15.0°C > 17.0°C: Mainly clear start. Cloud after c.05:45 with a few light sprinkles c.06:30. Gradually clearing with good sunny spells after 08:30. Moderate / fresh south-westerly breeze. Excellent visibility.
Sunrise: 04:48 BST
* = a species photographed today
! = a new species for me here this year
!! = a new species for me in Shropshire
Priorslee Balancing Lake: 05:00 – 06:10 // 07:20 – 09:50
* = a species photographed today
! = a new species for me here this year
!! = a new species for me in Shropshire
Priorslee Balancing Lake: 05:00 – 06:10 // 07:20 – 09:50
(139th visit of the year)
Bird notes:
- A few days ago I photographed a Feral Pigeon strutting about in Teece Drive and remarked that it was unusual to see them on the ground away from their usual roof-top haunts. The last two days I have noted two Feral Pigeons on the roof of Simon the bee-keeper's house. So the bird I photographed was closer to home than I thought.
- Was it the change in the weather or the progression of the year that led to many more gulls today, including the first Black-headed Gull on the water since they all departed in April to their breeding sites.
- A Sparrowhawk was heard calling from the south-east trees and was then seen flying off across Castle Farm Way.
- I neglected to write-up the bird notes for yesterday and failed to highlight a singing Garden Warbler in the south-west copse where one sang as the migrants arrived. After about two weeks it stopped singing and I assumed it had failed to attract a mate and moved on. Was this the same bird singing between broods? Or was it a failed breeder looking for a new territory? I did not hear it today so I will never know,
Counts of birds noted flying over:
- 1 (1♂) Mallard
- 42 Wood Pigeons
- 3 Black-headed Gulls
- 2 Herring Gulls
- 7 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 37 Jackdaws
- 14 Rooks
- 1 Greenfinch
Hirundines etc. noted:
- 12 Swifts
- 1 Barn Swallow
- 3 House Martins
Warblers noted (the figure in brackets relates to birds heard singing):
- 1 (1) Cetti's Warbler
- 13 (10) Chiffchaffs
- 5 (5) Reed Warblers
- 10 (10) Blackcaps
- 1 (1) Common Whitethroat
'nominal' warbler:
- no Goldcrests
Counts from the lake area:
- 2 Mute Swans
- 3 (3♂) Mallard
- 3 + 2 (1 brood) Moorhens
- 18 + 5 (4 broods) Coots
- 5 Great Crested Grebes
- 1 Black-headed Gull
- *1 Herring Gull
- *22 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 1 Grey Heron: departed 05:45
On the street lamps poles pre-dawn:
Nothing noted
Noted later:
Too windy for many insects to be about
Noted later:
Too windy for many insects to be about
Butterflies:
- Ringlet Aphantopus hyperantus
- Ringlet Aphantopus hyperantus
Moths:
- Common Marble Celypha lacunana
- Latticed Heath Chiasmia clathrata
- Common Marble Celypha lacunana
- Latticed Heath Chiasmia clathrata
Bees, wasps etc.:
- Buff-tailed Bumblebee Bombus terrestris
- *!!ichneumon sp., perhaps a male Ichneumon xanthorius
- *!!sand wasp sp., of genus Gorytes, perhaps G. laticinctus
- Buff-tailed Bumblebee Bombus terrestris
- *!!ichneumon sp., perhaps a male Ichneumon xanthorius
- *!!sand wasp sp., of genus Gorytes, perhaps G. laticinctus
Hoverflies:
The first name is that used by Stephen Falk. The name in square brackets is that given by Obsidentify or other sources if different. Scientific names are normally common. The species are presented in alphabetic order of those scientific names.
- Bumblebee Blacklet Cheilosia illustrata [Bumblebee Blacklet]
- Migrant Field Syrph Eupeodes corollae [Migrant Hoverfly; Migrant Aphideater]
- Tiger Hoverfly Helophilus pendulus
- *Chequered Hoverfly Melanostoma scalare [Long-winged Duskyface]
- *Dead-head Hoverfly Myathropa florea [Common Batman Fly]
- *Parhelophilus frutetorum [no vernacular names]
- Bumblebee Plume-horned Hoverfly Volucella bombylans
- Pellucid Fly Volucella pellucens [Pied Plumehorn]
- Bumblebee Blacklet Cheilosia illustrata [Bumblebee Blacklet]
- Migrant Field Syrph Eupeodes corollae [Migrant Hoverfly; Migrant Aphideater]
- Tiger Hoverfly Helophilus pendulus
- *Chequered Hoverfly Melanostoma scalare [Long-winged Duskyface]
- *Dead-head Hoverfly Myathropa florea [Common Batman Fly]
- *Parhelophilus frutetorum [no vernacular names]
- Bumblebee Plume-horned Hoverfly Volucella bombylans
- Pellucid Fly Volucella pellucens [Pied Plumehorn]
Damsel-/dragon-flies:
- Common Blue Damselfly Enallagma cyathigerum
- Blue-tailed Damselfly Ischnura elegans
- Common Blue Damselfly Enallagma cyathigerum
- Blue-tailed Damselfly Ischnura elegans
Other flies:
- Black Snipefly Chrysopilus cristatus
- *long-legged fly, possibly Chrysotus blepharosceles
- *long-legged fly Dolichopus ungulatus or similar
- Greenbottle Lucilia sp.
- *!Marsh Snipefly Rhagio tringarius
- *Yellow Dung Fly Scathophaga stercoraria
- *a few more unidentified flies
- Black Snipefly Chrysopilus cristatus
- *long-legged fly, possibly Chrysotus blepharosceles
- *long-legged fly Dolichopus ungulatus or similar
- Greenbottle Lucilia sp.
- *!Marsh Snipefly Rhagio tringarius
- *Yellow Dung Fly Scathophaga stercoraria
- *a few more unidentified flies
Bugs etc.:
- *Mirid bug, likely Closterotomus norwegicus
- *Mirid bug, likely Closterotomus norwegicus
Beetles:
- *Alder Leaf Beetle Agelastica alni
- *Swollen-thighed Beetle Oedemera nobilis
- *False Blister Beetle Oedemera lurida or O. virescens
- *Alder Leaf Beetle Agelastica alni
- *Swollen-thighed Beetle Oedemera nobilis
- *False Blister Beetle Oedemera lurida or O. virescens
Molluscs:
- White-lipped Snail Cepaea hortensis
- White-lipped Snail Cepaea hortensis
Amphibian:
- Common Frog Rana temporaria
- Common Frog Rana temporaria
Spiders:
- wolf spider, likely Common Wolf Spider Pardosa pullata
- wolf spider, likely Common Wolf Spider Pardosa pullata
New flowers noted
- *Common Mallow Malva sylvestris
- *Common Mallow Malva sylvestris
As good as the weather got early. Rain-bearing clouds soon arrived for a while.
A broader view.
Another second year Lesser Black-backed Gull beginning its moult in to third winter plumage. The tail of this example is still basically all-dark. The bill looks more like an adult. Note there are three regrowing new inner primaries with the full length outer primaries to be discarded in turn.
An adult Lesser Black-backed Gull. It has dropped some inner primaries and until the moult is complete the rear of the wing will show a 'step'.
An ichneumon sp.
A Chequered Hoverfly Melanostoma scalare but what is the tiny insect in front of it? Good question.
A trio of photos of the same Dead-head Hoverfly Myathropa florea. Back view.
A close-up front view.
And the plan view showing just how hairy it is.
A long-legged fly with a short abdomen. It may be Chrysotus blepharosceles.
Another of the long-legged fly group: likely Dolichopus ungulatus.
Another of the same species?
My first Marsh Snipefly Rhagio tringarius of the year.
My first Yellow Dung Fly Scathophaga stercoraria for a while so we'd better have a closer look.
A formation trio of flies? In fact there were eleven flies on the same plant, all similarly orientated.
A closer view of one. Species?
This tiny circular insect seems to have wings so I suppose it is a fly. I suppose.
This seems to be a male midge. No idea as to species.
Compare with the similar False Blister Beetle Oedemera lurida or O. virescens. This species is slimmer, the sexes are alike and the elytra are usually held closed or only very slightly apart.
Common Mallow Malva sylvestris
(Ed Wilson)
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In the Priorslee Avenue tunnel:
Flies:
- *1 owl midge Psychodidae sp.
- *1 owl midge Psychodidae sp.
The owl midge Psychodidae sp.
(Ed Wilson)
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The Flash: 06:15 – 07:15
(142nd visit of the year)
Bird notes:
- all the geese were visible from a single point today meaning there was no possibility of double-counting or missing some. However... they were jammed together such that it was still difficult to get a truly accurate number.
- I only saw the Mallard with ducklings from a distance: my impression was that the ducklings were smaller than those I photographed yesterday. Today's were in the water whereas yesterday they were on land. That could make a difference to the perceived size.
- One Great Crested Grebe seemed to be sitting on a nest at the top end. The nest-site that seemed to be being inspected around the island has not had any attention recently though two birds are usually in the area.
Bird(s) noted flying over here:
- 1 Lesser Black-backed Gull
Hirundines etc. noted:
- 5 Swifts
Warblers noted (the figure in brackets relates to birds heard singing):
- 5 (4) Chiffchaffs
- 1 (1) Blackcap
'nominal' warbler:
- no Goldcrests
Noted on / around the water:
- 219 Canada Geese: goslings not identified
- 64 Greylag Geese
- no Canada x Greylag Goose
- 3 + 2 (1 brood) Mute Swan
- 24 + 2 (1 brood) Mallard: sexes not determined
- 8 (5♂) Tufted Duck
- 5 + 1 (1 brood) Moorhens
- 20 + 4 (3 brood) Coots
- 3 Great Crested Grebes
Noted elsewhere around The Flash:
Bird notes:
- all the geese were visible from a single point today meaning there was no possibility of double-counting or missing some. However... they were jammed together such that it was still difficult to get a truly accurate number.
- I only saw the Mallard with ducklings from a distance: my impression was that the ducklings were smaller than those I photographed yesterday. Today's were in the water whereas yesterday they were on land. That could make a difference to the perceived size.
- One Great Crested Grebe seemed to be sitting on a nest at the top end. The nest-site that seemed to be being inspected around the island has not had any attention recently though two birds are usually in the area.
Bird(s) noted flying over here:
- 1 Lesser Black-backed Gull
Hirundines etc. noted:
- 5 Swifts
Warblers noted (the figure in brackets relates to birds heard singing):
- 5 (4) Chiffchaffs
- 1 (1) Blackcap
'nominal' warbler:
- no Goldcrests
Noted on / around the water:
- 219 Canada Geese: goslings not identified
- 64 Greylag Geese
- no Canada x Greylag Goose
- 3 + 2 (1 brood) Mute Swan
- 24 + 2 (1 brood) Mallard: sexes not determined
- 8 (5♂) Tufted Duck
- 5 + 1 (1 brood) Moorhens
- 20 + 4 (3 brood) Coots
- 3 Great Crested Grebes
Noted elsewhere around The Flash:
Moths:
- *1 Treble Brown Spot Idaea trigeminata
- *1 Treble Brown Spot Idaea trigeminata
Flowers:
- *Common (or Perforate) St. John's-wort Hypericum perforatum
- *Common (or Perforate) St. John's-wort Hypericum perforatum
Yet another Treble Brown Spot moth Idaea trigeminata. It still does not seem to have three spots.
(Ed Wilson)
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Sightings from previous years
2012
Priorslee Lake
Common Sandpiper
(Ed Wilson)
2009
Priorslee Lake
2 Redshank
(Ed Wilson)
2006
Priorslee Lake
2 Ruddy Duck
(Ed Wilson)