13.0°C > 14.0°C: Low overcast with drizzle. Short spell of heavy rain c.05:30 and then light rain for a while thereafter, becoming somewhat drier later. Light, mainly WSW, breeze. Mostly poor visibility.
Sunrise: 04:46 BST still
* = a photo today
Priorslee Lake: 04:15 – 05:30 // 06:30 – 09:15
(128th visit of the year)
Bird notes:
- Today's Swifts were just three, briefly at 08:35.
- At least nine Lesser Black-backed Gulls were noted leaving at 04:35. Whether they had just dropped in and immediately left or whether they had roosted I have no idea.
- Relatively few Blackcaps singing again. Perhaps they don't like wet weather.
Overhead:
- 7 Wood Pigeons
- 1 Black-headed Gull: adult
- 4 Jackdaws
- no Rooks
Hirundines etc., noted:
- 3 Swifts
- 2 Barn Swallow
- 6 House Martins
Warblers noted (the number in brackets is singing birds):
- 15 (12) Chiffchaffs
- 12 (9) Reed Warblers
- 11 (11) Blackcaps
- 3 (3) Garden Warblers again
- 6 (3) Common Whitethroats
Count from the lake area
- 2 + 5 (1 brood) Mute Swans
- 9 (9♂) Mallard
- 3 Moorhens
- 35 + 20 (8 broods) Coots
- 10 Lesser Black-backed Gulls: nine departed 04:35, ages not determined; one (near) adult later
- 7 Great Crested Grebes
- 1 Grey Heron: departed
Moths on / around the street lamps pre-dawn:
- 1 Straw Grass-veneer (Agriphila straminella); species #35
- 1 Clay Triple-lines (Cyclophora linearia): still here.
- 1 Mottled Beauty (Alcis repandata); species #34
Also here
- 2 species of spider: one of these Bridge Orb-web Spider (Larinioides cornutus)
Noted later: not much in the dull damp conditions.
Moths:
- Common Nettle-tap (Anthophila fabriciana)
- Timothy Tortrix (Zelotherses paleana)
- 2 species of spider: one of these Bridge Orb-web Spider (Larinioides cornutus)
Noted later: not much in the dull damp conditions.
Moths:
- Common Nettle-tap (Anthophila fabriciana)
- Timothy Tortrix (Zelotherses paleana)
Hoverflies:
- Tiger Hoverfly (Helophilus pendulus)
- Tiger Hoverfly (Helophilus pendulus)
Other Flies:
- Black Snipe fly (Chrysopilus cristatus)
- Black Snipe fly (Chrysopilus cristatus)
Amphibians
- Common Frog (Rana temporaria)
Molluscs:
- White-lipped Snail (Cepaea hortensis)
Not a very pristine specimen and grass moths are hard at the best of time. I think this is the very common moth, Straw Grass-veneer (Agriphila straminella). Moth species #35 for me here in 2021.
'Beauty' moths are not always straightforward to identify but I think the dark area towards the outer edge of the wing where several cross-lines come close together means this is a Mottled Beauty (Alcis repandata). Moth species #34 for me here in 2021.
One of the two species of spider on the lamps this morning. The camera flash is caught by two of the eyes. Not sure of its identity.
The juvenile Canada Goose checking over its shoulder for the advancing cob Mute Swan. Is this the bird from the lake?
(Ed Wilson)
- Common Frog (Rana temporaria)
Molluscs:
- White-lipped Snail (Cepaea hortensis)
Firstly a correction with thanks to my bumblebee teacher Neil: In a photo I misidentified a bumblebee on 21 July as a Garden Bumblebee (Bombus hortorum) when because the abdomen is yellow / black / red it is an Early Bumblebee (Bombus pratorum). As my apparently prescient school teachers used to say - "must try harder"!
A juvenile Pied Wagtail. Juvenile wagtails are not always easy to separate though the Pied Wagtail lacks any hint of yellow on the under-tail and has a shorter tail.
And an adult male Pied Wagtail showing some wear from the rigours of raising several families.
This Bridge Orb-web Spider (Larinioides cornutus) is just eating its breakfast.
Feel free to contradict me – I think this is a small Common Frog (Rana temporaria). It was certainly hopping like a frog. It appears to have some warts which might suggest a toad, though the warts are mainly in a line and not all over as they typically are on adult toads.
(Ed Wilson)
Between the lake and The Flash:
- The Chiffchaff was singing by the lower pool again.
- The Blackcap was singing from just above the upper pool again.
Also
- A Small Magpie moth (Anania hortulata) also on the roof of the Priorslee Avenue tunnel.
- Just one Common Pug moth (Eupithecia vulgata) on the roof of the Priorslee Avenue tunnel but another on one of the lamp poles enroute to The Flash.
(Ed Wilson)
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Between the lake and The Flash:
- The Chiffchaff was singing by the lower pool again.
- The Blackcap was singing from just above the upper pool again.
Also
- A Small Magpie moth (Anania hortulata) also on the roof of the Priorslee Avenue tunnel.
- Just one Common Pug moth (Eupithecia vulgata) on the roof of the Priorslee Avenue tunnel but another on one of the lamp poles enroute to The Flash.
A pretty little moth on the roof of the Priorslee Avenue tunnel. It is a Small Magpie moth (Anania hortulata).
(Ed Wilson)
The Flash: 05:35 – 06:25
(113th visit of the year)
Bird notes:
- The juvenile Canada Goose was attracting the attention of the cob Mute Swan who chased it in to the reeds. He then set off after one of its parents.
- Three (two drakes) of the Tufted Ducks flew in.
- Not too much should be read in to the lower number of both adult and juveniles Moorhens – just sheltering from the rain I expect.
- Juvenile Coot seen today: one well-grown bird by the island; one alongside Derwent Drive; two at least by one of the bridges. Both adults were by an empty nest in the cut-offs by a bridge so it looks as if their brood has been lost.
Birds noted flying over here:
(Ed Wilson)
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Flash: 05:35 – 06:25
(113th visit of the year)
Bird notes:
- The juvenile Canada Goose was attracting the attention of the cob Mute Swan who chased it in to the reeds. He then set off after one of its parents.
- Three (two drakes) of the Tufted Ducks flew in.
- Not too much should be read in to the lower number of both adult and juveniles Moorhens – just sheltering from the rain I expect.
- Juvenile Coot seen today: one well-grown bird by the island; one alongside Derwent Drive; two at least by one of the bridges. Both adults were by an empty nest in the cut-offs by a bridge so it looks as if their brood has been lost.
Birds noted flying over here:
None
Hirundines etc., noted:
Hirundines etc., noted:
None
Warblers noted (the number in brackets is singing birds):
- 4 (4) Chiffchaffs again
- 2 (2) Blackcaps again
On /around the water:
- 133 + 1 Canada Geese
- 36 Greylag Geese
- 1 Greylag x Canada Goose
- 3 + 2 (1 brood) Mute Swan
- 19 (14♂) Mallard
- 8 (6♂) Tufted Duck
- 3 + 1 (1 brood) Moorhens
- 4 juvenile Coots (3 broods): see notes
- 2 Great Crested Grebe again
Nothing else of note.
Warblers noted (the number in brackets is singing birds):
- 4 (4) Chiffchaffs again
- 2 (2) Blackcaps again
On /around the water:
- 133 + 1 Canada Geese
- 36 Greylag Geese
- 1 Greylag x Canada Goose
- 3 + 2 (1 brood) Mute Swan
- 19 (14♂) Mallard
- 8 (6♂) Tufted Duck
- 3 + 1 (1 brood) Moorhens
- 4 juvenile Coots (3 broods): see notes
- 2 Great Crested Grebe again
Nothing else of note.
(Ed Wilson)
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
On this day
2020
Priorslee Lake
Today's Sightings Here
2019
Priorslee Lake
Today's Sightings Here
(Ed Wilson)
2016
Priorslee Flash
Today's News Here
2011
Priorslee Lake
Common Sandpiper - First returning
(Ed Wilson)
2008
Priorslee Lake
Common Sandpiper - First returning
(Ed Wilson)
2006
Priorslee Lake
1 drake Ruddy Duck
1 Snipe
1 Common Sandpiper - First returning
At least 38 Swifts
(Ed Wilson)