10.0°C > 17.0°C: Clear again with variable amount of mainly thin high cloud. A very light westerly breeze. Very good visibility.
Sunrise: 05:09 BST
* = a photo of this species today
Priorslee Balancing Lake: 05:00 – 06:30 // 07:35 – 09:35
(102nd visit of the year)
Bird notes:
- The fine and calm weather brought Coots and their juveniles out from the reeds.
Birds noted flying over here:
- 6 Canada Geese: three duos outbound
- 1 (1♂) Mallard
- 29 Wood Pigeons
- 2 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 2 Cormorants
- 1 Sparrowhawk
- 27 Jackdaws
- 3 Rooks
Warblers noted (the number singing in brackets):
- 1 (1) Cetti's Warbler
- 2 (2) Willow Warblers
- 12 (9) Chiffchaffs
- 1 (1) Sedge Warbler
- 11 (11) Reed Warblers
- 13 (11) Blackcaps
- 1 (1) Garden Warbler
- 1 (1) Common Whitethroat
Hirundines etc., noted:
- 1 Barn Swallow
Clear weather usually means no / few hirundines feeding over the water
Counts from the lake area:
- 2 + 2 (1 brood) Canada Geese: still just two goslings
- 2 + 2 (1 brood) Greylag Geese: now just two goslings
- *2 + 2 (1 brood) Mute Swans
- 2 (2♂) Mallard only
- 2 (1♂) Tufted Duck: briefly
- 4 Moorhens
- 22 + 12 (5 broods) Coots
- 8 Great Crested Grebes
- *1 Herring Gull: immature, briefly
On the street lamp poles around dawn again:
Yet again nothing noted
Noted later: not much in cool cloudy conditions:
+ = my first sighting of this species this year
Butterflies:
- Orange-tip (Anthocharis cardamines)
- Small White (Pieris rapae)
- Speckled Wood (Pararge aegeria)
The resident Mute Swans with their two surviving cygnets. In the background a pair of Tufted Duck. This was the only occasion I saw these ducks: I neither noted them arriving or departing.
An immature Herring Gull spent some time flying up and down, dropping what appeared to be a fish in to the water and picking it up again.
On this view it seems to have replaced the inner primaries with adult-looking feathers. The dark tail band suggests a second year bird.
I took a 'safety shot' of this mining bee (Andrena sp.) in case it flew away. It did! I cannot specifically identify it from this photo.
A Common Wasp (Paravespula vulgaris). This species because the yellow mark along the side of the thorax has parallel sides.
A male Azure Damselfly (Coenagrion puella) with a 'U-shaped' mark on the second segment. To my eyes there is no discernible difference in the colour of this species when compared with the Common Blue Damselfly (Enallagma cyathigerum). I have to look at the markings, usually with the help of the camera!
And here is a female. These rarely acquire blue colouration and stay this greenish colour. Quite why one wing is held out is unclear. Some species of emerald damselfly rest like this, though usually with wings partially open on both sides. I have only very occasionally seen and emerald damselflies here.
This is a female Common Blue Damselfly (Enallagma cyathigerum) yet to acquire adult colouration. The broad anti-humeral stripes (the marks down the thorax) identify the species. The extensive black on all the abdomen segments indicate a female.
Caught in flight is a Gossamer Hoverfly (Baccha elongata) with a very characteristic shape to its abdomen.
Lurking in the top of a growing Common or Stinging Nettle (Urtica dioica) is the white crab spider Misumena vatia.
I thought this was going to be a Smooth Sow-thistle (Sonchus oleraceus) but I am now not sure. The flower seems rather too pale a yellow and the unopened flowers are too long and pointed. There are many similar species. I cannot find a better match!
Plane of the day returns! This is a Quest Kodiak 100. A rugged 10-seat utility aircraft with fixed undercarriage for operating out of grass and gravel strips. Over 300 have been built. It is very popular in places like Alaska. The Quest Aircraft company of Sandpoint in Idaho was taken over by Daher, a French aerospace company based in Marseilles. Production of the Kodiak continues in Idaho. This 2014-build example hides its ownership behind a trust registered in Utah.
(Ed Wilson)
The Flash: 06:35 – 07:30
(93rd visit of the year)
Bird notes:
- Eventually I managed to see the pen Mute Swan with all eight reported cygnets. Some of the cygnets spent some of the time on her back making it impossible to count. One unhatched egg remains on the nest.
Birds noted flying over here:
- 3 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 1 Jackdaw again
Warblers noted (the number singing in brackets):
- 7 (7) Chiffchaffs
- 2 (1) Blackcaps
Hirundines etc., noted:
When the Mute Swan cygnets are all crowding on to the pen's back it can be hard to see how many there are!
All that is left of the Mute Swan's 'nest' is this unhatched egg. Likely it was just infertile: a not uncommon situation.
If you look toward the rear of the flank on this drake Tufted Duck notice the grey tones. Drake ducks of most species are now beginning to lose their breeding finery. Job done (or not).
Meanwhile a duck Tufted Duck comes back from a flight around the water. This individual has kept white around the base of the bill, perhaps suggesting it is a first year non-breeding bird.
Just fledged is this Great Tit. The pale yellow tone to the plumage, the ill-defined black zip and the bare skin around the gape all indicate it is reasonably new out of the nest.
(Ed Wilson)
Sightings from previous years without links are below
2013
Priorslee Lake
Spotted Flycatcher
Wheatear
(Ed Wilson)
2007
Priorslee Lake
Whimbrel
2 drake Ruddy Ducks
(Ed Wilson)
2006
Priorslee Lake
2 Ruddy Ducks
(Ed Wilson)
Noted later: not much in cool cloudy conditions:
+ = my first sighting of this species this year
Butterflies:
- Orange-tip (Anthocharis cardamines)
- Small White (Pieris rapae)
- Speckled Wood (Pararge aegeria)
Bees / wasps etc.:
- *mining bee (Andrena sp.)
- Red-tailed Bumblebee (Bombus lapidarius)
- Buff-tailed Bumblebee (Bombus terrestris)
- *Common Wasp (Paravespula vulgaris)
- ichneumon sp.
- *mining bee (Andrena sp.)
- Red-tailed Bumblebee (Bombus lapidarius)
- Buff-tailed Bumblebee (Bombus terrestris)
- *Common Wasp (Paravespula vulgaris)
- ichneumon sp.
Dragon-/damsel-flies:
- +*Azure Damselfly (Coenagrion puella)
- *Common Blue Damselfly (Enallagma cyathigerum)
- +*Azure Damselfly (Coenagrion puella)
- *Common Blue Damselfly (Enallagma cyathigerum)
Hoverflies:
- +*Gossamer Hoverfly (Baccha elongata)
- Cheilosia albitarsus agg. (C. ranunculi (Early Buttercup Cheilosia) or C. albitarsis (Late Buttercup Cheilosia))
- Tapered Dronefly (Eristalis pertinax)
- Chequered Hoverfly (Melanostoma scalare)
Other insects:
- Red-and-Black Froghopper (Cercopis vulnerata)
- *plumed midge (Chironomus plumosus)
- *Scorpion Fly Panorpa sp.
- *Tiger Cranefly (Nephrotoma flavescens)
- Alder Fly (Sialis lutaria)
- *Common Green Shieldbug (Palomena prasina)
- Alder Leaf Beetle (Agelastica alni)
Also
- +*Misumena vatia (white crab spider)
- *Nursery Web Spider (Pisaura mirabilis)
- stretch spider Tetragnatha sp.
- +*Gossamer Hoverfly (Baccha elongata)
- Cheilosia albitarsus agg. (C. ranunculi (Early Buttercup Cheilosia) or C. albitarsis (Late Buttercup Cheilosia))
- Tapered Dronefly (Eristalis pertinax)
- Chequered Hoverfly (Melanostoma scalare)
Other insects:
- Red-and-Black Froghopper (Cercopis vulnerata)
- *plumed midge (Chironomus plumosus)
- *Scorpion Fly Panorpa sp.
- *Tiger Cranefly (Nephrotoma flavescens)
- Alder Fly (Sialis lutaria)
- *Common Green Shieldbug (Palomena prasina)
- Alder Leaf Beetle (Agelastica alni)
Also
- +*Misumena vatia (white crab spider)
- *Nursery Web Spider (Pisaura mirabilis)
- stretch spider Tetragnatha sp.
Flower:
- *possible Smooth Sow-thistle (Sonchus oleraceus)
- *possible Smooth Sow-thistle (Sonchus oleraceus)
Not much colour to the sunrise. At least it was clear.
I am always happy to photograph Bullfinches. A male here.
Here it is perched with its wings folded. It is difficult to see the abdomen shape and it easy to confuse with a number of other species of hoverfly.
A male plumed midge (Chironomus plumosus) has met its end in a spider's web.
A male Scorpion Fly Panorpa sp. with its scorpion sting-like genitalia.
A female Tiger Cranefly (Nephrotoma flavescens)
A Common Green Shieldbug (Palomena prasina)
A Nursery Web Spider (Pisaura mirabilis) at rest.
This looks to be another Nursery Web Spider with its legs wrapped around something.
(Ed Wilson)
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Flash: 06:35 – 07:30
(93rd visit of the year)
Bird notes:
- Eventually I managed to see the pen Mute Swan with all eight reported cygnets. Some of the cygnets spent some of the time on her back making it impossible to count. One unhatched egg remains on the nest.
Birds noted flying over here:
- 3 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 1 Jackdaw again
Warblers noted (the number singing in brackets):
- 7 (7) Chiffchaffs
- 2 (1) Blackcaps
Hirundines etc., noted:
None
Noted on / around the water
- 23 Canada Geese
- 2 Greylag Geese
- *3 + 8 Mute Swans
- 20 (17♂) Mallard: no ducklings seen
- 1 (1♂) all-white duck (Peking(?) Duck)
- *15 (10♂) Tufted Duck
- 4 Moorhens only
- 23 + 1 (1 brood) Coots: other juveniles heard calling from underneath brooding adults
- 3 Great Crested Grebes
On / around the street lamp poles:
Noted on / around the water
- 23 Canada Geese
- 2 Greylag Geese
- *3 + 8 Mute Swans
- 20 (17♂) Mallard: no ducklings seen
- 1 (1♂) all-white duck (Peking(?) Duck)
- *15 (10♂) Tufted Duck
- 4 Moorhens only
- 23 + 1 (1 brood) Coots: other juveniles heard calling from underneath brooding adults
- 3 Great Crested Grebes
On / around the street lamp poles:
Nothing noted
Noted elsewhere:
- Alder Leaf Beetle (Agelastica alni) as I probably will for many weeks to come
A follow-up to yesterday and thanks to Martin Adlam for the suggestion. The small fly I photographed was almost certainly one of the grass flies and most likely Chlorops pumilionis
Noted elsewhere:
- Alder Leaf Beetle (Agelastica alni) as I probably will for many weeks to come
A follow-up to yesterday and thanks to Martin Adlam for the suggestion. The small fly I photographed was almost certainly one of the grass flies and most likely Chlorops pumilionis
Luckily later all eight cygnets appeared alongside the pen.
The splash-down is never elegant!
The gape is better seen here.
(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
Spotted Flycatcher
Wheatear
(Ed Wilson)
2007
Priorslee Lake
Whimbrel
2 drake Ruddy Ducks
(Ed Wilson)
2006
Priorslee Lake
2 Ruddy Ducks
(Ed Wilson)