6.0°C > 10.0°C: A mostly overcast with drizzle c.07:45. Sunny periods for a while before mainly cloudy again. Very light westerly wind increasing somewhat. Good visibility except in drizzle.
Sunrise: 07:41 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: 06:05 – 09:20
(240th visit of the year)
Bird notes:
- all gulls, especially Black-headed Gulls, seemed to have that 'Monday-morning feeling' and were almost 15 minutes later beginning to arrive than they were yesterday.
- at c.07:10 a party of 17 corvids flew on the opposite flight path to that used by the roost dispersal Jackdaws around the same time. I have occasionally seen Carrion Crows do this despite the usual mantra that single birds are crows and groups are Rooks. Today they were too far away to positively identify: I suspect Carrion Crows.
Counts of birds noted flying over:
- 77 Wood Pigeons: of these 45 flew high South in four small groups
- 2 Herring Gulls
- 108 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 1 Cormorant
- 19 Jackdaws
- 3 Rooks
- 17 unidentified corvids: see notes
- 1 Pied Wagtail
Birds seen leaving roosts around the lake:
None. This morning I was not best-positioned to see roost departures but I still did not expect a blank.
Counts from the lake area:
- 2 + *2 Mute Swans
- 7 (4♂) Mallard
- 36 (16♂) Tufted Duck
- 5 Moorhens
- 136 Coots
- 1 Great Crested Grebe
- c.120 Black-headed Gulls
- 19 Herring Gulls
- *84 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- *1 unidentified large gull
- 3 Cormorant: arrived separately; one departed
- 1 Grey Heron: departed
The (semi) nocturnal community on or around the street lamp poles at dawn:
Counts from the lake area:
- 2 + *2 Mute Swans
- 7 (4♂) Mallard
- 36 (16♂) Tufted Duck
- 5 Moorhens
- 136 Coots
- 1 Great Crested Grebe
- c.120 Black-headed Gulls
- 19 Herring Gulls
- *84 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- *1 unidentified large gull
- 3 Cormorant: arrived separately; one departed
- 1 Grey Heron: departed
The (semi) nocturnal community on or around the street lamp poles at dawn:
Moths:
- *1 November Moth agg. (Epirrita dilutata agg.)
- *1 November Moth agg. (Epirrita dilutata agg.)
Otherwise:
- 3 plumed midge sp.
- 1 springtail Pogonognathellus longicornis
- *++1 ground beetle, probably Demetrias atricapillus
- 1 spider Clubiona sp.
- 3 harvestmen Paroligolophus agrestis.
Noted later on the Teece Drive fence:
- *1 Winter Moth (Operophtera brumata)
- 1 Alder Leaf Beetle (Agelastica alni)
- 1 harvestman Dicranopalpus ramosus/caudatus
New fungus found:
Slightly more black smudging on this one; also more head streaking. The legs are supposed to be yellow. They look pink to me: whether they are pink, whether it is my eyes that make them look pink, or whether it is the way the camera renders the colour I am unsure.
I am going to have to pass on this second winter gull: note some grey in the forewing. The extent of the pale to the inner primaries and the clean tail band with an unmarked rump would suggest a Caspian Gull. However the head looks the wrong shape, is not clean white and the bill looks too heavy. It does not look like a Yellow-legged Gull either.
This seems to be the ground beetle Demetrias atricapillus. The app. was far from certain but this was its top choice and fits with illustration on the NatureSpot web site. A new species for me.
(Ed Wilson)
The Flash: 09:25 – 10:55
(224th visit of the year)
Bird notes:
- at least three Greylag Geese were lurking inside the island. I could just about see what might have been one of the mainly white feral goose with them. Tow other Greylags were on the water for a while before climbing back on the island.
- I guess I overlooked the drake Gadwall yesterday: it was back where it has been for over a week.
- A Song Thrush was singing intermittently at the top end again.
- A Grey Wagtail was in the Wesley Brook by the Priorslee Academy.
Bird(s) noted flying over here:
- 2 Jackdaws
Noted on / around the water:
- 7 Canada Geese
- 5 Greylag Geese
- 2 + 4 Mute Swans
- 1 (1♂) Gadwall
- *34 (22♂) Mallard
- 1 (1♂) all-white feral duck
- 1 (1♂) Pochard
- *32 (16♂) Tufted Duck
- 2 (0♂) Goosander
- 13 Moorhens
- 48 Coots
- 4 Great Crested Grebes
- *15 Black-headed Gulls
- 1 Herring Gull: third winter
- *2 Grey Herons: one departed
- *1 Kingfisher
Noted on / beside the street lamp poles etc. around the water etc.:
I think the same drake. Note the un-moulted immature duck-like brown feathers along his flanks. I am not sure whether I can see the curly tail-feather shown by drakes of this species.
This is a different first-winter drake with more remnant brown patches in his head and a less-bright bill. It does show the curly tail-feather.
A duck Tufted Duck with the very typical vestigial tuft. She still has a few patches of white at the base of her bill.
And here what I assume is a drake Tufted Duck. If so where is its tuft? There are still some brown feathers in his flanks so perhaps it is because it is a first winter.
The stubby bill indicates they are not related to our other 'tits'. They are more closely related to some members of the huge Babbler family from Asia.
A Mottled Umber moth (Erranis defoliaria). This moth is on the wing from October in to January at least. I did not find one here during the first-winter period and it becomes moth species #51 for me here this year.
Just the one hoverfly seen today: this male Tapered Dronefly (Eristalis pertinax). I only seem to have seen males for several weeks now.
I was surprised to see these flowers at the very edge of the water along the East side. My apps identified the plant as a Pelargonium sp., perhaps P. peltatum. There are no entries in my Flora for this genus so they must be a garden escape.
(Ed Wilson)
Sightings from previous years without links are below
2012
Priorslee Lake
3 Gadwall
8 Pochard
15 Tufted Ducks
149 Coots
286 Redwings
84 Fieldfares
c.350 Jackdaws but no Rooks seen.
(Ed Wilson / John Isherwood)
2009
Priorslee Lake
42 Mute Swan
1 Wigeon
c. 45 Tufted
36 Pochard
c. 240 Coot
c. 400 Lesser Black-backed Gull
c. 120 Black-headed Gull
10 Herring Gull
3 Yellow Legged Gull
(Mike Cooper)
2007
Priorslee Lake
1 male Stonechat showing well near to sailing club hut.
1 Gadwall
(John Isherwood)
2006
Priorslee Lake
31 Pochard
52 Tufted Ducks
8 Lapwings
>550 Black-headed Gulls
187 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
239 Wood Pigeons
40 Robins
32 Blackbirds
60 Fieldfares
11 Redwings
1 Willow Tit
310 Jackdaws
150 Rooks
35 Greenfinch
6 Reed Buntings
(Ed Wilson)
2005
Priorslee Lake
18 Pochard
55 Tufted Duck
3 Ruddy Duck
1 Wigeon
c.200 Coot
4 Cormorant
C.750 birds
24 Fieldfare
3 Redpoll
12 Siskin
5 Reed Bunting
1 Willow Tit
(Martin Adlam)
- 3 plumed midge sp.
- 1 springtail Pogonognathellus longicornis
- *++1 ground beetle, probably Demetrias atricapillus
- 1 spider Clubiona sp.
- 3 harvestmen Paroligolophus agrestis.
Noted later on the Teece Drive fence:
- *1 Winter Moth (Operophtera brumata)
- 1 Alder Leaf Beetle (Agelastica alni)
- 1 harvestman Dicranopalpus ramosus/caudatus
New fungus found:
None
The sunrise, such as it was, and before the arrival of the drizzle.
After the drizzle it cleared for a while. Some autumn colour with many leaves now gone.
This year's reeds adding to the colour.
One of the Mute Swan cygnets enjoys a bathe.
Very smart.
An adult winter Lesser Black-backed Gull. Adults can show a small amount of black smudging on the bill but so long as the lower mandible has the red spot that is OK.
No black on the bill of this one. Legs still pink to my eyes.
This view did not help. Help!
A male Siskin is eating the seeds out of the Alder (Alnus) cones.
It goes back for another seed. Later in the Winter the pale fringes to the feathers on the bird's crown will wear away and his crown will become solidly black.
"Oops: did I drop one?"
Anything Siskins can do so can Goldfinches.
Very smart.
Watch out: there is a spider about. A blissfully unaware November Moth type (Epirrita dilutata agg.)
A Winter Moth (Operophtera brumata) rather spread-eagled on the Teece Drive fence.
(Ed Wilson)
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The Flash: 09:25 – 10:55
(224th visit of the year)
Bird notes:
- at least three Greylag Geese were lurking inside the island. I could just about see what might have been one of the mainly white feral goose with them. Tow other Greylags were on the water for a while before climbing back on the island.
- I guess I overlooked the drake Gadwall yesterday: it was back where it has been for over a week.
- A Song Thrush was singing intermittently at the top end again.
- A Grey Wagtail was in the Wesley Brook by the Priorslee Academy.
Bird(s) noted flying over here:
- 2 Jackdaws
Noted on / around the water:
- 7 Canada Geese
- 5 Greylag Geese
- 2 + 4 Mute Swans
- 1 (1♂) Gadwall
- *34 (22♂) Mallard
- 1 (1♂) all-white feral duck
- 1 (1♂) Pochard
- *32 (16♂) Tufted Duck
- 2 (0♂) Goosander
- 13 Moorhens
- 48 Coots
- 4 Great Crested Grebes
- *15 Black-headed Gulls
- 1 Herring Gull: third winter
- *2 Grey Herons: one departed
- *1 Kingfisher
Noted on / beside the street lamp poles etc. around the water etc.:
Moths:
- *+1 Mottled Umber (Erranis defoliaria)
- 1 Sprawler (Asteroscopus sphinx): its fourteenth day!
also:
- 2 harvestmen Dicranopalpus ramosus/caudatus
Noted elsewhere around The Flash:
- *+1 Mottled Umber (Erranis defoliaria)
- 1 Sprawler (Asteroscopus sphinx): its fourteenth day!
also:
- 2 harvestmen Dicranopalpus ramosus/caudatus
Noted elsewhere around The Flash:
Bees / wasps etc.:
- *Common Wasp (Paravespula vulgaris): many
- *Common Wasp (Paravespula vulgaris): many
Hoverflies:
- *Tapered Dronefly (Eristalis pertinax): just one
- *Tapered Dronefly (Eristalis pertinax): just one
Flies:
- the usual
The wasps were chasing most things off the few remaining Ivy flowers with any nectar remaining
Also found
- *++Pelargonium sp., perhaps P. peltatum in flower. Presumably a garden escape.
New groups of fungus found:
- the usual
The wasps were chasing most things off the few remaining Ivy flowers with any nectar remaining
Also found
- *++Pelargonium sp., perhaps P. peltatum in flower. Presumably a garden escape.
New groups of fungus found:
None
A first-winter drake Mallard. Note the green head is incomplete, with remnant brown patches.
A duo of likely lads.
I should not leave out duck Mallards. One flies in.
Her plumage is unexpectedly complex (and attractive) when seen from this angle.
And the front view of another.
An adult winter Black-headed Gull.
And an elegant first winter.
As I arrived this Grey Heron was flying off.
The other Grey Heron did a fly-by later.
Getting better. A slightly closer Kingfisher....
...soon flew off. I needed more light for the camera to 'freeze' the action.
A party of Long-tailed Tits challenged the camera to focus between the twigs.
One looking for inspiration?
That's better.
A Common Wasp (Paravespula vulgaris) attacks the last of the Ivy (Hedera) flowers.
(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
2012
Priorslee Lake
3 Gadwall
8 Pochard
15 Tufted Ducks
149 Coots
286 Redwings
84 Fieldfares
c.350 Jackdaws but no Rooks seen.
(Ed Wilson / John Isherwood)
2009
Priorslee Lake
42 Mute Swan
1 Wigeon
c. 45 Tufted
36 Pochard
c. 240 Coot
c. 400 Lesser Black-backed Gull
c. 120 Black-headed Gull
10 Herring Gull
3 Yellow Legged Gull
(Mike Cooper)
2007
Priorslee Lake
1 male Stonechat showing well near to sailing club hut.
1 Gadwall
(John Isherwood)
2006
Priorslee Lake
31 Pochard
52 Tufted Ducks
8 Lapwings
>550 Black-headed Gulls
187 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
239 Wood Pigeons
40 Robins
32 Blackbirds
60 Fieldfares
11 Redwings
1 Willow Tit
310 Jackdaws
150 Rooks
35 Greenfinch
6 Reed Buntings
(Ed Wilson)
2005
Priorslee Lake
18 Pochard
55 Tufted Duck
3 Ruddy Duck
1 Wigeon
c.200 Coot
4 Cormorant
C.750 birds
24 Fieldfare
3 Redpoll
12 Siskin
5 Reed Bunting
1 Willow Tit
(Martin Adlam)