25 Aug 22

Priorslee Lake and The Flash

15.0°C: Low cloud after overnight rain had just ceased. Cam start with light NW wind later. Moderate visibility, becoming good.

Sunrise: 06:08 BST

* = a photo from today

Priorslee Lake: 04:55 – 06:30 // 07:35 – 09:15

(182nd visit of the year)

The highlight and just about the only item worth special mention was an Oystercatcher heard calling as it circled around at 05:05. It was too dark to see it and it did not stay.

Despite the recent rain the Wesley Brook between The Flash and here remains dry.

Birds noted flying over here:
- 21 Canada Geese: two groups outbound
- 61 Wood Pigeons
- 8 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- no Jackdaws or Rooks

Hirundines etc. noted:
- 6 Barn Swallows: together, briefly
- 2 House Martins: high over estate area

Warblers noted:
- 1 Cetti's Warbler: single burst of song
- 2 Chiffchaffs only again
- 2 Reed Warblers
- 4 Blackcaps again

Counts from the lake area:
- 2 + 4 (1 brood) Mute Swans
- 8 (?♂) Mallard
- 7 Moorhens
- 91 Coots
- 6 families but no meaningful count of Great Crested Grebes
- 1 Oystercatcher: heard only 05:05
- 12 Black-headed Gulls only: [but 22 on the football field at 06:20]
- 2 Herring Gulls
- 2 Yellow-legged Gulls
- 10 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- all the large gulls arrived and departed
- 1 Grey Heron
- 1 Kingfisher

Noted on / around the street lamp poles pre-dawn:

Very little after overnight rain

Moths:
- *7 Common Grass-veneer (Agriphila tristella)

and:
- *one small fly
- 1 Dicranopalpus ramosus/caudatus harvestman

I also noted no fewer than 11 Common Grass-veneer moths on the wall of a house in Teece Drive beside a security light left on all night.

Noted later:

Even less in dull conditions with wet vegetation:

Repeat sightings:

Sawfly:
- *a Tenthredo species

Hoverflies:
- Chequered Hoverfly (Melanostoma scalare)

Cranefly:
- *Tipula paludosa

Beetles:
- Alder Leaf Beetle-type (Agelastica alni?)

Mammals:
- pipistrelle-type bat sp.

A juvenile Goldfinch. It will be October before it starts to acquire the red face.

Not much to show today so here is one of the seven Common Grass-veneer moths (Agriphila tristella) on various street lamp poles.

The only insect I found on the lamp poles was this small reddish fly. It looks a bit like the previously noted Phaonia pallida but it is only about half the size so I am not sure what it is. There seems to be a spot of rain on its back.

This is one of several species of Tenthredo sawfly. These are best separated at the larval stage which is no help here.

Another view of the same individual. Earlier in the year I noted Yellow-sided Clover Sawfly (Tenthredo notha), identified by its predilection for feeding on clover. This individual, on Yarrow (Achillea millefolium), cannot be easily identified.

This cranefly I found on the wall of the sailing club HQ. I am fairly certain it is Tipula paludosa, the most abundant Autumn species. It is a male without an ovipositor.

Also on the wall of the sailing club HQ was this small, unusual-looking fly. I am sure it is one of the 'big-headed flies' where the eyes cover almost the entire head. These should not be confused with 'Thick-headed Flies' which all have a yellow and black striped abdomen. It has, relatively, long wings. I cannot track anything similar on the internet.

Two days ago I was somewhat concerned that the leaves beside what I noted as the haws of Hawthorn (Crataegus sp.) did not look like the leaves I was used to. Here is a better photo that includes the leaves. My PlantNet app. identified the leaves as from what they named English Hawthorn (C. laevigata). My Flora  does not recognise either the vernacular name or the scientific moniker.

These still-ripening haws were attached to leaves that looked more typical.

I showed My PlantNet app. some of these leaves. It told me this was Azerole (C. azarolus) which the internet says is a Mediterranean species and a species more akin to a Medlar. This does not seem right. So I remain confused.

This 'green soup' shows the algae that is growing on the surface of the lake at the moment. The breeze over the last few days has concentrated it against the dam face. It would be wise not to let your dog drink the water at the moment – but then if you obey Severn Trent's request to keep your dog on a lead it probably won't anyway.

(Ed Wilson)

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The Flash: 06:35 – 07:30 again

(178th visit of the year)

Bird notes:
- As far as it is ever possible to do so I confirmed there are currently five adult Mute Swans.
- The juvenile Great Crested Grebes were well apart from their parents throughout, usually as two separate pairs.

Birds noted flying over here:
- 1 Lesser Black-backed Gull
- 1 Jackdaw
- 1 Starling

Warblers noted (no song recorded):
- 2 Chiffchaffs yet again
- 1 Blackcap

Noted on / around the water:
- 18 Canada Geese: of these 15 flew off together.
- 5 + 4 (1 brood) Mute Swans
- no Gadwall
- 22 (?♂) Mallard
- 1 (1♂) all-white duck (Aylesbury Duck)
- 21 (?♂) Tufted Duck
- 15 Moorhens
- 69 Coots
- *2 + 4 (1 brood) Great Crested Grebes
- 27 Black-headed Gulls: four juvenile / first-winter birds
- 3 Cormorant: all arrived separately
- 2 Grey Herons

Noted on / around the street lamp poles:
- 1 Common Grass-veneer moth (Agriphila tristella)
- 1 Dicranopalpus ramosus/caudatus harvestman

One of the adult Great Crested Grebes, now without any noisy and insistent juveniles.

(Ed Wilson)

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Between the lake and The Flash:

- A new brood of very small juvenile Moorhens at the lower pool: only one seen but others heard begging
- 1 Chiffchaff calling near the lower pool

and
- 2 Common Grass-veneer moths (Agriphila tristella)

(Ed Wilson)

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In the Priorslee Avenue tunnel:

Nothing of note, not helped by my leaving my torch at home.

(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

2011

Nedge Hill

4 Yellow Wagtails

(John Isherwood)