15 Nov 23

Priorslee Balancing Lake and The Flash

8.0°C > 10.0°C: Mainly clear skies with a few clouds later. Moderate south-westerly wind. Very good visibility.

Sunrise: 07:32 GMT

+ = 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: 05:55 – 09:15

(238th visit of the year)

The Autumn passage seems to be well and truly over.

Bird notes:
- both Pochard were diving below overhanging vegetation and difficult to observe. Both seemed to be first winter drakes.
- the Black-headed Gulls have better eyes than I do, taking to flight and drawing my attention to two Sparrowhawks flying over and later a Common Buzzard, all well before 07:00.
- c.500 Starlings came out of reeds at the West end in six group (followed by a few stragglers). A few minutes later c.250 left reeds at the eastern part of the North shore in three groups. More were noted flying over later.
- a Mistle Thrush was singing alongside Teece Drive at c.09:10.

Counts of birds noted flying over:
- 6 Goosander: groups of two then four
- 1 Stock Dove
- 34 Wood Pigeons: all local movements
- 1 Collared Dove
- 2 Sparrowhawks
- 1 Common Buzzard
- 1 Herring Gull
- 19 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 2 Cormorants: singles
- c.275 Jackdaws
- 4 Rooks
- 71 Starlings: four groups
- 13 Redwings: three groups
- 1 Pied Wagtail
- 1 Siskin

Birds seen leaving roosts around the lake:
- 1 Redwing
- c.750 Starlings
- 6 Reed Buntings

Counts from the lake area:
- 2 + 2 Mute Swans
- 8 (5♂) Mallard
- 2 (2♂) Pochard: see notes
- 32 (19♂) Tufted Duck
- 5 Moorhens
- 137 Coots
- 1 Little Grebe
- 1 Great Crested Grebe
- c.275 Black-headed Gulls
- 17 Herring Gulls
- 76 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 1 Cormorant: arrived
- 1 Grey Heron

The (semi) nocturnal community on or around the street lamp poles at dawn:
Not much again; Cold with heavy dew on the lamp poles

Moths:
- *++1 Brown-spot Flat-body (Agonopterix alstromeriana): moth species #98 here this year
- *1 Winter Moth (Operophtera brumata)
- 1 Mottled Umber (Erranis defoliaria)

Otherwise:
- *1 female ichneumon, perhaps Tromatobia lineatoria.
- *1 male ichneumon sp.
- 1 plumed midge
- *1 winter cranefly Trichocera regelationis.
- *1 fly Tachypeza nubila.
- 1 springtail Pogonognathellus longicornis.
- 1 springtail Tomocerus vulgaris.
- *1 Orb-web spider Metellina sp.
- *1 Nursery Web Spider (Pisaura mirabilis)
- *3 Long-jawed Orb-web Spiders Tetragnatha sp.
- 2 harvestmen Paroligolophus agrestis.

Noted later on the Teece Drive fence:
- *1 Brimstone Moth (Opisthograptis luteolata) caterpillar
- *1 possibly the winged form of Giant Willow Aphid (Tuberolachnus salignus)
- 2 Alder Leaf Beetles (Agelastica alni)
- 1 harvestman Dicranopalpus ramosus/caudatus.
- 1 harvestman Paroligolophus agrestis.

New fungus found for here:
- Candlesnuff Fungus (Xylaria hypoxylon)

 Sunrise with seven Mallard in the foreground.

Do I need to say this is a Blue Tit? It is not possible to sex this species visually, unlike Great Tits which were easily separable.

This moth is my first-ever Brown-spot Flat-body (Agonopterix alstromeriana) and moth species #98 for me here this year. It is also individual moth #600 in my log though very many 'grass moths' were not counted and are not included in this total.

The rather rounded wing-tips of this Winter Moth (Operophtera brumata) separate it from any of the November Moth agg. (Epirrita dilutata agg.).

When I went back to the same street lamp pole later this moth fluttered down the pole and fell to the ground. I picked it up. It is a(nother) Winter Moth. (I must clean my nails).

I found this Brimstone Moth (Opisthograptis luteolata) caterpillar on the fence alongside Teece Drive. Strangely I had not seen any adults here this year so it becomes moth species #99.

My app gave the identity of this female ichneumon as Tromatobia lineatoria.

While this male ichneumon sp. remains unidentified.

A winter cranefly Trichocera regelationis.

The swollen thighs on this fly's front legs – not easy to see with the shadows – identify it as Tachypeza nubila.

Not all sure about this: it is possibly the winged form of Giant Willow Aphid (Tuberolachnus salignus). I cannot find any photos of this form and am relying on my app. The spotted abdomen seems to be the clue here.

An Orb-web spider Metellina sp.

 My best-ever photo of a Nursery Web Spider (Pisaura mirabilis)?

Long-jawed Orb-web Spiders Tetragnatha sp.

(Ed Wilson)

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The Flash: 09:20 – 10:35

(222nd visit of the year)

Bird notes:
- at least six Greylag Geese were lurking inside the island. I also caught a glimpse of what was almost certainly one the mainly white feral geese that have been with the Greylags on and off. Were the others hidden as well?
- a Coal Tit in song was unusual for this date
- a Song Thrush in song was my first record of this species here since 13 September (and before that 11 August) with song last heard on 9 July.

Bird(s) noted flying over here:
- 1 Sparrowhawk
- 3 Herring Gulls
- 2 Lesser Black-backed Gulls

Noted on / around the water:
- 7 Canada Geese
- *6 Greylag Geese
- 1+? mainly white feral goose/geese
- 2 + 4 Mute Swans
- 1 (1♂) Gadwall
- 39 (27♂) Mallard
- 1 (1♂) all-white feral duck
- 28 (16♂) Tufted Duck
- *8 (1♂) Goosander
- 11 Moorhens
- 44 Coots
- *2 Great Crested Grebes
- 26 Black-headed Gulls
- *3 Herring Gulls: first, second and third winters
- *1 Lesser Black-backed Gull: third winter
- 1 Grey Heron

Noted on / beside the street lamp poles etc. around the water etc.:

Moths:
- 1 November Moth agg. (Epirrita dilutata agg.)
- 1 Sprawler (Asteroscopus sphinx): still more or less in the same place for its ninth day.

Otherwise:
- 1 Long-jawed Orb-web Spider Tetragnatha sp.
- 1 harvestman Paroligolophus agrestis

Noted elsewhere around The Flash:

Bees / wasps etc.:
- *Common Wasp (Paravespula vulgaris): many

Hoverflies:
- Marmalade Hoverfly (Episyrphus balteatus)
- *Tapered Dronefly (Eristalis pertinax)
- *Common Dronefly (Eristalis tenax)

Flies:
- *Noon Fly (Mesembrina meridiana)
- *fly Pegomya sp., perhaps P. bicolor.
Otherwise dozens of the usual suspects

New groups of fungus found:

None

Six Greylag Geese tucked up in the island. From a slightly different view I noted what was likely one of the mainly white feral geese.

Still a 'brownhead' with enough white developing in the wings to identify it as a bird moulting in to drake plumage.

These two Great Crested Grebes are already starting, albeit rather perfunctory, display.

A third winter Herring Gull splashes down.

While an apparent adult Lesser Black-backed Gull manages a more gentle touch-down.

On the left the apparent adult Lesser Black-backed Gull: on the right a first winter Herring Gull.

The same first winter Herring Gull alongside a third winter Herring Gull.

And the underside of the first winter Herring Gull.

Now on the left the Lesser Black-backed Gull is shown to be a third winter bird with black on the bill. On the right the third winter Herring Gull. Note how the Lesser Black-back's wing shows a broad white trailing edge.

This is the best photo I could manage of a wasp. I have been trying to confirm they are all Common Wasps (Paravespula vulgaris). The abdomen pattern cannot be used to separate the species, the easiest feature being the yellow side to the thorax which is not sufficiently visible here.

A male Tapered Dronefly (Eristalis pertinax).

And the stouter-bodied Common Dronefly (Eristalis tenax).

Another.

This large fly is easily identified by the jet black colour adorned with orange-gold on the base of its wings, on its feet and on its face. It is a Noon Fly (Mesembrina meridiana), named because it usually only seen in the middle of the day.

This fly is one of the Pegomya sp., perhaps P. bicolor. Specific identify needs an expert.

(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
1 Little Grebe
1 Wigeon
5 Gadwall
2 Teal
77 Tufted Duck
230 Coots
c.650 Black-headed Gulls
c.450 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
21 Herring Gulls
36 Fieldfare
2 Redwings
(Ed Wilson)

2012
Priorslee Lake
3 Wigeon
1 Shoveler
3 Pochard
11 Tufted Ducks
c.35 Redwings
c.175 Jackdaws
36 Rooks
(Ed Wilson)

2011
Priorslee Lake
4 Yellow-legged Gulls
(John Isherwood)

2006
Priorslee Lake
1 Little Grebes
30 Pochard
75 Tufted Ducks
50 Coots
>550 Black-headed Gulls
1329 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
7 Herring Gulls
1 Yellow-legged Gull
242 Wood Pigeons
36 Robins
22 Blackbirds
72 Fieldfares
22 Redwings
1 Redpoll
3 Reed Buntings
(Ed Wilson)