10.0°C > 19.0°C > 11.0°C: A high overcast, broken below with light showers. Some breaks later with weak sun. Light south-westerly wind. Very good visibility.
Sunrise: 08:21 GMT
* = a species photographed today
Merry Christmas
Firstly thanks to all the people I met this morning for their good wishes for the season. I trust all my readers had an enjoyable time.
Priorslee Balancing Lake: 06:50 – 09:35
(271st visit of the year)
Bird notes:
- A constantly calling drake Gadwall was not noted after c.08:10. I did not see it leave.
- c.100 Black-headed Gulls began circling over the water at 07:35. It was after 07:45 before they settled on the water by which time there were c.450. By 08:15 there were fewer than 100 remaining. A sudden arrival, probably of birds that had been on the football field to feed (on what?), boosted the number to c.230 again by 08:35.
- The first large gulls were noted overhead after 08:35 with most birds passing south-west to the West of the area, though later some of them diverted in to the lake.
- The Cetti's Warbler was again very vocal for a while after dawn.
- At least five Song Thrushes in song when I arrived. Two were noted singing in different locations much later when the original five were quiet. Were these additional songsters or earlier birds relocating?
Counts of birds noted flying over:
- 3 Canada Geese: duo outbound; single inbound
- 1 Greylag Goose: inbound
- 2 Wood Pigeons only
- 21 Herring Gulls
- 70 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 23 Jackdaws
- 2 Mistle Thrushes
- 1 Greenfinch
- 5 Siskins
Birds seen leaving roosts around the lake.
No interesting gulls today so it is mainly insects etc. again from the lake today. It is some days since I found a Spotted-winged Drosophila Drosophila suzukii: this is a male with the dark tips to its wings.
Yesterday I noted by first-ever Ensign Fly Sepsis sp. Today another: this one without any patterning in its wings so a different, but still unidentified, species. Obvious banding on the antennae.
One of two winter craneflies Trichocera sp. Three of the four common species have plain wings so are impossible to separate from photos.
A slightly better photo of a fungus gnat Mycetophilidae sp. showing the spurs and hairs on the legs more clearly. Four species are shown on NatureSpot, three with patterned wings and the other with orange antennae. So ...?
Another chance to see .... a possible moth fly from the Psychodidae family. Another somewhat better photo shows it also to have banded antennae. That does not help with specific identification.
One of several small plumed midges. This is a male with the plumed antennae. I cannot suggest an identity. Note the wings extend beyond the abdomen and therefore...
A weevil with a bent nose. Obsidentify's top suggestion was Parethelcus pollinarius Checking with NatureSpot this seems a good suggestion though as usual there are several similar species.
I noted Bridge Orb-web Spiders Larinioides sclopetarius almost daily in Autumn. They seem to only appear on mild mornings now: and who can blame them.
A harvestman Paroligolophus agrestis. The shadows make it hard to see that this one has only seven legs. The second pair of legs is much longer on this species.
(253rd visit of the year)
Bird notes:
- Now three drake Common Teal with just one duck visible.
- Only one duck Pochard seen with three drakes as her escort.
Bird(s) noted flying over here:
A Greylag Goose with a Canada x Greylag Goose hybrid. There are several different-looking examples of this cross-breeding that turn up from time to time.
Tucked up on the island it is just possible to discern three drake and one duck (on the right) Common Teal.
One of several Common Blow Flies Calliphora vicina that were out on the remnant Ivy Helix flowers. There was a single Tapered Dronefly Eristalis pertinax for a while but it stayed around the back of a flower-cluster and then flew away before I could get even a record shot. A hoverfly on Christmas Day: whatever next.
The white crust on a small black twig is hard to show. The fungus is Netted Crust Byssomerulius corium, new to me.
(Ed Wilson)
Sightings from previous years without links are below
2013
Priorslee Lake
5 Gadwall
2 Teal
6 Pochard
78 Tufted Ducks
1 female Greater Scaup
222 Coots counted
Caspian Gull
2 Fieldfare
17 Redwings
429 Jackdaws
173 Rooks
(Ed Wilson)
The Flash
1 Pochard
110 Tufted Ducks
17 Goosanders
(Ed Wilson)
Trench Lock Pool
11 Swans
1 Shoveler
c.115 Tufted Duck
7 Goosander
129 Coots
41 Black-headed Gulls
51 Lesser Black-backed Gull
1 Yellow-legged Gull
21 Herring Gulls
(Ed Wilson)
2009
Priorslee Lake
Black-necked Grebe
26 Mute Swans today
4 Great Crested Grebes
>17 Greylag Geese
4 Gadwall
26 Pochard
97 Tufted Ducks
Common Gull
309 Coot
5 Goldfinches
c.20 Siskins
(Ed Wilson)
2006
Priorslee lake
1 Great Crested Grebe
31 Pochard
33 Tufted Ducks
58 Coots
c.500 Black-headed Gulls
c.3200 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
12 Herring Gulls
2 Great Black-backed Gulls
15 Pied Wagtails
1 Redpoll
3 Reed Buntings
(Martin Adlam)
Firstly thanks to all the people I met this morning for their good wishes for the season. I trust all my readers had an enjoyable time.
Priorslee Balancing Lake: 06:50 – 09:35
(271st visit of the year)
Bird notes:
- A constantly calling drake Gadwall was not noted after c.08:10. I did not see it leave.
- c.100 Black-headed Gulls began circling over the water at 07:35. It was after 07:45 before they settled on the water by which time there were c.450. By 08:15 there were fewer than 100 remaining. A sudden arrival, probably of birds that had been on the football field to feed (on what?), boosted the number to c.230 again by 08:35.
- The first large gulls were noted overhead after 08:35 with most birds passing south-west to the West of the area, though later some of them diverted in to the lake.
- The Cetti's Warbler was again very vocal for a while after dawn.
- At least five Song Thrushes in song when I arrived. Two were noted singing in different locations much later when the original five were quiet. Were these additional songsters or earlier birds relocating?
Counts of birds noted flying over:
- 3 Canada Geese: duo outbound; single inbound
- 1 Greylag Goose: inbound
- 2 Wood Pigeons only
- 21 Herring Gulls
- 70 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 23 Jackdaws
- 2 Mistle Thrushes
- 1 Greenfinch
- 5 Siskins
Birds seen leaving roosts around the lake.
None
Counts from the lake area:
- 2 + 2 Mute Swans
- 6 (4♂) Mallard
- 1 (1♂) Gadwall: departed
- 32 (21♂) Tufted Duck
- 11 Moorhens
- 105 Coots
- 1 Great Crested Grebe
- c.450 Black-headed Gulls
- 7 Herring Gulls
- 27 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 2 Cormorants: arrived separately; one departed
- 1 Grey Heron
The (semi) nocturnal community on or around the street lamp poles pre-dawn:
Counts from the lake area:
- 2 + 2 Mute Swans
- 6 (4♂) Mallard
- 1 (1♂) Gadwall: departed
- 32 (21♂) Tufted Duck
- 11 Moorhens
- 105 Coots
- 1 Great Crested Grebe
- c.450 Black-headed Gulls
- 7 Herring Gulls
- 27 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 2 Cormorants: arrived separately; one departed
- 1 Grey Heron
The (semi) nocturnal community on or around the street lamp poles pre-dawn:
Moths:
- 1 male Winter Moth Operophtera brumata
- 1 male Winter Moth Operophtera brumata
Flies:
- 1 Spotted-winged Drosophila Drosophila suzukii
- 1 Dryomyza anilis
- 1 Ensign Fly Sepsis sp.
- 2 winter craneflies Trichocera sp.
- 1 fungus gnat Mycetophilidae sp.
- 1 possible moth fly from the Psychodidae family
- several small plumed midges
- 1 Spotted-winged Drosophila Drosophila suzukii
- 1 Dryomyza anilis
- 1 Ensign Fly Sepsis sp.
- 2 winter craneflies Trichocera sp.
- 1 fungus gnat Mycetophilidae sp.
- 1 possible moth fly from the Psychodidae family
- several small plumed midges
Beetles:
- 1 weevil, probably Parethelcus pollinarius
- 1 weevil, probably Parethelcus pollinarius
Other insects:
- 1 springtail
- 1 springtail
Spiders and allies:
- 1 Stout Sac Spider Clubiona sp.
- 1 Bridge Orb-web Spider Larinioides sclopetarius.
- 1 Long-jawed Orb-web Spider Tetragnatha sp.
- 1 harvestman Paroligolophus agrestis
Noted on the Teece Drive fence:
- 1 harvestman Paroligolophus agrestis
- 1 Stout Sac Spider Clubiona sp.
- 1 Bridge Orb-web Spider Larinioides sclopetarius.
- 1 Long-jawed Orb-web Spider Tetragnatha sp.
- 1 harvestman Paroligolophus agrestis
Noted on the Teece Drive fence:
- 1 harvestman Paroligolophus agrestis
...this one may be a different species with shorter wings.
A Stout Sac Spider Clubiona sp. Is that spare leg all that is left of its breakfast?
From side-on it is easier to see the spots on the leg of this Long-jawed Orb-web Spider Tetragnatha sp.
Another seven-legged Bridge Orb-web Spider Larinioides sclopetarius. I cannot recall seeing one with pale patches its abdomen before.
(Ed Wilson)
The Flash: 09:40 – 10:55
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The Flash: 09:40 – 10:55
(253rd visit of the year)
Bird notes:
- Now three drake Common Teal with just one duck visible.
- Only one duck Pochard seen with three drakes as her escort.
Bird(s) noted flying over here:
None
Noted on / around the water:
- 12 Canada Geese:
- 1 Canada x Greylag Goose
- 71 Greylag Geese: many of these departed
- 2 + 4 Mute Swans
- 3 (2♂) Gadwall
- 41 (28♂) Mallard
- 1 (1♂) all-white feral duck
- 4 (3♂) Common Teal
- 4 (3♂) Pochard
- 59 (35♂) Tufted Duck
- 3 (1♂) Goosander
- 16 Moorhens
- 42 Coots
- 3 Great Crested Grebes
- 63 Black-headed Gulls
- 1 Herring Gull: first winter
- 1 Cormorant
- 1 Grey Heron
Fungus
Noted on / around the water:
- 12 Canada Geese:
- 1 Canada x Greylag Goose
- 71 Greylag Geese: many of these departed
- 2 + 4 Mute Swans
- 3 (2♂) Gadwall
- 41 (28♂) Mallard
- 1 (1♂) all-white feral duck
- 4 (3♂) Common Teal
- 4 (3♂) Pochard
- 59 (35♂) Tufted Duck
- 3 (1♂) Goosander
- 16 Moorhens
- 42 Coots
- 3 Great Crested Grebes
- 63 Black-headed Gulls
- 1 Herring Gull: first winter
- 1 Cormorant
- 1 Grey Heron
Fungus
New fungus found along the North side:
- Netted Crust Byssomerulius corium
Noted on the ivy bank:
- Tapered Dronefly Eristalis pertinax
- Common Blow Fly Calliphora vicina
- Netted Crust Byssomerulius corium
Noted on the ivy bank:
- Tapered Dronefly Eristalis pertinax
- Common Blow Fly Calliphora vicina
A pair of Pochard, the drake on the left.
The drake again
What a crest! This duck Goosander is now well in to breeding plumage.
(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
5 Gadwall
2 Teal
6 Pochard
78 Tufted Ducks
1 female Greater Scaup
222 Coots counted
Caspian Gull
2 Fieldfare
17 Redwings
429 Jackdaws
173 Rooks
(Ed Wilson)
The Flash
1 Pochard
110 Tufted Ducks
17 Goosanders
(Ed Wilson)
Trench Lock Pool
11 Swans
1 Shoveler
c.115 Tufted Duck
7 Goosander
129 Coots
41 Black-headed Gulls
51 Lesser Black-backed Gull
1 Yellow-legged Gull
21 Herring Gulls
(Ed Wilson)
2009
Priorslee Lake
Black-necked Grebe
26 Mute Swans today
4 Great Crested Grebes
>17 Greylag Geese
4 Gadwall
26 Pochard
97 Tufted Ducks
Common Gull
309 Coot
5 Goldfinches
c.20 Siskins
(Ed Wilson)
2006
Priorslee lake
1 Great Crested Grebe
31 Pochard
33 Tufted Ducks
58 Coots
c.500 Black-headed Gulls
c.3200 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
12 Herring Gulls
2 Great Black-backed Gulls
15 Pied Wagtails
1 Redpoll
3 Reed Buntings
(Martin Adlam)