31 May 22

Priorslee Lake and The Flash

8.0°C > 12.0°C: Intermittent mostly light rain until c.06:30. Stayed mostly cloudy at medium-high level before clearing somewhat from the W after 08:15, still with plenty of cloud about. Light W wind throughout. Very good visibility.

Sunrise: 04:53 BST

* = a photo today

Priorslee Lake: 04:45 – 05:55 // 06:45 – 09:40

(126th visit of the year)

Bird notes:
- The resident pair of Canada Geese and their well-grown gosling were present throughout. When I arrived there were eight more adults together on the water. Another four flew in and stayed for a while. All these 12 had gone by 06:55. After 09:00 yet another five flew in. The cob Mute Swan seemed rather sanguine about these, less so when three Greylag Geese dropped in.
- Another one of the Mute Swan cygnets has gone missing. Just six now.
- At least 50 Swifts were overhead at 05:15, some very high up. By 07:15 I estimated no more than 30 though later numbers built again until over 75 in the area by 09:00.
- Mostly rather fewer warblers were noted braving the wet conditions. Exceptions were:
- a very noisy second singing Sedge Warbler in the SE area was new. An addition to the long-term songster along the S side.
- after a number of days of "was that really a Common Whitethroat I heard briefly" a trio was seen sneaking around behind the sailing club shelter. No song heard, just a few scolding churrs.

Birds noted flying over here:
- 17 Canada Geese: duo and group of 15 inbound
- 19 Greylag Geese: 17 outbound loosely together; duo inbound
- 2 Stock Doves: singles
- 7 Wood Pigeons
- 1 Herring Gull: immature
- 3 Cormorants: together
- 1 Common Buzzard
- 1 Jackdaw
- 1 Rook
- 4 Starlings

Hirundines etc. noted:
- >75 Swifts: see notes
- 2 Sand Martins
- 2 Barn Swallows
- 4 House Martins

Warblers noted (figures in brackets relate to singing birds):
- 1 (1) Cetti's Warbler as ever
- 11 (9) Chiffchaffs
- 2 (2) Sedge Warblers
- 6 (6) Reed Warblers
- 13 (11) Blackcaps
- 2 (2) Garden Warblers
- 3 (0) Common Whitethroats

Counts from the lake area:
- 19 + 1 (1 brood) Canada Geese: see notes
- 3 Greylag Geese: arrived and chased away
- 2 + 6 (1 brood) Mute Swans: another cygnet missing
- 6 (5♂) Mallard again
- 2 Moorhens
- 22 + 7 (4 broods) Coots
- 1 Little Grebe: still only heard
- 3 Great Crested Grebes
- 1 Lesser Black-backed Gull: adult stayed some while
- 1 Grey Heron: departed again

Noted on / around the street lamp poles pre-dawn:
- *1 Dark-barred Twin-spot Carpet moth (Xanthorhoe ferrugata)
- *1 Brimstone Moth (Opisthograptis luteolata)
- [no Pale Tussock moth (Calliteara pudibunda) but one still at The Flash]
- *1 Common Green Lacewing (Chrysoperia carnea)
- 1 Tetragnatha sp. stretch spider

Noted later:

A reasonable haul considering the brief sunny spell that had only partially dried some of the vegetation.

Moths:
- *Common Slender (Gracillaria syringella)

Bees, wasps, etc.
- Garden Bumblebee (Bombus hortorum)
- *Early Bumblebee (Bombus pratorum)
- Buff-tailed Bumblebee (Bombus terrestris)
- one species of ichneumon
- *Broad-striped Rhogogaster sawfly (Rhogogaster scalaris)

Hoverflies:
- Marmalade Hoverfly (Episyrphus balteatus)
- Tapered Dronefly (Eristalis pertinax)
- *Migrant Field Syrph [Migrant Hoverfly] (Eupeodes corollae)
- Chequered Hoverfly (Melanostoma scalare)
- *Orange-belted Leafwalker (Xylota segnis)

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

Other flies:
- Greenbottle Lucilia ampullacea
- Scorpion Fly (Panorpa sp.)
- *Dolichopus sp. 'green(?)-eyed fly'

Beetles etc.:
- *a rotund blue-black beetle
- Harlequin Ladybird (Harmonia axyridis)
- *24 Spot Ladybird (Subcoccinella vigintiquattuorpunctata)

Bugs:
- Red-and-Black Froghopper (Cercopis vulnerata)
- *Hairy Shieldbug or Sloe Bug (Dolycoris baccarum)

Slugs / snails:
- White-lipped Snail (Cepaea hortensis)

Spiders:
- *crab spider sp. (Misumena vatia)
- Tetragnatha sp. stretch spider

Mammals:
- 2 Grey Squirrels

New flowers for the year noted:

None

Definitely the find of the day for me was this tiny micro-moth, a Common Slender (Gracillaria syringella). Just 7mm long (about a quarter of an inch for us oldies). I saw this in flight and managed to spot where it landed. I have inverted the image for easier viewing. My literature describes this species as very common but it must be very easy to overlook. A new species of moth for me.

Another new moth for the year is this Dark-barred Twin-spot Carpet moth (Xanthorhoe ferrugata) on a lamp pole pre-dawn despite the rain.

Sharing the same lamp pole was this very easy to identify Brimstone Moth (Opisthograptis luteolata). I will probably see several more of these, unlike the carpet moth which whilst just about annual is usually a one-off.

The general scruffy appearance is a good clue that this is an Early Bumblebee (Bombus pratorum). The identity is confirmed by three areas of buff / orange, though on this specimen the midriff band is hardly apparent.

 I have not seen one of these Common Green Lacewings (Chrysoperia carnea) for several weeks.

These Broad-striped Rhogogaster sawflies (Rhogogaster scalaris) seem very common at the moment.

With the yellow markings wrapping around the side of the abdomen this has to be a Migrant Field Syrph, also known as Migrant Hoverfly (Eupeodes corollae). The 'migrant' epithet is not entirely appropriate as this species is not exclusively a migrant from Europe and neither is it the only species whose numbers are boosted in such a way.

One day I will find one of these Orange-belted Leafwalker hoverflies (Xylota segnis) with its wings open...

This is probably the same species of green-eyed and hairy fly that I photographed yesterday. But...

 ...from another angle the eyes seem to be red. Note the thick basal part of the antennae. A bit more research on the web leads me to the conclusion that it is one of the Dolichopus species which, as so often, cannot be specifically identified from photographs.

"A rotund blue-black beetle" is about all I can tell you here apart from it being another insect that seems to like buttercups.

This ladybird is a 24 Spot Ladybird with the scientific name – take a deep breath – Subcoccinella vigintiquattuorpunctata. The pattern of spots somewhat resembles one form of the Harlequin Ladybird (Harmonia axyridis) but the head lacks the bright white patches of the latter species. It is also very small. The number of spots is variable on both species.

To get and idea as to its size here it is wandering up toward the life-line on the palm of my hand.

I found another of these Hairy Shieldbugs or Sloe Bugs (Dolycoris baccarum) today.

The crab spider Misumena vatia with its legs in the correct orientation unlike the one I photographed yesterday.

 (Ed Wilson)

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The Flash: 06:00 – 06:40

(122nd visit of the year)

Bird notes:
- A Canada Goose was sitting on the Derwent Drive footpath brooding at least three goslings in the rain at 06:05. I did not wish to disturb it so the exact number of goslings is unknown. Later they had been moved by dog-walkers but I could not see where to.
- The potential love-affair between the 2019 Mute Swan and one of the 2021 birds seems to be over. The two 2021 siblings are now very much staying together and keeping apart from the 2019 bird. I was informed that there had been a report (on Facebook?) of a fourth Mute Swan yesterday.
- No juvenile Moorhens located.

Birds noted flying over here:
- 1 Jackdaw

Hirundines etc. noted:
None

Warblers noted (figures in brackets relate to singing birds):
- 3 (3) Chiffchaffs
- 3 (2) Blackcaps
After yesterday's excesses...

Noted on / around the water:
- 94 + 3? (1 brood) Canada Geese: see notes
- 10 Greylag Geese
- 3 Mute Swans
- 19 (17♂) Mallard: no ducklings seen again
- 1 (1♂) all-white duck (Aylesbury Duck)
- 5 (3♂) Tufted Duck
- 4 Moorhens only
- 19 + 9 (4 broods) Coots
- 1 Great Crested Grebe once again

Noted on / around the street lamp poles:
- 1 Pale Tussock moth (Calliteara pudibunda): same position for its ninth day.

Elsewhere:
Nothing of note

 (Ed Wilson)

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Between the lake and The Flash:

- Moorhens calling at both pools. Investigation of alarm calls from the upper pool flushed...
- 1 Grey Heron
- 1 Chiffchaff singing, today back on a favourite song-post atop a dead tree alongside the lower pool.

 (Ed Wilson)

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In the Priorslee Avenue tunnel:

- The Small Tortoiseshell (Aglais urticae) chrysalis again.
- *1 Common Swift moth (Hepialus lupulinus) on the roof.
- 1 Tetragnatha sp. stretch spider

Another moth photo I have inverted for easier viewing. This is a Common Swift (Hepialus lupulinus). It was on the roof of the tunnel. A common moth last seen by me in the area in very early June in both 2018 and 2019. 

 (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

Long Lane, Wellington

13 Ringed Plover

2 Dunlin

(JW Reeves)

30 May 22

Priorslee Lake and The Flash

9.0°C > 12.0°C: Started cloudy and very dull. A spell of mainly light rain 06:00 to 06:30. Cleared somewhat from the W with a few sunny intervals before dark clouds threatened a shower. Light SW wind throughout. Very good visibility.

Sunrise: 04:54 BST

* = a photo today

Priorslee Lake: 04:40 – 05:45 // 06:40 – 09:35

(125th visit of the year)

Bird notes:
- One of the Mute Swan cygnets was missing. Perhaps not the one that seemed to wander away from the group as one was still doing that.
- Three Mistle Thrushes together flying over Castle Farm Way suggests successful breeding in the area. The bird alongside Teece Drive was noted calling as it flew to its favourite song perch but it did not sing.
- Five juvenile Pied Wagtails seen together on the SW grass and the boating platforms.

Birds noted flying over here:
- 5 Greylag Geese: duo outbound; trio inbound
- no pigeons/ doves
- no gulls
- 7 Starlings
Very quiet

Hirundines etc. noted:
- >30 Swifts
- 1 Barn Swallow

Warblers noted (figures in brackets relate to singing birds):
- 1 (1) Cetti's Warbler as ever
- 15 (11) Chiffchaffs
- 1 (1) Sedge Warbler
- 7 (7) Reed Warblers
- 12 (12) Blackcaps
- 3 (3) Garden Warblers
- 1 (1) Common Whitethroat

Counts from the lake area:
- 15 + 1 (1 brood) Canada Geese: 13 in a group flew off
- *2 + 7 (1 brood) Mute Swans
- 6 (5♂) Mallard
- 3 Moorhens again
- 25 + 13 (5 broods) Coots
- 1 Little Grebe: heard only again
- 4 Great Crested Grebes again
- 2 Lesser Black-backed Gulls: adult and third year briefly on the erstwhile football field at 05:30
- 1 Grey Heron: departed

Noted on / around the street lamp poles pre-dawn:
- 1 Pale Tussock moth (Calliteara pudibunda): same place for its seventh morning
- *1 red-eyed fly
- *1 unusual fly with thick antennae
- 1 aphid sp.

Noted later:

Butterflies:

None

Moths:
- Common Nettle-tap (Anthophila fabriciana)
- *Cocksfoot Moth (Glyphipterix simpliciella)
- *Common Roller (Ancylis badiana)

Bees, wasps, etc.
- Garden Bumblebee (Bombus hortorum)
- Red-tailed Bumblebee (Bombus lapidarius)
- Buff-tailed Bumblebee (Bombus terrestris)
- Common Wasp (Paravespula vulgaris)
- two different species of ichneumon
- *presumed sawfly, perhaps Dolerus sp.
- Broad-striped Rhogogaster sawfly (Rhogogaster scalaris)

Hoverflies:
- *Tapered Dronefly (Eristalis pertinax)
- Common Dronefly (Eristalis tenax)
- *Blotch-winged Hoverfly (Leucozona lucorum)
- Chequered Hoverfly (Melanostoma scalare)
- *Syrphus sp. (S. ribesii / S. vitripennis)

- *Orange-belted Leafwalker (Xylota segnis)

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

Other flies:
- *dagger fly Empis scutellata
- Greenbottle Lucilia ampullacea
- Grouse Wing caddis fly (Mystacides longicornis)
- Scorpion Fly (Panorpa sp.)
- *Yellow Dung Fly (Scathophaga stercoraria)
- *green-eyed fly

Beetles etc.:
- *Swollen-thighed Beetle (Oedemera nobilis)
- *Malthodes minimus, one of the soldier beetles
- *a longhorn beetle, perhaps Grammoptera ruficornis
- *a rotund blue-black beetle
- Harlequin Ladybird (Harmonia axyridis)
- Nettle Weevil (Phyllobius pomaceus)

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

Slugs / snails:
- White-lipped Snail (Cepaea hortensis)

Spiders:
- *Cucumber Green Orb Spider (possibly Araniella cucurbitina)
- *crab spider sp. (Misumena vatia)
- *Nursery Web Spider (Pisaura mirabilis)
- Tetragnatha sp. stretch spider

New flowers for the year noted:

None

Only seven Mute Swan cygnets now.

First of the 'yummy: breakfast' photos of the year. A male Reed Bunting with food for the brood.

Since I discovered that not all moths in buttercups are Plain Gold (Micropterix calthella) I have located a number of these Cocksfoot Moths (Glyphipterix simpliciella). Note how small it is against a buttercup petal – a true micro-moth.

The wing-tip of this Common Roller moth (Ancylis badiana) is rather battered. The other markings show up well.

When I saw this I was not sure whether it was a fly or something else. The length of the antennae is more typical of a wasp or similar though I can see no wasp-waist. It cannot be a beetle as the wings are translucent and allow the banded abdomen to be seen. I suspect it is a sawfly, perhaps of the genus Dolerus.

A close-up of a female Tapered Dronefly (Eristalis pertinax). The eyes meet on females of most flies. Surprisingly hairy.

This is my first Blotch-winged Hoverfly (Leucozona lucorum) of the year. It is not unlike a Bumblebee Cheilosia (Cheilosia illustrata) but the scutellum (the area between the thorax and the abdomen) is brown on this Blotch-winged Hoverfly but black on the Bumblebee Cheilosia.

One of the Syrphus species of hoverfly – either S. ribesii or S. vitripennis. Only females are separable from photos if the hind femur is visible. It isn't!

With its wings closed you can still just make out this hoverfly is an Orange-belted Leafwalker (Xylota segnis).

I found this fly on a lamp pole pre-dawn. It looks rather unusual in that the antennae look very thick or bushy. No idea of its ID though.

The smallest of the dagger flies and identifiable by its orange body this is Empis scutellata. I need a macro adapter for the camera! You can however see the long pointed mouth-part that gives these flies their name. The 'dagger' is not strong-enough to pierce human skin. It is used to suck the life out of smaller flies. Very pleasant.

A plan view shows a dark stripe down the thorax.

Another fly on a lamp pole pre-dawn. One with red eyes. Species unknown to me.

Another strange fly, this one with green eyes, a green thorax, apparently a banded abdomen, all with copious hairs. Note also the antennae with a thicker basal part.

Did I mention 'copious hairs'? The behaviour of Yellow Dung Flies (Scathophaga stercoraria) might not appeal – someone has to do the recycling job – but they are attractive in their own way.

This is a female Swollen-thighed Beetle (Oedemera nobilis). Only the males show the swollen thighs. This species is unusual in that at rest it sits with the green elytra (wing covers) held slightly apart.

A new species of beetle for me. It is Malthodes minimus, one of the soldier beetles.

Another new species of beetle for me though I am not 100% sure of its identity. It is one of the smaller longhorn beetles (the flowers are that of Cow Parsley to give it scale). It is most likely to be Grammoptera ruficornis.

I cannot begin to identify any of the blue-black rotund beetles.

This Cucumber Green Orb Spider (probably Araniella cucurbitina) seems to have neatly severed a wing off of something. The spider's head is hidden so I cannot see whether it is eating a prey item. The red rear-end on this group of spiders is very distinctive.

This is the crab spider Misumena vatia. I have no idea what it is doing with one pair of legs held high (they are not really two-toned – there is a shadow across the end of them).

A Nursery Web Spider (Pisaura mirabilis) living up to its name – the white ball is a web containing the eggs or spiderlings.

The ball is a significant size for the spider to move around.

(Ed Wilson)

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The Flash: 05:50 – 06:35

(121st visit of the year)

Bird notes:
- The regular single well-grown and six smaller goslings all present. The more recent brood of three small goslings not seen.
- No Mallard ducklings noted.
- The two juvenile Moorhens were almost certainly from a different brood. They were well-grown and in a different location where I would have expected them to be chased away by the adult nesting in the area.

Birds noted flying over here:
- 2 Cormorants: singles
- 1 Grey Heron

Hirundines etc. noted:
- 5 Swifts

Warblers noted (figures in brackets relate to singing birds):
- 7 (4) Chiffchaffs
- 12 (8) Blackcaps
Juvenile Blackcaps seen out and about with their parents

Noted on / around the water:
- 103 + 7 (2 broods) Canada Geese: of these 10 left together
- 6 Greylag Geese
- 3 Mute Swans
- 15 (14♂) Mallard: no ducklings seen
- 1 (1♂) all-white duck (Aylesbury Duck)
- 3 (2♂) Tufted Duck again
- 5 + 2 (1 brood) Moorhens
- 18 + 4 (2 broods) Coots
- 1 Great Crested Grebe again

Noted on / around the street lamp poles:
- 1 Pale Tussock moth (Calliteara pudibunda): same position for its eighth day.
Exactly what this Pale Tussock moth is doing is hard to say. Could it be a male sitting and waiting to detect the pheromones of a nearby female? Many moths and butterflies do not feed as adults (imagines).
- 1 Grouse Wing caddis fly (Mystacides longicornis)

Noted elsewhere:
- 1 Grey Squirrel again

(Ed Wilson)

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Between the lake and The Flash:

- 1 juvenile Moorhen seen with others and adults heard at the lower pool. 1 adult at the upper pool.
- 1 Chiffchaff singing, today between the upper pool and the academy

(Ed Wilson)

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In the Priorslee Avenue tunnel:

- The Small Tortoiseshell (Aglais urticae) chrysalis present.
- 1 Tetragnatha sp. stretch spider

(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

Long Lane, Wellington

13 Ringed Plover

2 Dunlin

(JW Reeves)

29 May 22

No Sightings in today

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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
1 Sedge Warbler
5 Reed Warbler
(John Isherwood)

Long Lane, Wellington
2 Dunlin
1 Sanderling
(Andy Latham)

2009
Priorslee Lake
4 Tufted Ducks
Ed Wilson

2007
Priorslee Lake
Swifts
Kestrel
Great Black-backed Gull
(Martin Adlam)

28 May 22

Priorslee Lake and The Flash

8.0°C > 13.0°C: Broken medium-low cloud cleared temporarily after 06:45 but clouded up to the W again after 08:00. Brisk WNW wind throughout. Very good visibility.

Sunrise: 04:46 BST

The trip to Anglesey was mostly a success:
- at the North Wales Wildlife Trust reserve at Cemlyn Bay the Arctic, Common and Sandwich Terns all behaved with the bonus of a pair of Black Guillemots in the bay.
- at the RSPB South Stack Reserve the Common Guillemots and Razorbills were in abundance with a supporting cast of gulls, Fulmar and Kittiwake. I failed to find any of the four pairs of Puffins reported to be present. Gannet and Manx Shearwater were seen over the sea. A pair of Wheatears was a bonus though the best display was give by a Chough digging for grubs close-by.
There will be a Readers Corner set of photos in a few days.

Meanwhile today's photos will come tomorrow: apologies.

Priorslee Lake: 04:40 – 05:50 // 06:45 – 09:00

(124th visit of the year)

Best today was a Dunlin in summer plumage seen flying around low over the water at 05:25. It was not seen again. My bird species #89 here this year.

An omission from Thursday's report was a Little Grebe persistently calling along the N side. It was calling again today. My previous record of this species here was back on 2 April.

Other bird notes:
- Juvenile Chiffchaffs noted.

Birds noted flying over here:
- 2 Canada Geese: duo inbound
- 2 Greylag Geese: duo inbound also
- 2 Stock Doves: pair
- 8 Wood Pigeons
- 1 Herring Gulls: immature
- 2 Lesser Black-backed Gulls: immatures
- 4 Cormorant: two singles and a duo
- 1 Common Buzzard
- 2 Jackdaws

Hirundines etc. noted:

- >60 Swifts
- 3 Barn Swallows
- 2 House Martins

Warblers noted (figures in brackets relate to singing birds):
- 1 (1) Cetti's Warbler as ever
- 13 (8) Chiffchaffs
- 1 (1) Sedge Warbler again
- 7 (7) Reed Warblers again
- 13 (11) Blackcaps again
- 3 (3) Garden Warblers again
- no Common Whitethroat

Counts from the lake area:
- 2 + 1 (1 brood) Canada Geese
- 2 + 8 (1 brood) Mute Swans
- 5 (4♂) Mallard
- 2 (1♂) Tufted Duck: arrived again
- 3 Moorhens
- 23 + 10 (4 broods) Coots
- 1 Little Grebe: heard only
- 4 Great Crested Grebes
- 1 Dunlin, briefly
- 1 Black-headed Gull: first year, briefly

Noted on / around the street lamp poles pre-dawn:
- 1 Pale Tussock moth (Calliteara pudibunda): same place for its fifth morning

Noted later:

Butterflies:
- Speckled Wood (Pararge aegeria)

Moths:
- Common Nettle-tap (Anthophila fabriciana)
- Common Roller (Ancylis badiana)
- a carpet-type to be identified

Bees, wasps, etc.
- Common Carder Bee (Bombus pascuorum)
- Early Bumblebee (Bombus pratorum)
- Buff-tailed Bumblebee (Bombus terrestris)

Hoverflies:
- Common Dronefly (Eristalis tenax)
- Chequered Hoverfly (Melanostoma scalare)
- Dead-head Hoverfly (Myathropa florea) [Batman Hoverfly]: first of year for me

Damselflies:
- Common Blue Damselfly (Enallagma cyathigerum)
- Blue-tailed Damselfly (Ischnura elegans)
- Azure Damselfly (Coenagrion puella)
- Large Red Damselfly (Pyrrhosoma nymphula)

Other flies:
- Grouse Wing caddis fly (Mystacides longicornis)
- Scorpion Fly (Panorpa sp.)

Beetles etc.:
- Harlequin Ladybird (Harmonia axyridis)
- Nettle Weevil (Phyllobius pomaceus)

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

Slugs / snails:
- White-lipped Snail (Cepaea hortensis)

Spiders:
- Tetragnatha sp. stretch spider

Mammals:
- 2 Grey Squirrels

New flowers for the year noted:

None

This is the first year Black-headed Gull that visited briefly. It has the dark hood of an adult but note the black tail-tip that it will lose on its next moult. That moult is just starting with single loose inner primary feathers on each wing about to be dropped and replaced.

This Great Crested Grebe seems to have a complete meal for the day but needs to swallow it first. Not easy!

It periodically had a rest, probably to try and reposition the fish to a better swallowing angle.

Another attempt.

My mother used to say "your eyes are bigger than your tummy" when I could not finish my food.

It almost seems able to dislocate its jaw to make the fish fit.

Another rest.

And amazingly this time it went straight down. The fish is a Tench (Tinca tinca).

I have now identified the mystery 'carpet-type' moth as a Twin-spot Carpet (Mesotype didymata). There are a number of different 'twin-spot' carpet moths named from the pair of dark marks toward the back of the wings about a quarter of the way in from the wing-edge. This is a new species for me in Shropshire. A common moth that varies in size and colour across the country. The background here is the wooden fence between Teece Drive and the Wesley Brook and this seems to have given the result a warmer tone than I recall. Moth species #28 here this year for me.

I had this in my logs as a Common Dronefly (Eristalis tenax). It isn't. The photo shows yellow areas on the legs and so it is a Tapered Dronefly (Eristalis pertinax). This is a female: only the males of this latter species show a tapered body. More apologies. Both these normally abundant species were on the wing in late March though have been unusually scarce since.

The barring on the thorax identifies this as a Dead-head Hoverfly (Myathropa florea). I never thought this was a particularly apposite name for the species. Neither am I convinced by Stephen Falk calling it the Batman Hoverfly. My first 2022 record of this species.

A splendid Large Red Damselfly (Pyrrhosoma nymphula). I am seeing more of this species this year. It is always the first damselfly I see in very early May but thereafter I almost always only seen the blue species.

The light was not at the best angle to show this beetle on a Common Hogweed (Heracleum sphondylium) flower. I think it is a female Lesser Thick-legged Flower Beetle (Ischnomera cyanea). It is only the males that have the thickened hind femur.

Tetragnatha sp. stretch spiders are very common at the moment lurking to capture unsuspecting flies. This shows just how long the front pairs of legs are and also the joints in those legs.

(Ed Wilson)

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The Flash: 05:55 – 06:40

(120th visit of the year)

Bird notes:
- The usual one well-grown gosling and six smaller goslings were not seen: I suspect they were in gardens along one or the arms of Wordsworth Drive where some of the other adults were. The brood of three small goslings and their parents were also nearby.
- Just the two 2021 Mute Swans seen together. Where does the other hide?
- Broods of 12 and two Mallard ducklings seen. I wonder whether the brood of two relates to either of the broods of eight and three seen on Thursday.
- A Pied Wagtail seen on the E side grass was my first here since 4 April.

Birds noted flying over here:
- 1 Jackdaw
- 1 Raven

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

Warblers noted (figures in brackets relate to singing birds):
- 4 (3) Chiffchaffs
- 5 (5) Blackcaps

Noted on / around the water:
- 69 + 3 (1 brood) Canada Geese: see notes
- 3 Greylag Geese
- 2 Mute Swans
- 21 (17♂) + 14 (2 broods) Mallard
- 1 (1♂) all-white duck (Aylesbury Duck)
- 3 (2♂) Tufted Duck
- 6 + 1 (1 brood) Moorhens
- 20 + 7 (3 broods) Coots
- 1 Great Crested Grebe only

Noted on / around the street lamp poles:
- 1 Pale Tussock moth (Calliteara pudibunda): same position for its sixth day.

Noted elsewhere:
- 1 Grey Squirrel

Mum Mallard with her twelve baby ducklings.

Another duck Mallard with just two slightly older ducklings.

A juvenile Moorhen. The hint of the white flank marking and white under tail is starting to show. Note the two-tone bill and slight brown tone to the back feathers.

(Ed Wilson)

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Between the lake and The Flash:

- 4 juvenile Moorhens with adults seen at the lower pool.
- Both Chiffchaff and Blackcap still singing alongside the lower pool.

(Ed Wilson)

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In the Priorslee Avenue tunnel:

- The erstwhile caterpillar of a Small Tortoiseshell butterfly (Aglais urticae) is now most definitely a chrysalis.

The Small Tortoiseshell (Aglais urticae) caterpillar has now turned in to a chrysalis, as I expected. According to the web "Most butterflies and moths stay inside of their chrysalis... for between five to 21 days", though some species over-winter as a chrysalis and stay that way for several months.

(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

2012

Nedge Hill

2 Ravens mobbing Kestrel.

(John Isherwood)

2010

Priorslee Lake

Ringed Plover

(Ed Wilson)

2009

Priorslee Lake

Red Kite

(Ed Wilson)