13.0°C > 14.0°C: Clear when I left home but low overcast here. A very few breaks appeared after 09:00. Moderate ENE breeze. Very good visibility.
Sunrise: 06:18 BST
* = a photo from today
Priorslee Lake: 04:50 – 06:35 // 07:35 – 09:10
(187th visit of the year)
Bird notes:
- For some reason the congregation of Coots that have been in the north-west area for weeks had moved to the north-east area today. There were also more of them: some of the missing birds from The Flash perhaps? The Mute Swans have also decamped from the West end concrete ramp to the East end.
- I have logged the two Grey Herons as flying over. It is possible that one left the lake area to chase the other away.
- One or more Tawny Owls were calling from the Ricoh copse at 04:50. Both the quavering hoot and the screech notes were heard. I get very confused by the literature which used to says that the male hoots and the female screeches. Indeed this is noted by none other than Sir David Attenborough during a BBC Radio 4 Tweet of Day HERE.
I read somewhere (though I cannot remember where) that both sexes can give either call and indeed my most recent Field Guides do not ascribe any call note to a particular sex. So did I hear one or two birds?
- The trio of Sand Martins was unexpected. Many have usually left by this date.
- Just one Jackdaw seen on roost dispersal. I did hear others calling: probably the small group that seem to inhabit trees left in the new estate to the North of the lake.
- After several blank days a lone Pied Wagtail flew over, possibly on roost dispersal. After logging at least 14 overhead on 16 August this was my first fly-over.
Birds noted flying over here:
- 1 Canada Goose: outbound
- 78 Wood Pigeons
- 1 Herring Gull
- 36 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 2 Cormorants: together
- 2 Grey Herons: together
- 1 Jackdaw only
- 65 Rooks
- 1 Pied Wagtail
Hirundines etc. noted:
- 3 Sand Martins
- 4 Barn Swallows
- 1 House Martin again
Warblers noted (no song recorded unless specifically noted):
- 1 Cetti's Warbler: calls only
- 4 Chiffchaffs
- 5 Blackcaps
Counts from the lake area:
- 2 + 4 (1 brood) Mute Swans
- 8 (5♂) Mallard
- 10 Moorhens once again
- 102 Coots
- 12 + 13 (6 broods) Great Crested Grebes
- 28 Black-headed Gulls
- 1 Herring Gull
- *12 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 1 Kingfisher
Noted on / around the street lamp poles pre-dawn
- The trio of Sand Martins was unexpected. Many have usually left by this date.
- Just one Jackdaw seen on roost dispersal. I did hear others calling: probably the small group that seem to inhabit trees left in the new estate to the North of the lake.
- After several blank days a lone Pied Wagtail flew over, possibly on roost dispersal. After logging at least 14 overhead on 16 August this was my first fly-over.
Birds noted flying over here:
- 1 Canada Goose: outbound
- 78 Wood Pigeons
- 1 Herring Gull
- 36 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 2 Cormorants: together
- 2 Grey Herons: together
- 1 Jackdaw only
- 65 Rooks
- 1 Pied Wagtail
Hirundines etc. noted:
- 3 Sand Martins
- 4 Barn Swallows
- 1 House Martin again
Warblers noted (no song recorded unless specifically noted):
- 1 Cetti's Warbler: calls only
- 4 Chiffchaffs
- 5 Blackcaps
Counts from the lake area:
- 2 + 4 (1 brood) Mute Swans
- 8 (5♂) Mallard
- 10 Moorhens once again
- 102 Coots
- 12 + 13 (6 broods) Great Crested Grebes
- 28 Black-headed Gulls
- 1 Herring Gull
- *12 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 1 Kingfisher
Noted on / around the street lamp poles pre-dawn
A bumper haul of strange things
First winter large gull puzzles. I think there are more than one bird involved in these photos - there were several flying around and I got confused. This one caught my eye because of its white head and I wondered about it being a Yellow-legged Gull. Examination of the photo shows that what appears to be paler inner primaries is an illusion. Those primaries are spread and the inner webs are paler than the normally visible outer webs. These outer webs are all uniformly dark. Also the median coverts - the feathers in front of the secondaries - are two-toned, darker at the bases. So it is a first winter Lesser Black-backed Gull.
Here are two flying first winter Lesser Black-backed Gulls that look quite different, one having a paler head. All these photos were necessarily taken at long range in poor light and have been enlarged as best I could.
From a different angle and perhaps a different bird. The spotting on the upper tail ahead of the solid black tail band is evident.
Another German Wasp (Vespula germanica) eating wood to take back to extend its nest. This shows more clearly than the photo I took yesterday that the yellow on the side of the thorax is not parallel-sided as it would be on a Common Wasp (Paravespula vulgaris). This individual was remarkably sanguine about my presence, allowing me to use camera flash to enhance the contrast.
This ichneumon was on the over-hanging shield on one of the street lamps so we are looking straight up at it. It is one of the several species of large, nocturnal, orange-bodied species that, as usual, are not easy to identify. It is either Netelia tarsata or Ophion luteus. The date would favour the former.
The Field Bindweed (Convolvulus arvensis) is very popular at the moment. There are not too many other flowers around and many of them are well past their best and are probably not producing much pollen or nectar. A Marmalade Hoverfly (Episyrphus balteatus) lines up for breakfast.
One of the Syrphus sp. of hoverflies, either S. ribesii or S. vitripennis. As it is a male (the eyes meet) it cannot be separated from a photo. Only when I was checking the photo did I notice the stretch spider lurking in the foliage to its left. Unlike yesterday's Broad-banded Epistrophe (Epistrophe grossulariae) the black and yellow markings of Syrphus hoverflies is not horizontal.
One of the few caddis flies I can identify with its patterned wings and long antennae. It is a Grouse Wing caddis fly (Mystacides longicornis).
And here is one of the many caddis flies I cannot identify. At this range the all-important arrangement of spurs on the legs cannot be discerned so the fact that I do not have the key to use for its identification matters little.
Another 'not seen a fly like this before'. Almost seems to have a humped-back. There is a genus of hump-backed flies, the Phoridae, but this does not seem to have an abdomen that is itself arched, just to be sitting with it whole body arched. Other features that might help identify it' if I knew where to look' are its unusual resting posture with its wings apart; wings that show a dark spot; and some shading on the outer leading edge. Pass.
Between the lake and The Flash:
- 1 Chiffchaff calling by the upper pool
and
- 1 Common Grass-veneer (Agriphila tristella) on one of the street lamp poles
In the Priorslee Avenue tunnel:
- 1 Square-spot Rustic moth (Xestia xanthographa)
- 10 midges of various sizes
- 2 White-legged Snake Millipedes (Tachypodoiulus niger)
Sightings from previous years without links are below
Moths:
- 1 Common Grass-veneer (Agriphila tristella)
- 1 Common Grass-veneer (Agriphila tristella)
and:
- *1 ichneumon probably Netelia tarsata
- 1 Common Green Lacewing (Chrysoperia carnea)
- *several small flies of different species
- *1 Grouse Wing caddis fly (Mystacides longicornis)
- *1 other unidentified caddis fly
- 1 owl midge Psychodidae sp.
- 3 plumed midges
- *2 springtails on at least Pogonognathellus longicornis
- 1 Garden Spider (Araneus diadematus)
- 3 Dicranopalpus ramosus/caudatus harvestmen
Noted later
- *1 ichneumon probably Netelia tarsata
- 1 Common Green Lacewing (Chrysoperia carnea)
- *several small flies of different species
- *1 Grouse Wing caddis fly (Mystacides longicornis)
- *1 other unidentified caddis fly
- 1 owl midge Psychodidae sp.
- 3 plumed midges
- *2 springtails on at least Pogonognathellus longicornis
- 1 Garden Spider (Araneus diadematus)
- 3 Dicranopalpus ramosus/caudatus harvestmen
Noted later
Too dull for many insects to be flying
Bees etc.:
- *German Wasp (Vespula germanica)
Bees etc.:
- *German Wasp (Vespula germanica)
Hoverflies:
- *Marmalade Hoverfly (Episyrphus balteatus)
- Chequered Hoverfly (Melanostoma scalare)
- *Syrphus sp. (S. ribesii / S. vitripennis)
- *Marmalade Hoverfly (Episyrphus balteatus)
- Chequered Hoverfly (Melanostoma scalare)
- *Syrphus sp. (S. ribesii / S. vitripennis)
Beetles:
- Alder Leaf Beetle (Agelastica alni)
- Alder Leaf Beetle (Agelastica alni)
Spiders
- *stretch spider sp.
- *stretch spider sp.
Mammals:
- unidentified Brown Rat (Rattus norvegicus) or Water Vole (Arvicola terrestris). This shot across the concrete ramp pre-dawn. I saw no tail so perhaps a Water Vole? I have previously heard the characteristic 'plop' of a Water Vole diving in to the lake but I have never seen one to prove it. I still haven't!
Fungus:
- *possible Turkeytail (Trametes versicolor)
- unidentified Brown Rat (Rattus norvegicus) or Water Vole (Arvicola terrestris). This shot across the concrete ramp pre-dawn. I saw no tail so perhaps a Water Vole? I have previously heard the characteristic 'plop' of a Water Vole diving in to the lake but I have never seen one to prove it. I still haven't!
Fungus:
- *possible Turkeytail (Trametes versicolor)
A first winter Lesser Black-backed Gull with a darker head. No contrast in the upper wing.
How do they do that? Note the head is held horizontal.
Not one of my best but included as this tiny green-bodied midge(?) has improbably long front legs.
Another longicornis, this time the springtail Pogonognathellus longicornis.
I found this bracket fungus on some cut wood. It looks somewhat like Turkeytail (Trametes versicolor) but certainly at the moment the colour is not very 'versi'. There are several other Trametes species but these doesn't look much like this example either.
The Flash: 06:40 – 07:30
(183rd visit of the year)
Bird notes:
- All six adult Mute Swans found. But only three of the cygnets were noted. For some days now the cygnets have been away from any of the adults and not always together, usually as two pairs.
- Three juvenile Great Crested Grebes were again with the only parent I noted. They were still being fed and not independent as I had previously thought.
- I thought that being here before the geese returned would make it easier to count the Coots. Oddly there were even fewer to count (see note under the main lake above)
- Two Grey Wagtails were noted flying off.
Birds noted flying over here:
- 2 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 1 Jackdaw
Warblers noted:
- 2 Chiffchaffs
- 1 Blackcap again
Noted on / around the water:
- 2 Canada Geese
- *6 + 3 (1 brood) Mute Swans
- 2 (1♂) Gadwall again
- 27 (17♂) Mallard
- 1 (1♂) all-white duck (Aylesbury Duck)
- 18 (?♂) Tufted Duck
- 18 Moorhens
- 38 Coots only
- 1 + 3 (1 brood) Great Crested Grebes again
- 21 Black-headed Gulls
- 2 Lesser Black-backed Gulls: both adults; one departed
- 5 Cormorants: one seen arriving
- 1 Grey Heron
Noted on / around the street lamp poles or elsewhere:
- 1 Common Grass-veneer (Agriphila tristella)
Later:
(Ed Wilson)
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The Flash: 06:40 – 07:30
(183rd visit of the year)
Bird notes:
- All six adult Mute Swans found. But only three of the cygnets were noted. For some days now the cygnets have been away from any of the adults and not always together, usually as two pairs.
- Three juvenile Great Crested Grebes were again with the only parent I noted. They were still being fed and not independent as I had previously thought.
- I thought that being here before the geese returned would make it easier to count the Coots. Oddly there were even fewer to count (see note under the main lake above)
- Two Grey Wagtails were noted flying off.
Birds noted flying over here:
- 2 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 1 Jackdaw
Warblers noted:
- 2 Chiffchaffs
- 1 Blackcap again
Noted on / around the water:
- 2 Canada Geese
- *6 + 3 (1 brood) Mute Swans
- 2 (1♂) Gadwall again
- 27 (17♂) Mallard
- 1 (1♂) all-white duck (Aylesbury Duck)
- 18 (?♂) Tufted Duck
- 18 Moorhens
- 38 Coots only
- 1 + 3 (1 brood) Great Crested Grebes again
- 21 Black-headed Gulls
- 2 Lesser Black-backed Gulls: both adults; one departed
- 5 Cormorants: one seen arriving
- 1 Grey Heron
Noted on / around the street lamp poles or elsewhere:
- 1 Common Grass-veneer (Agriphila tristella)
Later:
Nothing noted
This is one of the six (near) adult Mute Swans. It seems this one has been lurking on its own at the top end for a few days. Looking at the neck I wonder whether it has come off worse in an attack by the resident pen. In birds this is called 'nature'. In humans it is frowned upon and probably illegal.
(Ed Wilson)
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Between the lake and The Flash:
- 1 Chiffchaff calling by the upper pool
and
- 1 Common Grass-veneer (Agriphila tristella) on one of the street lamp poles
(Ed Wilson)
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
In the Priorslee Avenue tunnel:
- 1 Square-spot Rustic moth (Xestia xanthographa)
- 10 midges of various sizes
- 2 White-legged Snake Millipedes (Tachypodoiulus niger)
(Ed Wilson)
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On this day can be found via the yearly links in the right-hand column.
2013
Priorslee Lake
Possible Little Ringed Plover
Raven
(John Isherwood)
2012
Priorslee Lake
Hobby
Common Tern
(Ed Wilson)
2011
Nedge Hill
Wheatear
(John Isherwood)
2010
Priorslee Lake
Yellow Wagtail
Little Grebe
Shoveler
(Ed Wilson)
The Flash
58 Tufted Duck
(Ed Wilson)