7.0°C > 15.0°C: A mixed bag. Mainly clear start. Clouded after 07:15 with a very light shower c.08:30. The skies cleared after 09:00. Light mainly easterly breeze. Very good visibility.
Sunrise: 04:59 BST
* = a species photographed today
! = a new species for me here this year
!! = a new species for me in Shropshire
Priorslee Balancing Lake: 05:10 – 06:20 // 07:25 – 09:45
* = a species photographed today
! = a new species for me here this year
!! = a new species for me in Shropshire
Priorslee Balancing Lake: 05:10 – 06:20 // 07:25 – 09:45
(112th visit of the year)
Bird notes:
- *an Oystercatcher was an unexpected visitor. It flew in from the East to the south-west grass at 05:50 and left to the West at 05:55.
- a Lesser Whitethroat was singing in the south-west wooded area at 09:00. I heard (and saw) it in the same area a month ago and this raises the possibility that it paired and bred here and is singing again to re-establish its territory and pair bond between broods. Of course it could as well be a bird that has failed a breeding attempt elsewhere and setting up a new territory.
Counts of birds noted flying over:
- 5 Canada Geese: inbound together
- 2 Greylag Geese: two singles outbound
- 1 Stock Dove
- 16 Wood Pigeons
- 1 Lesser Black-backed Gull
- 2 Grey Herons: together
- 7 Jackdaws
Hirundines etc. noted: see notes
- c,25 Swifts
- 2 Barn Swallows
Warblers noted (the figure in brackets relates to birds heard singing):
- 1 (1) Cetti's Warbler
- 10 (10) Chiffchaffs
- 11 (1) Reed Warblers
- 1 (1) Lesser Whitethroat
- 11 (11) Blackcaps
'nominal' warbler:
- no Goldcrests
Counts from the lake area:
- 6 + 5 (1 brood) Canada Geese: an additional pair throughout and another pair briefly
- 2 + 1 (1 brood) Greylag Geese
- 2 + 2 (1 brood) Mute Swans
- 1 (1♂) Mallard
- 1 Moorhen
- 27 + 8 (4 broods) Coots
- 4 Great Crested Grebes
- *1 Oystercatcher: briefly
- 1 Lesser Black-backed Gull: briefly
Seen on the street lamps poles pre-dawn:
Bird notes:
- *an Oystercatcher was an unexpected visitor. It flew in from the East to the south-west grass at 05:50 and left to the West at 05:55.
- a Lesser Whitethroat was singing in the south-west wooded area at 09:00. I heard (and saw) it in the same area a month ago and this raises the possibility that it paired and bred here and is singing again to re-establish its territory and pair bond between broods. Of course it could as well be a bird that has failed a breeding attempt elsewhere and setting up a new territory.
Counts of birds noted flying over:
- 5 Canada Geese: inbound together
- 2 Greylag Geese: two singles outbound
- 1 Stock Dove
- 16 Wood Pigeons
- 1 Lesser Black-backed Gull
- 2 Grey Herons: together
- 7 Jackdaws
Hirundines etc. noted: see notes
- c,25 Swifts
- 2 Barn Swallows
Warblers noted (the figure in brackets relates to birds heard singing):
- 1 (1) Cetti's Warbler
- 10 (10) Chiffchaffs
- 11 (1) Reed Warblers
- 1 (1) Lesser Whitethroat
- 11 (11) Blackcaps
'nominal' warbler:
- no Goldcrests
Counts from the lake area:
- 6 + 5 (1 brood) Canada Geese: an additional pair throughout and another pair briefly
- 2 + 1 (1 brood) Greylag Geese
- 2 + 2 (1 brood) Mute Swans
- 1 (1♂) Mallard
- 1 Moorhen
- 27 + 8 (4 broods) Coots
- 4 Great Crested Grebes
- *1 Oystercatcher: briefly
- 1 Lesser Black-backed Gull: briefly
Seen on the street lamps poles pre-dawn:
Moths:
- 1 Silver-ground Carpet Xanthorhoe montanata (unusual at light)
- 1 Silver-ground Carpet Xanthorhoe montanata (unusual at light)
Flies:
- *many small plumed midges
- *many small plumed midges
Spiders:
- Long-jawed Orb-web Spider Tetragnatha sp.
Noted later:
- Long-jawed Orb-web Spider Tetragnatha sp.
Noted later:
Butterflies:
- !*Common Blue Polyommatus icarus
- !*Common Blue Polyommatus icarus
Moths:
- Silver-ground Carpet Xanthorhoe montanata
- Silver-ground Carpet Xanthorhoe montanata
Bees, wasps etc.:
- Early Bumblebee Bombus pratorum
- !*Bramble Sawfly Arge cyanocrocea
- *Alder Sawfly Eriocampa ovata
- !*black ant Lasius sp!
- Early Bumblebee Bombus pratorum
- !*Bramble Sawfly Arge cyanocrocea
- *Alder Sawfly Eriocampa ovata
- !*black ant Lasius sp!
Hoverflies:
- Buttercup Blacklet Cheilosia albitarsus [Late Buttercup Cheilosia]
- *Common Dronefly Eristalis tenax
- Migrant Field Syrph Eupeodes corollae [Migrant Hoverfly]
- *Tiger Hoverfly Helophilus pendulus
- Blotch-winged Hoverfly Leucozona lucorum [Blotch-winged Whitebelt]
- Chequered Hoverfly Melanostoma scalare [Long-winged Duskyface]
- !*Bumblebee Plume-horned Hoverfly Volucella bombylans
- Buttercup Blacklet Cheilosia albitarsus [Late Buttercup Cheilosia]
- *Common Dronefly Eristalis tenax
- Migrant Field Syrph Eupeodes corollae [Migrant Hoverfly]
- *Tiger Hoverfly Helophilus pendulus
- Blotch-winged Hoverfly Leucozona lucorum [Blotch-winged Whitebelt]
- Chequered Hoverfly Melanostoma scalare [Long-winged Duskyface]
- !*Bumblebee Plume-horned Hoverfly Volucella bombylans
Damsel-/dragon-flies:
- *Common Blue Damselfly Enallagma cyathigerum
- *Red-eyed Damselfly Erythromma najas
- *Blue-tailed Damselfly Ischnura elegans
- *Common Blue Damselfly Enallagma cyathigerum
- *Red-eyed Damselfly Erythromma najas
- *Blue-tailed Damselfly Ischnura elegans
Other flies:
- Black Snipefly Chrysopilus cristatus: male and female
- dagger fly Empis tessellata
- !!*Muscid fly Graphomya maculata
- *Grouse Wing caddis fly Mystacides longicornis
- *cranefly Nephrotoma quadrifaria
- Scorpion Fly Panorpa sp.
- Yellow Dung Fly Scathophaga stercoraria
- many other unidentified species
- Black Snipefly Chrysopilus cristatus: male and female
- dagger fly Empis tessellata
- !!*Muscid fly Graphomya maculata
- *Grouse Wing caddis fly Mystacides longicornis
- *cranefly Nephrotoma quadrifaria
- Scorpion Fly Panorpa sp.
- Yellow Dung Fly Scathophaga stercoraria
- many other unidentified species
Bugs etc.:
- Mirid bug Calocoris alpestris
- Red-and-Black Froghopper Cercopis vulnerata
- Mirid bug Calocoris alpestris
- Red-and-Black Froghopper Cercopis vulnerata
Beetles:
- Alder Leaf Beetle Agelastica alni
- Raspberry Beetle Byturus tomentosus
- *soldier beetle Cantharis nigricans
- 7 Spot Ladybird Coccinella 7-punctata
- Harlequin Ladybird Harmonia axyridis var. succinea
- False blister Beetle Oedemera lurida/virescens
- *Swollen-thighed Beetle Oedemera nobilis [False Oil Beetle or Thick-legged Flower Beetle]
- Nettle Weevil Phyllobius pomaceus
- !!*weevil Polydrusus formosus
- Common or Red-headed Cardinal Beetle Pyrochroa serraticornis
- Alder Leaf Beetle Agelastica alni
- Raspberry Beetle Byturus tomentosus
- *soldier beetle Cantharis nigricans
- 7 Spot Ladybird Coccinella 7-punctata
- Harlequin Ladybird Harmonia axyridis var. succinea
- False blister Beetle Oedemera lurida/virescens
- *Swollen-thighed Beetle Oedemera nobilis [False Oil Beetle or Thick-legged Flower Beetle]
- Nettle Weevil Phyllobius pomaceus
- !!*weevil Polydrusus formosus
- Common or Red-headed Cardinal Beetle Pyrochroa serraticornis
Molluscs:
- White-lipped Snail Cepaea hortensis
- Girdled Snail Hygromia cinctella
- White-lipped Snail Cepaea hortensis
- Girdled Snail Hygromia cinctella
Spiders:
- *wolf spider Pardosa sp.
- Long-jawed Orb-web Spider Tetragnatha sp.
- *wolf spider Pardosa sp.
- Long-jawed Orb-web Spider Tetragnatha sp.
More or less sunrise.
And looking the other way for a change, up the concrete ramp with the new fencing in full view.
The Oystercatcher that dropped in for a few minutes.
My first Common Blue butterfly Polyommatus icarus of the year. A male.
This is a Bramble Sawfly Arge cyanocrocea.
The red on the thorax identify this as an Alder Sawfly Eriocampa ovata.
Not a bumblebee: it cannot be a bee as it has short antennae. It is a Bumblebee Plume-horned Hoverfly Volucella bombylans. The plume 'horns' (antennae) are just about visible.
Struggling out of its larva case is what I believe will turn in to a Common Blue Damselfly Enallagma cyathigerum.
A Red-eyed Damselfly Erythromma najas. I have noted very many more of this species this year and also seen them in many different places around the water.
The third of this morning's trio of damselfly species: a Blue-tailed Damselfly Ischnura elegans.
Two plumed midges on the ID label of one of the street lamps. They are somewhat dew covered but they seem to be different species of males. One has dark marks in its wings and the head shapes look different. No idea about their identity.
A very smart fly. It is a Muscid fly Graphomya maculata . It can be identified as a female both by the eyes being well separated and the lack of the males orange markings on its abdomen. As far as I can tell this is a new (newly recognised?) species for me.
A better photo of a cranefly Nephrotoma quadrifaria than the one I took of a specimen on a street lamp pole yesterday morning. Very smart.
A soldier beetle Cantharis nigricans.
A female Swollen-thighed Beetle Oedemera nobilis. Unusually, so far this year, I have seen more females than males.
Superficially like a Nettle Weevil Phyllobius pomaceus but with a much shorter 'snout'. The dark tips to the antennae identify it as Polydrusus formosus. Another new species for me.
A wolf spider Pardosa sp. With 'boxing glove' palps this must be a male.
(Ed Wilson)
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In the Priorslee Avenue tunnel:
Flies:
- just the usual midges of several species
The Flash: 06:25 – 07:20
(115th visit of the year)
Bird notes:
- there seems to be the beginnings of a build-up of the geese ahead of their post-breeding wing-moult when they become flightless for several weeks.
- that said one of the 'juvenile' Mute Swans chased nine of the Canada Geese away.
Bird(s) noted flying over here:
A juvenile Wood Pigeon. Juveniles lack the white neck patch of the adult or the glossy purple / green patch shown by the slightly smaller Stock Dove. They share with the adult the white on the leading edge of the folded wing.
Trying to look like a rose petal is a White-pinion Spotted moth Lomographa bimaculata. My first at this site.
I was trying to get a photo of the female Common European Earwig Forficula dentata below white I thought was a bird dropping but not so.
The 'bird dropping' revealed itself as a Marbled White Spot moth Protodeltote pygarga, my first in Shropshire.
(Ed Wilson)
Sightings from previous years
2012
Nedge Hill
2 Ravens mobbing Kestrel.
(John Isherwood)
2010
Priorslee Lake
Ringed Plover
(Ed Wilson)
2009
Priorslee Lake
Red Kite
(Ed Wilson)
- just the usual midges of several species
(Ed Wilson)
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Flash: 06:25 – 07:20
(115th visit of the year)
Bird notes:
- there seems to be the beginnings of a build-up of the geese ahead of their post-breeding wing-moult when they become flightless for several weeks.
- that said one of the 'juvenile' Mute Swans chased nine of the Canada Geese away.
Bird(s) noted flying over here:
None
Hirundines etc. noted:
- 2 Swifts
- 3 House Martins
Warblers noted (the figure in brackets relates to birds heard singing):
- 4 (4) Chiffchaffs
- 4 (4) Blackcaps
'nominal' warbler:
- 2 (2) Goldcrests
Noted on / around the water:
- 42 Canada Geese
- 1 Canada x Greylag Goose
- 3 Greylag Geese
- 9 + 3 (1 brood) Mute Swans
- 17 (13♂) Mallard
- 4 (2♂) Tufted Duck
- 6 + 2 (1 brood) Moorhens
- 17 + 9 (6 broods) Coots
- 1 Great Crested Grebe
Noted elsewhere around The Flash:
Hirundines etc. noted:
- 2 Swifts
- 3 House Martins
Warblers noted (the figure in brackets relates to birds heard singing):
- 4 (4) Chiffchaffs
- 4 (4) Blackcaps
'nominal' warbler:
- 2 (2) Goldcrests
Noted on / around the water:
- 42 Canada Geese
- 1 Canada x Greylag Goose
- 3 Greylag Geese
- 9 + 3 (1 brood) Mute Swans
- 17 (13♂) Mallard
- 4 (2♂) Tufted Duck
- 6 + 2 (1 brood) Moorhens
- 17 + 9 (6 broods) Coots
- 1 Great Crested Grebe
Noted elsewhere around The Flash:
Moths:
- 1 Common Pug Eupithecia vulgata
- *1 White-pinion Spotted Lomographa bimaculata
- *1 !!Marbled White Spot Protodeltote pygarga : ** a new species for my Shropshire list
- 1 Common Pug Eupithecia vulgata
- *1 White-pinion Spotted Lomographa bimaculata
- *1 !!Marbled White Spot Protodeltote pygarga : ** a new species for my Shropshire list
Hoverflies:
- 1 Chequered Hoverfly Melanostoma scalare [Long-winged Duskyface]
- 1 Chequered Hoverfly Melanostoma scalare [Long-winged Duskyface]
Other flies:
- *1 caddisfly Tinodes waeneri
- *1 caddisfly Tinodes waeneri
Beetles:
- many Alder Leaf Beetles Agelastica alni
- many Alder Leaf Beetles Agelastica alni
Other things:
- *1 Common European Earwig Forficula dentata
- *1 Common European Earwig Forficula dentata
Spiders:
- Long-jawed Orb-web Spiders Tetragnatha sp.
- Long-jawed Orb-web Spiders Tetragnatha sp.
A caddisfly Tinodes waeneri.
(Ed Wilson)
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Sightings from previous years
2012
Nedge Hill
2 Ravens mobbing Kestrel.
(John Isherwood)
2010
Priorslee Lake
Ringed Plover
(Ed Wilson)
2009
Priorslee Lake
Red Kite
(Ed Wilson)