30 May 23

Priorslee Lake and The Flash

8.0°C > 11.0°C: Mainly cloudy, the sun failing to make much headway in breaking the clouds. Moderate and chilly ENE wind. Very good visibility.

Sunrise: 04:55 BST

* = a photo of this species today

Priorslee Balancing Lake: 05:00 – 06:30 // 07:35 – 09:45

(113th visit of the year)

Bird notes:
- A pair of Tufted Ducks flew in from the West at 05:20. I assume these stayed throughout, hiding it the reeds at times.
- I mentioned a while ago that Wood Pigeons seemed reluctant to use the now fenced-off football field. There were about seven there this morning but it seems it is the availability of food and not the fence that is the problem. The other fenced area, apparently destined to become a five-a-side football pitch, has recently been somewhat levelled and vegetation removed from much of it. There were at least thirty Wood Pigeons feeding there, unconcerned about the fenced.
- Nine Great Crested Grebes was a surprise though as usual most of the time fewer were obvious.
- Two Grey Herons were seen flying high over the football field at c.06:15. It is possible that one was chasing the other off its territory though I had seen none during my earlier walk around the lake. Then c.08:30 one flew high East: there was one at the lake at this time.
- Very few Coots out and about. One of only three broods of juveniles I noted was a new brood of five.
- Only one of the long-term Willow Warblers was singing this morning. The Sedge Warbler was singing more intermittently than usual.

Birds noted flying over here:
- 5 Greylag Geese: trio outbound; duo inbound
- 3 Stock Doves
- 5 Wood Pigeons only
- 2 Cormorants: singles
- 3 Grey Herons: see notes
- 1 Jackdaw
- 2 Rooks

Warblers noted (the number singing in brackets):
- 1 (1) Cetti's Warbler
- 1 (1) Willow Warblers only
- 8 (5) Chiffchaffs
- 1 (1) Sedge Warbler
- 10 (10) Reed Warblers
- 11 (11) Blackcaps
- 1 (1) Garden Warbler
- 1 (0) Common Whitethroat

Hirundines etc., noted:
- >30 Swifts
- 2 Barn Swallows
- 4 House Martins

Counts from the lake area: it remains very quiet
- 2 Canada Geese: flew in c.09:30
- 2 + 2 (1 brood) Mute Swans
- 5 (4♂) Mallard
- 2 (1♂) Tufted Duck: arrived
- 3 Moorhens
- 18 + 10 (3 broods) Coots
- 9 Great Crested Grebes
- 1 Grey Heron

+ = my first sighting of this species this year.
++ = new species for me.

Noted on the street lamp poles at dawn:
- +*1 White Ermine (Spilosoma lubricipeda)
- *plumed midge sp.
- +*mayfly sp.

Noted later: chilly wind kept numbers low.

Butterflies:
- none

Moths:
- +*Common Marble (Celypha lacunana)
- +*caterpillar thought to be of Drinker (Euthrix potatoria)

Bees / wasps etc.:
- *Early Bumblebee (Bombus pratorum)
- Common Wasp (Paravespula vulgaris)

Dragon-/damsel-flies:

- none: too cold / windy

Hoverflies:
- Marmalade Hoverfly (Episyrphus balteatus)

Other flies:
- Black Snipefly (Chrysopilus cristatus)
- Yellow Dung Fly (Scathophaga stercoraria)
- *unidentified fly species!

Beetles:
- *Common [or Red-headed] Cardinal Beetle (Pyrochroa serraticornis)

Bugs:
- Red-and-Black Froghopper (Cercopis vulnerata)
- +*presumed nymph of a plant bug

Also
- White-lipped Snail (Cepaea hortensis)
- *White Crab [or White Flower] Spider Misumena vatia
- *Zebra Spider (Salticus scenicus)
- stretch spider Tetragnatha sp.
+Flowers first noted this year:
- *Common Spotted-orchid (Dactylorhiza fuchsii)
- *possible Druce's Crane's-bill (Geranium endressii x versicolor)
- *Ox-eye daisy (Leucanthemum vulgare)
- *Snowberry (Symphoricarpos sp. probably S. albus)
- *White Clover (Trifolium repens)
- *Guelder Rose (Viburnum opulus)

This pair of Tufted Duck flew in and then proceeded to confuse me by frequently hiding in the reeds only to reappear when I assumed they had gone.

An adult Long-tailed Tit. Compare the area around the eye with...

 ...this juvenile with the dark area extending under the eye.

A Common Marble moth (Celypha lacunana). As the name implies it is common and often flushed from vegetation during the day. Its small size means it is easy to overlook.

I think this caterpillar is of the moth known as Drinker (Euthrix potatoria) because its caterpillar is often seen drinking water droplets from leaves.

A smart moth on the street lamp poles at dawn. It is a White Ermine (Spilosoma lubricipeda). Lurking behind it is a female midge. The banded abdomen suggest it is most likely the plumed midge Chironomus plumosus.

Not what I expected. I held the buttercup to photograph the resting Early Bumblebee (Bombus pratorum). When I looked at the photo I realised it probably was resting but dead. Dead at the claws of a White Crab [or White Flower] Spider Misumena vatia that had been lying in wait.

Also on one of the street lamp pole at dawn was this mayfly. I cannot be more specific though as it has two 'tails' that does limit the possibilities somewhat.

There has to be one unidentified fly each day.

I don't think I have seen so many Common [or Red-headed] Cardinal Beetles (Pyrochroa serraticornis) as I have this year.

Very smart but what is it? I assume it is a nymph of a plant bug. Beyond that I cannot go. Perhaps the white band across the antennae(?) provides a clue?

On the wall of the sailing club HQ was a jumping spider, most likely a Zebra Spider (Salticus scenicus).

The leaves on this orchid are spotted so I assume that makes it a Common Spotted-orchid (Dactylorhiza fuchsii).

Only a possible identity of what is most likely a garden escape. It may be Druce's Crane's-bill (Geranium endressii x versicolor). I found this near where the Wesley Brook meets the sluices by the Teece Drive gate.

A few Ox-eye daisies (Leucanthemum vulgare) are beginning to appear. The spiral in what I think is the pappus (the yellow bit in the middle) is amazing.

The flowers of Snowberry (Symphoricarpos sp. probably S. albus). These were proving a magnet for bumblebees

My first White Clover (Trifolium repens) flowers of the year. As usual about three weeks after the first Red Clover (Trifolium pratense).

A flower of the Guelder Rose (Viburnum opulus). The outer flowers are sterile, the inner florets are the fertile parts.

Plane(?) of the day. This is an Everett Gyroplane. Homebuilt in 1998 the design pre-dates modern and often enclosed gyrocopters. Its owner has a Wolverhampton address. I am not sure he flies it from.

Another plane of the day. This helicopter is a McDonnell Douglas MD-900 Explorer with its owner / operator hiding behind a trustee address in Wilmington, Delaware in the US. This helicopter is unusual in having no tail rotor. The tail rotor is used to stop the helicopter's tendency rotating around the main rotor. On this model there is a jet of air doing the same job. It was en route to Hawarden Airport near Chester.

(Ed Wilson)

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The Flash: 06:35 – 07:30

(104th visit of the year)

Bird notes:
- A Stock Dove was noted doing a display flight over the south-east wooded area.

Birds noted flying over here:
- *1 Common Buzzard

Warblers noted (the number singing in brackets):
- 4 (4) Chiffchaffs
- 3 (3) Blackcaps

Hirundines etc., noted:
- >12 Swifts
- 1 House Martins

Noted on / around the water
- 22 Canada Geese
- *3 Greylag Geese: arrived together; two departed
- 3 + ? Mute Swans: cygnets being brooded
- 21 (20♂) Mallard
- [the all-white duck (Peking(?) Duck) not found again]
- 8 (4♂) Tufted Duck
- 7 Moorhens
- 22+ 8 (4 broods) Coots
- 2 Great Crested Grebes
- 1 Cormorant

On / around the street lamp poles:

Nothing noted

Noted elsewhere:
- *possible Dock Aphids (Aphis rumicis)
- Alder Leaf Beetles (Agelastica alni)
- *Cucumber Green Orb Spider (Araniella cucurbitina)
- *unidentified mushroom / toadstool.

Two Greylag Geese fly in. The left wing of the nearer bird had ragged outer primary feathers. These look to be damaged rather than being moulted: wing moult starts with the inner primaries and outer secondaries.

Talking of ragged! What on earth...

Two Carrion Crows showing displeasure at the presence of a Common Buzzard.

You've said that before.

Where did you get those eyes? A scary-looking fly.

From a distance this cluster of aphids looked to be a single insect. Given the leaf is from a dock perhaps it is safe to assume these are Dock Aphids (Aphis rumicis). The lower one is the winged form.

This is a male Cucumber Green Orb Spider (Araniella cucurbitina). Females of the two species of Araniella are hard to distinguish but the male only of A. cucurbitina has the red spot on the underside tip of its abdomen. The red is often easy to see, as here. The spider spins its web across a leaf and then waits upside down for prey to walk on to the leaf.

I am no good at identifying mushrooms and toadstools. Looks good-enough to eat.

(Ed Wilson)

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

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)