30 Jun 21

Priorslee Lake and The Flash

13.0°C > 14.0°C: Clear start albeit with mist patches in the area. Low cloud soon spread over and apart from a few brighter spells it stayed cloudy. Very light wind mainly from E. Moderate visibility.

Sunrise: 04:49 BST again

*** No time to sort out most of the photos today. There will be no report tomorrow. Will catch up with highlights Friday

Priorslee Lake: 04:15 – 05:25 // 06:20 – 09:10

(134th visit of the year)

The contractors have removed the Giant Hogweed (Heracleum mantegazzianum) and a few Common Hogweeds (Heracleum sphondylium) as well. Last year I recall they dug them out much earlier in the year then: this year they have chopped them off about three inches above the ground.

Bird notes:
- For some reason the Mute Swans spent almost all the time on the nest.
- Both duck Mallards with broods of three and five ducklings found.
- Swifts not noted before 07:20 with at least 10 present shortly afterwards. These did not stay long.
- Two local Common Buzzards were sitting on a goal post cross-bar on the academy playing field around sunrise.
- A rather unusual sight of a Jay bouncing around on the front lawn of a house in Teece Drive.

Overhead:
- 11 Wood Pigeons
- 1 Common Buzzard
- 3 Lesser Black-backed Gulls: ages not determined
- 6 Cormorants: together
- 2 Jackdaws again
- 2 Rooks
- 3 Starlings

Hirundines etc., noted:
- >10 Swifts
- 2 House Martins

Warblers noted (the number in brackets is singing birds):
- 13 (12) Chiffchaffs
- 1 (1) Sedge Warbler
- 8 (7) Reed Warblers
- 11 (11) Blackcaps
- 1 (1) Garden Warblers
- 2 (2) Common Whitethroats yet again

Count from the lake area
- 2 + 5 (1 brood) Mute Swans
- 9 (7♂) + 8 (2 broods) Mallard
- 3 + 1 (1 brood) Moorhens
- 34 + 16 (7 broods) Coots again
- 1 Black-headed Gull: adult briefly on football field
- 1 Lesser Black-backed Gull: adult, briefly
- 9 Great Crested Grebes
- 1 Grey Heron: again it soon departed

On / around the street lamps pre-dawn:
- 1 Ghost Moth (Hepialus humuli): a female of the form humuli dead in a spider's clutches.
- 1 Plumed midge (Chironomus plumosus)
- 1 Bridge Orb-web Spider (Larinioides cornutus) eating the moth?

Noted later today:
***Mainly a list of confirmed sightings. I have a number of photos yet to check. I will provided a separate entry on Friday on any additions.

Butterflies:
- Ringlet (Aphantopus hyperantus)
- Small Tortoiseshell (Aglais urticae)

Moths:
- Common Nettle-tap (Anthophila fabriciana)
- Timothy Tortrix (Zelotherses paleana)
- Common Marble (Celypha lacunana)
- Garden Grass-veneer (Chrysoteuchia culmella): dozens

Bees/Wasps etc.:
- Honey Bee (Apis mellifera)
- Early Bumblebee (Bombus pratorum)
- Common Wasp (Paravespula vulgaris)

Hoverflies:
- Marmalade Hoverfly (Episyrphus balteatus)
- Tiger Hoverfly (Helophilus pendulus)

Damselflies:
- Common Blue Damselfly (Enallagma cyathigerum)
- Blue-tailed Damselfly (Ischnura elegans)

Other Flies:
- Black Snipefly (Chrysopilus cristatus)
- Grouse Wing (Mystacides longicornis) [caddis fly]
- Black Bean Aphid (Aphis fabae)
- Large Thistle Aphid (Uroleucon cirsii)

Beetles:
- as yet unidentified species

Bugs:
- as yet unidentified species

Spiders:
- Crab spider Philodromus sp
- Money spider perhaps Walckenaeria acuminata

Molluscs:
- White-lipped Snail (Cepaea hortensis)
- one as yet to be identified

Not seen the moon too often recently.

The sunrise, such as it was. It soon clouded over.

This is a Ghost Moth (Hepialus humuli). A female of the form humuli (yellow with orange markings). Males of this form have all white wings - ghostly! It is in the clutches of what seems to be one of the regular Bridge Orb-web Spiders (Larinioides cornutus).

Grass moths always look 'surprised' anyway but this Garden Grass-veneer (Chrysoteuchia culmella) looks especially so. I rotated the photo by 180° to better show the typical markings of this species and as a result the antennae are apparently sticking straight up!

This is the first Common Wasp (Paravespula vulgaris) that I have seen chomping away on the wooden fence between Teece Drive and the Wesley Brook. Wasps make their nests out of chewed wood and they have very strong jaws.

This is a Small Fleck-winged Snipefly (Rhagio lineola).

You think you have trouble with aphids? This thistle is well-infested. Until I tried to identify them I did not realise how many species of aphid there were in the UK. I think these are the 'standard' Black Bean Aphid (Aphis fabae) commonly called black fly.

It was strange that some Common Hogweed (Heracleum sphondylium) umbels were covered in these tiny beetles while close-by another plant would have none.

Here is one of these beetles in part of the palm of my hand. No idea what they are called: a Google search of 'black beetles hogweed' produced nothing relevant.

This is probably just a Red Bug (Deraeocoris ruber) but it looks rather small and the wings look rather shorter than I would expect. Perhaps it has recently emerged from the final nymph stage.

I suspect this is a Crab spider Philodromus sp. Not sure there is enough details for the Shropshire Recorder to be more specific.

I cannot provide any ID for this small snail. Most glass snails are black and my best guess would be a young Brown-lipped Snail (Cepaea nemoralis).

(Ed Wilson)

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Between the lake and The Flash:

- The Chiffchaff intermittently singing alongside the lower pool.

On the roof of the Priorslee Avenue tunnel:
- 1 Common Rough Woodlouse (Porcellio scaber)

(Ed Wilson)

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The Flash: 05:30 – 06:15

(119th visit of the year)

Bird notes:
- A new brood of six Mallard ducklings. Yesterday's singleton not located.
- The Tufted Ducks are now beginning to moult and it is becoming difficult to sex some of them.
- Two juvenile Coot were seen in the nest alongside Derwent Drive; the well-grown juvenile was by the nest next to one of the bridges; and another well-grown juvenile was by the island.

Birds noted flying over here:
- 4 Wood Pigeons

Hirundines etc., noted:

None

Warblers noted (the number in brackets is singing birds):
- 2 (2) Chiffchaffs
- 5 (3) Blackcaps

On /around the water:
- 131 + 1 (1 brood) Canada Geese
- 31 Greylag Geese
- 1 Greylag x Canada Goose
- 3 + 2 (1 brood) Mute Swan
- 25 (16♂) + 6 (1 brood) Mallard
- 19 (17♂) Tufted Duck
- 4 + 3 (1 brood) Moorhens
- 4 juvenile Coots (3 broods): see notes
- 1 Great Crested Grebe only located

Also noted:
- 1 Small Fan-footed Wave moth (Idaea biselata) on the same street lamp pole as yesterday though differently positioned.
- 1 Brimstone Moth (Opisthograptis luteolata) on a 'Scoop The Poop' sign.
- 1 Engrailed moth (Ectropis crepuscularia) on another street lamp pole.

I forgot to check the St John's Wort (Hypericum sp.) in squirrel alley.

(Ed Wilson)

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On this day

2020

Priorslee Lake

Today's Sightings Here

2019

Priorslee Lake

Today's Sightings Here

(Ed Wilson)

2016

Priorslee Lake

Today's Sightings Here

2015

Priorslee Lake

Today's sighting Here

2014

Priorslee Lake

Today's Sightings Here

2010

Priorslee Lake

Common Sandpiper

(Ed Wilson)

2006

Priorslee Lake

1 drake Ruddy Duck

(Ed Wilson)

29 Jun 21

Priorslee Lake and The Flash

13.0°C > 15.0°C: Started very dull with very low cloud and light drizzle. After c.08:00 cloud began to lift somewhat with a few bright, but not sunny, spells. Very light NE breeze. Moderate visibility, even poor at times.

Sunrise: 04:49 BST

* = a photo today

Priorslee Lake: 04:10 – 05:30 // 06:25 – 09:15

(133rd visit of the year)

I met the contractors who have made a start on removing the Giant Hogweed (Heracleum mantegazzianum). The kit they have to don makes PPE look like swimwear. Contact with sap from this plant causes nasty skin blisters. I queried why last year the contractors spread all the cut plants on a blue plastic sheet and then left it in the undergrowth. Apparently there is no other way of disposing of this plant. The plant is sprayed with glycophosphate (a weed killer of very debatable safety) and has to be wrapped in plastic and remain in situ. I have very mixed feelings about this. Sure: it is an introduced plant but so are lots of plants found in the wild - and Grey Squirrels and Muntjac Deer are introductions. Sure: contact with it has to be avoided but stinging nettles and brambles can be none too friendly. Should we remove all risks from the countryside? The plant itself has magnificent umbels that are a magnet for our declining insect population. Seems the contractors will have a task for many years yet as this plant was uncontrolled for ages: there must be many seeds yet to germinate still in the ground.

Bird notes:
- Just one duck Mallard with her three ducklings found.
- I think the party of eight pigeons were Feral Pigeons rather than Racing Pigeons as they all seemed very pale. Groups of Racing Pigeons usually contain blue morphs.
- Three adult Black-headed Gulls were flying up and down the lake at 04:30 but had gone by 04:45.
- One of the local Common Buzzards can usually be found sitting on a goal post on the academy playing field around sunrise.
- One (or more) Swift was noted over the N side in the gloom at 05:10 but none was seen afterwards.
- Three Mistle Thrushes were on the football field at 05:20 – a family party I assume.
- For the first time for some months there were no Chaffinches singing this morning. At the height of the breeding season four or five were normally to be heard.

Overhead:
- 8 Feral Pigeons: one group
- 5 Wood Pigeons
- 4 Lesser Black-backed Gulls: ages not determined
- 2 Jackdaws
- no Rooks again
- 2 Starlings

Hirundines etc., noted:
- 1? Swift
- 1 House Martin

Warblers noted (the number in brackets is singing birds):
- 14 (13) Chiffchaffs
- 1 (0) Sedge Warbler
- 10 (7) Reed Warblers
- 12 (12) Blackcaps
- 3 (2) Garden Warblers
- 2 (2) Common Whitethroats again

Count from the lake area
- 2 + 5 (1 brood) Mute Swans
- 8 (7♂) + 3 (1 brood) Mallard
- 3 Moorhens
- 34 + 16 (7 broods) Coots
- 3 Black-headed Gulls: adults, departed: see also notes
- 8 Great Crested Grebes again
- 1 Grey Heron: departed early yet again

On / around the street lamps pre-dawn:
- 1 Garden Grass-veneer moth (Chrysoteuchia culmella)
- 1 Mayfly sp.
- 1 Plumed midge (Chironomus plumosus)

An update on yesterday's dead rat. One of my regular readers told me they had passed the spot between my two transits and had seen the rat writhing in the grass. They were of the opinion that it had been poisoned. There are certainly traps with rat bait around The Flash though I am not aware of any in this area.

Also an update on recent spiders, courtesy of the Shropshire Recorder – thanks Nigel.
- On 11th June I showed two spiders entangled as if they were fighting. Not so: a pair of stretch spiders Tetragnatha sp. mating which they do, apparently unusually for spiders, face to face. Some fascinating(?) detail "In [the] photo you can see one of the male's palps held out in front of its head. It will use each palp in turn to transfer sperm into the female’s epigyne. The male has even longer jaws than the female and has a number of robust “spines” that will allow him to lock the female’s jaws open so that she won’t bite him". My lips are sealed. Better photos on a French web site of these 'accouplement' Here.

- On 13th June I showed what might have been a spider with an egg sac. It was. A Pardosa species of Wolf Spider – probably P. saltans.

- On 21st June I showed a crab spider which I opined was a Philodromus sp. It was but the photo does not have enough detail to specifically ID it.

- On 25th June I showed a small black spider with red legs and postulated Walckenaeria acuminata. It is a Money Spider but again it needs a camera with better macro capabilities to get the fine detail to resolve it to species level. I could well have been correct but in France there are 31 species in the genus.

Noted later today: still mainly dull.

Moths:
- Timothy Tortrix (Zelotherses paleana) again
- Common Marble (Celypha lacunana) again

Bees/Wasps etc.:
- *Common Carder Bee (Bombus pascuorum)
- *Bramble Sawfly (Arge cyanocrocea)

Hoverflies:
- Marmalade Hoverfly (Episyrphus balteatus)

Flies:
- *Black Snipefly (Chrysopilus cristatus)
- *possible Phaonia pallida

Beetles:
- *two unidentified species

Bugs:
- *Common Froghopper (Philaenus spumarius)

Molluscs:
- White-lipped Snail (Cepaea hortensis)
- *possible Shiny Glass Snail (Zonitoides nitidus)

Amphibians:
- Common Frog (Rana temporaria)

Flowers noted in bloom for the first time in 2021
- *Common Mallow (Malva sylvestris)
- *Pineappleweed or Wild Chamomile (Matricaria discoidea)
- *Self-heal (Prunella vulgaris)

I think this is a secondary wing feather from a Common Buzzard. My 'Tracks & Signs' book tells me that this species moults gradually between May and November.

Looking a bit frayed around the edges but singing away is this male Reed Bunting.

Not the best shot as this bee moved between the thistle flowers. From this angle it does not seem to have a particularly scruffy pile on its thorax. Nevertheless with the banding on the abdomen I suspect a male Common Carder Bee (Bombus pascuorum).

The antennae are too long for a fly. This is a Bramble Sawfly (Arge cyanocrocea).

I know I have shown this species – Black Snipefly (Chrysopilus cristatus) - several times but this gives a great view of those huge red compound eyes.

And another fly that is not just black and boring. It may be Phaonia pallida. If not it ought to be.

The beetles defeated me today. I thought this would be a soldier beetle but the ridged back and rather short antennae means it cannot be. So?

And here the other unidentified species of beetle: there are three tiny beetles crawling over flowers of Common Hogweed (Heracleum sphondylium) giving some idea of just how small they are! They are possibly one of the Chrysomelidae (Leaf and Flea Beetles) though the rear of the abdomen that is visible on the left-most individual looks most odd for this group.

This is a Common Froghopper (Philaenus spumarius) - the source of the familiar 'Cuckoo-spit' on plant stems. It is a spectacularly variable species, with many dramatically different colour forms. There seems to have been much less Cuckoo-spit around this year – I held off photographing any until there was more: now there is very little.

I think this may be a Shiny Glass Snail (Zonitoides nitidus). It looks rather splendid anyway.

This is Common Mallow (Malva sylvestris), growing alongside Castle Farm Way – a typical place to find it.

A rather strange 'flower'. It is Pineappleweed or Wild Chamomile (Matricaria discoidea).

This flower has suddenly sprung up from nowhere and Self-heal (Prunella vulgaris) was abundant today.

(Ed Wilson)

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Between the lake and The Flash:

- The Chiffchaff sang initially alongside the lower pool. Perhaps the same just above the upper pool a few minutes later. It seemed to have moved across Priorslee Avenue later.
- *1 Riband Wave moth (Idaea aversata) on a lamp pole

On the roof of the Priorslee Avenue tunnel:
- *1 Silver-ground Carpet moth (Xanthorhoe montanata)
- *1 male plumed midge (Chironomus plumosus)

On the roof of the tunnel two for the price of one! Probably the best specimen of Silver-ground Carpet (Xanthorhoe montanata) I have seen this year with a very solid, dark cross-band. Made me double-check all the other possible carpet moths but the shape of the outer border to the cross-band excludes all other possibilities. It has a tiny friend – a male plumed midge (Chironomus plumosus).

This is a Riband Wave moth (Idaea aversata), This specimen of a very common moth is of what seems to be the less common form locally which has a solid band across the wing. The form remutata shows only the outline cross-lines. I nearly overlooked this. The lamp pole has a blemish on it which is moth-shaped and has frequently caught me out. I have never previously seen a moth on it - it is one of the more exposed lamps in the area.

(Ed Wilson)

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The Flash: 05:35 – 06:20

(118th visit of the year)

Bird notes:
- 'Best effort' counting the geese as they were jumping on and off the grass and roadway and generally moving about. Certainly more Greylag Geese today – seems these are not flightless at the moment.
- A single duckling seen with a duck Mallard.
- Stock Doves calling from two different locations.
- A juvenile Coot calling alongside Derwent Drive; the well-grown juvenile by the nest next one of the bridges as usual.
- A Jay seen flying over and then presumed the same calling from alongside squirrel alley was my first sighting for a while though they have been calling from the top end on occasions.

Birds noted flying over here:

None

Hirundines etc., noted:

None

Warblers noted (the number in brackets is singing birds):
- 3 (2) Chiffchaffs
- 1 (1) Blackcap only

On /around the water:
- 127 + 1 (1 brood) Canada Geese
- 41 Greylag Geese
- [Greylag x Canada Goose not located]
- 3 + 2 (1 brood) Mute Swan
- 33 (23♂) + 1 (1 brood) Mallard
- 20 (14♂) Tufted Duck
- 3 + 1 (1 brood) Moorhens
- 2 juvenile Coots: see notes
- 2 Great Crested Grebes

Also noted:
- *1 Small Fan-footed Wave moth (Idaea biselata) on a street lamp pole
- *1 Silver-ground Carpet moth (Xanthorhoe montanata) on the pole.
- 1 plumed midge on another street lamp pole
- *A St John's Wort (Hypericum sp.) in squirrel alley. Not sure which species though.

This is a Small Fan-footed Wave moth (Idaea biselata). Only moth species #9 here this year. I saw one on 2nd July 2020 when it was species #18 for the year.

In the gloom of squirrel alley I had to use flash on this flower which has blown the yellow colour out. It is one of the St John's Worts (Hypericum sp.) but which I shall have to investigate further - checking whether the stem is round or square and whether the leaves allow light through. Surprisingly this plant around has not yet appeared around the lake where it (or another of the genus) grows in a more sunny location.

(Ed Wilson)

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On this day

2020

Priorslee Lake

Today's Sightings Here

2019

Priorslee Lake

Today's Sightings Here

(Ed Wilson)

2018

Priorslee Lake

Today's sightings Here

2017

Priorslee Lake

Today's sightings Here

2015

Priorslee Lake

Today's sighting Here

2013

Priorslee Lake

15 Cormorants

(Ed Wilson)

2011

Priorslee Lake

Common Sandpiper

(Ed Wilson)

2010

Priorslee Lake

Juvenile Yellow Wagtail

(Ed Wilson)

2009

Priorslee Lake

Siskin

(Ed Wilson)

2006

Priorslee Lake

2 drake Ruddy Ducks

(Ed Wilson)

28 Jun 21

Priorslee Lake and The Flash

13.0°C > 12.0°C: Broken medium level cloud overhead and low cloud to the E to start. The low cloud spread across with light rain after 06:00. Light NE breeze. Good visibility.

Sunrise: 04:48 BST

* = a photo today

Priorslee Lake: 04:15 – 05:25 // 06:15 – 07:55

(132nd visit of the year)

With nothing much moving in light rain and with heavy rain forecast I baled out early. (The rain did not materialise of course.)

Bird notes:
- Now two duck Mallard with ducklings: the group of three first seen yesterday and a group of five noticeably smaller ducklings.
- Two adult Black-headed Gulls were leaving the lake at 04:25. Whether they had roosted here were an early 'gas and go' I could not say. One adult was on the football field at 05:10 and may or may not have been one of these.
- 11 Lesser Black-backed Gulls flew N at 05:10 with three peeling off to land on the football field. These three were showing very worn wings. The ages were not determined.
- Six Swifts arrived at 04:45 but were not seen afterwards.
- Over the last month I have become familiar with all the warbler territories. This morning several Chiffchaffs, Blackcaps and one Garden Warbler were singing from unexpected locations. Do birds use a different nest site for any second broods? From the web I can only find some comments from the US where it says that the nests of many small birds are not durable enough and a new nest has to be built, sometimes with a different partner. I did not know that.

Overhead:
- 9 Wood Pigeons
- 8 Lesser Black-backed Gulls: ages not determined
- no Jackdaws or Rooks
- 1 Starling!

Hirundines etc., noted:
- c.6 Swifts again
- 1 Barn Swallow
- 2 House Martins

Warblers noted (the number in brackets is singing birds):
- 10 (10) Chiffchaffs
- 5 (4) Reed Warblers
- 10 (10) Blackcaps
- 2 (2) Garden Warblers
- 2 (2) Common Whitethroats

Count from the lake area
- 2 + 5 (1 brood) Mute Swans
- 11 (9♂) + 8 (2 broods) Mallard
- 2 Moorhens
- 33 + 18 (8 broods) Coots: including single from new brood
- 2 Black-headed Gulls: adults, departed: see also notes
- 3 Lesser Black-backed Gulls: on the football field briefly
- 8 Great Crested Grebes
- 1 Grey Heron: departed again

On / around the street lamps pre-dawn:
- 1 Bridge Orb-web Spider (Larinioides cornutus) again
- 1 Caddis fly sp.

Noted later: not much again in the dull and often wet weather.

Moths:
- Timothy Tortrix (Zelotherses paleana)
- Common Marble (Celypha lacunana)

Flies:
- Black Snipefly (Chrysopilus cristatus)

Beetles:
- 7 Spot Ladybird (Coccinella 7-punctata): larva only

Mammal:
- Brown Rat (Rattus norvegicus): this was in the middle of the path down to the tunnel when I came back from The Flash. It had not been there when I walked the other way.

A slightly better photo than yesterday of the duck Mallard with her three ducklings. I was not able to get a photo of the other group of five which were only briefly out of the reeds.

One of the three Lesser Black-backed Gulls on the football field. Not too sharp at 05:10! Note the very worn wings. The extent of black on the bill is probably the best guide to the age of this bird: I think a second year.

The caddis fly on the street lamp pole this morning. The way the antennae are held and the obvious veins in wings with typical rounded ends all help separate this group of insects from moths. I have no way of identifying most individuals as there are nearly 200 species in the UK.

Another dull-weather special: this is the larva of a 7 Spot Ladybird (Coccinella 7-punctata) here on Common Hogweed (Heracleum sphondylium).

This dead Brown Rat (Rattus norvegicus) was in the middle of the path as I returned from The Flash. It had not been there some 50 minutes earlier when I walked the other way. Typically rats are killed by cats and then left. Cats find them inedible. I could see not obvious injury to the rat but was not about to investigate too closely.

(Ed Wilson)

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Between the lake and The Flash:

- The Chiffchaff was singing more persistently alongside the lower pool.
- A Blackcap was singing above the upper pool

Nothing noted on the roof of the Priorslee Avenue tunnel again.

(Ed Wilson)

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The Flash: 05:30 – 06:10

(117th visit of the year)

Bird notes:
- I could not locate the juvenile Canada Goose but there are rather a lot to search through and today a whole bunch of them were marauding around the gardens in Derwent Drive and Wordsworth Way.
- Moorhens rather scarce today.
- I only noted the same well-grown juvenile Coot as yesterday.
- Apart from a fly-over on 20th May this was my first Grey Heron here since 15th March.
- As at the lake several of the warblers were singing from unexpected places.

Birds noted flying over here:
None

Hirundines etc., noted:

None

Warblers noted (the number in brackets is singing birds):
- 6 (5) Chiffchaffs
- 2 (2) Blackcaps

On /around the water:
- 133 Canada Geese
- 27 Greylag Geese
- 1 Greylag x Canada Goose
- 3 + 2 (1 brood) Mute Swan
- 32 (20♂) Mallard
- 15 (12♂) Tufted Duck
- 2 + 1 (1 brood) Moorhens
- 1 juvenile Coot again: see notes
- 2 Great Crested Grebes
- 1 Grey Heron: arrived

Also noted:
- 1 male Buff Ermine moth (Spilosoma lutea) on a street lamp pole.

The male Buff Ermine moth (Spilosoma lutea) on a street lamp pole. Females of this species are white.

Note:

On 17 Jun 21 I visited Anglesey. There are a few of my images Here including this Chough below:

(Ed Wilson)

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On this day

2020

Priorslee Lake

Today's Sightings Here

2019

Priorslee Lake

Today's Sightings Here

(Ed Wilson)

2016

Priorslee Lake

Today's sightings Here

2009

Priorslee Lake

Yellow Wagtail

(Ed Wilson)

2006

Priorslee Lake

Common Tern

(Ed Wilson)

27 Jun 21

Priorslee Lake and The Flash

11.0°C > 13.0°C: Clear enroute with low stratus spreading quickly across the whole sky. Lifted somewhat but stayed cloudy. Calm start with light NNE breeze later. Good visibility.

Sunrise: 04:47 BST yet again

* = a photo today

Priorslee Lake: 04:15 – 05:20 // 06:15 – 08:05

(131st visit of the year)

Bird notes:
- A Pheasant calling, apparently from somewhere along the N side: I have not heard any here for several months.
- A duck Mallard with three small ducklings is the third brood I have seen here this year. None of the others has survived.
- The Swifts slept in today, the first arriving at 05:05 with just six soon afterwards. Juts one seen in the distance later.
- Just one Garden Warbler heard singing and some way from any previously noted locations in the SW area.
- c.60 Starlings in the area, many of them juveniles. I counted 42 on the academy playing field and others calling from the hedges when another party of 14 arrived.

Overhead:
- 5 Wood Pigeons
- 2 Common Buzzards again
- 2 Lesser Black-backed Gulls: ages not determined
- 2 Cormorants: singles
- 2 Jackdaws

Hirundines etc., noted:
- c.6 Swifts

Warblers noted (the number in brackets is singing birds):
- 14 (10) Chiffchaffs
- 1 (0) Sedge Warbler
- 10 (6) Reed Warblers
- 14 (13) Blackcaps
- 1 (1) Garden Warblers
- 3 (2) Common Whitethroats

Count from the lake area
- 2 + 5 (1 brood) Mute Swans
- *9 (8♂) + 3 (1 brood) Mallard
- 4 + 2 (1 brood) Moorhens
- 33 + 21 (7 broods) Coots
- 6 Great Crested Grebes still
- 1 Grey Heron: departed

On / around the street lamps pre-dawn:
- 1 Bridge Orb-web Spider (Larinioides cornutus)
- 1 Stretch spider sp (Tetragnatha sp.)

Noted later: not much in the dull conditions.

Moths:
- Timothy Tortrix (Zelotherses paleana)
- *Green Oak Tortrix (Tortrix viridiana)
- Common Marble (Celypha lacunana)

Other flies:
- *Black Snipefly (Chrysopilus cristatus)
- Grouse Wing (Mystacides longicornis) [caddis]
- *unknown fly reminiscent of a semaphore fly

Spiders:
- *possible Common Candy-striped Spider (Enoplognatha ovata)

Molluscs:
- *Glass snail sp.

Also
- *unknown possible beetle larvae

The duck Mallard allowed me to photo two of her three ducklings on a brief foray out of cover of the reeds.

I flushed this pale moth and it remarkably was then happy for me to get close to photo it. I has a typical Tortrix moth shape and seems to be a rather faded Green Oak Tortrix (Tortrix viridiana). Most of those that I have seen previously have been a quite bright green.

I thought this looked a bit small for a Black Snipefly (Chrysopilus cristatus). Looking in detail at al Steven Falk's photos of snipe flies on the web I cannot provide any better identification. It cannot be a Little Snipe Fly (Chrysopilus asiliformis) as that has bright green eyes.

With white wing-tips I thought this might be a fly related to yesterday's Semaphore fly (Poecilobothrus nobilitatus). Compared to that species this shows less white on the wing tips and the thorax is brown and not green. I cannot match it with photos on the web sites I use.

This tiny snails looks like a glass snail sp. I don't think I'll be able to get a more specific identity.

This green spider with prey is reminiscent of the Common Candy-striped Spider (Enoplognatha ovata) but the abdomen shape seems wrong. I'll have to get it checked.

Another one I need help with. I have no idea what this tiny creature might be. I assume a beetle larva?

(Ed Wilson)

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Between the lake and The Flash:

- The Chiffchaff was still singing, rather intermittently, by the lower pool.

Nothing noted on the roof of the Priorslee Avenue tunnel.

(Ed Wilson)

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The Flash: 05:25 – 06:10

(116th visit of the year)

Bird notes:
- Just one well-grown juvenile Coot. Perhaps some others were being brooded.
- I eventually managed to see the Great Crested Grebes lurking under an overhanging fallen tree – thanks to two Greylag Geese that invaded their space and put them briefly in the open.

Birds noted flying over here:
- 2 Jackdaws

Hirundines etc., noted:

None

Warblers noted (the number in brackets is singing birds):
- 2 (2) Chiffchaffs
- 3 (3) Blackcaps again

On /around the water:
- 128 + 1 Canada Geese
- 34 Greylag Geese again
- [no Greylag x Canada Goose located]
- 3 + 2 (1 brood) Mute Swan
- 31 (22♂) Mallard: no ducklings seen
- 9 (7♂) Tufted Duck
- 4 + 2 (1 brood) Moorhens
- 1 juvenile Coot: see notes
- 2 Great Crested Grebes

Nothing else of note.

The juvenile Canada Goose has managed to evade the attentions of the cob Mute Swan ... so far. Note the loose primary feather in what I assume to be one of its parents alongside.

The male Blackbird does not look convinced about the absence of bread! He also looks in need of a good moult as the breeding season draws to a close.

(Ed Wilson)

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On this day

2020

Priorslee Lake

Today's Sightings Here

2019

Priorslee Lake

Today's Sightings Here

(Ed Wilson)

2012

Priorslee Lake

Common Sandpiper

(Ed Wilson)

2009

Priorslee Lake

2 Redshank

(Ed Wilson)

2006

Priorslee Lake

2 Ruddy Duck

(Ed Wilson)

26 Jun 21

Priorslee Lake and The Flash

10.0°C > 12.0°C: Early light rain clearing from the E. Clear for a while then cloudy again, some at low level. Light NNE wind. Very good visibility.

Sunrise: 04:47 BST again

* = a photo today

Priorslee Lake: 04:15 – 05:25 // 06:25 – 08:50

(130th visit of the year)

Bird notes:
- The first of today's Swifts arrived at 04:35 building up to at least 30 birds by 05:00 before some moved away. Then by c.08:00 at least 40 present.
- Many juvenile Coots in view today including a new brood of at least two at the W end.
- Six Great Crested Grebes were all I could find: there was fighting going on early. Later as three pairs with two of them seen in rather desultory display. No obvious sign of any settling to breed.
- A presumed House Martin appeared high overhead at 04:40. The timing is more reminiscent of Sand Martins leaving roosts while they are on migration but this would be a very strange date for that. No calls heard and no plumage features visible at that time of the morning.
- Four single Barn Swallows flew through. At least two of these appeared to come from the farms to the E. There seem to be none breeding in the village where they have been for many summers.
- The Sedge Warbler was sporadically singing. Perhaps this indicates it is between broods?
- Even the Garden Warbler along the S side is now only occasionally singing.
- A Skylark flew low E over the lake. This is my second such record this year and I cannot recall ever having seen such behaviour during the breeding season.

Overhead:
- 6 Feral Pigeons: single and quintet
- 1 Stock Dove again
- 14 Wood Pigeons
- 2 Common Buzzards
- 1 Lesser Black-backed Gull: (near) adult
- 4 Cormorants: duo and two singles
- 5 Jackdaws
- 5 Rooks
- 13 Starlings

Hirundines etc., noted:
- >40 Swifts
- 4 Barn Swallow
- 3 House Martins

Warblers noted (the number in brackets is singing birds):
- 10 (9) Chiffchaffs
- 1 (1) Sedge Warbler
- 8 (6) Reed Warblers
- 9 (8) Blackcaps again
- 2 (2) Garden Warblers
- 3 (3) Common Whitethroats

Count from the lake area
- 2 + 5 (1 brood) Mute Swans
- 7 (7♂) Mallard again
- 4 + 2 (1 brood) Moorhens
- 35 + 23 (11 broods) Coots
- 6 Great Crested Grebes again

On / around the street lamps pre-dawn:

Nothing

Noted later: not much in the dull damp conditions.

First an update: a mystery bug from 08th June has, thanks to Keith Fowler, been identified a nymph of the Mirid bug Closterotomus fulvomaculatus. Keith is the Shropshire Bug Recorder and reports: "This bug is not recorded in the county very often so a good find".

Moth:
- unidentified grass moths in flight only

Bees / Wasps:
- Early Bumblebee (Bombus pratorum)
- Buff-tailed Bumblebee (Bombus terrestris)

Hoverflies:
Chequered Hoverfly (Melanostoma scalare)

Other flies:
- Grouse Wing (Mystacides longicornis) [caddis]
- A cranefly most likely a Spotted Cranefly (Nephrotoma appendiculata)
- Semaphore fly (Poecilobothrus nobilitatus)

Beetles:
- Dock Bug (Coreus marginatus)

Spiders:
- Cucumber Green Orb Spider (possibly Araniella cucurbitina)

Fungus:
- To be identified

Molluscs:
- White-lipped Snail (Cepaea hortensis)

Newly recorded plants / flowers:
- Meadowsweet / Mead Wort (Filipendula ulmaria)

One of the local Common Buzzard showing signs of wear and tear.

I wait with baited breath for Neil to correct me – I think this is a Buff-tailed Bumblebee (Bombus terrestris). It looks too orange for an Early Bumblebee (Bombus pratorum) and the orange ahead of the white tail seems relevant.

And again to correct my identification of this as a rather damp-looking Early Bumblebee (Bombus pratorum) - too hairy to be a Red-tailed Bumblebee (Bombus lapidarius).

This rather small cranefly is a bit of a puzzle. The wing markings match Tipula rufina but the pattern on the thorax and the dark stripe down the abdomen are more reminiscent of the Spotted Cranefly (Nephrotoma appendiculata) which is typically larger and with a much less obvious dark mark on the wing edge.

This rather pretty green fly with a white tip to the wings is a so-called semaphore fly, specifically Poecilobothrus nobilitatus. Only males have the white tips, presumably to attract the females.

This flower I noted as 'new' for the year yesterday but I needed to look at the way the flower sits in the bracts. The photo shows the bracts scarcely overlap and that the calyx cannot be seen identifying this as Larger Bindweed [or Bellvine] (Calystegia Sepium)

Just opening are flowers of Meadowsweet [or Mead Wort] (Filipendula ulmaria).

A close-up of the inflorescence of this attractive flower.

I hope to get this small fungus identified by someone more expert than me – not difficult.

With dozens of fruits I had only slight hesitation in picking one to photograph the gills – often a helpful identification feature. It was not possible to get underneath any where they were in the grass.

And here is the update on the bug

Thanks to Keith for identifying this a nymph of the Mirid bug Closterotomus fulvomaculatus

(Ed Wilson)

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Between the lake and The Flash:

- The Chiffchaff was singing by the lower pool again.

Also on the roof of the Priorslee Avenue tunnel

- One Garden Grass-veneer grass moth (Chrysoteuchia culmella)
- One Common Pug moth (Eupithecia vulgata) again, apparently where it was yesterday.
- One probable Brown-lipped Snail (Cepaea nemoralis)

I've rotated this photo by 180° which makes it a lot easier to identify this moth on the roof of the tunnel as a Garden Grass-veneer (Chrysoteuchia culmella).

Only rotated through 90° was this snail on the wall of the tunnel. I think it is a Brown-lipped Snail (Cepaea nemoralis) - a very variable species with only the brown lip as the common feature. The shell can be yellow, pink or brown and have none or up to five black or brown bands around the shell.

(Ed Wilson)

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The Flash: 05:30 – 06:20

(115th visit of the year)

Some feedback on the Canada Goose gosling here. A photo was sent by Helen to priorsleelake@hotmail.com showing two adults and two goslings walking up Everglade Road toward here on 16th June. So now we have another conundrum - where did these come from? They are not the birds from the lake as they were present there until 20th June, though only with a single gosling after 18th June. It also suggests that the cob Mute Swan at the lake probably killed all five of the goslings at the lake: and perhaps the cob Mute Swan at The Flash is now attacking these two.

Other bird notes:
- A duck Mallard on the edge of the island with two small ducklings.
Two juvenile Coots from a new brood at the top end. The recent brood by one of the bridges still being brooded.
- Stock Dove heard calling again. I hear this species intermittently from two widely separated locations around the water but never from both places on the same day.

Birds noted flying over here:
- 7 Feral Pigeons: one group
- 1 Jackdaw

Hirundines etc., noted:

None

Warblers noted (the number in brackets is singing birds):
- 3 (3) Chiffchaffs again
- 3 (3) Blackcaps

On /around the water:
- 127 Canada Geese again
- 28 Greylag Geese again
- 1 Greylag x Canada Goose yet again
- 3 + 2 (1 brood) Mute Swan
- 28 (20♂) + 2 (1 brood) Mallard
- 11 (8♂) Tufted Duck
- 6 + 1 (1 brood) Moorhens
- 2 juvenile Coots: see notes
- no Great Crested Grebes located

Nothing else of note.

(Ed Wilson)

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On this day

2020

Priorslee Lake

Today's Sightings Here

2019

Priorslee Lake

Today's Sightings Here

(Ed Wilson)

2013

Priorslee Lake

Grasshopper Warbler

(Ed Wilson)

2012

Priorslee Lake

Special this morning was rather bizarre: an all-white, apparently albino, Budgerigar(!) sheltering in the copse between the football field and the playground!

(Ed Wilson)

2008

Priorslee Lake

Common Sandpiper

Another slight puzzle this morning. It sounded like a 'Blackcap with a difference' with an extended song with lots more variety than usual and many notes recalling Garden Warbler, Song Thrush and Blackbird. It was clearly NOT the bird from earlier but I was curious. It was always singing well above head-height (Acros tend to be below head-height) and never had the rhythm of an Acro but the long and flowing song was very strange (and very loud). In the end the bird gave itself up and proved to be what I thought - a 'Blackcap with a difference' - lots of testosterone? It proved my 'rule of thumb' - if you are not sure whether it is a Blackcap or a Garden Warbler it is a Blackcap.

(Ed Wilson)