3 Oct 23

Priorslee Lake and The Flash

10.0°C > 14.0°C: Mostly clear early; cloudier later with light shower c.08:30. Light / moderate south-westerly wind. Very good visibility.

Sunrise: 07:14 BST

+ = my first sighting of this species at this site this year.
++ = new species for me at this site.
* = a species photographed today

Highlight today was the six Barn Swallows making their way south [as a matter of interest I noted at least 50 over the SOS Reserve at Venus Pool yesterday afternoon]

Priorslee Balancing Lake: 05:30 – 09:10

(203rd visit of the year)

Bird notes:
- three Tufted Duck (sexes unknown) appeared to fly off West from the East end of the water at 06:55. I have assumed that these were the three ducks seen at the West end of the water later and that they either did not leave or perhaps returned. A drake did leave the East end at c.08:10.
- a lower number of Black-headed Gulls today. At most 37 on the football field after 28 seen on the water at the lake.
- after noting a few weeks ago on a dearth of Common Buzzard records this year today I noted two singles flying over; two birds flushed from trees around the lake; and then three together low over the North side wooded area. How many birds involved?
- a Tawny Owl was again calling from the Ricoh copse c.05:35.

Counts of birds noted flying over:
- 6 Canada Geese: flew South to the East 06:50
- 1 Greylag Goose: outbound
- 6 Feral Pigeons: single and quintet
- 9 Stock Doves: two singles, a duo and two trios all eastbound
- 88 Wood Pigeons
- 30 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- *2 or 3 Common Buzzards
- 154 Jackdaws
- 112 Rooks
- 2 Skylarks
- 8 Pied Wagtails
- 4 Meadow Pipits
- 1 Siskin

Warblers noted (the number singing in brackets):
- 2 (0) Chiffchaffs
- 1 (0) Blackcap

Hirundines etc., noted:
- 6 Barn Swallows: three south-west 08:14; one South 08:40; one South 08:55

Counts from the lake area:
- 2 + 2 Mute Swans
- 1 (0♂) Mallard
- 4 (1♂) Tufted Duck at least: see notes
- 6 Moorhens
- 136 Coots
- 2 Great Crested Grebes
- *c.65 Black-headed Gulls
- 8 Herring Gulls
- *1 Yellow-legged Gull: first winter
- 66 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 1 Kingfisher

On or around the street lamp poles at dawn:
The vegetation and lamp poles were again very wet.

Moths:
- none

Other things:
- 1 mayfly sp.
- 2 Spotted-winged Drosophila (Drosophila suzukii)
- *1 red fly Dryomyza anilis
- 1 fly, perhaps Musca autumnalis
- 5 springtails Pogonognathellus longicornis
- 1 springtail Tomocerus minor
- *1 ground beetle Loricera pilicornis
- 1 Bridge Orb-web Spiders (Larinioides sclopetarius)
- *1 spider Metellina sp.
- 2 male harvestmen Leiobunum blackwalli

Noted later:

Beetles:
- Alder Leaf Beetle (Agelastica alni)

Spiders:
- *Missing Sector Orb-web Spider (Zygiella x-notata)

Fungus:
- *Shaggy Inkcap or Lawyer's Wig (Coprinus comatus)

The waning moon is already lop-sided.

It is not just the large gulls that dispute the buoys. Two adults here.

I believe this to be a first winter Yellow-legged Gull. The inner primaries are pale but so contrasting or as extensive as on a similar age Herring Gull. Neither would a Herring Gull show two rows of dark-centred feathers along the trailing-edge of the wing.

Two Common Buzzards sparring over the North side.

 Another view.

A single one overhead a little later. Another bird?

I have no idea why I see so many mayflies in Autumn. Why are they called mayflies!? I always assume those I see are Pond Olives (Cloeon dipterum) but I am not sure.

This red fly is Dryomyza anilis. It has no vernacular name.

Obsidentify told me this was the group beetle Loricera pilicornis.

This is a spider of the Metellina group. I cannot say which.

I found this Missing Sector Orb-web Spider (Zygiella x-notata) on the wall of the sailing club HQ.

A battered Shaggy Inkcap or Lawyer's Wig fungus (Coprinus comatus).

(Ed Wilson)

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The Flash: 09:15 – 10:15

(189th visit of the year)

People from Dyno-Rod were working on the exit sluice early and then a fisherman arrived at the top end. This moved the birds around somewhat making it difficult to get accurate numbers.

Bird notes:
- The Gadwall seem to have moved on. But who can tell!

Bird(s) noted flying over here:
- 1 Skylark

Warblers noted:
- 1 (0) Chiffchaff

Hirundines etc., noted:

None

Noted on / around the water:
- 53 Canada Geese: of these 36 arrived in two groups
- *1 mostly-white feral goose
- 2 + 4 Mute Swans
- 37 (23♂) + *4 (1 brood) Mallard
- 1 (1♂) all-white feral duck
- 1 (0♂) Common Teal
- 32 (>12♂) Tufted Duck
- *18 brownhead Goosander
- 16 Moorhens
- 35 Coots only
- *4 + 2 (1 brood) Great Crested Grebes
- 8 Black-headed Gulls
- 3 Cormorants
- 1 Grey Heron
- 1 Kingfisher

Noted on / beside the street lamp poles etc. around the water etc.:
- 1 Alder Leaf Beetle (Agelastica alni)

Noted elsewhere around The Flash:
Despite some of the Ivy now being in flower there were few insects feeding on it: just a few wasps.

Bees / wasps etc.:
- Common Carder Bee (Bombus pascuorum)
- Common Wasp (Paravespula vulgaris)
- German Wasp (Vespula germanica)

Beetles:
- Alder Leaf Beetle (Agelastica alni)

Fungus:
- *Blushing Milkcap (Lactarius controversus) [Lactifluus controversus]

One of the almost full-grown Mallard ducklings. The wings are still shorter than they would be on an adult.

The all-white goose that was present today. I disappeared inside the island before I could get a better view.

Brownhead Goosanders coming and going.

The closer bird shows more extensive white between the eye and the bill. A juvenile.

An adult Great Crested Grebe provides a fish for one of its offspring.

 Here comes another...

..or not! The adult decides to eat it itself.

A close view of one of the immatures.

This species swims well underwater!

Another credit to my Obsidentify app. It told me this was Lactifluus controversus. Research suggests this is what NatureSpot identifies as Blushing Milkcap using the scientific name Lactarius controversus.

(Ed Wilson)

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Noted in the Priorslee Avenue tunnel:

Moths:
- none

Other things:
- *1 owl midge Psychodidae sp.
- 1 White-legged Snake Millipede (Tachypodoiulus niger)
- the usual array of unidentified spiders
- 1 female harvestman Leiobunum blackwalli

The only thing of interest in the tunnel was this owl midge Psychodidae sp.

(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

2011
Nedge Hill
1 Wheatear
50+ Meadow Pipits
2 House Martin
(John Isherwood)

2006
Priorslee Lake
29 Golden Plover
House Martin
1 Chiffchaff
(Ed Wilson)