12.0°C > 13.0°C: The Telford micro-climate struck again. Clear when I left Newport: low cloud at the lake. Started to break after 07:45 and then mainly clear for a while. Still some patches of low cloud later. Moderate NW wind. Very good visibility.
Sunrise: 07:26 BST
I ran out of time to sort out all the photos – just a couple of photos today
Priorslee Lake: 05:45 – 09:10
(226th visit of the year)
Best today was the Great White Egret arriving at 08:30. The large gulls thought otherwise and chased it away to the W before it could even think about settling. It is bird species #109 for me here this year – I am now on the same total as for all of 2020. Will I find anything else?
Other bird notes:
- Only three Mute Swan cygnets seen, these flying strongly and independently. The fourth was not seen – I hope it has found somewhere to stay away from trouble.
- A party of Canada Geese was heard outbound before 07:00. My view was blocked by trees. About 20 minutes later six birds flew inbound and stopped off at the lake for a while: the same?. They landed right by the Mute Swans and were totally ignored.
- A tight group of 21 Mallard overhead flying W was most unusual.
- Eight Lapwings flew W together c.08:00. They are getting to be an uncommon sight these days. 20 years ago >70 birds often roosted on the dam face in winter. Flocks of >100 could be seen in the fields to the E (what fields?).
- One of the Great Crested Grebes was again fishing in the (muddy) Wesley Brook underneath the footbridge.
- c.150 Black-headed Gulls were on the football field at 07:25 with another c.125 on the academy playing fields at the same time. Many fewer today
- I counted 246 large gulls arriving in slightly better viewing conditions.
- A Tawny Owl was alongside Teece Drive c.06:00. I heard it make both calls, sliding effortlessly from a 'whoo' to 'kvick'.
Overhead:
- Canada Geese: heard only outbound – see notes
- 29 Greylag Geese: flew NW together
- 21 (?♂) Mallard: flew W together
- 1 Feral Pigeon
- 19 Wood Pigeons only
- 8 Lapwings: together
- 1 Herring Gull again
- 19 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 1 Great White Egret
- 197 Jackdaws
- 121 Rooks
- 10 Skylarks
- 11 Starlings: two groups
- 13 Pied Wagtails: mostly roost dispersal
- 1 Meadow Pipit
- 1 Chaffinch
Warblers noted:
- 1 Chiffchaff: no song
Count from the lake area:
- 2 + 4 (1 brood) Mute Swans: see notes
- 6 Canada Geese: arrived and departed together: see notes
- 6 (4♂) Mallard
- 21 (>6♂) Tufted Duck
- 8 Moorhens
- 79 Coots
- 2 Little Grebes
- 3 Great Crested Grebes
- c.275 Black-headed Gulls
- 11 Herring Gulls
- 51 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- c.250 large gulls: see notes
- 1 Cormorant: arrived and departed
- 1 Grey Heron
- 1 Kingfisher again
At / around the street lamps pre-dawn:
Moths:
- 1 November Moth agg. (Epirrita sp.)
with:
- Hairy Snails (Trochulus hispidus)
- 1 Large House Spider-type: Eratigena sp.
- 1 Stretch spider (Tetragnatha sp.)
- 1 male Leiobunum rotundum/blackwalli harvestman
- 1 Paroligolophus agrestis harvestman
Noted later: only
- Common Drone Fly (Eristalis tenax)
As it flies away note the 'keeled-effect' as the long neck is held tucked in.
Don't you just love those big hairy spiders? No? This Large House Spider-type: Eratigena sp. is not about to enter your house.
(Ed Wilson)
In the Priorslee Avenue tunnel pre-dawn:
Moths
- 1 Owl Midge Psychodidae sp.
- 1 White-legged Snake Millipede (Tachypodoiulus niger)
- 1 Garden Spider (Arameus diadematus): the very large specimen again.
- plus usual midges and unidentified spiders
(Ed Wilson)
The Flash: 09:15 – 10:05
(204th visit of the year)
Bird notes:
- A pair of Teal were in open water near the island more or less throughout.
- All three juvenile Great Crested Grebes present and correct today.
- Large group of Jackdaws (with a few Rooks) flew over: concurrently a party of 27 Wood Pigeons also all of them going W.
Birds noted flying over here:
- 2 Feral Pigeons
- 27 Wood Pigeons: in one group
- 1 Common Buzzard
- 63 Jackdaws: 62 of these together with...
- 4 Rooks
- 4 Skylarks
- 1 Meadow Pipit
Warblers noted:
- 2 Chiffchaffs again: no song
On /around the water:
- 24 Canada Geese
- 7 Greylag Geese
- 1 'feral' goose
- 3 + 2 (1 brood) Mute Swan
- 24 (14♂) Mallard only
- 2 (1♂) Teal
- 12 (3+♂) Tufted Duck
- 17 (0♂) Goosander again
- 8 Moorhens yet again
- 24 Coots
- 2 + 3 (1 brood) Great Crested Grebes
- 62 Black-headed Gulls
- 2 Grey Herons
On different lamp poles:
- 1 Owl Midge Psychodidae sp.
- 1 springtail Pogonognathellus longicornis-type
- 1 female Leiobunum rotundum harvestman
Noted elsewhere:
- Common Carder Bee (Bombus pascuorum)
- Common Wasp (Paravespula vulgaris)
- Tapered Drone Fly (Eristalis pertinax)
- Common Drone Fly (Eristalis tenax)
- 7 Spot Ladybird (Coccinella 7-punctata)
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In the Priorslee Avenue tunnel pre-dawn:
Moths
- 1 Owl Midge Psychodidae sp.
- 1 White-legged Snake Millipede (Tachypodoiulus niger)
- 1 Garden Spider (Arameus diadematus): the very large specimen again.
- plus usual midges and unidentified spiders
(Ed Wilson)
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The Flash: 09:15 – 10:05
(204th visit of the year)
Bird notes:
- A pair of Teal were in open water near the island more or less throughout.
- All three juvenile Great Crested Grebes present and correct today.
- Large group of Jackdaws (with a few Rooks) flew over: concurrently a party of 27 Wood Pigeons also all of them going W.
Birds noted flying over here:
- 2 Feral Pigeons
- 27 Wood Pigeons: in one group
- 1 Common Buzzard
- 63 Jackdaws: 62 of these together with...
- 4 Rooks
- 4 Skylarks
- 1 Meadow Pipit
Warblers noted:
- 2 Chiffchaffs again: no song
On /around the water:
- 24 Canada Geese
- 7 Greylag Geese
- 1 'feral' goose
- 3 + 2 (1 brood) Mute Swan
- 24 (14♂) Mallard only
- 2 (1♂) Teal
- 12 (3+♂) Tufted Duck
- 17 (0♂) Goosander again
- 8 Moorhens yet again
- 24 Coots
- 2 + 3 (1 brood) Great Crested Grebes
- 62 Black-headed Gulls
- 2 Grey Herons
On different lamp poles:
- 1 Owl Midge Psychodidae sp.
- 1 springtail Pogonognathellus longicornis-type
- 1 female Leiobunum rotundum harvestman
Noted elsewhere:
- Common Carder Bee (Bombus pascuorum)
- Common Wasp (Paravespula vulgaris)
- Tapered Drone Fly (Eristalis pertinax)
- Common Drone Fly (Eristalis tenax)
- 7 Spot Ladybird (Coccinella 7-punctata)
A close up of the springtail I have been logging as Pogonognathellus longicornis. Apparently there are – all together now – "several similar species" – so I will have to log it as a Pogonognathellus longicornis-type in future.
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On this day can be found via the yearly links in the right-hand column.
Sightings from previous years without links are below
2011
Priorslee Lake
29 Redwing
(Ed Wilson)
2010
Priorslee Lake
1 Curlew
1 Goldeneye
1 Goosander
1 Shoveler
4 Wigeon
1 Teal
1 Common Gull
(John Isherwood)
2009
Priorslee Lake
1 Little Grebe
3 Lapwing
25+ Redwing
1 Siskin
(John Isherwood)
2008
Priorslee Lake
130 Tufted Ducks
4 Buzzards
Kingfisher
Chiffchaff
Meadow Pipits
Sky Larks
Redwings
Redpoll
Siskin
(Ed Wilson)
2007
Priorslee Lake
1 Little Grebe
1 Ruddy Duck
50 Robins
1 Redwing
4 Chiffchaffs
11 Siskins
(Ed Wilson)
2006
Priorslee Lake
37 Meadow Pipits
36 Pied Wagtails
1 Redwing
55 Tufted Ducks
2 Willow Tits
(Ed Wilson)