20.0°C > 23.0°C: A few spots of rain as I arrived. Soon cleared and then a mix of hazy clear spells and some low cloud. Humid again. The lightest of breeze from a westerly direction. Moderate visibility.
Sunrise: 06:34 BST
+ = my first sighting of this species at this site this year.
++ = new species for me at this site.
* = a species photographed today
Priorslee Balancing Lake: 05:20 – 06:50 // 07:50 – 09:55
(185th visit of the year)
Highlight today was a Tawny Owl calling near the Priorslee Avenue tunnel c.05:30. This is my first record here this year. One of the fishermen reported hearing one along the North side on 9 April. No-one I have spoken too has heard once since. It is bird species #94 for me here in 2023/
Other bird notes:
- Almost all 36 large gulls seen early seem to come from the Ricoh site and most of these stopped off briefly to drink. It was still to dark to specifically identify them, though the majority seemed to be Lesser Black-backed Gulls.
- One or more House Martins were overhead at 06:20: I only saw one but there sounded as if there were more. 18 were noted high over c.08:30 and may well have been migrants. Unseen birds heard later high overhead.
- I suspect I only recorded the Rooks because it was weekend and traffic on the M54 was light and I heard their calls as they went over very high c.06:20.
- Unusual at the date was a Blackbird heard singing quietly c.06:20.
Counts of birds noted flying over:
- 30 Canada Geese: 19 outbound in four groups; 11 inbound in two groups
- 31 Greylag Geese: 6 outbound in two groups; 25 inbound together
- 2 Stock Doves: singles
- 28 Wood Pigeons
- 1 Herring Gull
- 18 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 13 Jackdaws
- 35 Rooks
- 3 Pied Wagtails
Warblers noted (the number singing in brackets):
- 14 (6) Chiffchaffs
- 2 (0) Reed Warblers
- 2 (0) Blackcaps
Hirundines etc., noted:
- 18+ House Martins: see notes
Counts from the lake area:
- 2 + 2 Mute Swans
- 6 (1♂) Mallard
- 3 Moorhens
- 84 Coots
- 2 Great Crested Grebes
- 152 Black-headed Gulls on the football field c.06:30. A maximum of 16 seen at the lake later
- 8 Lesser Black-backed Gulls: one of these, an adult, on the football field c.06:30
- 36 unidentified large gulls: see notes
- 1 Grey Heron: departed 05:55
On or around the street lamp poles at dawn:
Highlight today was a Tawny Owl calling near the Priorslee Avenue tunnel c.05:30. This is my first record here this year. One of the fishermen reported hearing one along the North side on 9 April. No-one I have spoken too has heard once since. It is bird species #94 for me here in 2023/
Other bird notes:
- Almost all 36 large gulls seen early seem to come from the Ricoh site and most of these stopped off briefly to drink. It was still to dark to specifically identify them, though the majority seemed to be Lesser Black-backed Gulls.
- One or more House Martins were overhead at 06:20: I only saw one but there sounded as if there were more. 18 were noted high over c.08:30 and may well have been migrants. Unseen birds heard later high overhead.
- I suspect I only recorded the Rooks because it was weekend and traffic on the M54 was light and I heard their calls as they went over very high c.06:20.
- Unusual at the date was a Blackbird heard singing quietly c.06:20.
Counts of birds noted flying over:
- 30 Canada Geese: 19 outbound in four groups; 11 inbound in two groups
- 31 Greylag Geese: 6 outbound in two groups; 25 inbound together
- 2 Stock Doves: singles
- 28 Wood Pigeons
- 1 Herring Gull
- 18 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 13 Jackdaws
- 35 Rooks
- 3 Pied Wagtails
Warblers noted (the number singing in brackets):
- 14 (6) Chiffchaffs
- 2 (0) Reed Warblers
- 2 (0) Blackcaps
Hirundines etc., noted:
- 18+ House Martins: see notes
Counts from the lake area:
- 2 + 2 Mute Swans
- 6 (1♂) Mallard
- 3 Moorhens
- 84 Coots
- 2 Great Crested Grebes
- 152 Black-headed Gulls on the football field c.06:30. A maximum of 16 seen at the lake later
- 8 Lesser Black-backed Gulls: one of these, an adult, on the football field c.06:30
- 36 unidentified large gulls: see notes
- 1 Grey Heron: departed 05:55
On or around the street lamp poles at dawn:
Moths:
- Square-spot Rustic (Xestia xanthographa)
- Square-spot Rustic (Xestia xanthographa)
Other things:
- *1 small ichneumon
- 1 plumed midge (Microtendipes pedellus)
- several unidentified flies
- 2 springtails Pogonognathellus longicornis
- *++1 Field Damsel Bug (Nabis ferus)
- 2 Red-legged Shieldbugs (Pentatoma rufipes)
- 1 Clubiona sp spider.
- 2 Bridge Orb-web Spiders (Larinioides sclopetarius)
- 2 stretch spiders Tetragnatha sp.
Around the sailing club HQ or in the sailing club shelter:
- *1 small ichneumon
- 1 plumed midge (Microtendipes pedellus)
- several unidentified flies
- 2 springtails Pogonognathellus longicornis
- *++1 Field Damsel Bug (Nabis ferus)
- 2 Red-legged Shieldbugs (Pentatoma rufipes)
- 1 Clubiona sp spider.
- 2 Bridge Orb-web Spiders (Larinioides sclopetarius)
- 2 stretch spiders Tetragnatha sp.
Around the sailing club HQ or in the sailing club shelter:
Nothing unusual
Noted later:
Noted later:
Butterflies:
- Speckled Wood (Pararge aegeria)
- Red Admiral (Vanessa atalanta)
- Speckled Wood (Pararge aegeria)
- Red Admiral (Vanessa atalanta)
Moths:
- *Silver Y (Autographa gamma)
- *Silver Y (Autographa gamma)
Bees / wasps etc.:
- Common Carder Bee (Bombus pascuorum)
- Common Wasp (Paravespula vulgaris)
Hoverflies:
- Tapered Dronefly (Eristalis pertinax)
- Common Dronefly (Eristalis tenax)
- *Chequered Hoverfly (Melanostoma scalare)
- *Syrphus sp. (S. ribesii / S. vitripennis), probably at least one Humming Syrphus (S. ribesii)
- Pellucid Fly (Volucella pellucens) [Pied Plumehorn]
- Common Carder Bee (Bombus pascuorum)
- Common Wasp (Paravespula vulgaris)
Hoverflies:
- Tapered Dronefly (Eristalis pertinax)
- Common Dronefly (Eristalis tenax)
- *Chequered Hoverfly (Melanostoma scalare)
- *Syrphus sp. (S. ribesii / S. vitripennis), probably at least one Humming Syrphus (S. ribesii)
- Pellucid Fly (Volucella pellucens) [Pied Plumehorn]
Dragon-/damsel-flies:
- Common Blue Damselfly (Enallagma cyathigerum)
- *hawker sp. including two pairs mating
- Common Blue Damselfly (Enallagma cyathigerum)
- *hawker sp. including two pairs mating
Other flies:
- greenbottles
- very many unidentified craneflies
- ++*leaf mines of Phytomyza spondylii/pastinacae agg., members of the Agromyzidae family of very small 'leaf-miner flies'.
- greenbottles
- very many unidentified craneflies
- ++*leaf mines of Phytomyza spondylii/pastinacae agg., members of the Agromyzidae family of very small 'leaf-miner flies'.
Beetles:
- Alder Leaf Beetle (Agelastica alni); adults
- Alder Leaf Beetle (Agelastica alni); adults
Bugs:
- 7 Spot Ladybird (Coccinella 7-punctata)
- Common Green Shieldbug (Palomena prasina): adult
- 7 Spot Ladybird (Coccinella 7-punctata)
- Common Green Shieldbug (Palomena prasina): adult
Spiders / Harvestmen:
- Garden Spider (Araneus diadematus)
- Garden Spider (Araneus diadematus)
Fungus
- ++*possible Spectacular Rustgill (Gymnopilus junonius)
- ++*possible Spectacular Rustgill (Gymnopilus junonius)
Also
- White-lipped Snail (Cepaea hortensis)
- White-lipped Snail (Cepaea hortensis)
Hazy dawn with no sign of the storm my weather app. was telling me about.
An interesting 'Herring bone' cloud formation.
A Syrphus sp. of hoverfly (S. ribesii / S. vitripennis). It is male so separation is not easy
A 'hawker' dragonfly. I was not able to photograph it other than against the grey sky and I cannot see enough of the markings to identify the species.
Just like helicopters really.
A small ichneumon on a street lamp pole pre-dawn.
I think this is a Field Damsel Bug (Nabis ferus).
On a leaf adjacent to a lit street lamp was this. I have no idea what it is and neither does Obsidentify (it came up with 9% Long-tailed Tit!!).
(Ed Wilson)
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The Flash: 06:55 – 07:45
(171st visit of the year)
Bird notes:
- I am confused: after over two weeks I briefly saw two juvenile Great Crested Grebes from the last brood here. Later I could find only one again! There also seemed to be five adults.
- A Grey Wagtail heard flying around again.
Bird(s) noted flying over here:
- 1 Lesser Black-backed Gull
- 4 Jackdaws
Warblers noted (the number singing in brackets):
- 5 (1) Chiffchaffs
Hirundines etc., noted:
None
Noted on / around the water: better visibility than yesterday, but still dull.
- 1 Canada Goose
- 2 + 4 (1 brood) Mute Swans
- 33 (24♂) Mallard
- 1 (1♂) all-white feral duck
- 56 (>22♂) Tufted Duck
- 9 Moorhens
- 69 Coots
- 5 + 3 (2 broods) Great Crested Grebes
- 16 Black-headed Gulls
- 4 Cormorants
- *2 Grey Herons
Noted on / beside the street lamp poles etc. around the water etc.:
Moths:
- none
Other things
- 1 Garden Spider (Araneus diadematus)
Noted elsewhere around The Flash:
Mammals:
- *Brown Rat (Rattus norvegicus)
Dragon-/damsel-flies:
- at least two hawker sp.
Other flies:
- craneflies: only one specifically identified as *Tipula paludosa
Beetles:
- Alder Leaf Beetle (Agelastica alni); adults
Spiders:
- *Garden Spider (Araneus diadematus)
Noted on / around the water: better visibility than yesterday, but still dull.
- 1 Canada Goose
- 2 + 4 (1 brood) Mute Swans
- 33 (24♂) Mallard
- 1 (1♂) all-white feral duck
- 56 (>22♂) Tufted Duck
- 9 Moorhens
- 69 Coots
- 5 + 3 (2 broods) Great Crested Grebes
- 16 Black-headed Gulls
- 4 Cormorants
- *2 Grey Herons
Noted on / beside the street lamp poles etc. around the water etc.:
Moths:
- none
Other things
- 1 Garden Spider (Araneus diadematus)
Noted elsewhere around The Flash:
Mammals:
- *Brown Rat (Rattus norvegicus)
Dragon-/damsel-flies:
- at least two hawker sp.
Other flies:
- craneflies: only one specifically identified as *Tipula paludosa
Beetles:
- Alder Leaf Beetle (Agelastica alni); adults
Spiders:
- *Garden Spider (Araneus diadematus)
One Grey Heron chased the other off. Here it goes.
What you might call "a clean pair of heels" as this Brown Rat (Rattus norvegicus) scampers away.
I thought I ought to show willing and identify at least one cranefly. It is Tipula paludosa.
This ought to be a money spider - "money for old rope"? It is of course a Garden Spider (Araneus diadematus) which are everywhere at the moment.
(Ed Wilson)
Between the lake and The Flash on / around street lamp poles:
(Ed Wilson)
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Between the lake and The Flash on / around street lamp poles:
Nothing noted
(Ed Wilson)
Noted in the Priorslee Avenue tunnel:
Moths:
- *1 Narrow-winged Grey (Eudonia angustea)
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Noted in the Priorslee Avenue tunnel:
Moths:
- *1 Narrow-winged Grey (Eudonia angustea)
Other things:
- *1 cranefly Tipula lateralis.
- 62 White-legged Snake Millipedes (Tachypodoiulus niger)
- *1 cranefly Tipula lateralis.
- 62 White-legged Snake Millipedes (Tachypodoiulus niger)
- 12 Common Rough Woodlouse (Porcellio scaber)
- the usual array of mostly unidentified spiders
The humid conditions meant the wall of the tunnel was damp and this is what I suspect caused the large increase in the number of millipedes.
- the usual array of mostly unidentified spiders
The humid conditions meant the wall of the tunnel was damp and this is what I suspect caused the large increase in the number of millipedes.
A cranefly with boldly-marked wings: it is Tipula lateralis.
(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
3 Shovelers
(Ed Wilson)
2011
Priorslee Lake
Common Sandpiper
Possible Yellow-legged Gull
Wheatear
(Ed Wilson)
2010
Priorslee Lake
3 Teal
4 Swifts
1 Sedge Warbler
(Ed Wilson)
2007
Priorslee Lake
Kingfisher
(Ed Wilson)
2006
Priorslee Lake
Kingfisher
(Ed Wilson)