17.0°C > 19.0°C: Scattered mostly light rain showers from broken hazy medium-level cloud. Low cloud after 08:00. Humid. Light and variable breeze, if any. Good visibility, moderate later.
Sunrise: 05:46 BST
* = a photo today.
Priorslee Lake: 04:24 – 06:30 // 07:30 – 09:42
(162nd visit of the year)
Bird notes:
- I cannot explain why more Greylag Geese fly inbound than earlier flew outbound – every day. Is someone making geese in the fields to the E?
- An extra adult and immature Great Crested Grebe. The immature is a bird that has fledged elsewhere (the one missing from The Flash perhaps?).
- For the last three days I have heard Little Grebes calling from two separate areas. It is quite possible that they are moving unseen though I as the two locations are the same on all occasions I am tempted to think there are two birds (at least) involved.
- The long-sitting Great Crested Grebe in the SE area was visited by its presumed partner several times. The sitting bird seemed more alert. Eggs hatching?
Birds noted flying over / near here:
- 233 Greylag Geese (91 in eight groups outbound; 142 in one large group inbound)
- Canada Geese heard only
- 2 Common Buzzards (non-local)
- 11 Black-headed Gulls
- 21 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 2 Feral Pigeons: together
- 36 Wood Pigeons only
- no Jackdaws or Rooks
- 2 Pied Wagtails
Hirundines etc. logged:
- 2 Barn Swallows again
- >12 House Martins
Count of warblers logged (singing birds in brackets):
- 12 (0) Chiffchaffs
- 5 (0) Blackcaps again
- 1 (0) Reed Warbler
Counts from the lake area:
- 2 + 5 Mute Swans
- 15 (?♂) Mallard
- 2 Cormorants: arrived separately
- 2 Grey Herons
- Little Grebe(s?) heard
- 15 + 5 (3 broods) Great Crested Grebes (see notes)
- 5 + 2 (2 broods) Moorhens
- 82 adult and immature Coots
- >53 Black-headed Gulls: at least four juveniles
- 5 Lesser Black-backed Gulls: all (near) adults
On / around the street lights etc. pre-sunrise:
Moths:
- 1 Willow Ermine (Yponomeuta rorrella): my moth species #86 here in 2020
- 2 Common Grass-veneers (Agriphila tristella)
- 1 Common Grey (Scoparia ambigualis)
- 1 Square-spot Rustic (Xestia xanthographa): my moth species #87 here in 2020
Catching up a bit:
The three unidentified micro moths on 08th August were:
- 1 Brown House Moth (Hofmannophila pseudospretella)
- 1 very probably Poplar Sober (Anacampsis populella). There is a very similar and less common species that feeds on beech trees which are uncommon here/
- 1 Dingy Dowd (Blastobasis adustella)
The Poplar Sober becomes my moth species #82 here in 2020 and I have updated the numbers above to reflect that. (#84 and #85 were yesterday)
Other things on the lamp poles:
- 1 Chironomus plumosus (plumed midge)
- 1 Common Green Lacewing (Chrysoperia carnea)
- 1 Orb-web spider, presumed Larinioides sclopetarius
- 2 Stretch-spiders (Tetragnatha sp.)
- 1 other spider, perhaps Clubiona terrestris
The three unidentified micro moths on 08th August were:
- 1 Brown House Moth (Hofmannophila pseudospretella)
- 1 very probably Poplar Sober (Anacampsis populella). There is a very similar and less common species that feeds on beech trees which are uncommon here/
- 1 Dingy Dowd (Blastobasis adustella)
The Poplar Sober becomes my moth species #82 here in 2020 and I have updated the numbers above to reflect that. (#84 and #85 were yesterday)
Other things on the lamp poles:
- 1 Chironomus plumosus (plumed midge)
- 1 Common Green Lacewing (Chrysoperia carnea)
- 1 Orb-web spider, presumed Larinioides sclopetarius
- 2 Stretch-spiders (Tetragnatha sp.)
- 1 other spider, perhaps Clubiona terrestris
And around the roof edges of the sailing club hut
- 5 orb-web spiders, presumed Larinioides sclopetarius
Insects / other things etc. noted later:
A few things braved the low cloud.
The full list of things noted:
Butterflies:
- Green-veined White (Pieris napi)
- Speckled Wood (Pararge aegeria)
Moths:
- Common Grass-veneers (Agriphila tristella)
- Shaded Broad-bar (Scotopteryx chenopodiata)
- Common Carpet (Epirrhoe alternata)
Bees / wasps:
- Common Carder Bee (Bombus pascuorum)
- Common Wasp (Paravespula vulgaris)
- A sawfly, perhaps Tenthredo arcuata
Damsel-/Dragon-flies:
- Brown Hawker (Aeshna grandis)
- Common Blue Damselfly (Enallagma cyathigerum)
Hoverflies:
- Marmalade Hoverfly (Episyrphus balteatus)
- possible Melanostoma mellinum
- Long Hoverfly (Sphaerophoria scripta)
Mammals
- 2 Pipistrelle-type bats
- 1 other unidentified bat sp.
- 4 Grey Squirrels
Other things:
- Tipula lateralis (Cranefly)
Additional flowering plant species recorded for the year at this site:
- 5 orb-web spiders, presumed Larinioides sclopetarius
Insects / other things etc. noted later:
A few things braved the low cloud.
The full list of things noted:
Butterflies:
- Green-veined White (Pieris napi)
- Speckled Wood (Pararge aegeria)
Moths:
- Common Grass-veneers (Agriphila tristella)
- Shaded Broad-bar (Scotopteryx chenopodiata)
- Common Carpet (Epirrhoe alternata)
Bees / wasps:
- Common Carder Bee (Bombus pascuorum)
- Common Wasp (Paravespula vulgaris)
- A sawfly, perhaps Tenthredo arcuata
Damsel-/Dragon-flies:
- Brown Hawker (Aeshna grandis)
- Common Blue Damselfly (Enallagma cyathigerum)
Hoverflies:
- Marmalade Hoverfly (Episyrphus balteatus)
- possible Melanostoma mellinum
- Long Hoverfly (Sphaerophoria scripta)
Mammals
- 2 Pipistrelle-type bats
- 1 other unidentified bat sp.
- 4 Grey Squirrels
Other things:
- Tipula lateralis (Cranefly)
Additional flowering plant species recorded for the year at this site:
None
The cloud cleared just enough for a glimpse of the half-moon.
"It was a dark and stormy night"!
Another one for cloud enthusiasts.
On the left the new arrival of a recently fledged Great Crested Grebe still with head stripes.
If I have this right a Square-spot Rustic moth (Xestia xanthographa). My first in 2020.
One of the presumed Larinioides sclopetarius orb-web spiders enjoys a meal on one of the lamp poles.
Same species. This one photographed at the sailing club hut.
(Ed Wilson)
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The Flash: 06:35 – 07:25
(148th visit of the year)
Bird notes:
- The flat light gave me a better view of the Tufted Ducks and I feel that my total of drakes is correct. These would be adult drakes, any immatures would not be separable from ducks without more detailed scrutiny.
- Still no sign of the second juvenile Great Crested Grebe. A pair of adults displaying by the island; another adult at the top end of the water.
- From today I will not be separating adult and juvenile Moorhens.
- Yesterday's Racing Pigeon seems to like it here.
Birds noted flying over / near The Flash:
- 7 Wood Pigeons
Hirundines etc. logged:
- House Martins heard only
Count of warblers logged (singing birds in brackets):
- 4 (0) Chiffchaff again
- 2 (0) Blackcaps
Counts from the water:
- 3 + 7 Mute Swans
- 1 Greylag Goose: departed
- 14 Canada Geese
- 20 (?♂) Mallard: hiding inside island
- 33 (12♂) Tufted Duck
- 3 + 1 (1 brood) Great Crested Grebes
- 6 adult and juvenile Moorhens
- 44 adult and juvenile Coots
- 9 Black-headed Gulls: three juvenile
- 1 Lesser Black-backed Gull: adult, departed (as yesterday)
On various lamp poles:
Moths:
None
And
Otherwise
- Berry clusters of Lords and Ladies (Arum maculatum)
- 4 Grey Squirrels
- 1 Red-legged Shieldbug (Pentatoma rufipes)
- 6 Leiobunum rotundum-type (harvestmen) again
Otherwise
- Berry clusters of Lords and Ladies (Arum maculatum)
- 4 Grey Squirrels
(Ed Wilson)
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Between the lake and The Flash:
Of Note
- 1 Blackcap calling near the upper pool
Otherwise
- 2 Grey Squirrels
(Ed Wilson)
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On this day..........