30 Apr 24

Priorslee Balancing Lake and The Flash

8.0°C > 12.0°C: Another mostly clear to start. It stayed clear to the East with variable medium-level cloud below a high overcast to the West and overhead. Fresh south-easterly breeze. Very good visibility.

Sunrise: 05:39 BST

* = a species photographed today

Quite a day today with numerous highlights:
- best was two Whimbrel that flew south-west together over Teece Drive at 07:25. My only other record of this species in the area was of a single bird heard calling overhead on 26 April 2019.
- my second Common Sandpiper of the year at The Flash. Surprisingly I did not note any at the Balancing Lake.
- no fewer than seven singing Sedge Warblers: six at the Balancing Lake, all along the South side where several were almost shoulder-to-shoulder. Also one at The Flash in water-side vegetation between the two footbridges.
- a second Lesser Whitethroat record at the lake with one singing in the Ricoh hedge both at 05:30 and 09:30 (and probably in between).
Frustratingly I was not able to get photos of any of these!

Priorslee Balancing Lake: 05:20 – 06:20 // 07:20 – 09:50

(95th visit of the year)

New Bird Species
The Whimbrel as highlighted is my 90th bird species here this year.

Other bird notes:
- still seven Greylag Goose goslings despite two Carrion Crows hanging around. The adults did not seen particularly concerned.
- after confirming just two Great Crested Grebes yesterday I noted seven on the surface at one time today.
- a Kestrel flew West at 05:40 and soon after was seen hovering over the Ricoh grounds. Possibly the same bird flew East at 08:50. The number of recent sightings suggests that this declining species is once again nesting locally.
- Starlings are now ferrying food from the playing fields toward the estate. I have not heard begging juveniles so I assume they are feeding egg-sitting partners.
- the only Common Whitethroat to have set up a territory was singing as usual until at least 07:30. I did not hear him later.
- as they do every year during late Spring and early Summer the House Sparrows from the estate are venturing around the lake area. Today one reached as far as the dam. I have never proven that they have nested around the lake.
- after weeks (months) of almost no records a Nuthatch has been calling loudly from the Ricoh copse for the last two mornings.

Counts of birds noted flying over:
- 7 Canada Geese: a pair outbound and a quintet inbound
- 6 Greylag Geese: four flew South together and a pair inbound
- 8 Wood Pigeons
- 2 Herring Gulls
- 14 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 5 Cormorants: a single and two duos
- 5 Jackdaws

Hirundines etc. noted:
- 3 Swifts
- 10 Sand Martins
- 4 Barn Swallows
- 8 House Martins

Warblers noted (the figure in brackets relates to birds heard singing):
An almost full-house of species: just Grasshopper Warbler missing
- 1 (1) Cetti's Warbler
- 14 (11) Chiffchaffs
- 6 (6) Sedge Warblers
- 7 (7) Reed Warblers
- 17 (12) Blackcaps
- 1 (1) Garden Warbler
- 1 (1) Lesser Whitethroat
- 1 (1) Common Whitethroat
'nominal' warbler:
- 1 (1) Goldcrests

Counts from the lake area:
- 4 Canada Geese: the resident pair throughout: a pair visited and stayed on the dam top
- 2 + 7 (1 brood) Greylag Geese
- 2 Mute Swans
- 3 (2♂) Mallard: also 1 (1♂) on the lower pool
- no Tufted Duck
- 3 Moorhens
- 12 Coots only
- 7 Great Crested Grebes

On the street lamps poles pre-dawn:

Nothing at all seen

Noted later:

The sun was not out and a brisk wind again:

Hoverflies:
- "Buttercup" Hoverfly Cheilosia albitarsis/ranunculi agg.
- Short Melanostoma Melanostoma mellinum aka Variable Duskyface

Other flies:
- plumed midges
- Alder Fly Sialis lutaria
- a 'greenbottle', perhaps Eudasyphora cyanella
- at least five other species of fly

Beetles:
- Alder Leaf Beetle Agelastica alni
- 24 Spot Ladybird Subcoccinella vigintiquattuorpunctata

A couple of photos of a sunrise for which it was worth getting up.

A different view. As so often it was all downhill for the next few hours.

The family party of Greylag Geese seem happy on the dam-top.

All seven goslings gathered together.

A Kestrel hovering over the Ricoh grass just as the sun is rising. The narrow white tips to the otherwise broad black tail band indicate it is a female.

And again. With the tail more or less closed the missing feather(s) are less obvious.

I think this is one of the species pair Cheilosia albitarsis/ranunculi that favour buttercups. All members of this genus of hoverflies are glossy green/black and apart from one large species with patterned wings they are very difficult to separate.

A female Short Melanostoma hoverfly Melanostoma mellinum aka Variable Duskyface. Many females are all-dark (melanistic): not this one.

Obsidentify is not good at flies: the scientific name it gave to its 100% identification of this turns out to be a black and yellow hoverfly with bold stripes on the thorax. I think not! Searching NatureSpot leads me to the Muscid fly Eudasyphora cyanella on the basis of the white collar and the dark lines extending across the thorax. But...

A different individual. These are different-looking 'greenbottle' flies with the green increasing in intensity toward the rear of the abdomen. I read that as they age the green turns to bronze. That's helpful!

Another greenish fly, this one apparently having lost (part of) an antenna. No white collar or marks on the thorax of this species.

I said Obsidentify is not good at flies. It was 100% sure this was a Common Cranefly. I am 100% sure it isn't. But what it is I have no idea.

 I wonder whether this is the same species of fly?

My initial thought this might be "another Cheilosia hoverfly". The white around the inside of the eyes is not a feature of any species of hoverfly. So yet another unidentified fly.

Another two-fer. I can't tell anything about either of the flies but I can identify a Dandelion when I see one.

A red ladybird with lots of spots immediately suggests a Harlequin Ladybird Harmonia axyridis var. succinea. However this was about a quarter the size of a typical Harlequin and...

...does not show white on the face. The head and thorax are the same colour as the elytra. It is a 24 Spot Ladybird Subcoccinella vigintiquattuorpunctata. It is a good job that they wear a label showing their scientific name: you would need a microscope to read it. They do not always have exactly 24 spots.

(Ed Wilson)

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

In the Priorslee Avenue tunnel:

Flies:
- various midges

Arthropods:
- 1 White-legged Snake Millipede Tachypodoiulus niger

(Ed Wilson)

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The Flash: 06:25 – 07:15

(98th visit of the year)

New Bird Species
The Sedge Warbler as highlighted is my 65th bird species here this year. I record this species on passage most years.

Other bird notes:
- big reduction in Tufted Duck numbers recently (none today at the Balancing Lake)
- only juvenile Coot seems extant from the first-noted brood. The second noted brood not seen.
- now only one Willow Warbler singing here. It has been singing strongly in the same place for several days as if it has set up a territory.

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

Warblers noted (the figure in brackets relates to birds heard singing):
- 1 (1) Willow Warbler
- 6 (6) Chiffchaffs
- 1 (1) Sedge Warbler
- 6 (4) Blackcaps
'nominal' warbler:
- 1 (1) Goldcrest

Noted on / around the water:
- 22 Canada Geese
- no Greylag Geese
- 5 Mute Swans
- 13 (10♂) Mallard
- 4 (2♂) Tufted Duck
- 6 Moorhens
- 19 + 1 (1 brood) Coots
- 2 Great Crested Grebes
- 1 Common Sandpiper

Noted elsewhere around The Flash on different lamp poles:

Moths:
- all gone! The street lamp was getting the full force of the breeze

Beetles:
- Alder Leaf Beetle Agelastica alni

Would you believe a Common Sandpiper in flight? The best I could do.

(Ed Wilson)

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Sightings from previous years

2013
Priorslee Lake
1 Common Sandpiper
2 Raven
2 Reed Warbler
(John Isherwood)

Nedge Hill
1 Whinchat
1 Yellow Wagtail
1 White Wagtail
2 Common Redstart
40 Wheatear
(John Isherwood)

Long Lane, Wellington
3 Whimbrel
(JW Reeves)

2012
Priorslee Lake
1 Lesser Whitethroat
1 Reed Warbler
(John Isherwood)

Nedge Hill
1 Common Redstart
15 Wheatear
1 Lesser Whitethroat
2 Raven
(John Isherwood)

The Wrekin
2 Pied Flycatchers
Common Redstart
(Observer Unknown)

2009
Priorslee Lake
Hobby
2 Red-legged Partridge
Lesser Whitethroat
Cormorant
5 Lapwings
6 Reed Warblers
3 Whitethroats
8 Blackcaps
5 Chiffchaffs
4 Linnet
(Ed Wilson)

2008
Priorslee Lake
17 Mute Swans
(Martin Adlam)

2007
Priorslee Lake
1 Swift
c.20 Sand Martins
1 Swallow
6 House Sparrows
2 Sparrowhawk
Buzzard
Kestrel
2 Stock Dove
2 Grey Wagtails
1 Sedge Warbler
4 Reed Warblers
Chiffchaff
126 Jackdaw
(Ed Wilson)

Nedge Hill
2 Buzzards
Swallow
Ring Ouzel
2 Common Whitethroat
1 Chiffchaff
2 Linnets
(Ed Wilson)

Priorslee Flash
3 Great Crested Grebes
Reed Bunting
(Ed Wilson)

2006
Priorslee Lake
5 Great Crested Grebes
2 Greylag Geese
6 Tufted Ducks
2 Common Sandpiper
1 Cuckoo
1 Skylark
c.10 Sand Martins
c.8 Swallows
c.20 House Martins
1 Meadow Pipit
2 Grey Wagtails
32 Wren
26 Blackbirds
2 Sedge Warblers
3 Reed Warblers
2 Lesser Whitethroats
2 Garden Warbler
10 Blackcaps
6 Chiffchaffs
1 Willow Warbler
1 Jay
11 Chaffinches
8 Greenfinches
3 Reed Buntings
(Ed Wilson)

29 Apr 24

Priorslee Balancing Lake and The Flash

6.0°C > 11.0°C: Mostly clear to start, soon clouding for a while with a light passing shower. Brighter later. Moderate south-easterly breeze. Very good visibility.

Sunrise: 05:41 BST

* = a species photographed today

Priorslee Balancing Lake: 05:15 – 06:15 // 07:10 – 09:45

(94th visit of the year)

Surprise of the day was a pair of Greylag Geese with seven goslings on the dam top. Where did they come from? I had seen no indication that there were nesting birds here. Mind you they did the same thing last year.

Bird notes:
- there were two pairs of Canada Geese sharing the dam top with the Greylag family. Much to the annoyance of the cob Mute Swan who never seems inclined to get out of the water and give chase. These geese were in addition to the nesting pair.
- I am sure there were more than two Great Crested Grebes but I only ever saw two together, albeit in different parts of the water.
- an Oystercatcher was standing at the bottom of the concrete ramp at 05:25 after which it flew not to be seen or heard again.
- No Willow Warblers remain here. A Sedge Warbler was a new arrival.

Counts of birds noted flying over:
- 4 Canada Geese: a pair outbound and a pair inbound
- 2 Greylag Geese: a pair outbound
- 5 (?♂) Mallard: together
- 2 Stock Doves: together
- 15 Wood Pigeons
- 2 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 1 Cormorant
- 1 Rook

Hirundines etc. noted:
- 4 Barn Swallows
- 1 House Martin

Warblers noted (the figure in brackets relates to birds heard singing):
- 1 (1) Cetti's Warbler
- 16 (14) Chiffchaffs
- 1 (1) Sedge Warbler
- 7 (7) Reed Warblers
- 16 (13) Blackcaps
- 1 (1) Garden Warbler
- 1 (1) Common Whitethroat
'nominal' warbler:
- 2 (2) Goldcrests

Counts from the lake area:
- 8 Canada Geese: the resident pair throughout: a pair visited: two other pairs on the dam top
- 2 + 7 (1 brood) Greylag Geese
- 2 Mute Swans
- 3 (3♂) Mallard: also 3 (3♂) on the lower pool
- 2 (1♂) Tufted Duck
- 6 Moorhen
- 19 Coots
- 2 Great Crested Grebes: see notes
- 1 Oystercatcher
- 2 Common Sandpipers
- 3 Herring Gulls: adult pair on football field 06:05 only; immature later
- 5 Lesser Black-backed Gulls: all adults
- 1 Grey Heron: departed

Seen on the street lamps poles pre-dawn:

Nothing

Noted later:

The sun was not out and a chill wind again:

Moths:
- unidentified caterpillar, perhaps of a moth

Hoverflies:
- Gossamer Hoverfly or Common Dainty Baccha elongata.
- Chequered Hoverfly Melanostoma scalare [Long-winged Duskyface]

Other flies:
- plumed midge
- Alder Fly Sialis lutaria
- Root-maggot fly Anthomyia sp., probably A. pluvialis.
- Balloon fly Hilara sp.
- Meiosimyza rorida
- Phaonia sp. either P. subventa or P. rufiventris.
- at least five other species of fly

Beetles:
- Alder Leaf Beetle Agelastica alni

Arthropods:
- Girdled Snail Hygromia cinctella.
- Kentish Snail Monacha cantiana.

About as good as it got this morning with cloud soon spreading in.

The Greylag Geese with their seven goslings. Will they survive the onslaught by the cob Mute Swan?

It was still just getting light at 05:25 when I saw this Oystercatcher, just about identifiable.

I was reasonably pleased with this. Common Whitethroats have a dancing display flight that I have been trying to capture for years. Against the grey sky about all that identifies the species is its white throat.

Here it is just about possible to make out the white outer tail-feathers of the species.

"Bull"finch is well named.

 Looking quizzically at me. "Is that a Sony RX4 I see?"

A tint caterpillar or larva on (part of) one of my fingers. Possibly a saw fly?

Here is a Gossamer Hoverfly or Common Dainty Baccha elongata. The top part of the abdomen is very slim giving this species an almost wasp-like appearance.

Here is a Chequered Hoverfly Melanostoma scalare. It is a female both because the eyes do not meet and because the yellow markings are triangular (almost square in males).

Best looking fly of the day? With a very distinctively marked thorax it is one of the Root-maggot flies Anthomyia sp., probably A. pluvialis though there are similar species.

The swollen front tarsus identifies this as a Balloon fly Hilara sp. There are about 60 species in the genus, most not separable from photos.

This small pale fly is most likely Meiosimyza rorida though (all together now) "there are several similar species".

This fly is a Phaonia sp. either P. subventa or P. rufiventris.

One of several unidentified flies from this morning. I think this is a midge.

Another that I cannot begin to identify.

This looks very similar apart from having much larger compound eyes. Perhaps male and female?

A hint of green so probably one of the many greenbottles.

Probably just the angle of the light: this one looks "more green".

 I suspect no-one is home. A Girdled Snail Hygromia cinctella.

A Kentish Snail Monacha cantiana, not confined to Kent, obviously.

(Ed Wilson)

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

In the Priorslee Avenue tunnel:

Flies:
- 2 unmarked craneflies, perhaps Austrolimnophila ochracea
- various midges

The only cranefly I can find that is as unmarked as this specimen is Austrolimnophila ochracea. But from the photo, admittedly lit by my LED torch, it does not look very ochraceous.

(Ed Wilson)

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The Flash: 06:20 – 07:05

(97th visit of the year)

Bird notes:
- no Mallard ducklings seen.
- no juvenile Coots seen.
- two Great Crested Grebes seen displaying.
- still two Willow Warblers singing away here.
- perhaps the same Garden Warbler as noted on 22 April? It was singing very quietly in bushes beside the water near the children's play area. It was seen well-enough, the song too quiet for my Merlin app to pick up.

Bird(s) noted flying over here:
- 4 Cormorants: two singles and a duo
- 1 Jackdaw

Warblers noted (the figure in brackets relates to birds heard singing):
- 2 (2) Willow Warblers
- 5 (5) Chiffchaffs
- 6 (6) Blackcaps
- 1 (1) Garden Warbler
'nominal' warbler:
- no Goldcrests

Noted on / around the water:
- 19 Canada Geese
- 2 Greylag Geese
- 3 Mute Swans
- 13 (10♂) Mallard
- 11 (6♂) Tufted Duck
- 7 Moorhens
- 18 Coots
- 2 Great Crested Grebes
- 1 Herring Gull: immature

Noted elsewhere around The Flash on different lamp poles:

Moths:
- 1 Red-green Carpet Chloroclysta siterata: more or less the same place for a fourth day
- 1 Seraphim Lobophora halterata alongside

Flies:
- male plumed midges

Beetles:
- Alder Leaf Beetle Agelastica alni

Despite all the twigs I managed to get a shot of the quietly singing Garden Warbler.

Two in fact. neither winning prizes.

Two moths on the same street lamp pole. The lower one is probably the same Red-green Carpet Chloroclysta siterata though it is now about a foot higher up the pole. The upper moth is, I think, a Seraphim Lobophora halterata, a species I rarely record. Obsidentify was not much help suggesting it was most likely a European Eagle Owl with a Short-eared Owl as the next most likely. Where did they come from?

(Ed Wilson)

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Sightings from previous years

2014
Nedge Hill
2 Lesser Whitethroat
10 Wheatear
(John Isherwood)

2013
Priorslee Lake
2 Great Crested Grebes
1 Common Sandpiper
4 Reed Warblers
2 Common Whitethroat
18 Blackcaps
7 Chiffchaffs
5 Willow Warblers
(Ed Wilson)

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

Nedge Hill
2 Red-legged Partridges
Swallows
7 Wheatear
2 Common Whitethroats
3 Blackcaps
1 Chiffchaffs
4 Bullfinches
(Ed Wilson)

2011
Priorslee Lake
3 Common Sandpipers
(Ed Wilson, John Isherwood)

Nedge Hill
2 Wheatear
(John Isherwood)

2010
The Wrekin
1 Wood Warbler
4 Common Redstart
1 Pied Flycatcher
(Paul Rutter)

2009
Priorslee Lake
Common Sandpiper
1 Sand Martin
2 Swallows
6 Reed Warblers
Common Whitethroat
3 Blackcap
4 Chiffchaff
3 Reed Buntings
3 Linnets
1 Yellowhammer
(Ed Wilson)

2007
Priorslee Lake
4 Great Crested Grebe
6 Tufted Duck
2 Ruddy Duck
3 Swifts
2 Sand Martins
4 Swallows
4 Cormorants
1 Kestrel
1 Sparrowhawk
3 Common Sandpipers
2 Grey Wagtail
6 Blackcap
1 Garden Warbler
2 Sedge Warbler
2 Reed Warblers
5 Chiffchaff
3 Greenfinch
2 Reed Bunting
(Ed Wilson, Martin Adlam)

Nedge Hill
1 Ring Ouzel
Common Whitethroat
2 Swallows
(Martin Adlam)

Priorslee Flash
2 Greylag Geese
1 Grey Wagtail here
2 Chiffchaffs
1 Reed Bunting
(Ed Wilson)

2006
Priorslee Lake
3 Great Crested Grebes
2 Ruddy Ducks
1 Common Buzzard
1 Kestrel
1 Swallows
1 Grey Wagtail
4 Sedge Warbler
2 Reed Warblers
4 Blackcaps
2 Garden Warbler
5 Chiffchaffs
3 Willow Warblers
2 Lesser Whitethroat
4 Greenfinches
2 Reed Buntings
(Martin Adlam)

28 Apr 24

No sightings in today.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Sightings from previous years

2014
Nedge Hill
2 Lesser Whitethroat
10 Wheatear
(John Isherwood)

2013
Priorslee Lake
2 Cormorants
2 Swans
5 Greylag Geese
1 Common Sandpiper
8 Swallows
1 Swift
2 Reed Warblers
2 Common Whitethroat
17 Blackcaps
8 Chiffchaffs
4 Willow Warblers
1 Common Redstart
1 Nuthatch
(Ed Wilson)

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

2012
Priorslee Lake
6 Goosanders
6 Greylag Geese
2 Tufted Duck
6 Goosander
1 Grasshopper Warbler
2 Sedge Warbler
18 Blackcaps
4 Willow Warblers
14 Chiffchaffs
1 Wheatear
1 Swift
Swallow
House Martin
Sand Martin
1 Skylark
1 Yellowhammer
(Ed Wilson, Phil Walters)

Priorslee Flash
4 Greylag Geese
27 Tufted Duck
5 Blackcaps
4 Willow Warblers
3 Chiffchaffs
(Ed Wilson)

2011
Priorslee Lake
5 Reed Warblers
2 Common Whitethroat
10 Blackcaps
10 Chiffchaffs
1 Willow Warbler
(Ed Wilson, John Isherwood)

Priorslee Flash
3 Blackcaps
4 Chiffchaffs
1 Willow Warbler
1 Reed Bunting
(Ed Wilson, John Isherwood)

2010
Priorslee Lake
1 Sedge Warbler
2 Reed Warbler
2 Common Sandpiper
(John Isherwood)

Nedge Hill
1 Whinchat
2 Lesser Whitethroat
18+ Wheatear
(John Isherwood)

2007
Priorslee Lake
6 Great Crested Grebes
6 Tufted Ducks
Ruddy Duck
Kestrel
Sparrowhawk
1 Grey Wagtail
1 Lesser Whitethroat
Sedge Warbler
Reed Warblers
2 House Sparrows
(Ed Wilson, John Isherwood)

2006
Priorslee Lake
5 Great Crested Grebes
1 Heron
2 Tufted Ducks
2 Ruddy Duck
1 Kestrel
1 Common Sandpiper
1 Cormorant
1 Stock Dove
3 Sand Martins
10 Swallows
1 Grey Wagtails
5 Sedge Warbler
2 Reed Warblers
7 Blackcaps
1 Garden Warbler
4 Chiffchaffs
4 Willow Warblers
1 Lesser Whitethroat
3 Reed Buntings
(Martin Adlam)

27 Apr 24

Priorslee Balancing Lake and The Flash

4.0°C > 7.0°C: Mostly clear to start with high and then lower cloud encroaching from the south-east. Chilly again with a light north-easterly breeze. Very good visibility.

Sunrise: 05:45 BST

* = a species photographed today

Priorslee Balancing Lake: 05:20 – 06:20 // 07:25 – 09:55

(93rd visit of the year)

Counts of birds noted flying over:
- 3 Canada Geese: a single and a pair outbound
- 1 Feral Pigeon
- 17 Wood Pigeons
- 2 Collared Doves: together
- 5 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 4 Jackdaws
- 2 Rooks

Hirundines etc. noted:

Minimum numbers; it is likely that birds were coming and going
- 1 Swift
- 10 Sand Martins
- 6 Barn Swallows
- 2 House Martins

Warblers noted (the figure in brackets relates to birds heard singing):
- 1 (1) Cetti's Warbler
- 15 (11) Chiffchaffs
- 7 (7) Reed Warblers
- 15 (10) Blackcaps
- *1 (1) Garden Warbler
- *2 (2) Common Whitethroats
'nominal' warbler:
- 2 (2) Goldcrests

Counts from the lake area:
- 4 Canada Geese: the resident pair throughout: a pair visited
- 2 Mute Swans
- 3 (3♂) Mallard
- 2 (2♂) Tufted Duck
- 3 Moorhen
- *28 Coots
- 5 Great Crested Grebes
- *2 Common Sandpipers

Noted on the street lamps poles pre-dawn:

Chilly again!

Spiders:

- *Stout Sac Spider Clubiona sp.

Noted later:

The sun was not out and a chill wind again:

Moths:
- *Pearly Grass-miner Elachista apicipunctella

Flies:
- *small plumed midge
- *St Mark's Fly or Hawthorn Fly Bibio marci
- Alder Fly Sialis lutaria

Beetles:
- Alder Leaf Beetle Agelastica alni

Flowers photographed today:
- *Shining Cranesbill Geranium lucidum
- *Cowslip Primula veris [again]
- *Bird Cherry Prunus padus
- *Greater Stitchwort Stellaria holostea
- *Bush Vetch Vicia sepium

Dawn looking north-east with high cloud showing to the south and east ahead of forecast rain later in the day.

Hardly "red sky in the morning; shepherds' warning" but I'll take it.

I would have thought that with Coots paired and nesting that territories had been sorted out. Apparently not.

I managed to get closer to one of the Common Sandpipers. A slightly 'tubby' (is that sizeist?) wader that continually bobs its tail, shows a white area in the shoulder and flies low across the water on flickering wing-beats, usually calling as it does so.

A singing Garden Warbler with the breeze ruffling the throat feathers. Remember: this warbler has no diagnostic plumage feature: but a beautiful song.

It would have been better had this male Common Whitethroat turned its head. All the plumage features are visible: the grey head, the white throat and the reddish tones in the folded wing.

Definite find of the day was this Pearly Grass-miner moth Elachista apicipunctella: a new species of moth for me. As a micro moth a vernacular name is not universally adopted in the literature. This species is also known as Pearled Dwarf.

The detail of male small plumed midges shows better when seen in natural light.

This is a male St Mark's Fly or Hawthorn Fly Bibio marci. Females have a different head shape. The species' name derives from the remarkably consistent emergence of this fly on or around St. Mark's Day, 25 April. I was at Belvide reservoir later that very day and noted many of these in flight when they are unmistakeable. They fly slowly at about head height with their long legs hanging down, unlike any other fly species.

The light was poor inside the wooded areas so not all the flower photos are as clear as I would like. These are Shining Cranesbill Geranium lucidum.

I am slightly happier with this repeat of Cowslip Primula veris which shows the colour at the base of the petals to better effect than my previous attempts.

This tree in full flower is a Bird Cherry Prunus padus.

A bank of Greater Stitchwort Stellaria holostea . There is a Lesser Stitchwort S graminea which has smaller flowers with more pointed petals which are divided more or less to the base. I have never recorded it in Shropshire.

 Just opening are flowers of Bush Vetch Vicia sepium.

The only thing I found on the street lamp poles pre-dawn was this Stout Sac Spider Clubiona sp.

(Ed Wilson)

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

In the Priorslee Avenue tunnel:

Flies:
- various midges
- *1 cranefly Tipula sp.

This cranefly Tipula sp. exhibits no features to allow further identification.

(Ed Wilson)

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The Flash: 06:25 – 07:20

(96th visit of the year)

Bird notes:
- the new brood of Mallard down to just four ducklings.
- the brood of two juvenile Coots noted was not the same family as I heard yesterday
- I suspect the two adult Herring Gulls are a pair nesting nearby, probably on an industrial site roof. They seem to drop in for a wash and drink and go again.
- a Starling was on a roof in Wordsworth Way briefly. It, or another, was heard in flight overhead later.

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

Warblers noted (the figure in brackets relates to birds heard singing):
- 2 (2) Willow Warblers
- 5 (5) Chiffchaffs
- 10 (7) Blackcaps
'nominal' warbler:
- 4 (4) Goldcrests

Noted on / around the water:
- 18 Canada Geese
- 1 Greylag Goose
- 5 Mute Swans
- 17 (13♂) + 4 (1 brood) Mallard
- 20 (12♂) Tufted Duck
- 6 Moorhens
- 19 + 2 (1 brood) Coots
- 1 Great Crested Grebe
- *2 Herring Gulls

Noted elsewhere around The Flash on different lamp poles:

Moths:
- 1 Red-green Carpet Chloroclysta siterata: same place as yesterday

Flies:
- male and female plumed midges
- *cranefly Limonia nubeculosa

Springtails:
- *springtail Tomocerus vulgaris

Flowers:
- *a better photo of Lords & Ladies / Cuckoo Pint Arum maculatum

What I presume to be a pair of Herring Gulls. Male birds are typically larger than females. With these two in a slightly different posture it is hard to be certain which might be which.

An easier cranefly. The strongly patterned wings and the pale areas in the top segments of the legs identify it as Limonia nubeculosa.

 I do not often see springtails after dawn to take a natural light photo. The pale bands identify this species as Tomocerus vulgaris. These bands are comprised of scales that easily wear away so not all specimens will look like this.

After three attempts a slightly better photo of Lords & Ladies / Cuckoo Pint Arum maculatum.

(Ed Wilson)

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Sightings from previous years

2013
Priorslee Lake
4 Great Crested Grebes
2 Greylag Geese
3 Common Sandpipers
1 Reed Warblers
1 Common Whitethroat
11 Blackcaps
10 Chiffchaffs
2 Willow Warblers
(Ed Wilson)

The Flash
Wood Warbler
2 Great Crested Grebe
1 Greylag Goose
1 Richardson's / Cackling-type Canada Goose
16 Tufted Duck
5 Blackcaps
Wood Warbler
1 Chiffchaff
6 Willow Warblers
(Ed Wilson)

The Wrekin
3 Wood Warblers
1 Redstart
5 Pied Flycatchers
2 Tree Pipits
2 Redpolls
1 Siskin
(Ed Wilson, JW Reeves)

2012
Priorslee Lake
6 Tufted Duck
6 Swift
50 Swallow
25 House Martin
2 Sand Martin
1 Grasshopper Warbler
1 Wheatear
1 Sedge Warbler
6 Common Sandpiper
(John Isherwood, Martin Grant)

Nedge Hill
1 Lesser Whitethroat
26 Wheatear
1 Greenland Wheatear
1 Fieldfare
1 Raven
(John Isherwood)

2011
Priorslee Lake
1 Wood Sandpiper
1 Common Sandpiper
1 Sedge Warbler
1 Lesser Whitethroat
1 Swift
(John Isherwood)

Nedge Hill
2 Wheatear
1 Lesser Whitethroat
(John Isherwood)

2008
Priorslee Lake
3 Sedge Warblers
6 Reed Warblers
2 Lesser Whitethroats
2 Whitethroats
1 Garden Warbler
9 Blackcaps
9 Chiffchaffs
1 Willow Warbler
1 Little Grebe
2 Common Sandpipers
c.10 Sand Martins
c.45 Swallows
1 House Martin
(Ed Wilson)

The Flash
4 Sand Martins
12 Swallows
2 Blackcaps
4 Chiffchaffs
4 Willow Warblers
(Ed Wilson)

The lane to the E of Priorslee
6 Whitethroats
1 Blackcap
3 Chiffchaffs
1 Willow Warbler
2 Linnets
3 Yellowhammers
(Ed Wilson)

2007
Priorslee Lake
9 Great Crested Grebes
5 Tufted Ducks
2 Ruddy Ducks
1 Kestrel
2 Stock Doves
2 Swallows
House Martins
2 Grey Wagtails
Chiffchaff
Willow Warbler
1 Jay
(Ed Wilson)

Nedge Hill
2 Swallows
House Martin
Ring Ouzel
Fieldfare
Common Whitethroat
Blackcaps
Chiffchaff
Willow Warblers
(Ed Wilson)

Priorslee Flash
1 Swallow
6 Willow Warbler
Reed Bunting
(Ed Wilson)

2006
Priorslee Lake
5 Great Crested Grebes
1 Heron
3 Greylag Geese
2 Ruddy Ducks
3 Common Sandpipers
1 Stock Dove
7 Swallows
3 Grey Wagtails
26 Wrens
17 Robins
30 Blackbirds
9 Song Thrushes
1 Sedge Warbler
3 Reed Warblers
8 Blackcaps
4 Chiffchaffs
2 Willow Warblers
5 Greenfinches
5 Reed Buntings
(Ed Wilson)