9 Oct 22

Priorslee Lake and The Flash

5.0°C > 11.0°C: A few clouds: mist over the lake and fields early. Calm start with light SE breeze developing. Very good visibility.

Sunrise: 07:24 BST

* = a photo from today.

Priorslee Lake: 05:50 – 09:30

(219th visit of the year)

Bird notes:
- I counted 74 Canada Geese on the water when it was light-enough to make them out: some may have already left as there was much calling going on. Most, if not all, soon departed in several groups in multiple directions. After 09:00 14 were noted arriving in three small groups, possibly some of the earlier birds returning?
- A big skein of 46 apparently all Greylag Geese flew high West at c. 07:50.
- A first winter Mediterranean Gull was on the same buoy as the one I saw on 25 September. It was too misty at the time to get a photo that might have indicated whether it was the same individual.
- Two more Eurasian Wigeon were present today. One was certainly a drake. I remain unsure as to the sex of the others: perhaps immatures?
- A Sparrowhawk shot over my head and unusually landed in view in the small copse at the West end. A few minutes later a male Pheasant flushed out of the south-west grassy area and the Sparrowhawk made a dive at it. Whether it was being serious about tackling such a large bird is hard to say.
- A Cetti's Warbler sang from the West end at c.06:45. At c.08:45 it, or another, was heard calling and then briefly seen, working the dam-face. Despite spending 10 minutes or so searching it refused to show again though it continued to call and I could see the vegetation shaking. I knew it was still present.
- House Sparrows were in the scrubby area at the West end. During the breeding season I saw this species at many different locations around the lake though I never suspected actual nesting. Birds seemed to be carrying food back to the estate area where they can be seen throughout the year. This is the first time I have noted them near the lake outside the breeding season.
- Seven Reed Buntings left the W end roost c.07:30. At least one more was still calling in the area.

Birds noted flying over here:
- *46 Greylag Geese: flew high West together
- 1 Stock Dove
- 35 Wood Pigeons
- 26 unidentified large gulls: pre-dawn
- 5 Cormorants: together
- 1 or more Sparrowhawks
- 31 Jackdaws
- 163 Rooks
- 4 Skylarks
- 5 Pied Wagtails
- 1 Meadow Pipit

Warblers noted:
- 1 Cetti's Warbler: singing at the West end again: but see notes.
- 1 Chiffchaff: no song

Counts from the lake area:
- 74? Canada Geese: see notes
- 2 + 4 (1 brood) Mute Swans
- 2 (1♂) Gadwall
- 4 (1♂?) Eurasian Wigeon
- 9 (6♂) Mallard
- 15 (3♂) Tufted Duck
- 9 Moorhens only
- 184 Coots
- 13 Great Crested Grebes
- *c.110 Black-headed Gulls: none on the misty football field c.07:15
- 1 Mediterranean Gull: first winter
- 2 Herring Gulls
- 24 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 68 unidentified large gulls: pre-dawn
- 1 Cormorant: arrived
- 1 Grey Heron: arrived and departed

Noted on / around the street lamp poles pre-dawn:
- *2 Pogonognathellus longicornis-type springtails
- *1 Nursery Web Spider (Pisaura mirabilis)
- *1 other species of spider

Noted later:
- Grey Squirrel

The skein of 46 Greylag Geese flying somewhat higher than usual. On call they were all this species but I could not visually confirm each one.

An adult winter Black-headed Gull with a glint in its eye.

If this is not a Pogonognathellus longicornis springtail I would like to see one with longer antennae.

Another Nursery Web Spider (Pisaura mirabilis) or, perhaps, the one I photographed yesterday.

I have trouble identifying many spiders at the best of time. This behaviour does not help!

(Ed Wilson)

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The Flash: 09:35– 10:35

(211th visit of the year)

Highlights

Nothing.

Often less of interest at weekends when many fishermen present.
- I only noted three of the four Mute Swan cygnets. It was probably lurking somewhere.

Birds noted flying over here:
- 1 Lesser Black-backed Gull
- 25 Jackdaws: two duos and party of 21
- 1 Skylark

Warblers noted:

None

Noted on / around the water
- >23 Canada Geese: many(?) more unseen inside island
- 1 Greylag Goose
- 2 + 3 (1 brood) Mute Swans
- 23 (15♂) Mallard only
- 1 (1♂) all-white duck (Peking(?) Duck)
- 14 (4♂) Tufted Duck
- 15 Moorhens
- 24 Coots
- 2 Great Crested Grebes: adult and juvenile still
- 11 Black-headed Gulls
- 5 Cormorants
- 1 Grey Heron

Noted on / around the street lamp poles:
- *1 Dicranopalpus ramosus/caudatus harvestman

Noted later:
- Common Wasp (Paravespula vulgaris)
- *Fairy Inkcap aka Trooping Crumble Cap fungus (Coprinellus disseminatus (formerly Coprinus disseminatus))

A typically hyperactive party of Long-tailed Tits gave only brief view. Here are two birds.

This is a harvestman from the Dicranopalpus ramosus/caudatus complex. Note that the second leg on the left side has come unplugged! The very long pedipalps are an instant identification that the harvestmen belongs to this group but their separation is a job for a specialist with a microscope or more.

On a dead log at the top end I found a large number of these fungi.

Another cluster of fruiting bodies.

I pointed my 'Seek' app. at them with this result. The app. comes from National Geographic and therefore has an American bias. It also fails to provide a scientific name for the species. Mr. Google to the rescue and also confirmed that this species occurs widely in the UK where it is commonly known as Fairy Inkcap fungus (Coprinellus disseminatus (formerly Coprinus disseminatus))

(Ed Wilson)

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In the Priorslee Avenue tunnel:

- 1 owl midge Psychodidae sp.
- 19 other midges / mosquitoes of various sizes
- 2 White-legged Snake Millipedes

(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

4 Wigeon

4 Gadwall

1 Pochard

60 Tufted Duck

1 Water Rail

235 Coots

7 Song Thrushes

118 Fieldfare

30 Redwings

466 Jackdaws

139 Rooks

c.450 Starlings from roost

(Ed Wilson)

2012

Priorslee Lake

c.100 Greylag Geese

3 Gadwall

8 Pochard

18 Tufted Ducks

153 Coots

c.500 Black-headed Gulls

c.450 Lesser Black-backed Gulls

10 Herring Gulls

1 Great Black-backed Gull

118 Wood Pigeons

103 Redwings

154 Fieldfares

809 Jackdaws

201 Rooks

7 Siskin

(Ed Wilson)

The Flash

1 Pink-footed Goose

c.100 Greylag Geese

41 Canada Geese

41 Tufted Duck

12 Goosander

(Ed Wilson)

2011

Priorslee Lake

Yellow legged Gull

Great Black-backed Gull

(John Isherwood)

2010

Priorslee Lake

28 Pochard

65 Tufted Duck

46 Greenfinches

5 Fieldfares

11 Redwings

12 Siskins

(Ed Wilson)

The Flash

2 Goosanders

1 Pochard

45 Tufted Duck

(Ed Wilson)

2007

Priorslee Lake

Great Black-backed Gull

1 Gadwall

1 Shoveler

2 Wigeon

Peregrine Falcon

(Ed Wilson/John Isherwood)

2006

Priorslee Lake

23 Pochard

75 Tufted Ducks

950+ Black-headed Gulls

1204+ Lesser Black-backed Gulls

499 Wood Pigeons

11 Meadow Pipits

23 Robins

23 Blackbirds

13 Fieldfares

4 Song Thrushes

18 Redwings

1 Willow Tit

321 Jackdaws

241 Rooks

22 Greenfinches

9 Reed Buntings

(Ed Wilson)