7.0°C > 13.0°C: A clear and calm start. High cloud soon encroaching from the West. Watery sun for a while. Light south-easterly breeze developed. Feeling humid out of that breeze. Very good visibility.
Sunrise: 04:46 BST
* = a photo in today's blog.
! = a new species for me here this year
!! = a new species for me in Shropshire
Priorslee Balancing Lake: 04:50 – 06:15 // 07:25 – 09:55
(127th visit of the year)
Bird notes:
- for the last few days when I have arrived the two Mute Swans have been at opposite ends of the water. They do get together later.
- in the early calm conditions there were only about six Swifts hawking insects. As the breeze sprang up more and more joined in, though rather fewer than in the recent breezy days.
- the Cetti's Warbler continues to sing loudly as it covers its territory from the north-west corner around to the South side. It stays well-hidden. When I do glimpse it there is never a suggestion that it has a mate.
Counts of birds noted flying over:
- 3 Canada Geese: together
- 12 Wood Pigeons
- 1 Herring Gull
- 10 Lesser Black-backed Gulls: all before 05:15
- 5 Jackdaws
- 2 Rooks
Hirundines etc. noted:
- *>50 Swifts
- 2 Barn Swallows
- 4 House Martins
Warblers noted (the figure in brackets relates to birds heard singing):
- 1 (1) Cetti's Warbler
- 13 (12) Chiffchaffs
- 9 (9) Reed Warblers
- 9 (8) Blackcaps
- 1 (0) Common Whitethroat
'nominal' warbler:
- 3 (3) Goldcrests
Counts from the lake area:
- 2 Mute Swans
- 8 (7♂) Mallard
- 1 Moorhen
- 26 + 6 (4 broods) Coots
- 3 Great Crested Grebes
- 1 Lesser Black-backed Gull very briefly
Noted on the street lamps poles pre-dawn:
Moths:
- *1 White Ermine Spilosoma lubricipeda: probably a different specimen
Noted later:
- *1 White Ermine Spilosoma lubricipeda: probably a different specimen
Noted later:
Butterflies:
- none
- none
Moths:
- *!Common Yellow Conch Agapeta hamana
- *Common Marble Celypha lacunana
- *!Plum Tortrix Hedya pruniana
- *!probable Thistle Bell Epiblema scutulana [Thistle Root-borer]
- *!Common Yellow Conch Agapeta hamana
- *Common Marble Celypha lacunana
- *!Plum Tortrix Hedya pruniana
- *!probable Thistle Bell Epiblema scutulana [Thistle Root-borer]
Bees, wasps etc.:
- *Honey Bee Apis mellifera
- Red-tailed Bumblebee Bombus lapidarius
- Common Carder Bee Bombus pascuorum
- Early Bumblebee Bombus pratorum
- Buff-tailed Bumblebee Bombus terrestris
- *White-tipped Sawfly Tenthredo livida
- *Honey Bee Apis mellifera
- Red-tailed Bumblebee Bombus lapidarius
- Common Carder Bee Bombus pascuorum
- Early Bumblebee Bombus pratorum
- Buff-tailed Bumblebee Bombus terrestris
- *White-tipped Sawfly Tenthredo livida
Hoverflies:
- *Buttercup Blacklet Cheilosia albitarsus [Late Buttercup Cheilosia]
- 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]
- Blotch-winged Hoverfly Leucozona lucorum [Blotch-winged Whitebelt]
- Chequered Hoverfly Melanostoma scalare [Long-winged Duskyface]
- Bumblebee Plume-horned Hoverfly Volucella bombylans
Damsel-/dragon-flies:
- *Azure Damselfly Coenagrion puella
- *Common Blue Damselfly Enallagma cyathigerum
- *Azure Damselfly Coenagrion puella
- *Common Blue Damselfly Enallagma cyathigerum
Other flies:
- Black Snipefly Chrysopilus cristatus: again males only noted and many hundreds
- long-legged fly Dolichopus ungulatus or similar
- *Grouse Wing caddis fly Mystacides longicornis
- *cranefly Nephrotoma quadrifaria
- *!semaphore fly Poecilobothrus nobilitatus
- *Downlooker Snipefly Rhagio scolopaceus
- Yellow Dung Fly Scathophaga stercoraria
- *other midges and flies, species unknown
- Black Snipefly Chrysopilus cristatus: again males only noted and many hundreds
- long-legged fly Dolichopus ungulatus or similar
- *Grouse Wing caddis fly Mystacides longicornis
- *cranefly Nephrotoma quadrifaria
- *!semaphore fly Poecilobothrus nobilitatus
- *Downlooker Snipefly Rhagio scolopaceus
- Yellow Dung Fly Scathophaga stercoraria
- *other midges and flies, species unknown
Bugs etc.:
- Common Flower Bug Anthocoris nemorum
- *!Birch Shieldbug Elasmostethus interstinctus
- *Common Green Shieldbug Palomena prasina
- Common Flower Bug Anthocoris nemorum
- *!Birch Shieldbug Elasmostethus interstinctus
- *Common Green Shieldbug Palomena prasina
Beetles:
- Alder Leaf Beetle Agelastica alni
- *Raspberry Beetle Byturus tomentosus
- False Blister Beetle Oedemera lurida or O. virescens
- *Swollen-thighed Beetle Oedemera nobilis [Thick-legged Flower Beetle]
- weevil Polydrusus formosus
- Alder Leaf Beetle Agelastica alni
- *Raspberry Beetle Byturus tomentosus
- False Blister Beetle Oedemera lurida or O. virescens
- *Swollen-thighed Beetle Oedemera nobilis [Thick-legged Flower Beetle]
- weevil Polydrusus formosus
Molluscs:
- White-lipped Snail Cepaea hortensis
- Girdled Snail Hygromia cinctella
- White-lipped Snail Cepaea hortensis
- Girdled Snail Hygromia cinctella
Spiders:
- *Long-jawed Orb-web Spider Tetragnatha sp.
- *Long-jawed Orb-web Spider Tetragnatha sp.
New flowers noted
- *Greater Bindweed Convolvulus sylvaticus [previously thought to be Field Bindweed C. arvensis]
- *Self-heal Prunella vulgaris
- *Greater Bindweed Convolvulus sylvaticus [previously thought to be Field Bindweed C. arvensis]
- *Self-heal Prunella vulgaris
Amphibians:
- More welcome feedback: I was told that yesterday "lots of small frogs" were seen crossing the footpath near the Wesley Brook bridge.
- More welcome feedback: I was told that yesterday "lots of small frogs" were seen crossing the footpath near the Wesley Brook bridge.
Calm and clear to start: did not stay that way.
What more Swifts! Not so many today.
One with a mouthful of insects with another dashing past.
A trio of juveniles Starling on the fence around the football field. There were 35 Starlings in the area this morning. Some look like adults still collecting and ferrying food to nests. As far as I know Starlings are single-brooded so I presume these are replacement nests by failed breeders.
I found four micro-moths on the vegetation around the lake. Three of them were new for me this year. This is a Common Yellow Conch Agapeta hamana.
This Common Marble moth Celypha lacunana is a species I have seen before.
Easily mistaken for a bird dropping is a Plum Tortrix moth Hedya pruniana. One of two I found.
This is a probable Thistle Bell moth Epiblema scutulana. There is a very similar species associated with Knapweed.
Today's White Ermine Spilosoma lubricipeda. I think a different individual. It was on the same street lamp but in a different place and had gone within the hour.
A Honey Bee Apis mellifera tucking in to a Dog Rose.
A White-tipped Sawfly Tenthredo livida.
A Buttercup Blacklet hoverfly Cheilosia albitarsus.
A male Azure Damselfly Coenagrion puella.
While this male is a Common Blue Damselfly Enallagma cyathigerum yet to acquire adult colouration.
A Grouse Wing caddis fly Mystacides longicornis showing its long, banded antennae.
This cranefly is Nephrotoma quadrifaria.
A male semaphore fly Poecilobothrus nobilitatus. Only the males have the white tips to its wings which they wave to attract the females.
An upward-looking Downlooker Snipefly Rhagio scolopaceus.
Unusual fly number one: this red-eyed fly has both a greenish thorax and abdomen.
Number two. In fact it may be a biting midge. Stand back.
Number three. Very bright red eyes.
Number four. One with many hairs on its legs.
My first Birch Shieldbug Elasmostethus interstinctus of the year.
And a Common Green Shieldbug Palomena prasina.
I think two Raspberry Beetles Byturus tomentosus having fun in a buttercup.
An unusual view of a male Swollen-thighed Beetle Oedemera nobilis.
Long-jawed Orb-web Spiders Tetragnatha sp. can be found hanging in webs...
... or laying in wait along a leaf.
Detail of the abdomen of one. The patterning varies considerably between individuals.
Obsidentify is, I hope, a better botanist than I am. It calls this Greater Bindweed Convolvulus sylvaticus. I have previously logged it as Field Bindweed C. arvensis.
This plant I can recognise by myself: it is Self-heal Prunella vulgaris.
(Ed Wilson)
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In the Priorslee Avenue tunnel:
Moths:
- 1 Common Pug Eupithecia vulgata
The Flash: 06:20 – 07:20
- 1 Common Pug Eupithecia vulgata
(Ed Wilson)
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The Flash: 06:20 – 07:20
(130th visit of the year)
Bird notes:
- the cob Mute Swan put some of the other swans to flight. They only went to the other end of the water.
- no juvenile Coots seen and none heard begging either.
- two Stock Doves again: one calling from trees near the academy: the other from a rooftop in Westfield Walk.
- a Bullfinch was heard in song with another calling, both near the academy.
Bird(s) noted flying over here:
- 1 Common Buzzard flew low along the water.
Hirundines etc. noted:
- 3 House Martins
Warblers noted (the figure in brackets relates to birds heard singing):
- 5 (5) Chiffchaffs
- 2 (2) Blackcaps
'nominal' warbler:
- 1 (1) Goldcrest
Noted on / around the water:
- 184 + 3 (1 brood) Canada Geese
- 10 Greylag Geese
- 1 Canada x Greylag Goose
- 8 + 3 (1 brood) Mute Swans
- 24 Mallard: sexes not determined
- 5 (4♂) Tufted Duck
- *4 Moorhen
- 20 Coots
- 3 Great Crested Grebes
Noted elsewhere around The Flash:
Beetles:
- many Alder Leaf Beetle Agelastica alni
- many Alder Leaf Beetle Agelastica alni
Flies:
- *yet more unknown flies.
- *yet more unknown flies.
Moorhens are very capable climbers. Here is one on top of a hedge.
A mystery fly here. It is unusual in having a rufous thorax. It also seems to have a short abdomen (or long wings if you prefer). No idea as to the species.
(Ed Wilson)
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Sightings from previous years
2013
Priorslee Flash
1 Greylag x Canada Goose
(Ed Wilson)