11.0°C > 17.0°C: Overnight rain clouds clearing to the East. Then variable amounts of cloud with some good sunny spells. Moderate and fresh-feeling north-westerly breeze. Excellent visibility.
Sunrise: 04:49 BST
I have run out of rime; a selection of photographs from today will be included in tomorrow's blog.
+ = my first sighting of this species at this site this year.
++ = new species for me at this site.
The overnight rain, cooler temperature and brisk wind reduced the number of moths seen.
Priorslee Balancing Lake: 05:00 – 06:15 // 07:20 – 09:30
(141st visit of the year)
Bird notes:
- One of the trio of juvenile Great Crested Grebes was not located. The other two were diving freely already so perhaps I overlooked it. It remains unclear what the other ten adult birds are doing.
- Warbler song fading away somewhat.
Birds noted flying over here:
- 4 Feral Pigeons: together
- 4 Stock Doves: two duos
- 30 Wood Pigeons
- 1 Rook
Another dismal total
Warblers noted (the number singing in brackets):
- 1 (1) Cetti's Warbler
- 1 (1) Willow Warbler
- 8 (8) Chiffchaffs
- 7 (7) Reed Warblers
- 7 (5) Blackcaps
- 2 (2) Garden Warblers
- 2 (1) Common Whitethroat
Hirundines etc., noted:
- 4 Swifts: early only
- 1 Barn Swallow
- 1 House Martin
Counts from the lake area:
- 2 + 2 Mute Swans
- 7 (?♂) Mallard
- 2 Moorhens
- 31 + 39 (14? broods) Coots
- 12 + 2 (1 brood) Great Crested Grebes
- 1 Black-headed Gull: adult: arrived
- 1 Grey Heron: arrived and departed
Noted on and around the street lamp poles around dawn:
Moths:
- 2 Garden Grass-veneer (Chrysoteuchia culmella)
otherwise:
- nothing
Noted later: I again stayed out of the soaking vegetation
Butterflies:
- Small Skipper (Thymelicus sylvestris)
- Green-veined White (Pieris napi)
- Ringlet (Aphantopus hyperantus)
- Meadow Brown (Maniola jurtina)
- Comma (Polygonia c-album)
- 2 Garden Grass-veneer (Chrysoteuchia culmella)
otherwise:
- nothing
Noted later: I again stayed out of the soaking vegetation
Butterflies:
- Small Skipper (Thymelicus sylvestris)
- Green-veined White (Pieris napi)
- Ringlet (Aphantopus hyperantus)
- Meadow Brown (Maniola jurtina)
- Comma (Polygonia c-album)
Moths:
- Garden Grass-veneer (Chrysoteuchia culmella)
- Common Grass-veneer (Agriphila tristella)
- Garden Grass-veneer (Chrysoteuchia culmella)
- Common Grass-veneer (Agriphila tristella)
Bees / wasps etc.:
- Honey Bee (Apis mellifera)
- Garden Bumblebee (Bombus hortorum)
- Common Carder Bee (Bombus pascuorum)
- Early Bumblebee (Bombus pratorum)
- Common Wasp (Paravespula vulgaris)
- Honey Bee (Apis mellifera)
- Garden Bumblebee (Bombus hortorum)
- Common Carder Bee (Bombus pascuorum)
- Early Bumblebee (Bombus pratorum)
- Common Wasp (Paravespula vulgaris)
Hoverflies:
- Bumblebee Blacklet (Cheilosia illustrata)
- Marmalade Hoverfly (Episyrphus balteatus)
- Stripe-faced Dronefly (Eristalis nemorum)
- Common Dronefly (Eristalis tenax)
- Common Spotted Field Syrph (Eupeodes luniger)
- Chequered Hoverfly (Melanostoma scalare)
- Common Twist-tail (Sphaerophoria scripta)
- Pellucid Fly (Volucella pellucens)
- Bumblebee Blacklet (Cheilosia illustrata)
- Marmalade Hoverfly (Episyrphus balteatus)
- Stripe-faced Dronefly (Eristalis nemorum)
- Common Dronefly (Eristalis tenax)
- Common Spotted Field Syrph (Eupeodes luniger)
- Chequered Hoverfly (Melanostoma scalare)
- Common Twist-tail (Sphaerophoria scripta)
- Pellucid Fly (Volucella pellucens)
Dragon-/damsel-flies:
- Common Blue Damselfly (Enallagma cyathigerum)
- Blue-tailed Damselfly (Ischnura elegans)
- Hawker sp. dragonfly
Other flies:
- Black Snipefly (Chrysopilus cristatus)
- +Phaonia pallida (Muscid fly)
Beetles:
- Alder Leaf Beetle (Agelastica alni): adults and larvae
- Swollen-thighed Beetle (Oedemera nobilis)
Bugs:
- 7 Spot Ladybird (Coccinella 7-punctata)
Also
- White-lipped Snail (Cepaea hortensis)
- Cucumber Green Orb Spider (Araniella possibly A. cucurbitina)
(Ed Wilson)
The Flash: 06:20 – 07:25
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The Flash: 06:20 – 07:25
(130th visit of the year)
Bird notes:
- All three 'white' Mute Swan and the four cygnets seen at the same time.
- Five Mallard ducklings recorded. Growing fast. Fingers crossed.
- A Common Sandpiper seen flying low over the water. Not located at any of this species usual resting haunts.
Birds noted flying over here:
Bird notes:
- All three 'white' Mute Swan and the four cygnets seen at the same time.
- Five Mallard ducklings recorded. Growing fast. Fingers crossed.
- A Common Sandpiper seen flying low over the water. Not located at any of this species usual resting haunts.
Birds noted flying over here:
None
Warblers noted (the number singing in brackets):
- 5 (5) Chiffchaffs
- 2 (2) Blackcaps
Hirundines etc., noted:
- >25 Swifts
- 4 House Martins
Noted on / around the water
- 130 Canada Geese
- 87 Greylag Geese
- 3 + 4 (1 brood) Mute Swans
- 19 + 5 (1 brood) Mallard
- 9 (8♂) Tufted Duck
- 9 + 7 (4 broods) Moorhens
- 24 + 12 (4 broods) Coots
- 3 Great Crested Grebe
- 1 Common Sandpiper
- 1 Grey Heron
Noted on / around the street lamp poles around the water:
- 5 (5) Chiffchaffs
- 2 (2) Blackcaps
Hirundines etc., noted:
- >25 Swifts
- 4 House Martins
Noted on / around the water
- 130 Canada Geese
- 87 Greylag Geese
- 3 + 4 (1 brood) Mute Swans
- 19 + 5 (1 brood) Mallard
- 9 (8♂) Tufted Duck
- 9 + 7 (4 broods) Moorhens
- 24 + 12 (4 broods) Coots
- 3 Great Crested Grebe
- 1 Common Sandpiper
- 1 Grey Heron
Noted on / around the street lamp poles around the water:
Moths:
- 1 micro to be identified
- 1 Garden Grass-veneer (Chrysoteuchia culmella)
Noted elsewhere around The Flash:
- Large White butterfly (Pieris brassicae)
- Garden Bumblebee (Bombus hortorum)
- Common Wasp (Paravespula vulgaris)
- Common Dronefly (Eristalis tenax)
- +Pellucid Fly (Volucella pellucens) [hoverfly]
- Alder Leaf Beetle (Agelastica alni): adults and larvae
(Ed Wilson)
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Between the lake and The Flash:Moths on street lamp poles:
- Common Grey (Scoparia ambigualis)
Also
- dagger fly Empis livida
- semaphore fly Poecilobothrus nobilitatus
- 7 Spot Ladybird (Coccinella 7-punctata): pupa
(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
15 Cormorants
(Ed Wilson)
2011
Priorslee Lake
Common Sandpiper
(Ed Wilson)
2010
Priorslee Lake
Juvenile Yellow Wagtail
(Ed Wilson)
2009
Priorslee Lake
Siskin
(Ed Wilson)
2006
Priorslee Lake
2 drake Ruddy Ducks
(Ed Wilson)