26 Apr 24

Priorslee Balancing Lake and The Flash

1.0°C > 7.0°C: Clear with an early frost. Some light cloud developing later. Still chilly with a light easterly breeze. Very good visibility.

Sunrise: 05:47 BST

* = a species photographed today

Priorslee Balancing Lake: 05:15 – 06:10 // 07:15 – 09:30

(92nd visit of the year)

New Bird Species
Two new bird species for my year list from here:
- an Oystercatcher flew high East calling at 08:30 – too high for the camera to pick it up.
- a Garden Warbler was singing in the hedge between the South side of the water and the M54. This completes all likely species of warbler for here this year.
This year's bird species total moved on to #89.

Other bird notes:

Counts of birds noted flying over:
- 10 Canada Geese: a sextet outbound; two pairs inbound
- 2 Greylag Geese: a pair inbound
- 3 Feral Pigeons: together
- 9 Racing Pigeons: together
- 6 Wood Pigeons
- 1 Oystercatcher
- 1 Lesser Black-backed Gull
- 1 Cormorant
- 1 Jackdaw

Hirundines etc. noted:
- 8 Sand Martins
- *4 Barn Swallows

Warblers noted (the figure in brackets relates to birds heard singing):
- 1 (1) Cetti's Warbler
- 1 (1) Willow Warbler
- 13 (10) Chiffchaffs
- 5 (5) Reed Warblers
- 17 (13) Blackcaps
- 1 (1) Garden Warbler
- 1 (1) Common Whitethroat
'nominal' warbler:
- 3 (3) Goldcrests

Counts from the lake area:
- 8 Canada Geese: the resident pair throughout: three other pairs visited
- 2 Mute Swans
- 4 (4♂) Mallard
- 4 (3♂) Tufted Duck
- 4 Moorhen
- 29 Coots
- 4 Great Crested Grebes
- 1 Grey Heron

Noted on the street lamps poles pre-dawn:

Frosted!

Beetles:
- Alder Leaf Beetle Agelastica alni

Noted later:

The sun was not strong enough to tempt anything much to show and anyway the easterly wind was blowing on to any sunlit vegetation:

Flies:
- Alder Fly Sialis lutaria

Beetles:
- Alder Leaf Beetle Agelastica alni

At last: a clear dawn.

A few clouds to the South. These did not interfere with the local area.

A few Barn Swallows were flying around. The best I could do.

(Ed Wilson)

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In the Priorslee Avenue tunnel:

Flies:
- 3 various midges
- *1 cranefly Dicranomyia chorea
- 1 owl midge Psychodidae sp.

Arthropods:
- *1 White-legged Snake Millipede Tachypodoiulus niger

I cannot identify this non-biting midge that I see most days. There is a species with similarly long legs on the NatureSpot web site but that has a dusky band across the wings which this lacks.

Another small cranefly: the 'M' (or 'W') shaped mark on the folded wings identifies it as Dicranomyia chorea. It is missing two legs.

Yet another White-legged Snake Millipede Tachypodoiulus niger

(Ed Wilson)

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The Flash: 06:15 – 07:10

(95th visit of the year)

New Bird Species
Also two new bird species for 2024 here:
- a Pied Wagtail flushed off Derwent Drive as I arrived was very surprisingly my first here this year.
- a Lesser Whitethroat was giving its rattling song from bushes at the very top of the water before flying off towards the A5. I do not record this species here every year.
This year's bird species total moved on to #62.

Other bird notes:
- still three immature Mute Swans: where is the fourth?
- a new brood of Mallard ducklings: about seven? They scurried for cover when a Lesser Black-backed Gulls arrived.
- after a larger number of Coots yesterday I recorded a smaller number today. Why? Juvenile(s) were out from one of the nests and were heard calling from the cover of reeds. I could not determine how many.

Bird(s) noted flying over here:
- 1 Cormorant
- 1 Jackdaw

Warblers noted (the figure in brackets relates to birds heard singing):
- 3 (3) Willow Warblers
- 7 (7) Chiffchaffs
- 8 (7) Blackcaps
- 1 (1) Lesser Whitethroat
'nominal' warbler:
- no Goldcrest

Noted on / around the water:
- 34 Canada Geese
- 4 Greylag Geese
- 5 Mute Swans
- 17 (13♂) + 7? (1 brood) Mallard
- 11 (8♂) Tufted Duck
- 8 Moorhens
- 19 Coots
- 1 Great Crested Grebe
- 1 Lesser Black-backed Gull: immature

Noted elsewhere around The Flash on different lamp poles:

Moths:
- *1 Red-green Carpet Chloroclysta siterata

Flies:
- 1 female plumed midge
- *1 wood gnat Sylvicola fenestralis

High up on a street lamp pole I found this Red-green Carpet moth Chloroclysta siterata. A species that over-winters as an adult and flies briefly in the Spring.

This is a Sylvicola wood gnat trying to hide against the lichen on a street lamp pole. The three dark lines on the thorax identify this as S. fenestralis, just about the only member of the family that can be identified from a photo.

(Ed Wilson)

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Sightings from previous years

2014
Priorslee Lake
3 Cranes
(Observer Unknown)

The Wrekin
3 Wood Warbler
(Damon H, Jim A, Yvonne C)

2013
Priorslee Lake
1 Cormorant
1 Dunlin
1 Common Sandpipers
1 Yellow Wagtail
1 Wheatear
3 Reed Warblers
12 Blackcaps
7 Chiffchaffs
2 Willow Warblers
(Ed Wilson)

The Flash
3 Greylag Goose
1 Richardson's / Cackling-type Canada Goose
3 Pochard
7 Tufted Duck
4 Blackcaps
2 Chiffchaffs
4 Willow Warblers
2 Swallows
1 Redpoll
(Ed Wilson)

Trench Middle Pool
3 Great Crested Grebes
28 Greylag Geese
1 Tufted Duck
1 Blackcap
3 Chiffchaffs
3 Willow Warblers
(Ed Wilson)

Trench Lock Pool
3 Great Crested Grebes
6 Tufted Duck
2 Swifts
c.5 Sand Martins
c.30 Swallows
c.40 House Martins
1 Blackcap
1 Chiffchaff
1 Willow Warbler
Sparrowhawk
(Ed Wilson)

Nedge Hill
19 Wheatear
Swallows
(Richard Camp)

Long Lane, Wellington
c10 Ringed Plover
c10 Dunlin
Spotted Redshank
(JV Reeves)

2012
Priorslee Lake
1 Swift
12 House Martin
7 Swallow
(Martin Grant)

2011
The Wrekin
3 Pied Flycatcher
1 Common Redstart
2 Marsh Tit
1 Wood Warbler
(Ed Wilson)

2008
Priorslee Lake
Swift
3 Common Sandpipers
1 Sedge Warbler
6 Reed Warblers
9 Chiffchaffs
(Ed Wilson)

East of Priorslee Lake
6 Whitethroats
2 Skylarks
1 Yellowhammer
(Ed Wilson)

2007
Priorslee Lake
4 Great Crested Grebes
7 Greylag Geese
1 Tufted Duck
3 Swallows
3 Blackcaps
1 Chiffchaff
2 Jays
28 Magpies
(Ed Wilson)

Nedge Hill
1 Ring Ouzel
(Peter Nickless)

Priorslee Flash
1 Cormorant
Swallows
34 Blackbirds
6 Willow Warbler
1 Reed Bunting
(Ed Wilson)

Lanes to the east of Priorslee Flash
5 Mallard
1 Buzzard
1 Heron
Skylarks
Blackcaps
(Ed Wilson)

2006
Priorslee Lake
5 Great Crested Grebes
1 Heron
7 Tufted Ducks
2 Ruddy Ducks
1 Kestrel
1 Common Sandpiper
6 Stock Doves
1 Swift
2 Sand Martins
2 Swallows
1 Yellow Wagtail
2 Grey Wagtails
26 Wrens
26 Blackbirds
1 Sedge Warbler
3 Reed Warblers
1 Lesser Whitethroat
7 Blackcaps
6 Chiffchaffs
2 Willow Warblers
17 Magpies
1 Raven
7 Greenfinches
5 Reed Buntings.
(Ed Wilson)

25 Apr 24

Priorslee Balancing Lake and The Flash

3.0°C > 7.0°C: Medium level cloud after overnight slight frost. Soon cleared to thin high overcast before more lower cloud. Light south-westerly breeze. Very good visibility.

Sunrise: 05:50 BST

* = a species photographed today

Priorslee Balancing Lake: 05:20 – 06:10 // 07:05 – 07:40

(91st visit of the year)

Two short visits either side of the usual walk to, around and from The Flash. I had to leave early. Particularly frustrating as I received a report of a Cuckoo calling from the North side after 09:00!

Species Count
No species counts from here, just a log of species recorded

Other bird notes:
- no first year Mute Swans remained.

Birds species noted flying over:
- Canada Geese
- Greylag Geese
- Wood Pigeons
- Lesser Black-backed Gull
- Jackdaw

Hirundines etc. noted:
- Sand Martins
- Barn Swallows

Warblers noted:
- Cetti's Warbler
- Willow Warbler
- Chiffchaff
- Reed Warbler
- Blackcap
- Common Whitethroat
'nominal' warbler:
- Goldcrest
No Sedge Warbler today

Partial counts from the lake area:
- 2 Canada Geese
- 2 Mute Swans
- 1 (1♂) Mallard
- 2 (1♂) Tufted Duck
- 1 Moorhen
- Coots
- Great Crested Grebes

Noted on the street lamps poles pre-dawn:

It was cold

Arthropods:
- *1 White-legged Snake Millipede Tachypodoiulus niger

Spiders:
- *2 Stout Sac Spiders Clubiona sp.

Noted later:

Beetles:
- Alder Leaf Beetle Agelastica alni

More or less as good as it got this morning.

Not much to show you this morning so let us have another White-legged Snake Millipede Tachypodoiulus niger.

There were two of these Stout Sac Spiders Clubiona sp. together on the same street lamp pole. This, with the relatively large palps, is a male.

This looks to be the female. I am not sure why it is a different colour. I do recall a difference at the time so perhaps it is an effect of angle of the light from my LED torch.

(Ed Wilson)

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In the Priorslee Avenue tunnel:

Flies:
- various midges
- *small cranefly, just possibly Austrolimnophila ochracea

Arthropods:
- 1 White-legged Snake Millipede Tachypodoiulus niger

This was a smaller than usual cranefly with an apparently longer than usual antennae. I can't get a positive ID. It just possibly may be Austrolimnophila ochracea.

(Ed Wilson)

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The Flash: 06:15 – 07:00

(93rd visit of the year)

A normal, if slightly earlier, walk around here.

Bird notes:
- three immature Mute Swans again.
- what I presume were a pair of Treecreepers were seen chasing around and around a tree trunk on the East side.

Bird(s) noted flying over here:
- 1 Great Crested Grebe: or did this take off from here?

Warblers noted (the figure in brackets relates to birds heard singing):
- 3 (3) Willow Warblers
- 7 (7) Chiffchaffs
- 9 (7) Blackcaps
'nominal' warbler:
- 1 (1) Goldcrest

Noted on / around the water:
- 27 Canada Geese
- 4 Greylag Geese
- 5 Mute Swans
- 14 (12♂) Mallard
- 13 (8♂) Tufted Duck
- 3 Moorhens
- 26 Coots
- 2 Herring Gulls: adults, arrived together, bathed and departed to be replaced by...
- 2 Lesser Black-backed Gulls: adults, arrived together

Noted elsewhere around The Flash:

Flowers:
- Lords & Ladies or Cuckoo Pint Arum maculatum
- *(English) Bluebell Hyacinthoides non-scripta
- *Hybrid Bluebell Hyacinthoides x massartiana.

I believe these are Hybrid Bluebells Hyacinthoides x massartiana. Note that the stems are straight and the bells are all around the stem.

These bluebells are not yet fully open but are showing features of (English) Bluebell H. non-scripta. Note the stems are bending over and the bells look to be on one side of the stem only.

(Ed Wilson)

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Sightings from previous years

2014
Priorslee Lake
1 Reed Warbler
1 Sedge Warbler
(John Isherwood)

Nedge Hill
1 Lesser Whitethroat
5 Wheatear
(John Isherwood)

2013
Priorslee Lake
Tawny Owl
4 Great Crested Grebes
2 Cormorants
2 Lapwings
2 Common Sandpiper
3 Reed Warblers
14 Blackcaps
8 Chiffchaffs
2 Willow Warblers
(Ed Wilson)

The Flash
2 Great Crested Grebe
1 Greylag Goose
1 Richardson's / Cackling-type Canada Goose
12 Tufted Duck
5 Song Thrushes
3 Blackcaps
3 Chiffchaffs
3 Willow Warblers
(Ed Wilson)

Woodhouse Lane
3 Common Whitethroats
2 Linnets.
7 Yellowhammers
Blackcaps
Chiffchaffs
Willow Warbler
(Ed Wilson)

Nedge Hill
4 Meadow Pipits
4 Skylark
20 Wheatear
2 Fieldfare
1 Lesser Whitethroat.
2 Common Whitethroats.
3 Blackcaps.
2 Chiffchaffs.
1 Linnet.
2 Yellowhammer
(Ed Wilson, John Isherwood)

Long Lane, Wellington
1 Whimbrel
2 Curlew
6 Dunlin
2 Ringed Plover
(JW Reeves)

2012
Priorslee Lake
35 Swallows
2 House Martins
Grey Wagtail
Blackcap
Chiffchaff
2 Swift
1 Grasshopper Warbler
(John Isherwood, J W Reeves, Martin Grant)

Nedge Hill
1 Wheatear
(John Isherwood)

2011
Priorslee Lake
1 Yellow Wagtail
Common Sandpiper
(John Isherwood)

Nedge Hill
9 Wheatear
(John Isherwood)

2010
Priorslee Lake
3 Common Sandpiper
(Andy Latham)

Nedge Hill
Swift
12 Wheatear
1 Whinchat
Lesser Whitethroat
2 Whitethroat
Blackcap
(Andy Latham)

2009
Priorslee Lake
1 Wheatear
(John Isherwood)

Nedge Hill
19 Wheatear
1 Lesser Whitethroat
2 Turtle Doves
(John Isherwood)

2008
Priorslee Lake
4 Great Crested Grebes
Sand Martins
Swallows
1 Tufted Duck
1 Sedge Warbler
4 Reed Warblers
1 Lesser Whitethroat
1 Common Whitethroat
3 Blackcaps
6 Chiffchaffs
1 Willow Warbler
(Ed Wilson)

Nedge Hill
2 Wheatear
1 Common Whitethroat
(Ed Wilson)

2007
Priorslee
3 Great Crested Grebes
1 Tufted Duck
1 Wheatear
1 Chiffchaff
1 Willow Tit
1 Willow Warbler
(Ed Wilson)

Nedge Hill
5 Wheatears
1 Whinchat
1 Sedge Warbler
Common Whitethroat
4 Linnets
(Ed Wilson)

Priorslee Flash
Swallows
1 Grey Wagtail
6 Blackcaps
6 Willow Warbler
(Ed Wilson)

2006
Priorslee Lake
7 Great Crested Grebes
4 Herons
4 Greylag Geese
4 Tufted Ducks
2 Ruddy Duck
2 Kestrels
2 Common Sandpipers
1 Skylark
23 Sand Martins
12 Swallows
29 Wrens
2 Sedge Warblers
2 Reed Warblers
11 Blackcaps
8 Chiffchaffs
2 Willow Warblers
2 Jays
7 Greenfinches
21 Redpolls
5 Reed Buntings.

Lanes
3 Whitethroats
2 Skylarks
3 Whitethroats
2 Blackcaps
1 Chiffchaff
4 Linnets
6 Yellowhammers
(Ed Wilson)

24 Apr 24

Priorslee Balancing Lake and The Flash

5.0°C > 8.0°C: Again a sliver of clear sky to the East while it was raining to start! Soon cleared with sunny spells later. Still chilly with a cool north-easterly breeze springing after a calm start. Very good visibility.

Sunrise: 05:52 BST

* = a species photographed today

Priorslee Balancing Lake: 05:35 – 06:25 // 07:20 – 09:40

(90th visit of the year)

I was not surprised that the Lesser Whitethroat was not heard again today. New in was the second Sedge Warbler of the year.

Other bird notes:
- only one first year Mute Swan remained from yesterday's chaos and that had left by 07:30.
- an improbably high count of Blackcaps: they seemed to be singing everywhere.

Counts of birds noted flying over:
- 7 Canada Geese: a quintet outbound; a pair inbound
- 8 Wood Pigeons
- *2 possible Yellow-legged Gulls: immatures, together
- 3 Cormorants: a duo East and a single West
- 1 Jackdaw
- 2 Rooks

Hirundines etc. noted:
- 9 Barn Swallows

Warblers noted (the figure in brackets relates to birds heard singing):
- 1 (1) Cetti's Warbler
- 3 (3) Willow Warblers
- 15 (15) Chiffchaffs
- 1 (1) Sedge Warbler
- 4 (4) Reed Warblers
- 21 (19) Blackcaps
- 1 (1) Common Whitethroat
'nominal' warbler:
- 1 (1) Goldcrest

Counts from the lake area:
- 4 Canada Geese: the resident pair throughout: another pair briefly
- 3 Mute Swans: see notes
- 2 (2♂) Mallard
- 6 (4♂) Tufted Duck
- 5 Moorhen
- 28 Coots
- 4 Great Crested Grebes
- 2 Common Sandpipers
- 2 Herring Gulls: adults briefly on the football field at 06:15 apparently chased off by...
- 2 Lesser Black-backed Gulls: adults, together, briefly

On the street lamps poles pre-dawn:

Nothing noted, it was raining

Noted later:

The sun was not strong enough to tempt anything much to show:

Flies:
- Alder Fly Sialis lutaria

Beetles:
- Alder Leaf Beetle Agelastica alni

Flowers:
- *Lords & Ladies or Cuckoo Pint Arum maculatum
- *Red Dead-nettle Lamium purpureum
- *Red Campion Silene dioica

 It was raining at the lake. Nevertheless the sliver of clear sky to the East allowed some red in the sky.

I had thought I was spared of difficult gulls for the summer. This one (of two similar birds together) is a puzzle. I think it is a first year Yellow-legged Gull. It is too dark to be a first year Herring Gull. If it was a first year Lesser Black-backed Gull then the secondary coverts would be more solidly dark. So I am left to conclude it is a Yellow-legged Gull.

Two Carrion Crows attempt to escort a Common Buzzard off what they claim as their territory.

Some rough and tumble

 The buzzard makes its escape. Note the shape of the tail in this phase of flight and compare with...

...this view.

Not my best but one hand was holding a flopping leaf covering the emerging flower of Lords & Ladies or Cuckoo Pint Arum maculatum. It is much easier to see the fruiting spike of this plant in the Autumn.

The flowering top of my first Red Dead-nettle Lamium purpureum of the year.

 Another new flower for the year: a Red Campion Silene dioica.

(Ed Wilson)

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In the Priorslee Avenue tunnel:

Flies:
- 3 various midges
- *1 owl midge Psychodidae sp.

The owl midge Psychodidae sp. on the wall of the tunnel.

(Ed Wilson)

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The Flash: 06:30 – 07:15

(92nd visit of the year)

Bird notes:
- now three immature Mute Swans, all likely last year's birds returned after being chased back from the Balancing Lake.
- what is likely to be the same peripatetic drake Gadwall was here again.
- Willow Warblers keep coming – or won't go away.

Bird(s) noted flying over here:
- 1 Canada Goose

Warblers noted (the figure in brackets relates to birds heard singing):
- 5 (5) Willow Warblers
- 8 (8) Chiffchaffs
- 12 (9) Blackcaps
'nominal' warbler:
- 1 (1) Goldcrest

Noted on / around the water:
- 28 Canada Geese
- 2 Greylag Geese
- 5 Mute Swans
- 1 (1♂) Gadwall
- 18 (15♂) Mallard
- 17 (10♂) Tufted Duck
- 6 Moorhens
- 22 Coots

Noted elsewhere around The Flash on different lamp poles:

Flies:
- *cranefly Limonia nubeculosa

Slugs/snails:
- *White-lipped Snail Cepaea hortensis

Flowers:
- *White Dead-Nettle Lamium album

Gardeners might not agree this but the shell of this White-lipped Snail Cepaea hortensis is very smart.

As yesterday a cranefly with well-patterned wings. It is Limonia nubeculosa. Unlike that I photographed yesterday there is no parasite on the neck area.

New flowers of a White Dead-Nettle Lamium album. This species has been flowering all winter but those flowers have been rather battered and ragged. So good to see some pristine new flowers.

(Ed Wilson)

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Sightings from previous years

2014
Nedge Hill
2 Redstart
7 Wheatear
Whitethroat
Willow Warbler
(Ian Grant)

2013
Priorslee Lake
4 Great Crested Grebes
5 Greylag Geese
5 Common Sandpipers
2 Reed Warblers
6 Blackcaps
9 Chiffchaffs
2 Willow Warblers
(Ed Wilson)

The Flash
1 Richardson's / Cackling-type Canada Goose
20 Tufted Duck
2 Chiffchaffs
5 Willow Warblers
(Ed Wilson)

Long Lane, Wellington
1 Little Ringed Plover
3 Ringed Plover
2 Dunlin
Lesser Whitethroat
(JW Reeves)

2012
Priorslee Lake
8 Great Crested Grebes
11 Greylag
1 Tufted Duck
1 Grasshopper Warbler
1 Sedge Warbler
14 Blackcaps
4 Willow Warblers
11 Chiffchaffs
(Ed Wilson)

Priorslee Flash
4 Great Crested Grebes
5 Greylag Geese
17 Tufted Duck
5 Blackcaps
3 Willow Warblers
4 Chiffchaffs
1 Reed Bunting
(Ed Wilson)

Nedge Hill
1 Wheatear
1 Common Whitethroat
2 Lapwings
1 Green Woodpecker
6 Skylarks
4 Blackcaps
1 Willow Warbler
3 Chiffchaffs
9 Linnets
(Ed Wilson)

2010
Priorslee Lake
4 Common Sandpiper
(John Isherwood)

Nedge Hill
8 Wheatear
28 Fieldfare
2 Whitethroat
(John Isherwood)

2008
Priorslee Lake
Reed Warblers
3 Common Sandpipers
1 Sedge Warbler
1 Common Whitethroat
(Ed Wilson)

The Flash
2 Common Sandpipers
1 Tufted Duck
Blackcap
Chiffchaff
Willow Warbler
(Ed Wilson)

Trench
8 Tufted Duck
8 Swallows
3 House Martin
(Ed Wilson)

Nedge Hill
2 Wheatear
1 Common Whitethroat
2 Linnet
(Ed Wilson)

2007
Priorslee Flash
4 Great Crested Grebe
1 Ruddy Duck
4 Common Sandpiper
3 Swift
32 House Martin
3 Swallow
3 Reed Warbler
2 Sedge Warbler
1 Garden Warbler
6 Blackcap
1 Lesser Whitethroat
5 Chiffchaff
4 Reed Bunting
(Martin Adlam)

2006
Priorslee Lake
5 Great Crested Grebes
14 Tufted Ducks
2 Ruddy Ducks
7 Sand Martins
14 Swallows
1 House Martin
3 Stock Doves
3 Grey Wagtails
30 Wrens
2 Sedge Warblers
1 Reed Warbler
1 Common Whitethroat
9 Blackcaps
7 Chiffchaffs
2 Willow Warblers
1 Willow Tit
8 Greenfinches
1 Linnet
1 Redpoll
5 Reed Buntings

(Ed Wilson)

Lanes to the East of Priorslee lake
6 Stock Doves
2 Skylarks
2 Whitethroats
3 Blackcaps
3 Chiffchaffs
4 Linnets
1 Reed Bunting
7 Yellowhammers
(Ed Wilson)

23 Apr 24

Priorslee Balancing Lake and The Flash

6.0°C > 8.0°C: Again an overcast start apart from a sliver of clear sky to the East. More un-forecast sprinkles c.06:00. Cleared after c.08:15. Light / moderate northerly breeze. Very good visibility.

Sunrise: 05:54 BST

* = a species photographed today

Priorslee Balancing Lake: 05:20 – 06:15 // 07:15 – 09:45

(89th visit of the year)

New Bird Species
Two additions to my 2024 bird list from here:
- three Reed Warblers were noted singing from different reed beds.
- a Lesser Whitethroat was heard singing from a dense thicket in the south-west area. This species has bred here in the past though breeding is very hard to prove. As soon as birds are paired the male stops singing, though he may briefly do so again between broods. They always stay well hidden. This bird was just as likely only passing through.
These bring my bird species total to #87 here this year.

Other bird notes:
- I have not been able to sort out all the Mute Swan sighting from here. The resident cob was kept very busy. One first year was almost certainly the last of the quartet from The Flash not yet chased away. A trio landed with one clearly a first year and the other two older immatures. A seventh bird was then noted. One was chased away but I have no idea which one.
- another sighting of a Great Crested Grebe enjoying a large Perch Perca fluviatilis. Too far away for a photo.

Counts of birds noted flying over:
- 2 Canada Geese: a pair outbound
- 2 Greylag Geese: a pair inbound
- 2 Wood Pigeons
- 1 Collared Dove
- 3 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 2 Jackdaws

Hirundines etc. noted:
- 2 Swifts
- 8 Barn Swallows
- 1 House Martin

Warblers noted (the figure in brackets relates to birds heard singing):
- 1 (1) Cetti's Warbler
- 4 (4) Willow Warblers
- 15 (13) Chiffchaffs
- 3 (3) Reed Warblers
- 16 (13) Blackcaps
- 1 (1) Lesser Whitethroat
- 1 (1) Common Whitethroat
'nominal' warbler:
- 4 (4) Goldcrest

Counts from the lake area:
- 2 Canada Geese: the resident pair throughout
- *7 Mute Swans: see notes
- 2 (2♂) Mallard
- 11 (6♂) Tufted Duck
- 1 Moorhen
- 24 Coots
- 3 Great Crested Grebes
- 1 Common Sandpiper
- 2 Black-headed Gulls: first years, together, briefly
- 2 Lesser Black-backed Gulls: (near?) adults, together, briefly

Noted on the street lamps poles pre-dawn:

Moths:
- *1 Small Phoenix Ecliptopera silaceata: probably the same individual as seen Sunday.

Flies:
- 1 cranefly, probably Limonia nubeculosa

Springtails:
- *1 Orchesella sp.
- *1 Tomocerus vulgaris

Spiders:
- 1 Long-jawed Orb-web Spider Tetragnatha sp.

Noted later:

Bees:
- Common Carder Bee Bombus pascuorum
- Buff-tailed Bumblebee Bombus terrestris

Hoverflies:
- *Spring Epistrophe Epistrophe elegans [Spring Smoothtail]
- Chequered Hoverfly Melanostoma scalare [Long-winged Duskyface]

Other flies:
- plumed midge Chironomus plumosus
- *cranefly Tipula rufina
- Alder Fly Sialis lutaria

Beetles:
- Alder Leaf Beetle Agelastica alni

Slugs/snails:
- many unidentified slugs and snails on the sailing club HQ around dawn.

Spiders:
- *Missing Sector Orb-web Spider Zygiella x-notata [also called Silver-sided Sector Spider]

Flowers:
- *Crab Apple Malus sylvestris
correction:
The bluebells I noted here are almost certainly *Hybrid Bluebell Hyacinthoides x massartiana and neither 'our' Bluebell H. non-scripta (as I originally thought) or Spanish Bluebell H. hispanica. The latter is apparently rare.

The trio of Mute Swans fly in to annoy the resident cob. Two show orange on their bill and are therefore not first years. The tone of these bills is not bright-enough for them to be breeding adults and they must be immatures. A first year is at the back still showing brown in its wings.

One of these immatures with the first year about to splash down.

Here are the two immatures.

This Mute Swan was chased by the resident cob and departed. It does not look like any of the trio that I photographed arriving. Neither is it one of the first year birds from The Flash. So a seventh: the resident pair; the trio that arrived; the single from The Flash and now this one.

Probably the same juvenile Robin I photographed some 10 days ago. Note it has lost its gape line and was at least attempting to feed for itself.

This Small Phoenix moth Ecliptopera silaceata was tucked further up the same street lamp pole as I found one on Sunday. It is likely the same specimen now sheltered from the rain by the overhanging part of the lamp.

Its relatively small size and wholly pale front legs help identify this hoverfly as a Spring Epistrophe Epistrophe elegans. Obsidentify calls it Spring Smoothtail.

I think this cranefly with well-patterned wings is probably Limonia nubeculosa. I assume the orange mark is a parasite.

Another cranefly with well-patterned wings but larger and with a different thorax and head shape. It is Tipula rufina.

A small springtail with thin and slightly curved antennae is possibly one of the Orchesella species.

A larger springtail with the pale band across the abdomen is likely Tomocerus vulgaris.

I found this Missing Sector Orb-web Spider Zygiella x-notata on the wall of the sailing club HQ. It is also called Silver-sided Sector Spider. The strange colour cast is due to my LED torch illuminating it.

These flowers are of a Crab Apple Malus sylvestris, one of several I noted in bloom today.

It is clear that these are not, as I initially thought, 'English' Bluebells Hyacinthoides non-scripta as this has flowers along one side of the spike only, causing the stem to curve over under their weight. I would have reidentified them as Spanish Bluebell H. hispanica but the NatureSpot web site notes this species as "rare" and suggests that most are in fact Hybrid Bluebell H. x massartiana.

An interesting (to me anyway) aircraft. It is a Boeing 777 200 series of Eastern Airlines flying from Dallas-Forth Worth, Texas to Fiumicino Airport in Rome. This is (at least) the third incarnation of Eastern Airlines that during the 1970s and 1980s was one of the big four US Airlines, regularly seen in the UK. It met its demise in 1991. The current Eastern Airlines is based at Greensboro, North Carolina. It has 17 aircraft, with just six operational. This particular airframe was operated by Singapore Airlines from 2002 to 2015 and did very little else before Eastern acquired it in 2020. This operator is often contracted by the US Department of Defense for troop movements. Not today and I have no idea as to the purpose of this non-scheduled flight.

Here is the FlightRadar24 data for the flight.

(Ed Wilson)

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In the Priorslee Avenue tunnel:

Flies:
- *1 small male plumed midge
- *1 cranefly Tipula vittata

Arthropods:
- 1 White-legged Snake Millipede Tachypodoiulus niger

Spiders:
- 1 Long-jawed Orb-web Spider Tetragnatha sp.

Note two friendly male plumed midges but "me and my shadow". I cannot find an identity for this narrow-bodied species with noticeably long front legs.

The markings in the wings of this cranefly identify it as Tipula vittata. A larger species than many and one of the few that not only flies in Spring but throughout Summer and Autumn as well.

(Ed Wilson)

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The Flash: 06:20 – 07:10

(91st visit of the year)

Bird notes:
- one immature Mute Swan was likely one of last year's birds returned after being chased back from the Balancing Lake.
- no sign of the drake Shoveler from yesterday.
- no duck Mallard seen.
- I am not sure about any Garden Warbler today. A very brief snatch of song was inconclusive with a definite Blackcap in the same area. Unless I had seen and heard the bird yesterday I would not be thinking about this species from the snatch of song I heard.

Bird(s) noted flying over here:

None

Warblers noted (the figure in brackets relates to birds heard singing):
- 3 (3) Willow Warblers
- 8 (7) Chiffchaffs
- 9 (8) Blackcaps
'nominal' warbler:
- 1 (1) Goldcrest

Noted on / around the water:
- 36 Canada Geese
- 7 Greylag Geese
- 3 Mute Swans
- 16 (16♂) Mallard
- 9 (6♂) Tufted Duck
- 5 Moorhens
- 21 Coots
- 2 Lesser Black-backed Gulls: adults: departed

Noted elsewhere around The Flash on different lamp poles:

Flies:
- plumed midge Chironomus plumosus

Beetles:
- Alder Leaf Beetle Agelastica alni

(Ed Wilson)

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Sightings from previous years

2013
Priorslee Lake
2 Great Crested Grebes
3 Greylag Geese
1 Grasshopper Warbler
2 Reed Warblers
8 Blackcaps
9 Chiffchaffs
4 Willow Warblers
(Ed Wilson)

The Flash
1 Richardson's-type Canada Goose
8 Tufted Duck
1 Blackcap
2 Chiffchaffs
6 Willow Warblers
(Ed Wilson)

Nedge Hill
6 Swallows
8 Meadow Pipits
1 Fieldfare
3 Blackcaps
3 Willow Warbler
4 Chiffchaffs
1 Whinchat
1 Lesser Whitethroat
29 Wheatear
1 Lapwing
(John Isherwood, Ed Wilson)

2012
Priorslee Lake
Green Woodpecker
5 Great Crested Grebes
4 Tufted Duck
12 Blackcaps
2 Willow Warblers
14 Chiffchaffs
1 Sedge Warbler
(Ed Wilson, John Isherwood)

In the lane / fields to the E
5 Skylarks
2 Whitethroats
2 Blackcaps
3 Chiffchaffs
9 Linnets
5 Yellowhammers
(Ed Wilson)

Priorslee Flash
5 Great Crested Grebes
23 Tufted Duck
1 Common Sandpiper
5 Blackcaps
1 Willow Warblers
4 Chiffchaffs
(Ed Wilson / John Isherwood)

Nedge Hill
1 Raven
(John Isherwood)

2011
Priorslee Lake
1 Common Sandpiper
2 Lesser Whitethroat
(John Isherwood)

Nedge Hill
3 Yellow Wagtail
6 Wheatear
(John Isherwood)

2008
Priorslee Lake
2 Sedge Warblers
2 Lesser Whitethroats
(Ed Wilson)

The Flash
Common Sandpiper
(Ed Wilson)

Nedge Hill
2 Common Whitethroat
3 Wheatears
(Ed Wilson)

The Wrekin
1 Pied Flycatcher
(Mike)

Ercall Woods
3 Pied Flycatcher
Buzzards
2 Ravens
(Mike)

2007
Priorslee Flash
2 Common Sandpipers
Garden Warbler
(Ed Wilson)

2006
Priorslee Lake
6 Great Crested Grebes
6 Tufted Ducks
2 Ruddy Duck
5 Common Sandpipers
100+ Sand Martin
5 Swallow
1 House Martin
23 Wrens
19 Robins
19 Blackbirds
1 Sedge Warbler
1 Reed Warbler
1 Lesser Whitethroat
2 Garden Warblers
7 Blackcaps
5 Chiffchaffs
3 Willow Warblers
1 Willow Tit
3 Greenfinches
2 Reed Buntings
(Ed Wilson)

22 Apr 24

The Flash and Priorslee Balancing Lake

7.0°C > 8.0°C: Overcast with light rain. A light south-easterly breeze. Moderate visibility.

[Sunrise: 05:56 BST]

* = a species photographed today

Another wet day with a late start hoping for slightly brighter conditions. Well that did not work too well.

Priorslee Balancing Lake: 10:00 – 10:50

(88th visit of the year)

New Bird Species
New today was my very-belated first House Martin of the year here among the other hirundines feeding over the water. My bird species #85 here this year.

Other bird notes:
- two first year Mute Swans remain.

Hirundines etc. noted:
- 2 Sand Martin
- *>15 Barn Swallows
- *1 House Martin

Counts from the lake area:
- 2 Canada Geese: the resident pair
- 4 Mute Swans: see notes
- 5 (5♂) Mallard
- 8 (5♂) Tufted Duck
- 2 Moorhens
- 24 Coots
- 2 Great Crested Grebes
- 1 Herring Gull
- 1 Cormorant

One of the two first year Mute Swans was put to flight by the resident cob. It merely circled around and splashed back down at the other end.

There were many Barn Swallow feeding low over the water. Getting photos of this species is not easy as they only feed like this when the weather is dull, wet and potentially windy. Here a few of the better images from today. This one low over the water with a reflection.

A different bird.

This one calling.

One from below...

...and from above.

Perhaps the best.

Or this?

I did say it was hard! The gleaming white rump of a House Martin that was always far away from me.

(Ed Wilson)

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The Flash: 11:00 – 11:55

(90th visit of the year)

New Bird Species
Two additions to my 2024 bird list from here:
- *a drake Shoveler seems unusual at this date. Species #61
- *a singing Garden Warbler was not only new here for the year but also new anywhere for me this year. It is my first record of this species here since 2020. In 2019 I suspected this species bred here. Species #62

Other bird notes:
- last year's Mute Swans have indeed departed.
- perhaps it was my presence at a different time: I noted four singing Song Thrushes today and for the past moth I have only occasionally heard one in song.

Bird(s) noted flying over here:

None

Warblers noted (the figure in brackets relates to birds heard singing):
- 2 (2) Willow Warblers
- 6 (6) Chiffchaffs
- 11 (8) Blackcaps
- *1 (1) Garden Warbler
'nominal' warbler:
- 1 (1) Goldcrests

Noted on / around the water:
- 18 Canada Geese
- 8 Greylag Geese
- 2 Mute Swans
- *1 (1♂) Shoveler
- 16 (15♂) Mallard
- 13 (9♂) Tufted Duck
- 4 Moorhens
- 20 Coots
- 1 Great Crested Grebe

Noted elsewhere around The Flash on different lamp poles:

Flies:
- *2 plumed midges Chironomus plumosus

Beetles:
- 1 Alder Leaf Beetle Agelastica alni

A bit distant but no mistaking a drake Shoveler.

This morning's Garden Warbler singing away. As noted in earlier years the diagnostic plumage features of this warbler is that it has no diagnostic plumage features! Best done by voice, sounding like a Blackcap singing more fluently and with a tone more akin to a Song Thrush. The Blackcap has more of a Blackbird tone.

A female plumed midges Chironomus plumosus . No plumes on her antennae.

(Ed Wilson)

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Sightings from previous years

2013
Nedge Hill
1 Whinchat
20 Wheatear
1 Blackcap
Willow Warbler
(Ian Grant)

2012
Priorslee Lake
6 Great Crested Grebes
1 Heron
5 Tufted Duck
12 Blackcaps
4 Willow Warblers
12 Chiffchaffs
(Ed Wilson)

Priorslee Flash
6 Great Crested Grebes
5 Greylag Geese
31 Tufted Duck
1 Heron
1 Buzzard
6 Blackcaps
4 Willow Warblers
4 Chiffchaffs
(Ed Wilson)

Nedge Hill
5 Lapwings
1 Green Woodpecker
3 Skylarks
1 Blackcap
1 Willow Warbler
3 Chiffchaffs
6 Linnets
(Ed Wilson)

2011
Priorslee Lake
1 Yellow Wagtail
5 Common Sandpiper
1 Lesser Whitethroat
1 Sedge Warbler
(John Isherwood)

Nedge Hill
1 Yellow Wagtail
10 Wheatear
(John Isherwood)

2008
Priorslee Lake
3 Great Crested Grebes
2 Gadwall
1 Common Sandpiper
Swallows
Sand Martins
Common Whitethroat
(Ed Wilson, Martin Adlam)

The Nedge
Blackcap
Willow Warbler
Chiffchaff
(Martin Adlam)

2007
Priorslee Lake
2 Sedge Warblers
Reed Warbler
Common Sandpipers
(Ed Wilson)

Nedge Hill
1 Wheatear
1 Cuckoo
(Ed Wilson)

2006
Priorslee Lake
6 Great Crested Grebes
5 Greylag Geese
12 Tufted Ducks
2 Ruddy Duck
27 Sand Martins
11 Swallows
5 House Martins
1 Sedge Warbler
8 Blackcaps
7 Chiffchaffs
4 Willow Warblers
25 Wrens
23 Blackbirds
5 Greenfinches
1 Siskin
1 Redpoll
3 Reed Buntings.

Lanes to the east of Priorslee Lake
6 Pheasants
8 Skylarks
2 Whitethroats
4 Blackcaps
2 Chiffchaffs
1 Greenfinch
6 Yellowhammers
(Ed Wilson)