23 Dec 21

Priorslee Lake and The Flash

5.0°C > 6.0°C: Misty start soon became fog. Light SE wind. Poor visibility, becoming very poor.

Sunrise: 08:20 GMT again

* = a photo today

All numbers best effort in often very poor conditions.

Priorslee Lake: 06:50 – 09:00

(296th visit of the year)

Bird notes:
- At least 28 Tufted Ducks were together in the middle of the water at 07:15. Thereafter most vanished in the mist.
- A 'brownhead' Goosander seen at 08:50 was a surprise.
- Two Little Grebes pattered out of the reeds to stop more or less in front of where I was standing; they took one look and me; and pattered back. They were heard calling later.
- It was clear-enough at 07:15 to confirm that no gulls were roosting here. The first 25 Black-headed Gulls were both heard and seen at 07:45. By then the mist had thickened and very little of the water could be seen from anywhere.
- Just two Jackdaws flew over me. No others were heard calling.

Overhead:
- 2 Jackdaws
- 1 Redwing
- 6 Pied Wagtails heard
- 1 Linnet

Birds leaving roost sites around the lake:
- 5 Redwings

Warblers noted:

None

Counts from the lake area:
- no Gadwall seen
- 1 (1♂) Mallard only
- >28 (?♂) Tufted Duck
- 1 (0♂) Goosander
- 4 Moorhens
- no count of Coots again
- 2 Little Grebes
- >150 Black-headed Gulls
- 1 Herring Gull
- 5 Lesser Black-backed Gulls

Around the damp lamps:

Moths:
- 1 male Mottled Umber (Erranis defoliaria): for its seventh morning

Also:
- *1 small red-eyed fly, possibly the dung fly Scathophaga inquinata.
- *1 winter cranefly, perhaps Trichocera annulata?

Spiders or harvestman:
- *1 Neriene montana spider
- *1 Tetragnatha sp. stretch spider
- 1 Paroligolophus agrestis harvestman

On a misty and later foggy morning I do not have much to show. This small fly with bright red eyes (probably enhanced by the camera's flash) was one of the few things seen. With a black thorax and what seems to be an orange body it might be the dung fly Scathophaga inquinata. But then again there are so many flies to choose from.

Another cranefly. This specimen has very strong venation in the wings with none especially stronger than the rest; it has no dark marks in the wings; and the left-side haltere is just about visible. These features all fit the Trichocera winter crane fly group with T. annulata noted as the most common. As usual 'there are several similar species...'

The lines radiating out on the carapace (front bit) of this spider indicate it is a Neriene montana.

This is one of the stretch spiders in the Tetragnatha group. They are classified under "long-jawed orb-web spiders". I cannot attest to either of these qualifiers. I would need a microscope for the former; and most of the individuals I see are just sitting about on lamp poles without any sign of a web. Perhaps I see only males?

(Ed Wilson)

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The Flash: 09:05 – 09:55

(271st visit of the year)

Somewhat less affected by mist: but where was the third adult Mute Swan; and the Great Crested Grebes?

Bird notes:
- The duck Teal was a long way away from the drake.
- A big Moorhen count: few dog-walkers meant many were out on the grass and easy to see.

Birds noted flying over here:

None

On /around the water:
- 9 Canada Geese
- 2 + 2 (1 brood) Mute Swans
- 41 (25♂) Mallard
- 2 (1♂) Teal again
- 1 (1♂) Pochard still
- 31 (13♂) Tufted Duck
- 10 (3♂) Goosander
- 17 Moorhens
- no count of Coots
- no Great Crested Grebes
- 11 Black-headed Gulls only
- 1 Grey Heron

On / around various street lamps:
- 1 male Mottled Umber moth (Erranis defoliaria): for its sixth day here
- *1 small red-eyed fly, possibly another Scathophaga inquinata.

Around the Ivy.

Nothing

I should perhaps note that White Dead-Nettle (Lamium album) remains in flower near the Ivy. Flowers "April to November" it says on the web. I'll try and remember to photograph it soon. I need a bright day as using flash does not work well on white flowers.

This red-eyed fly looks very reminiscent of the one above that I photographed at the lake. Scathophaga inquinata?

(Ed Wilson)

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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

2013

Priorslee Lake

1st-winter female Great Scaup

Horsehay Pool

Kittiwake

2012

Priorslee Lake

4 Gadwall

14 Pochard

29 Tufted Ducks

3 Goosanders

178 Coots

2 Redwings

4 Siskin

(Ed Wilson)

The Flash

3 Pochard

44 Tufted Duck

28 Goosanders

(Ed Wilson)

Trench Lock Pool

30 Mute Swans

40 Tufted Duck

1 Goosander

161 Coots

1 Great Black-backed Gull

(Ed Wilson)

2009

Priorslee Lake

1 Little Grebe

1 Black-necked Grebe

18 Swans

4 Gadwall

41 Pochard

75 Tufted Ducks

2 Water Rails

311 Coots

600 Lesser Black-backed Gulls

2 Yellow-legged Gulls

12 Goldfinches

10 Siskins

(Ed Wilson/Dawn Balmer/Peter Wilson)

2006

Priorslee lake

2 Great Crested Grebe

3 Cormorants

32 Pochard

24 Tufted Ducks

1 Water Rail

64 Coots

c.100 Black-headed Gulls

23 Redwing

(Martin Adlam)

2005

Priorslee lake

10 Pochard

15 Tufted Duck

c.400 Black-headed Gulls

c.100 Lesser Black-backs

1 Water Rail

20 Pied Wagtails

365 Rooks

325 Jackdaw

1 Kingfisher

51 Siskin

7 Redpoll

13 Greenfinch 13

12 Reed Bunting

(Martin Adlam)

3 Redwing

c.50 Siskin

7 Redpoll

8 Reed Bunting

1 Willow Tit

(Martin Adlam)