9.0°C > 13.0°C: Clear except to very far E. A few clouds later. Moderate, fresh at time, NNW breeze. Very good visibility.
Sunrise: 06:16 BST
* = a photo today.
Priorslee Lake: 04:57 – 06:45 // 07:45 – 09:15
(177th visit of the year)
Bird notes:
- An adult Little Grebe was seen in the NE area. Recently calls have been from the NW area (but not for the last three days)
- At least 50 Black-headed Gulls had arrived by 06:05 with at least 70 more in flight to the NW. At this time a Kestrel flew through going W and all the birds dived for the water with >220 noted by 06:10. Some moved away very shortly afterwards (see the totals of birds on the foot ball and academy playing fields), although more stayed than recently recorded. 82 were present at 07:50.
- A male Pheasant was flushed from the SW grass at 05:50, An unusual date for a sighting here.
- 37 presumed House Martins seen flying W high and a long way to the N of the lake at 06:15. None was seen over the lake or the estate at this time or shortly afterwards. At least, possibly the some of the same birds, were feeding in the shelter of the trees along the N side by 08:15. There was at least one Sand Martin with these birds.
- Up to 10 Song Thrushes were singing here well in to June and a small number sang until 8th August. I have noted just two non-singing birds since that date. While these are rather shy birds when not singing and often crepuscular their absence is puzzling.
- At least two, probably three and possibly four pairs of Reed Buntings bred here and numerous juveniles were seen. It is now two weeks since I saw or heard one. Where have they gone?
Birds noted flying over / near here:
- >40 Greylag Geese (all together with Canada Geese inbound at 06:35)
- >80 Canada Geese (30 outbound in two groups; >50 together with Greylag Geese inbound at 06:35)
- 1 Grey Heron
- 2 Common Buzzards
- 1 Common Kestrel
- 6 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 6 Feral Pigeons
- 21 Wood Pigeons
- 1 Jackdaw
Hirundines etc. logged:
- 1 Sand Martin
- >37 House Martins (see notes)
Count of warblers logged (singing birds in brackets):
- *13 (3) Chiffchaffs
- 1 (0) Blackcap
- 4 Reed Warblers
Counts from the lake area:
- 2 + 5 Mute Swans
- 16 (?♂) Mallard
- 2 Cormorants: arrived separately again
- 2 Grey Herons: one throughout; the other arrived and chased off
- *1 Little Grebe
- 18 + 7 (5 broods) Great Crested Grebes again
- 1 Moorhens only
- 75 adult and juvenile Coots
- >220 Black-headed Gulls
- 2 Lesser Black-backed Gulls: both adults, separately and briefly again
Gulls on the foot ball and academy playing fields c.06:30:
- 20 Black-headed Gulls on the foot ball fields.
- 41 Black-headed Gulls on the academy playing fields.
On / around the street lights etc. pre-sunrise:
Moth:
- *1 Square-spot Rustic (Xestia xanthographa): different specimen on different lamp from yesterday
Other things:
- 1 Common Wasp (Paravespula vulgaris)
- 1 Orb-web spider, presumed Larinioides sclopetarius
- *2 Dicranopalpus ramosus harvestmen
- *1 probable female Mitopus morio harvestman
Insects / other things etc. noted later:
The full list of things noted:
- *Large White (Pieris brassicae)
- Small White (Pieris rapae)
- Speckled Wood (Pararge aegeria)
- Honey Bee (Apis mellifera)
- *Common Carder Bee (Bombus pascuorum)
- Buff-tailed Bumblebee (Bombus terrestris)
- Common Wasp (Paravespula vulgaris)
- *Tapered Drone-fly (Eristalis pertinax)
- Common Drone-fly (Eristalis tenax)
- *Lesser Hornet Hoverfly (Volucella inanis)
- *Common Darter (Sympetrum striolatum)
- Harlequin Ladybird (Harmonia axyridis)
- 5 Pipistrelle-type bats
- 1 Common Wasp (Paravespula vulgaris)
- 1 Orb-web spider, presumed Larinioides sclopetarius
- *2 Dicranopalpus ramosus harvestmen
- *1 probable female Mitopus morio harvestman
Insects / other things etc. noted later:
The full list of things noted:
- *Large White (Pieris brassicae)
- Small White (Pieris rapae)
- Speckled Wood (Pararge aegeria)
- Honey Bee (Apis mellifera)
- *Common Carder Bee (Bombus pascuorum)
- Buff-tailed Bumblebee (Bombus terrestris)
- Common Wasp (Paravespula vulgaris)
- *Tapered Drone-fly (Eristalis pertinax)
- Common Drone-fly (Eristalis tenax)
- *Lesser Hornet Hoverfly (Volucella inanis)
- *Common Darter (Sympetrum striolatum)
- Harlequin Ladybird (Harmonia axyridis)
- 5 Pipistrelle-type bats
Good to have a sunrise at last.
One sunrise photos deserves another.
And another.
..this view from below. Dark legs and the pale base to the lower mandible confirm the identity (it real life it was sub-singing to make it even easier).
There were several splendid-looking Common Carder Bees (Bombus pascuorum) this morning. Here is one.
The third one from another angle.
For a change a male Common Darter (Sympetrum striolatum). Not as red as it will become later in the year.
(Ed Wilson)
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(162nd visit of the year)
Many geese already present when I arrived (probably the birds seen inbound over the lake earlier). More arriving all the while. Made it difficult to find other birds on the water with the geese moving around and clambering on to the island.
Other bird notes:
- Since Tuesday I have inexplicably reported just five Mute Swan cygnets as present. All seven have been present throughout.
- My first sighting of the trio of Greylag x Canada Geese for several weeks.
- Yesterday I reported a possible hopeful Coot still sitting on a nest. Today there was one very small and very late juvenile around the nest.
- Another Willow Warbler singing. Has been a good Autumn passage for this species.
Birds noted flying over / near The Flash:
- 3 Common Buzzards
- 2 Feral Pigeons
- 3 Stock Doves
- 7 Wood Pigeons
- 3 Jackdaws
Hirundines etc. logged:
- 2 House Martins again
Count of warblers logged (singing birds in brackets):
- 2 (0) Chiffchaffs
- 1 (1) Willow Warbler
- 1 (0) Blackcap
Counts from the water:
- 3 + 7 (1 brood) Mute Swans
- >48 Greylag Geese: 47 of these noted arriving
- 3 Greylag x Canada Geese: arrived
- >178 Canada Geese: 126 of these noted arriving
- *24 (15?♂) Mallard
- 17 (6?♂) Tufted Duck
- 2 Great Crested Grebes
- 9 adult and juvenile Moorhens
- 73 adult and juvenile Coots
- 1 Black-headed Gull
On various lamp poles:
Moth:
- 1 Elbow-stripe Grass-veneer (Agriphila geniculea)
Other things
- 1 plumed midge (Chironomus plumosus)
Otherwise:
- 1 Grey Squirrel yet again..
- 1 plumed midge (Chironomus plumosus)
Otherwise:
- 1 Grey Squirrel yet again..
This drake has yet to get full breeding plumage – the chestnut on the neck is rather patchy.
The neck on this drake is less patchy but there is more pale behind the bill.
(Ed Wilson)
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Of note
- *1 Large Yellow Underwing moth (Noctua pronuba): still more or less in the same place in the tunnel as previously.
- *1 Large Yellow Underwing moth (Noctua pronuba): still more or less in the same place in the tunnel as previously.
(Ed Wilson)
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On this day..........