13.0°C > 15.0°C: Often clear but also cloudier spells. Light south-westerly breeze. Very good visibility.
Sunrise: 05:53 BST
+ = my first sighting of this species at this site this year.
++ = new species for me at this site.
* = a photo today
Priorslee Balancing Lake: 05:05 – 06:15 // 07:20 – 08:30
(165th visit of the year)
An abbreviated visit with other places to go today.
Bird notes:
- One of the Great Crested Grebe juveniles was seen to fly strongly down the length of the lake seconds after failing to persuade an adult to feed it.
- A Cetti's Warbler made a single partial call from alongside the North side – a location where I have not seen or heard one for several moths.
Counts of birds noted flying over here:
- 187 Canada Geese: 146 outbound in 14 groups; 41 inbound in three groups.
- 19 Greylag Geese: outbound in three groups.
- 59 Wood Pigeons
Nowt else!
Warblers noted (the number singing in brackets):
- 1 (1) Cetti's Warbler
- 10 (2) Chiffchaffs
- 7 (0) Reed Warblers
- 3 (0) Blackcaps
Hirundines etc., noted:
- 2 House Martins
Counts from the lake area:
- 2 + 2 Mute Swans
- 9 (?♂) Mallard
- 4 Moorhens
- 88 Coots
- 2 + 2 (2 broods) Great Crested Grebes
- 93 Black-headed Gulls on the football field area c.06:10: no juveniles. Just one noted at the lake.
- 4 Lesser Black-backed Gulls: two adults; two juveniles
- 1 Grey Heron
On or around the street lamp poles at dawn:
Priorslee Balancing Lake: 05:05 – 06:15 // 07:20 – 08:30
(165th visit of the year)
An abbreviated visit with other places to go today.
Bird notes:
- One of the Great Crested Grebe juveniles was seen to fly strongly down the length of the lake seconds after failing to persuade an adult to feed it.
- A Cetti's Warbler made a single partial call from alongside the North side – a location where I have not seen or heard one for several moths.
Counts of birds noted flying over here:
- 187 Canada Geese: 146 outbound in 14 groups; 41 inbound in three groups.
- 19 Greylag Geese: outbound in three groups.
- 59 Wood Pigeons
Nowt else!
Warblers noted (the number singing in brackets):
- 1 (1) Cetti's Warbler
- 10 (2) Chiffchaffs
- 7 (0) Reed Warblers
- 3 (0) Blackcaps
Hirundines etc., noted:
- 2 House Martins
Counts from the lake area:
- 2 + 2 Mute Swans
- 9 (?♂) Mallard
- 4 Moorhens
- 88 Coots
- 2 + 2 (2 broods) Great Crested Grebes
- 93 Black-headed Gulls on the football field area c.06:10: no juveniles. Just one noted at the lake.
- 4 Lesser Black-backed Gulls: two adults; two juveniles
- 1 Grey Heron
On or around the street lamp poles at dawn:
Moths:
- 2 Common Grass-veneer (Agriphila tristella)
- 2 other grass moths, too covered in dew to identify
- 2 Common Grass-veneer (Agriphila tristella)
- 2 other grass moths, too covered in dew to identify
Other things
- 1 Common Wasp (Paravespula vulgaris)
- 1 midge sp.
- 1 springtail Pogonognathellus longicornis-type
- 1 Bridge Orb-web Spider (Larinioides sclopetarius)
Noted later during the abbreviated visit and before many insects were flying:
- 1 Common Wasp (Paravespula vulgaris)
- 1 midge sp.
- 1 springtail Pogonognathellus longicornis-type
- 1 Bridge Orb-web Spider (Larinioides sclopetarius)
Noted later during the abbreviated visit and before many insects were flying:
Butterflies:
- Meadow Brown (Maniola jurtina)
- Gatekeeper (Pyronia tithonus)
- Red Admiral (Vanessa atalanta)
- Meadow Brown (Maniola jurtina)
- Gatekeeper (Pyronia tithonus)
- Red Admiral (Vanessa atalanta)
Moths:
- Pale Straw Pearl (Udea lutealis)
- Pale Straw Pearl (Udea lutealis)
Bees / wasps etc.:
- Common Carder Bee (Bombus pascuorum)
- Common Carder Bee (Bombus pascuorum)
Hoverflies:
- Common Dronefly (Eristalis tenax)
- Dead-head Hoverfly (Myathropa florea) [aka Batman Hoverfly]
- Bumblebee Plume-horned Hoverfly (Volucella bombylans)
- Common Dronefly (Eristalis tenax)
- Dead-head Hoverfly (Myathropa florea) [aka Batman Hoverfly]
- Bumblebee Plume-horned Hoverfly (Volucella bombylans)
Dragon-/damsel-flies:
- Emperor Dragonfly (Anax imperator)
- Common Blue Damselfly (Enallagma cyathigerum)
- Emperor Dragonfly (Anax imperator)
- Common Blue Damselfly (Enallagma cyathigerum)
Other flies:
- Grouse Wing caddis fly (Mystacides longicornis)
- Grouse Wing caddis fly (Mystacides longicornis)
Beetles:
- none
- none
Bugs:
- none
- none
Also
- White-lipped Snail (Cepaea hortensis)
- White-lipped Snail (Cepaea hortensis)
Not much time for photography this morning. A Long-tailed Tit of course.
Seems it has an itch.
What a sweetie?
Another view.
Another bird requesting "no publicity". A Goldfinch.
I only ever see these Bridge Orb-web Spiders (Larinioides sclopetarius) at the top of the street lamp poles pre-dawn.
(Ed Wilson)
The Flash: 06:20 – 07:15
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The Flash: 06:20 – 07:15
(153rd visit of the year)
Bird notes:
- The immature white Mute Swan was back in the water.
- Two Swifts flying around.
- There seemed to be a 'spare, fifth, adult Great Crested Grebe. As usual it was difficult to keep track of them.
Bird(s) noted flying over here:
Bird notes:
- The immature white Mute Swan was back in the water.
- Two Swifts flying around.
- There seemed to be a 'spare, fifth, adult Great Crested Grebe. As usual it was difficult to keep track of them.
Bird(s) noted flying over here:
None
Warblers noted (the number singing in brackets):
- 7 (0) Chiffchaffs
Hirundines etc., noted:
- 2 Swifts
- 9 House Martins
Noted on / around the water
- 4 Canada Geese
- 3 + 4 (1 brood) Mute Swans
- 32 (?♂) Mallard
- 1 all-white feral duck
- 32 (>9♂) Tufted Duck
- 8 Moorhens
- 59 Coots
- 5 + 2 (1 brood) Great Crested Grebes
- 1 Grey Heron
Noted on / beside the street lamp poles around the water etc.:
- 7 (0) Chiffchaffs
Hirundines etc., noted:
- 2 Swifts
- 9 House Martins
Noted on / around the water
- 4 Canada Geese
- 3 + 4 (1 brood) Mute Swans
- 32 (?♂) Mallard
- 1 all-white feral duck
- 32 (>9♂) Tufted Duck
- 8 Moorhens
- 59 Coots
- 5 + 2 (1 brood) Great Crested Grebes
- 1 Grey Heron
Noted on / beside the street lamp poles around the water etc.:
Moths:
- 1 Single-dotted Wave (Idaea dimidiata)
- 1 Single-dotted Wave (Idaea dimidiata)
Other things
- 2 Dicranopalpus ramosus/caudatus harvestmen
- 1 Alder Leaf Beetle (Agelastica alni): larvae
Noted elsewhere around The Flash:
- fungus, perhaps Peppery Milkcap (Lactarius piperatus)
- 2 Dicranopalpus ramosus/caudatus harvestmen
- 1 Alder Leaf Beetle (Agelastica alni): larvae
Noted elsewhere around The Flash:
- fungus, perhaps Peppery Milkcap (Lactarius piperatus)
(Ed Wilson)
Between the lake and The Flash on / around street lamp poles:
Moths:
- 1 Small Grey (Eudonia mercurella): dead?
- 2 Single-dotted Waves (Idaea dimidiata)
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Between the lake and The Flash on / around street lamp poles:
Moths:
- 1 Small Grey (Eudonia mercurella): dead?
- 2 Single-dotted Waves (Idaea dimidiata)
Each day I seem to find a better example of a Single-dotted Wave moth (Idaea dimidiata). This is sitting on one of the fence posts, the post also showing bits of lichen.
(Ed Wilson)
Noted in the Priorslee Avenue tunnel:
Moths:
- 1 Single-dotted Wave (Idaea dimidiata)
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Noted in the Priorslee Avenue tunnel:
Moths:
- 1 Single-dotted Wave (Idaea dimidiata)
Other things
- 1 cranefly Tipula lateralis
- several midges including one plumed midge,
- 8 White-legged Snake Millipedes (Tachypodoiulus niger)
- 1 cranefly Tipula lateralis
- several midges including one plumed midge,
- 8 White-legged Snake Millipedes (Tachypodoiulus niger)
(Ed Wilson)