12 Aug 20

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

17.0°C > 22.0°C: Some remnant cloud from overnight thunderstorms melted away to leave it clear and hazy. No wind. Good visibility.

Sunrise: 05:48 BST

* = a photo today.

People tell me there was an amazing lightning display last night. I slept through it, curtains and windows wide open. Did not seem to have been much rain in the Priorslee area as the Wesley Brook was hardly running. At Trench it was noticeably wetter underfoot with evidence of wash-outs. The stream by the Blue Pig was running quickly.

Priorslee Lake: 04:25 – 06:30 // 07:25 – 09:36

(163rd visit of the year)

Bird notes:

- A group of at least 90 Greylag Geese flew inbound at 07:45 while I was on the N side and my view was obscured by trees. A group of 18 later
- Great Crested Grebes:
- Both existing pairs with two juveniles present.
- A pair in the SW area emerged from the reeds showing at least one juvenile on a parent's back, largely obscured by the raised feathers.
- A hitherto unnoticed pair emerged from close-by, also with at least one juvenile on a parent's back.
- The long-term sitting bird in the SE area was still on the nest but also had at least one juvenile on its back.
- So that makes five active brood with at least seven juveniles. The fledged juvenile first noted yesterday was present again: a sixth brood.
- Just 25 Black-headed Gulls arrived early. Most soon left back to the W. Thereafter at least 17 birds flew in from the W and then quickly back out W. Were these returnees or fresh birds?
- All Swift records from now on are notable as most birds have now departed for Africa.
- Two Kingfishers noisily chasing about before 06:00. None here later. Perhaps one of these the birds seen at The Flash?
- Bumper number of calling Blackcaps – but then with at least 15 nest sites in the area and two broods there should be many birds still about.
- Against the hazy sky there was no chance of seeing the calling Siskin(s) as it / they few over. Another rather unusual date.

Birds noted flying over / near here:

- >225 Greylag Geese (117 in 12 groups outbound; >108 in two groups inbound – see notes)
- Canada Geese yet again heard only
- 1 Common Buzzard
- 12 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 2 Stock Doves: duo
- 73 Wood Pigeons
- 1 Pied Wagtail
- 1+ Siskin(s)

Hirundines etc. logged:

- 2 Swifts c.08:45, briefly
- 2 Barn Swallows again
- >12 House Martins

Count of warblers logged (singing birds in brackets):

- 13 (1) Chiffchaffs
- 1 (1) Willow Warbler
- 10 (0) Blackcaps
- 2 (0) Reed Warblers

Counts from the lake area:

- 2 + 5 Mute Swans
- 17 (?♂) Mallard
- 1 Cormorant: arrived
- 1 Grey Heron
- Little Grebe heard once more
- 16 + >8 (6 broods) Great Crested Grebes (see notes)
- 5 + 2 (2 broods) Moorhens again
- 70 adult and juvenile Coots
- >25 Black-headed Gulls: ? juveniles
- 2 Lesser Black-backed Gulls: both (near) adults
- 2 Kingfishers

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

Moths:

- 1 Common Grass-veneer (Agriphila tristella)
- 1 Barred Marble (Celypha striana)
- 1 Common Grey (Scoparia ambigualis)
- 2 Black Arches (Lymantria monacha)

Other things:

- 1 Red-legged Shieldbug (Pentatoma rufipes)
- 2 Orb-web spiders, presumed Larinioides sclopetarius
- 1 Dicranopalpus ramosus-type harvestman

Insects / other things etc. noted later:

A rather poor haul as it was sunny. Very few of the umbellifers remain in flower.

The full list of things noted:

Butterflies:

- Large White (Pieris brassicae)
- Green-veined White (Pieris napi)
- Speckled Wood (Pararge aegeria)
- Meadow Brown (Maniola jurtina)
- Peacock (Aglais io)
- Small Tortoiseshell (Aglais urticae): a new emergence

Moths:

- Common Grass-veneer (Agriphila tristella)
- Cinnabar (Tyria jacobaeae) caterpillars

Bees / wasps:

- Honey Bee (Apis mellifera)
- Common Carder Bee (Bombus pascuorum)
- Buff-tailed Bumblebee (Bombus terrestris)
- Common Wasp (Paravespula vulgaris): nest found (gulp!)

Damsel-/Dragon-flies:

- Brown Hawker (Aeshna grandis)
- Common Blue Damselfly (Enallagma cyathigerum)
- Blue-tailed Damselfly (Ischnura elegans)
- Common Darter (Sympetrum striolatum)

Hoverflies:

- Marmalade Hoverfly (Episyrphus balteatus)
- Dead-head Hoverfly (Myathropa florea)
- Pellucid Fly (Volucella pellucens)

Mammals

- 3 Pipistrelle-type bats
- 1 other unidentified bat sp.
- 2 Grey Squirrel

Other things:

- (Great) Black Slug (Arion agg.)

Additional flowering plant species recorded for the year at this site:

None

It really was a dark and stormy night – other than the lightning.

Another unusual sunrise.

The long view.

Trying for something different. The dead head of a Common Hogweed (Heracleum sphondylium) against the sunrise.

How do they do that then #1? A Cormorant 'at ease'.

How do they do that then #2? An adult Moorhen standing up straight on one leg. I can't do that - perhaps if I had long toes like a Moorhen I could.

The second brood of Great Crested Grebe juveniles with their parents.

The Great Crested Grebe that has been sitting patiently for what seems like ages and let me see the three eggs a week or so ago now has at least one chick.

I did not even know there was a pair part way along the S side. They too have at least one chick.

This is one of the parents from the SW area. No chicks visible when I took this shot, though one was seen earlier. I am sure one or more are safely tucked up in those feathers.

A Speckled Wood butterfly (Pararge aegeria) with its tongue stuck in to a Blackberry.

Just managed to fit this Small Tortoiseshell (Aglais urticae) in the frame. There must have been a new emergence as it is some weeks since I last recorded this species.

This moth – a Barred Marble (Celypha striana) - has an attractive chequerboard background being obscured here by dew.

By far the most abundant 'grass moth' at the moment is Common Grass-veneer (Agriphila tristella). They do not usually let me get this close.

Like number 11 buses – two come along together. I am sure there was at least one other species flushing out of the grass as I walked through. Never pinned one down.

What a splendid sight. A male Black Arches (Lymantria monacha). Only males have the feathery antennae – for detecting the females' pheromones. The other individual this morning was a female but she got away before I could get a photo. The male was gone when I revisited the lamp a few minutes later.

The Rugby-jersey colours of a Cinnabar caterpillar (Tyria jacobaeae). As they happily feed on Common Ragwort (Jacobaea vulgaris) (as here) the colours are a warning that they are distasteful.

Managed to creep up behind this Common Darter (Sympetrum striolatum). The rather patchy body colouration and extensively yellow legs indicate this is an immature male. I did a double-take as there is a Red-veined Darter (Sympetrum fonscolombii) that is a rare migrant (though it may have recently established a breeding population in the south). Sadly this is not one of those despite showing some red in a few veins. A real male Red-veined Darter has an extensive orange area at the base of the hindwing.

(Ed Wilson)

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The Flash: 06:35 – 07:20

(149th visit of the year)

Bird notes:

- At least one of the sitting Coots seems to have given up.
- What seemed to be the earlier Racing Pigeon seen again. The bird seen Monday and yesterday not noted.

Birds noted flying over / near The Flash:

- 4 Wood Pigeons

Hirundines etc. logged:

- House Martin(s) again heard only

Count of warblers logged (singing birds in brackets):

- 4 (1) Chiffchaffs
- 2 (0) Blackcaps

Counts from the water:

- 3 + 7 (1 brood) Mute Swans
- 8 Greylag Geese: seven of these arrived
- 24 Canada Geese
- 24 (?♂) Mallard
- 22 (10?♂) Tufted Duck
- 1 Great Crested Grebe only
- 7 adult and juvenile Moorhens
- 44 adult and juvenile Coots again
- 10 Black-headed Gulls: one juvenile
- 1 Kingfisher

On various lamp poles:

Moths:

- 1 Common Grass-veneer (Agriphila tristella)
- 1 Single-dotted Wave (Idaea dimidiata)

and

- 1 Red-legged Shieldbug (Pentatoma rufipes)
- 1 unidentified caddis fly sp.
- 1 Dicranopalpus ramosus-type (harvestman)
- 3 Leiobunum rotundum-type (harvestmen)

Otherwise

- 1 Grey Squirrel

(Ed Wilson)

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Between the lake and The Flash:

Of note

- 1 Common Grey moth (Scoparia ambigualis) on a lamp pole
- 1 Single-dotted Wave moth (Idaea dimidiata) on the wall of the Priorslee Avenue tunnel.

(Ed Wilson)

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Trench Lock Pool: 09:45 – 10:25 // 11:05 – 11:10

(21st visit of the year)

Bird notes:

- In addition to the Chiffchaffs there were at least two Goldcrest – a species I do not always see here.

Birds noted flying over / near here:

- 4 Starlings

Hirundines etc. logged:

None

Count of warblers logged (singing birds in brackets):

- 4 (2) Chiffchaff
- 1 (0) Blackcap again

Counts from the water:

- 2 + 6 (1 brood) Mute Swans
- 5 Canada Geese
- 2 (?) Mallard
- no Tufted Duck
- 2 + 4 (1 brood) Great Crested Grebes again
- 1 + 1 (1 brood) Moorhen
- 25 adult and juvenile Coots
- 10 Black-headed Gulls: four juveniles
- 4 Lesser Black-backed Gulls: three (near) adults; one immature; also one dead near adult, floating

Otherwise noted without specifically looking for insects:

- Large White butterfly (Pieris brassicae)
- Chequered Hoverfly (Melanostoma scalare)
- Brown Hawker dragonfly (Aeshna grandis)

(Ed Wilson)

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Trench Middle Pool: 10:30 – 11:00

(21st visit of the year)

Bird notes:

- It is quite likely that some geese and dicks had taken to the shade of the island and not noted.
- The juvenile Great Crested Grebe was almost full-grown but still begging.

Birds noted flying over / near here:

- 4 Common Buzzards displaying together

Hirundines etc. logged:

- 1 House Martins heard only high over

Count of warblers logged (singing birds in brackets):

- 4 (0) Chiffchaffs

Counts from the water:

- 2 Mute Swans
- 2 Greylag Geese
- 24 Canada Geese
- 1 all-white feral goose
- 10 (?♂) Mallard
- 24 (13?♂) Tufted Duck
- 1 + 1 (1 brood) Great Crested Grebes
- 3 Moorhens
- 16 adult and juvenile Coots
- 10 Black-headed Gulls: four juveniles

Otherwise noted without specifically looking for insects:

- Green-veined White butterfly (Pieris napi)
- Small Tortoiseshell butterfly (Aglais urticae)
- Common Drone-fly (Eristalis tenax)
- Honey Bee (Apis mellifera)
- Common Carder Bee (Bombus pascuorum)

Courtesy of a group of children 'feeding the ducks' I was a able to get close to the Black-headed Gulls pretending to be ducks. This is a juvenile showing its neat wing pattern. It is amazing how quickly these birds learn to take advantage of proffered food.

Hard to be certain but my money is on this being a first-summer (born 2019) bird about to moult in to winter plumage when it will look essentially like a winter adult. Note the very two-toned bill – an adult's bill would be redder at the base...

..shown here with one of the few adults yet to lose the black on the head. The bird in the foreground is a different juvenile.

And another juvenile in close-up. Note the bill is less clearly delineated.

Here getting upset at a Coot that was trying to muscle-in on the food.

(Ed Wilson)

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

2019

Priorslee Lake

Today's Sightings Here

2018

Priorslee Lake

Today's Sightings Here

2015

Priorslee Lake

Today's Sightings Here

2014

Local area

Today's Report Here

2013

Priorslee Lake

2 Common Sandpipers

(Ed Wilson)

2011

Priorslee Lake

Ruddy Duck

1 Common Sandpiper

>50 Linnets

(Ed Wilson)

2007

Priorslee Lake

Little Egret

(Ed Wilson)