21 Apr 24

Priorslee Balancing Lake and The Flash

6.0°C > 8.0°C: Mostly overcast apart from a sliver of clear sky to the East. A few un-forecast sprinkles c.06:45. A few brighter moments later. A light north-westerly breeze later. Very good visibility.

Sunrise: 06:58 BST

* = a species photographed today

Priorslee Balancing Lake: 05:20 – 06:30 // 07:20 – 09:35

(87th visit of the year)

New Bird Species
Best today was my first Swift of the year over the lake after 08:40. My bird species #84 here this year

Other bird notes:
- four first year Mute Swans flew in at c.07:45. It seems highly likely that these are the birds from The Flash. The resident cob was not amused and started the pursuit, singling out one for attack. The cob at The Flash always seemed to pick on one bird slightly away from the others and I do wonder whether they are one male and three females. I cannot separate them at this age. Anyway the youngster being chased soon departed low to the North up Castle Farm Way. The cob then pursued all the others in turn but none departed while I was there. It did mean that the trio of Canada Geese that had arrived were left alone until they decided to fly off anyway.

Counts of birds noted flying over:
- 7 Canada Geese: a single and a quartet flew outbound; a pair flew South
- 3 Stock Doves
- 6 Wood Pigeons
- 1 Jackdaw

Hirundines etc. noted:
- *1 Swift
- 1 Sand Martin
- 3 Barn Swallows

Warblers noted (the figure in brackets relates to birds heard singing):
- 1 (1) Cetti's Warbler
- 3 (3) Willow Warblers
- 10 (9) Chiffchaffs
- 17 (14) Blackcaps
- 1 (1) Common Whitethroat
'nominal' warbler:
- 2 (2) Goldcrest

Counts from the lake area:
- 6 Canada Geese: the resident pair throughout; a single for a while; a pair joined by a third until chased away
- *6 Mute Swans: see notes
- 1 (1♂) Mallard: also 1 (1♂) on the lower pool; 4 (3♂) on the upper pool
- 18 (12♂) Tufted Duck
- 5 Moorhens
- 23 Coots
- *4 Great Crested Grebes
- 2 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- *1 Grey Heron

Noted on the street lamps poles pre-dawn:

Frost-covered.

Moths:
- *1 Small Phoenix Ecliptopera silaceata

Flies:
- 1 cranefly Limonia nubeculosa

Spiders:
- *1 Stout Sac Spider Clubiona sp.

Noted later:

Bees:
- *Buff-tailed Bumblebee Bombus terrestris

Flies:
- *midges
- *Alder Fly Sialis lutaria

Beetles:
- *Alder Leaf Beetle Agelastica alni

A sliver of bright sky to the East at dawn giving...

...a brief sunrise.

The four first year Mute Swans arrive, I assume from The Flash.

One of them departs giving a lie to the name 'Mute' Swan.

 The resident cob (with the bright bill) on the chase.

This Great Crested Grebe is a mere beginner in the fish-eating competition. No red gills on this fish so it is not a Perch: but what is it?

Slides down easily!

I was not sure who was more surprised when I spied this Grey Heron stepping out of the reeds and in to view.

The heron decided to leave...

...providing a great photo opportunity.

Showing all the features. Note the large feet.

Last one.

No mistaking the long and narrow wings of the Swift.

Here it is just about possible to see the white patch on the chin. Good luck trying to see that on a flying bird.

A very smart male Reed Bunting.

 On a street lamp pole was this Small Phoenix moth Ecliptopera silaceata. A species I see most years.

It stayed around until much later when I was able to take this view to show the way of the tip of the abdomen is up-tilted. Several species of this group of moths do this. I have no idea why.

A Buff-tailed Bumblebee Bombus terrestris. Although it looks as if it ought to be a White-tailed Bumblebee B. lucorum that species, rare in the Midlands, would not show even the slightest trace of buff between the pale tail and the black on the abdomen.

Probably not midges undertaking some sort of dance as they all look dead. How? Why?

This seems to be a different species of midge as it has white centres to the legs. Now why would that evolve? This is a male with the plumed antennae. No idea as to the species.

Er? Are you sure this is how it is done. Two Alder Flies Sialis lutaria get friendly.

Feeding time for the Alder Leaf Beetles Agelastica alni. There are not many leaves to choose from at the moment. Until recently this species was thought to be extinct in the UK and recolonised by immigrants from the Continent. Not any more. It seems abundant, almost at pest-level, in southern England at least.

By far the most frequently found spider on the street lamp poles is the Stout Sac Spider Clubiona sp. Further identification is not possible without genitalia examination.

Plane of the day: this 1973-build Reims-assembled Cessna 172 Skyhawk has been owned by a Corby resident for over five years. It was on a day-trip from its base at Sibson Airfield near Peterborough to Sleap Airfield near Wem and back.

(Ed Wilson)

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In the Priorslee Avenue tunnel:

Spiders:
- 1 Stout Sac Spider Clubiona sp.

(Ed Wilson)

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The Flash: 06:35 – 07:15

(89th visit of the year)

Bird notes:
- as I arrived there were two adult Herring Gulls chasing two (un-aged) Lesser Black-backed Gulls away. The Herring Gulls left soon after.
- unusual was a Starling on the roof of a building in Westcroft Walk

Bird(s) noted flying over here:

None

Warblers noted (the figure in brackets relates to birds heard singing):
- 2 (2) Willow Warblers
- 8 (8) Chiffchaffs
- 8 (8) Blackcaps
'nominal' warbler:
- 3 (3) Goldcrests

Noted on / around the water:
- 37 Canada Geese
- 2 Greylag Geese
- 2 + 4 Mute Swans: but see notes at the Balancing Lake
- 17 (14♂) Mallard
- 9 (6♂) Tufted Duck
- 5 Moorhens
- 22 Coots
- 2 Herring Gulls: adults, departed
- 2 Lesser Black-backed Gulls: departed; ages?

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

2012
The Wrekin
1 Wood Warbler
(Sandy Hill)

2011
Wrekin
1 Ring Ouzel
(Observer Unknown)

2010
Priorslee Lake
6 Common Sandpiper
6 Swallow
4 Sand Martin
3 Blackcap
6+ Chiffchaff
1 Willow Warbler
2 Stock Dove
2 Greylag Geese
(Mike Cooper)

2008
Priorslee Lake
1 Swallow
(Martin Adlam)

2007
Priorslee Lake
3 Great Crested Grebe
1 Pintail x Mallard
2 Tufted Duck
1 Ruddy Duck
1 Buzzard
2 Common Sandpiper
3 House Martin
2 Swallow
1 Skylark
5 Blackcap
1 Lesser Whitethroat
1 Reed Warbler
5 Chiffchaff
4 Reed Bunting
(Martin Adlam, Ed Wilson)

Nedge Hill
1 Redstart
(Ed Wilson)

2006
Priorslee Lake
4 Great Crested Grebes
6 Greylag Geese
5 Tufted Ducks
2 Ruddy Ducks
2 Sand Martins
3 Swallows
1 Sedge Warbler
6 Blackcaps
6 Chiffchaffs
6 Willow Warblers.
2 Skylarks
28 Robins
29 Blackbirds
5 Greenfinches
2 Reed Buntings
(Ed Wilson)