5 Oct 20

Priorslee Lake and The Flash

11.0°C: Mainly light showery rain with a few early brighter spells. Light W wind. Good visibility.

Sunrise: 07:19 BST

* = a photo today.

Priorslee Lake: 05:50 – 09:20

(211th visit of the year)

A Water Rail heard calling from the usual area just once. Last winter period this species was very intermittent and I did not record it this calendar year. So it is bird species #106 for me here in 2020.

Definite highlight was the unexpected appearance of a Green Sandpiper, initially heard calling high overhead and then seen circling before heading off S all at 08:20. This species is a very infrequent passage bird here, most of my handful of previous records being in late Summer. My most recent was on 24 August 2018. However this species often over-winters in small numbers alongside fresh-water where there is soft mud to forage. Bird species #107: creeping up to last year's personal record total of 108.

Also of particular note was my first Redwing of the Autumn seen leaving the small SW copse.

Other bird notes:

- A pair of Gadwall present throughout.

- Several of the Mallard departed before it was light-enough for me to sex them.

- Two brownhead Goosanders first noted at 07:45, together by the concrete ramp with one actually hauled-out. Left soon after when a dog-walker arrived.

- More Coots and also possibly under-recorded. My count was, as usual, taken from the dam-top from where all the water is visible. Later when I was avoiding a shower inside the sailing club shelter there seemed to be more at the W end, though from there I was unable to see whether any birds had moved from the E end.

- One Lesser Black-backed Gull flew through W at 06:31. The first 51 of an eventual total of 308 arrived between 06:45 and 07:00. Just three remained at 07:10. 26 had flown in / back by 08:15 together with a single Herring Gull.

- The Cetti's Warbler not heard.

- Two Reed Buntings seen leaving a different roost area. At one other heard calling from the usual site.

Birds noted flying over / near here:

- 1 Greylag Goose (Billy no-mates inbound)
- 5 Canada Geese (four together outbound; single inbound)
- 1 Common Buzzard
- 1 Green Sandpiper (as highlighted)
- 1 Lesser Black-backed Gull
- 71 Wood Pigeons
- c.290 Jackdaws
- 107 Rooks
- 2 Skylarks (singles)
- 16 Pied Wagtails
- 1 Chaffinch

Warblers logged

None

Counts from the lake area:

- 2 + 5 Mute Swans
- 11 Canada Geese: stopped off inbound for a while
- 2 (1♂) Gadwall
- 15 (>8♂) Mallard
- *2 Goosanders, briefly
- 1 Cormorant: arrived
- 2 Grey Herons
- 1 Little Grebe
- 19 Great Crested Grebes
- 1 Water Rail (heard only)
- 4 Moorhens only
- 134 Coots
- >55 Black-headed Gulls again
- >330 Lesser Black-backed Gulls (see notes)
- 1 Herring Gull

Birds on playing fields c.07:55:

[Wood Pigeons and Magpies excluded]

- c.130 Black-headed Gulls all on the academy playing field

They were very mobile and hard to count. c.40 flew off as I started the count and I noted c.90 more still on the grass.

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

- *2 Rhomboid Tortrix moths (Acleris rhombana)
- 1 plumed midge (Chironomus plumosus)
- *1 spider sp., perhaps the 'Giant House Spider'-type Eratigena duellica

Noted later

- Common Wasp (Vespula vulgaris): one flew past me
- *Common Maple Aphid (Periphyllus testudinaceus)
- 1 Grey Squirrel

I forgot to check out the fairy ring toadstools first noted on Saturday.

As the light-levels diminish there will be an increasing proportion of 'record' shots. The two brownhead Goosanders book-end this shot.

One of two 'crazy paving' Rhomboid Tortrix moths (Acleris rhombana). This one on a lamp pole.

This one much better lit by the same street light sitting on an adjacent leaf. This was a lucky find – it was flying around and just happened to settle in view.

I found this tiny fly on one of the lamp poles as I was about to leave. I am sure it is an aphid and I am going to take a punt at Common Maple Aphid (Periphyllus testudinaceus) from photos on the web.

This species of spider I have seen previously and failed to identify. Checking again it seems to be a 'Giant House Spider'-type. I am confused about exactly what species it is. The naturespot.org.uk suggests that separation of the two genus Tegenaria and Eratigena depends upon whether the legs are banded or not. These seem not to be and therefore is a Eratigena sp. It then points out that the Tegenaria species need genitalia examination to separate. If indeed it is an Eratigena it is likely E. duellica. Confused? Good – so am I! I took this by torch light and the shadows double the number of legs.

(Ed Wilson)

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The Flash: 09:23 – 10:23

(196th visit of the year)

Bird notes:

- Many Tufted Duck quickly starting to acquire drake plumage.

- One Sparrowhawk shot low across the E side hedges scattering House Sparrows. The other was being hassled by a Carrion Crow overhead.

- So where were all the Moorhens then?.

Birds noted flying over / near The Flash:

- 2 Sparrowhawks
- 1 Wood Pigeon
- 2 Jackdaws

Counts from the water:

- 3 + 7 (1 brood) Mute Swans
- 7 Greylag Geese: departed
- 50 Canada Geese exactly
- 40 (24♂) Mallard
- 87 (>32♂) Tufted Duck
- 3 Great Crested Grebes
- 4 Moorhens only
- 43 Coots again
- 26 Black-headed Gulls

On various lamp poles:

- 1 Common Green Shieldbug (Palomena prasina)

My first here this year, surprisingly.

- 1 Dicranopalpus ramosus-type harvestman
- 1 Leiobunum rotundum-type (harvestman)

The harvestmen were on the same lamp poles as yesterday but in different positions.

Otherwise:

- Common Wasp (Vespula vulgaris): again the sole insect species on the Ivy.
- 1 Grey Squirrel

(Ed Wilson)

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On this day

2018

Priorslee Lake

Today's Sightings Here

2017

Priorslee Lake

Today's Sightings Here

2015

Priorslee Lake

Today's Sightings Here

2013

Candles Landfill Site

1st-winter Yellow-legged Gull

(Tom Lowe)

2008

Trench Lock Pool

1st- winter Mediterranean Gull

c.150 Black-headed Gulls

15 Lesser Black-backed Gulls

1 Great Black-backed Gull

Shoveler

(Ed Wilson)