warblers: too soggy to sing?

Counts from the lake area:

- 2 + 5 Mute Swans

- 11 (9♂) Mallard

- 4 Great Crested Grebes

- 2 Moorhens

- 28 + 10 (5 broods) Coots

NB: a prefix * means there is a photo today.

On / around the street lights etc. pre-sunrise:

- *Treble Brown Spot moth (Idaea trigeminata)

- *Satin Wave moth (Idaea subsericeata)

- *Probable Walnut Orb Weaver spider (Nuctenea umbratica)

Insects / other things etc. noted later in wet conditions:

None

Some welcome feedback from @ShropBotany means I have to make some changes to the flowers logged on Monday 15th June:

- The convolvulus sp. is more likely Hedge (or Larger) Bindweed (Calystegia sepium, formerly Convolvulus sepium). Needs another look.

- The willowherb should be Great(er) Willowherb (Epilobium hirsutum)

- The scientific name for Water Forget-me-not has been changed to (Myositis scorpioides)

- What I though a garden escape is Common Mallow (Malva sylvestris)

My knowledge of all flora and fauna other than birds is largely self-taught from field guides and the web. I do get help from experts on moths and hoverflies. So corrections are always appreciated - it is the way we all learn.

This is another Treble Brown Spot moth (Idaea trigeminata). My second-ever and my second here this year. This one in a very different location.

This moth was a real challenge to photograph as it was at rest on one of the flashing Belisha beacons in Teece Drive. I needed to time take a flash photo when the beacon was not lit otherwise the result was just a silhouette. This moth's resting position with the leading edges of the wings held parallel combined with the faint cross-lines identify this as a Satin Wave moth (Idaea subsericeata), also my second-ever here.

Another spider that I have provisionally identified as a Walnut Orb Weaver (Nuctenea umbratica).

(Ed Wilson)

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The Flash: 05:45 – 06:30

(100th visit of the year)

Notes:

- One of the Moorhens seemed to have a broken leg and could only hop on land. Presumably would tend to swim in circles.

- Reed Warbler not heard – but in the rain there was little song from this species at the lake.

Birds noted flying over / near The Flash:

None

Hirundines etc. logged:

- 2 House Martins briefly

Count of warblers logged (singing birds in brackets):

- 6 (5) Chiffchaffs

- 1 (1) Blackcap

- no Reed Warbler noted

Counts from the water:

- 3 + 7 (1 brood) Mute Swans

- 74 Greylag Geese

- 136 + 2 (1 brood) Canada Geese

- 24 (18♂) + 3 (1 brood) Mallard

- 8 (5♂) Tufted Duck

- 2 + 2(1 brood) Great Crested Grebes

- 4 Moorhens

- 13 + 9 (5 broods) Coots

Nothing else of note:

A very sad and soggy-looking Canada Goose. It has lost many of its flight feathers and several more look as if they are about to fall out. All part of the normal annual moult.

The two surviving Canada Goose goslings on one of the local lawns. I wonder if I could hire them to sort out my lawn?

The only family group of Mallard ducklings seen for the last few days is this trio. There seems to have been an even higher level of mortality than usual this year.

What a difference a day makes. Yesterday just a few desultory flowers. Now the Biting Stonecrop (Sedum acre) is in full flower.

(Ed Wilson)

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Between the lake and The Flash:

Of note:

- First brood juvenile Moorhen on the grass alongside the upper pool.

Also

- 1 Riband Wave moth (Idaea aversata) on a lamp pole

On a lamp pole was this Riband Wave moth (Idaea aversata). This is of the locally more common form remutata. The nominate form has a the area between the two cross-lines dark grey, forming a ribbon.

(Ed Wilson)

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

2019

Priorslee Lake

Today's Sightings Here

2018

Priorslee Lake

Today's Sightings Here

2017

Priorslee Lake

Today's Sightings Here

2016

Priorslee Lake

Today's Sightings Here

2010 

Trench Lock Pool 

4 drake Pochard 

(Ed Wilson)