9 Jun 21

Priorslee Lake and The Flash

12.0°C > 19.0°C: Just a few patches of medium-level cloud. Light S breeze. Excellent visibility.

Sunrise: 04:47 BST

* = a photo today

Priorslee Lake: 04:15 – 05:45 // 06:35 – 09:35

(114th visit of the year)

Bird notes:
- The cob Mute Swan gave chase to the Canada Geese but they all survived.
- A pair of Tufted Duck were sitting on the SW grass when I came back from The Flash. I did not see them arrive or depart or at any other time.
- Six Swifts turned up at 04:55 and stayed only a few minutes. Another seen flying fast E to the S at 07:20.
- With fine weather more juvenile Coots on the water – broods of 1, 3, 3 and 3. All the juveniles were old-enough to have lost the red head and acquired a white chest.
- One Great Crested Grebe seen circling quite high over the lake at 04:35 presumed to be one of the seven seen on the water later.
- For some reason Blackcaps decided to sing everywhere whereas with most other species song was more intermittent and some were quiet.

Overhead:
- 4 Canada Geese: single outbound; trio inbound
- 2 Stock Doves
- 11 Wood Pigeons
- 2 Common Buzzards
- 2 Lesser Black-backed Gulls: one first year; one 'immature'
- 13 Cormorants: single; two trios bookending a sextet
- 27 Jackdaws
- 29 Rooks

Hirundines etc., noted:
- 7 Swifts
- 2 Barn Swallows
- 2 House Martins again

Warblers noted (the number in brackets is singing birds):
- *13 (9) Chiffchaffs
- 11 (9) Reed Warblers
- 19 (18) Blackcaps
- 2 (2) Garden Warblers
- 4 (2) Common Whitethroats

Count from the lake area
- 2 + 3 (1 brood) Canada Geese
- 2 + 5 (1 brood) Mute Swans
- 7 (6♂) Mallard again
- 2 (1♂) Tufted Duck, briefly seen on the SW grass
- 1 Moorhen
- 26 + 10 (4 broods) Coots
- 7 Great Crested Grebes
- 1 Lesser Black-backed Gull: adult, briefly
- 1 Grey Heron

On / around the street lamps pre-dawn:
- *1 Timothy Tortrix (Zelotherses paleana)
- *1 Longhorn Beetle sp. probably Rhagium mordax

Noted later:

Butterflies / Moths:
- Speckled Wood (Pararge aegeria)
- *Silver-ground Carpet (Xanthorhoe montanata)

Bees / Wasps:
- Field Cuckoo Bumblebee (Bombus campestris)

Hoverflies:
- Two different Cheilosia sp. one *perhaps Late Buttercup Cheilosia (Cheilosia albitarsus)
- *Marmalade Hoverfly (Episyrphus balteatus)
- Tapered Dronefly (Eristalis pertinax)
- Common Dronefly (Eristalis tenax)
- Parhelophilus sp.
- *Bumblebee Plume-horned Hoverfly (Volucella bombylans)

Damselflies:
- *Azure Damselfly (Coenagrion puella)
- *Common Blue Damselfly (Enallagma cyathigerum)
- Blue-tailed Damselfly (Ischnura elegans)

Other Flies:
- Black Snipe fly (Chrysopilus cristatus)
- Scorpion Fly (Panorpa sp.)
- *House Fly sp., perhaps Phaonia gobertii
- *Unidentified fly sp.

Bugs:
- Red-and-Black Froghopper (Cercopis vulnerata)

Beetles:
- 7 Spot Ladybird (Coccinella 7-punctata)
- Swollen-thighed Beetle (Oedemera nobilis)

Spiders:
- Misumena vatia
- Stretch spider sp (Tetragnatha sp.)

Mammals:
- 2 larger Noctule-type bats high over the new houses c.04:15: first for me this year.

Newly identified flowers for the year:
- *Blue Flag Iris (Iris versicolor)
- *Water Forget-me-not (Myositis palustris)

This morning's sunrise. Ethiopian Airlines would like to apologise for its flight from Addis Ababa to Dublin leaving a distracting vapour-trail.

Lurking between many layers of twigs and branches I espied this juvenile Chiffchaff, partly in shade. The fluffy plumage and yellow gape give its age away.

Persistence gave be a somewhat clearer view of the head. Note the yellow tones more normally associated with Willow Warblers. Juveniles of that species can be bright yellow.

I disturbed many of these moths from the grass at dawn. This one settled on a lamp pole. The shape is typical of a Tortrix moth. Despite its plain appearance it is not too hard to ID as a Timothy Tortrix (Zelotherses paleana) by the yellow suffusion on the head and 'shoulders' - the leading edge of the forewings. This species gets its name because the larvae eat the roots of Timothy (Phleum pratense), an abundant perennial grass.

This is a Silver-ground Carpet moth (Xanthorhoe montanata). A typical carpet moth shape and specific identification within this group can be tricky. This species is one of the few that is very easily flushed by day. This specimen did not want to be too cooperative – I am sure I will be able to do better.

I'll take a punt on this being a male Late Buttercup Cheilosia (Cheilosia albitarsus). It is certainly a male and the slight darkening of the wing favours this species though there are less common species in the group that are impossible to separate from photos.

A classic pose by a classic-looking Marmalade Hoverfly (Episyrphus balteatus).

Another 'not a bumblebee but a hoverfly'. This is a Bumblebee (Plume-horned) Hoverfly (Volucella bombylans). Rather variable in colouration and markings the best feature that sets this species apart from other bumblebee-like hoverflies is the wing markings.

This is a male Common Blue Damselfly (Enallagma cyathigerum). Note the mark on the top segment of the abdomen – looks like an Ace of Spades from above. Note too the width of the blue between the black lines on the thorax.

For comparison a male Azure Damselfly (Coenagrion puella). I cannot see any colour difference between these species. The mark on the top segment of the abdomen is a 'U' shape and the blue between the black lines on the thorax is narrower. Good luck identifying flying specimens!

When I see flies with clear patterns I am always prepared to have a go at identification. It is certainly one of the Muscid House Flies and may be Phaonia gobertii which seems to be one of rather few species in this group with three clean black lines on the thorax.

Superficially similar but without the three clean black lines on the thorax. Filed as 'too hard'! Seems to have its front legs crossed – I guess it was cleaning itself.

I found this beetle on one of the lamp poles pre-sunrise. I think it is one of the Longhorn beetles (though the antennae are not as long as many in this diverse group). It seems to match photos of Rhagium mordax on the web. Not a species I have seen previously.

Another to spend more time over. This insect flew weakly over the water and landed on a small piece of floating grass. I was unable to get any other angle to aid any identification.

A possible Blue Flag Iris (Iris versicolor). Many of the 'wild' plants are nowadays hybrids with cultivars from garden centres. A tiny gnat clings on at the bottom right. These irises flower some two weeks later than the Yellow Flag (Iris pseudacorus).

This is the first day I have seen these Water Forget-me-not (Myositis palustris) in flower. Growing in the boggy edge of the lake.

(Ed Wilson)

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Between the lake and The Flash:

- Adult Moorhen heard at the upper pool.
- Adult Moorhen seen at the lower pool.
- The Blackcap singing by the lower pool again.

(Ed Wilson)

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The Flash: 05:50 – 06:30 again

(99th visit of the year)

Best bird was only noticed on examining its photo – a drake (Greater) Scaup. Species #71 here this year. My last record at this site was in Winter 2016/2017 when several birds toured the area for some weeks.

Bird notes:
- A small juvenile Coot seemed to be the only survivor from a new brood on the island. The other two well-grown juveniles seen again.

Birds noted flying over here:
- 3 Jackdaws
- 1 Starling

Hirundines etc., noted:
- 16 Swifts
- House Martin heard only

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

On /around the water:
- 44 Canada Geese
- *3 + 2 (1 brood) Mute Swan
- 24 (19♂) Mallard
- 3 (1♂) Tufted Duck
- *1 (1) (Greater) Scaup
- 4 Moorhens
- *3 juvenile Coots (3 broods)
- 1 Great Crested Grebe again

Also noted
- Presumably the same Figure of Eighty moth (Tethea ocularis) on the same lamp pole in squirrel alley though it had shuffled around a bit.

The pen Mute Swan with the two surviving cygnets. They look OK but they hatched at least 10 days ahead of those at the main lake and these cygnets look smaller.

The camera wins again. I took this photo as this drake was showing an unusual green gloss to its head – Tufted Ducks usually gloss blue / purple. I was musing as to whether this might be an effect of the yellow early light or because the bird was beginning to moult. Only when I looked at the photo did I notice that there is pale speckling on the back, there is a complete absence of any 'tuft' and the pale bill has only a very small dark tip (nail). All of these point to it being a drake (Greater) Scaup. A rather strange date though I did have a July record at the main lake some years back. So what was the duck accompanying it? Duck Scaup are quite distinctive with a large white patch at the base of the bill and I am sure I would not have overlooked that so I guess it was a Tufted Duck.

The most well-grown of the juvenile Coots, rather surprisingly allowed to stay at the nest while one of its parents broods a second clutch of eggs. I did not realise that juveniles have black feet unlike the adult with their white and strangely lobed feet. Note there is the merest hint of white shield beginning to show.

(Ed Wilson)

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On this day
2020
Priorslee Lake
Today's Sightings Here

2019
Priorslee Lake
Today's Sightings Here

2018
Priorslee Lake
Today's Sightings Here

2017
Priorslee Lake
Today's Sightings Here

2016
Priorslee Lake
Today's Sightings Here

2015
Priorslee Lake
Today's Sightings Here

2014
Local Area
Today's Sightings Here

2009
Priorslee Lake
7 Reed Warblers
2 Willow Warbler
(Ed Wilson)

2007
Priorslee Lake
3 Great Crested Grebe
1 Ruddy Duck
1 Great Spotted Woodpecker
2 House Martin
2 Swallow
Reed Warbler
1 Sedge Warbler
3 Blackcap
1 Garden Warbler
2 Willow Warbler
3 Chiffchaff
4 Bullfinch
2 Reed Bunting
(Martin Adlam)

2006
Priorslee Lake
4 Great Crested Grebes
1 Heron
2 Cormorants
2 Tufted Ducks
1 Kestrel
3 Stock Dove
3 Swift
4 Swallow
11 House Martin
6 Reed Warblers
1 Lesser Whitethroat
9 Blackcap
5 Chiffchaff
7 Greenfinch
3 Bullfinch
6 Reed Bunting
(Ed Wilson)