31 Jul 24

Priorslee Balancing Lake and The Flash

13.0°C > 20.0°C: Some high cloud otherwise fine and clear of somewhat hazy. Light and variable breeze. Very good visibility.

Sunrise: 05:27 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 – 06:15 // 07:10 – 09:25

(166th visit of the year)

A very quiet morning, especially later with very few insects about. Too hot?

Bird notes:
- only the resident Mute Swans remain.

Counts of birds noted flying over:
- 42 Canada Geese: 60 outbound in five groups; a single inbound with Greylags
- 33 Greylag Geese: 25 outbound in six groups; eight inbound in three groups
- 2 Stock Dove: together
- 193 Wood Pigeons
- 2 Herring Gulls
- 22 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 88 Jackdaws
- 3 Rooks
- 2 Starlings

Hirundines etc. noted:
- 2 Barn Swallows
- 2 House Martins

Warblers noted (the figure in brackets relates to birds heard singing):
- 7 (0) Chiffchaffs
- *11 (1) Reed Warblers
- 5 (0) Blackcaps
- 1 (1) Common Whitethroat
'nominal' warbler:
- no Goldcrests

Counts from the lake area:
- 32 Canada Geese: one early; all the others arrived in five groups
- 1 Greylag Goose: departed
- 2 Mute Swans
- 20 (?♂) Mallard
- 6 adult and juvenile Moorhens
- 54 adult and juvenile Coots
- 5 + 1 (1 brood) Great Crested Grebes
- 12 Black-headed Gulls at most on the lake. Just five on the academy's own football field at 06:00
- 2 Herring Gulls: briefly
- 2 Lesser Black-backed Gulls: briefly
- 1 Grey Heron: arrived
- 2 Kingfishers: four sightings of at least two birds

Noted on the street lamps poles pre-dawn:

Moths:
- *1 Blue-bordered Carpet Plemyria rubiginata

Spiders, harvestmen etc.
- 1 harvestman Dicranopalpus ramosus/caudatus
- *1 harvestman perhaps Opilio saxatilis

Noted later:

Butterflies:
- Meadow Brown Maniola jurtina
- Gatekeeper Pyronia tithonus

Moths:
- Straw Grass-moth Agriphila straminella [was Straw Grass-veneer]

Bees, wasps etc.:
- Honey Bee Apis mellifera
- Garden Bumblebee Bombus hortorum
- *Tree Bumblebee Bombus hypnorum
- *Common Carder Bee Bombus pascuorum

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.
- Marmalade Hoverfly Episyrphus balteatus
- Tapered Dronefly Eristalis pertinax
- *Common Twist-tail Sphaerophoria scripta [Long Hoverfly; Common Globetail]

Damsel-/dragon-flies:
- Southern Hawker Aeshna cyanea
- *Common Blue Damselfly Enallagma cyathigerum
- Broad-bodied Chaser Libellula depressa

Other flies:
- only unidentified flies noted

Bugs etc.:
- none

Beetles:
- none

Molluscs:
- White-lipped Snail Cepaea hortensis

Spiders, harvestmen etc.
- *Bridge Orb-web Spider Larinioides sclopetarius

*Feedback from the Shropshire bee recorder about Monday's Leafcutter Bee . A positive identification is not possible without more detailed examination. It was most likely a Patchwork Leafcutter Bee Megachile centuncularis.

The sunrise according to my ancient Samsung phone.

 And according to my Sony camera.

There was some haze and few clouds to the East to liven things up slightly.

"Feed me!". A juvenile Reed Warbler begs a parent to feed it.

The parent did but I was unable to capture the moment. I was shooting through a very narrow gap in the vegetation. As the juvenile leant forward to take the morsel its head was lost to view for the exchange. It settled back...

...to beg for more.

Normally this species is characterised by the sloping forehead to the quite large, for a warbler, bill. That does not show here.

Another Blue-bordered Carpet moth Plemyria rubiginata I found on a street lamp pole before sunrise. The 'blue' of the border is rarely obvious. As with many moths the coloured scales rapidly fade and wear away after emergence. Colour is more to do with camouflaging the caterpillar stage than appearing attractive in the imago phase. Most butterflies and moths find a mate using pheromones.

A Tree Bumblebee Bombus hypnorum.

And a Common Carder Bee Bombus pascuorum on the flower of Water Mint Mentha aquatica.

A Common Twist-tail hoverfly Sphaerophoria scripta at the stigma of a Broad-leaved Willowherb Epilobium montanum flower.

"Me and my shadow". A male Common Blue Damselfly Enallagma cyathigerum. Neither species of dragonfly I noted today would hang around for a photo.

A well-behaved Bridge Orb-web Spider Larinioides sclopetarius sitting on a white sign on the boxing ring.

A bit too high up a street lamp pole for anything more than a record shot. The very long and banded legs suggest this harvestman is perhaps Opilio saxatilis.

The probable Patchwork Leafcutter Bee Megachile centuncularis from Monday.

(Ed Wilson)

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In the Priorslee Avenue tunnel:

Other things:
- 16 White-legged Snake Millipedes Tachypodoiulus niger

(Ed Wilson)

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The Flash: 06:20 – 07:05

(169th visit of the year)

Bird notes:

Bird(s) noted flying over here:

None

Hirundines etc. noted:
- 2 House Martins

Warblers noted (the figure in brackets relates to birds heard singing):
- 3 (0) Chiffchaffs
'nominal' warbler:
- no Goldcrests

Noted on / around the water:
- 18 Canada Geese
- 3 Greylag Geese
- 2 + 3 (1 brood) Mute Swan
- 16 (?♂) Mallard
- 23 (?♂) Tufted Duck
- 7 + 2 (1 brood) Moorhens
- *67 + 2 (2 broods) Coots
- 3 Great Crested Grebes
- 1 Black-headed Gull
- 1 Grey Heron

Noted elsewhere around The Flash:

Moths:
- none

Beetles:
- 1 Alder Leaf Beetle Agelastica alni larva
- *1 unidentified beetle

Spiders, harvestmen etc.
- none

Most of the line-up of Coots along the edge of the island. I reckon 36 in this view. Why?

If the harvestman at the Balancing Lake was too high up then this beetle was even higher. I have been unable to even guess at what species this might be.

(Ed Wilson)

30 Jul 24

Priorslee Balancing Lake and The Flash

15.0°C > 20.0°C: Much high cloud otherwise fine and clear. Light northerly breeze. Excellent visibility.

Sunrise: 05:26 BST

* = a species photographed today
! = a new species for me here this year
!! = a new species for me in Shropshire

Priorslee Balancing Lake: 04:55 – 06:10 // 07:10 – 09:50

(165th visit of the year)

The sailing club's new container was installed on the south-west grass this morning. It will apparently open to give access and shelter when the lake is in use. Otherwise it will be locked to deter vandalism.

Bird notes:
- all four Mute Swans remain. I checked the rings today as the resident pair chased the others around without any conclusion.
- a Common Sandpiper was flushed off the dam. This species has been scarce so far on post-breeding passage.

Counts of birds noted flying over:
- 64 Canada Geese: 26 outbound in six groups; 18 inbound in five groups
- 42 Greylag Geese: 37 outbound in five groups; a quintet inbound
- 4 Feral Pigeons: two duos
- 1 Stock Dove
- 286 Wood Pigeons
- 1 Herring Gull
- 7 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 1 Cormorant
- 63 Jackdaws
- 13 Rooks

Hirundines etc. noted:
- 1 Barn Swallow
- 6 House Martins: at least one a begging juvenile

Warblers noted (the figure in brackets relates to birds heard singing):
- 7 (0) Chiffchaffs
- 8 (0) Reed Warblers
- 4 (0) Blackcaps
- 1 (1) Common Whitethroat: still singing away!
'nominal' warbler:
- 2 (1) Goldcrests

Counts from the lake area:
- 18 Canada Geese visited at various times: none stayed
- 2 Greylag Geese visited at various times: neither stayed
- *4 Mute Swans
- 18 (?♂) Mallard
- 8 adult and juvenile Moorhens
- 57 adult and juvenile Coots: Sunday's very new brood of three seen
- 5 + 1 (1 brood) Great Crested Grebes
- 1 Common Sandpiper
- *17 Black-headed Gulls at most on the lake. none on the football field at 05:50
- 1 Herring Gull
- 16 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- *1 Grey Heron: departed
- 1 Kingfisher: briefly

Noted on the street lamps poles pre-dawn:

Moths:
- *1 Ghost Moth Hepialus humuli: male of the form thulensis

Spiders, harvestmen etc.
- *2 harvestmen Dicranopalpus ramosus/caudatus

Noted later:

Butterflies:
- Gatekeeper Pyronia tithonus

Moths:
- Straw Grass-moth Agriphila straminella [was Straw Grass-veneer]

Bees, wasps etc.:
- Honey Bee Apis mellifera
- Garden Bumblebee Bombus hortorum
- Common Carder Bee Bombus pascuorum
- *!unidentified ichneumon perhaps of the sub-family Cryptinae

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.
- Marmalade Hoverfly Episyrphus balteatus
- *Stripe-faced Dronefly Eristalis nemorum [Stripe-faced Drone Fly]
- Tapered Dronefly Eristalis pertinax
- Common Dronefly Eristalis tenax
- Tiger Hoverfly Helophilus pendulus
- *Dead-head Hoverfly Myathropa florea [Common Batman Fly]
- *!Hornet Hoverfly Volucella zonaria [Hornet Plumehorn]

Damsel-/dragon-flies:
- Brown Hawker Aeshna grandis
- Common Blue Damselfly Enallagma cyathigerum

Other flies:
- *Thick-headed fly Conops quadrifasciatus [Four-banded Beegrabber]
- *Muscid fly of the Phaonia genus
- *flesh fly Sarcophaga sp.
**otherwise only unidentified flies noted

Bugs etc.:
- *Red Bug Deraeocoris ruber

Beetles:
- Alder Leaf Beetle Agelastica alni larva

Molluscs:
- White-lipped Snail Cepaea hortensis

Spiders, harvestmen etc.
- none

Plants:
- !!Rough Chervil Chaerophyllum temulum

Sunrise. After this there was always more high cloud.

The blue Darvic ring number confirms that this is the resident cob Mute Swan on the warpath.

Both residents were chasing the interlopers. Nothing was decided and later the pairs remained at opposite ends of the water.

An adult Black-headed Gull in post-breeding wing moult. Note too the 'black head' is fading fast and will be gone before the end of August.

A Common Buzzard sitting on the roof of the academy. A Lesser Black-backed Gull took exception to its presence and dive-bombed it until the buzzard flew away.

The Grey Heron departs. They do look ungainly in flight. It seems to work for them.

A perky juvenile Wren – note the gape line.

With high cloud precluding any direct sun the only butterflies flying were Gatekeepers Pyronia tithonus.

I thought this Ghost Moth Hepialus humuli was a male of the form thulensis. Looking again I am not so sure. It looks more like a faded female. A male of this form should be whiter with dark markings.

An unidentified ichneumon perhaps of the sub-family Cryptinae.

Both my apps wanted to call this a Tapered Dronefly Eristalis pertinax. I think the white bands between the tergites of the abdomen are too pronounced and it is more likely a Stripe-faced Dronefly E. nemorum. Without seeing its face I shall never know.

A Dead-head Hoverfly Myathropa florea.

My first Hornet Hoverfly Volucella zonaria this year. I took this one 'safety shot' and it was off before I could get a cleaner shot.

Another chance to see... a Thick-headed fly Conops quadrifasciatus also known as a Four-banded Beegrabber.

A Muscid fly of the Phaonia genus. Just how does that long tongue fit in its mouth?

 Today's flesh fly Sarcophaga sp. What evolutionary advantage is there looking like this?

A Red Bug Deraeocoris ruber. Seems an appropriate name.

From the other end.

Two harvestmen Dicranopalpus ramosus/caudatus on a street lamp pole pre-dawn. I cannot explain why they are a different colour.

A moon-shot that missed.

The data from Flight Radar 24 showing the routing of the Air France Airbus A350 900 series as going nowhere near the moon.

(Ed Wilson)

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In the Priorslee Avenue tunnel:

Flies:
- 1 female Banded Mosquito Culiseta annulata
- *1 male plumed midge, species not determined

Other things:
- 18 White-legged Snake Millipedes Tachypodoiulus niger

Spiders, harvestmen etc.
- *1 female harvestman Leiobunum rotundum

It is a while since I have noted any of these male plumed midges, species not determined

A female harvestman Leiobunum rotundum missing three legs. The females of this genus are easy to separate as the pattern of dark on the saddle differs. To separate the males it is necessary to see whether the eyes have white or black rings around them. The feature also applies to the females: the pattern on the saddle is a lot easier!

(Ed Wilson)

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The Flash: 06:15 – 07:05

(168th visit of the year)

Bird notes:

Bird(s) noted flying over here:

None

Hirundines etc. noted:
- 6 House Martins

Warblers noted (the figure in brackets relates to birds heard singing):
- 5 (0) Chiffchaffs
'nominal' warbler:
- 1 (1) Goldcrest

Noted on / around the water:
- 29 Canada Geese
- 3 Greylag Geese
- 2 + 3 (1 brood) Mute Swan
- 8 (?♂) Mallard
- 18 (?♂) Tufted Duck
- *6 + 3 (2 broods) Moorhens
- 43 + 4 (3 broods) Coots
- 3 Great Crested Grebes
- 11 Black-headed Gull: two juveniles
- 1 Grey Heron

Noted elsewhere around The Flash:

Moths:
- *1 Double-striped Pug Gymnoscelis rufifasciata
- *1 Riband Wave Idaea aversata f. remutata

Beetles:
- 1 Alder Leaf Beetle Agelastica alni larva
- *1 unidentified beetle and probably not the water beetle Acilius sulcatus

Spiders, harvestmen etc.
- 1 Long-jawed Orb-web Spider Tetragnatha sp.
- 1 harvestman Dicranopalpus ramosus/caudatus

Two juvenile Moorhens in their nest.

Very high up a street lamp pole for a decent photo. I am almost certain this is a Double-striped Pug moth Gymnoscelis rufifasciata.

Another Riband Wave moth Idaea aversata of the form remutata. Someone has taken a chunk out of one wing.

A puzzle. Both Obsidentify and Google Lens suggested this was a species of water beetle. Fifteen feet up a street lamp pole I think not. What it is beyond it being a beetle, I have no idea.

(Ed Wilson)

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Sightings from previous years

2006
Priorslee Lake
13 Swifts
(Ed Wilson)

29 Jul 24

Priorslee Balancing Lake and The Flash

12.0°C > 21.0°C: Clear and almost calm. A few thin high clouds. Excellent visibility.

Sunrise: 05:25 BST

* = a species photographed today
! = a new species for me here this year
!! = a new species for me in Shropshire

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

(164th visit of the year)

Overall quit with very few insects about. Too warm?

Bird notes:
- all four Mute Swans remain with minimal chasing. The two (pair?) that are spending most of the time near the dam are unringed and are therefore arrivals. The other two, perhaps the residents though I have been unable to see whether they are ringed, spend considerable amounts of time apart.
- the Great Crested Grebe with the juvenile seems to be in its own with the other birds (loosely) paired.

Counts of birds noted flying over:
- 16 Canada Geese: inbound together
- 48 Greylag Geese: outbound in four groups
- 3 Feral Pigeons
- 192 Wood Pigeons
- 3 Herring Gulls
- 17 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 96 Jackdaws
- 64 Rooks

Hirundines etc. noted:
- 2 Barn Swallows
- 1 House Martin: others heard?

Warblers noted (the figure in brackets relates to birds heard singing):
- 12 (0) Chiffchaffs
- 9 (0) Reed Warblers
- 3 (1) Blackcaps
- 1 (1) Common Whitethroat
'nominal' warbler:
- no Goldcrests

Counts from the lake area:
- *36 Canada Geese: two remained from yesterday; seven then 27 more arrived in groups
- 2 Greylag Geese: arrived
- 4 Mute Swans
- 15 (?♂) Mallard
- 5 adult and juvenile Moorhens
- 51 adult and juvenile Coots: yesterday's very new brood not seen
- 5 + 1 (1 brood) Great Crested Grebes
- 7 Black-headed Gulls at most on the lake. jut 34 (1 juvenile) were on the football field at 05:50
- 2 Grey Herons: a second bird arrived but was not seen again
- 1 Kingfisher: briefly

Noted on the street lamps poles pre-dawn:

Nothing at all

Noted later:

Butterflies:
- Large White Pieris brassicae
- Green-veined White Pieris napi
- Speckled Wood Pararge aegeria
- Meadow Brown Maniola jurtina
- Gatekeeper Pyronia tithonus

Moths:
- *Straw Grass-moth Agriphila straminella [was Straw Grass-veneer]
- at least nine of these grass moths: many went unidentified
- Mother of Pearl Patania ruralis

Bees, wasps etc.:
- *Honey Bee Apis mellifera
- Garden Bumblebee Bombus hortorum
- Common Carder Bee Bombus pascuorum
- *presumed Willughby's Leafcutter Bee Megachile willughbiella

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.
- *Marmalade Hoverfly Episyrphus balteatus
- *Plain-faced Dronefly Eristalis arbustorum
- Tapered Dronefly Eristalis pertinax
- *Chequered Hoverfly Melanostoma scalare [Long-winged Duskyface]
- *Dead-head Hoverfly Myathropa florea [Common Batman Fly]
- *Common Twist-tail Sphaerophoria scripta [Long Hoverfly; Common Globetail]
- *Pellucid Fly Volucella pellucens [Pied Plumehorn]

Damsel-/dragon-flies:
- Common Blue Damselfly Enallagma cyathigerum

Other flies:
- *Common Green Bottle Fly Lucilia cuprina
- flesh fly Sarcophaga sp.
- *cranefly Tipula oleracea
**otherwise only unidentified flies noted

Bugs etc.:
- *probable Plagiognathus arbustorum

Beetles:
- *Rough-haired Lagria Beetle Lagria hirta
- Common Red Soldier Beetle Rhagonycha fulva

Molluscs:
- White-lipped Snail Cepaea hortensis

Spiders:
- *possible Furrow Orbweaver Larinioides cornutus

Some general views to start. Mist over the water just about at sunrise.

A different perspective

Setting the trees on fire?

Could you get a more perfect view of the lake?

Very strange. A group of five Canada Geese on top of the dam seemed entirely unfazed by Sever-Trent contractors in Hi-viz jackets using industrial-sized mowers to cut down their food. A few minutes later someone walked along the path across the dam top and the geese scurried in to the water.

Another Blue Tit looking slightly worse for wear after a busy breeding season. During the next few weeks these will be far less obvious as they undertake a complete moult to get a new set of feathers to insulate them for the winter.

One of at least nine Straw Grass-moth Agriphila straminella I noted. Many others went unidentified. With staring blue eyes this group of moths looks permanently surprised.

I do like Honey Bees Apis mellifera. They get on with the task in hand and ignore you peering at them from close range.

Well this is a Leafcutter Bee. From reading my Bee field guide it is most likely a Willughby's Leafcutter Bee Megachile willughbiella based on location and date.

However this view suggests it could be a Patchwork Leafcutter Bee M. centuncularis. I'll ask the Shropshire bee recorder for her thoughts.

If only all species of hoverfly were as obliging as many of the Marmalade Hoverflies Episyrphus balteatus and would sit with wings akimbo allowing the abdomen markings to be seen clearly.

Would you believe a Plain-faced Dronefly Eristalis arbustorum?

What I believe to be a Chequered Hoverfly Melanostoma scalare deep within the bowels of a Greater Bindweed Convolvulus sylvaticus flower. For some reason Obsidentify thought it a Short Melanostoma M. mellinum but with the wings extending beyond the tip of the abdomen it cannot be. That's AI for you. Be very afraid about the mistakes AI could make if unchecked.

A Dead-head Hoverfly Myathropa florea.

This is a Common Twist-tail Sphaerophoria scripta. Its alternative name of "Long Hoverfly" would perhaps be better as "Thin Hoverfly". It is "long" only in the sense it is for a very small insect.

A Pellucid Fly Volucella pellucens. I am seeing this species in small numbers every day at the moment.

Perhaps a Common Green Bottle Fly Lucilia cuprina. This was the identity suggested by Google Lens. Obsidentify was only prepared to go as far as Lucilia sp.

This cranefly is most likely Tipula oleracea. Another species, T. paludosa, shares the feature of the dark line down the centre of the abdomen but is much less likely to be flying before the Autumn infestation of craneflies.

Crawling down a street lamp pole well after dawn was my first Rough-haired Lagria Beetle Lagria hirta of the year.

This bug is most likely Plagiognathus arbustorum. It has no vernacular name. It is crawling across a petal of a Greater Bindweed Convolvulus sylvaticus flower.

There is tiny and then there is really tiny. This spider is in a very small part of the palm of my hand. It seems most likely that it is a recently hatched spiderling of Furrow Orbweaver Larinioides cornutus. I have seen adults of this species on the boxing ring which is where I found this.

Plane of the day: you do have to look hard as the haze layer made viewing the aircraft difficult. Even with considerable photo-editing it is none too clear. It is a US Air Force Lockheed U-2S Dragon climbing out of RAF Fairford where several are currently detached. One was in the static park at RIAT the weekend before last. This is a much-updated version of the famous Gary Powers spy-plane shot down over the Soviet Union in 1960. Modern technology allows snooping from well outside Russian airspace.

(Ed Wilson)

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In the Priorslee Avenue tunnel:

Moths:
- 1 Single-dotted Wave Idaea dimidiata

Other things:

- 11 White-legged Snake Millipedes Tachypodoiulus niger

(Ed Wilson)

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The Flash: 06:15 – 07:00

(167th visit of the year)

Bird notes:
- even more Mallard were presumably hiding inside the island.

Bird(s) noted flying over here:
- 2 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 2 Jackdaws

Hirundines etc. noted:
- 3 House Martins

Warblers noted (the figure in brackets relates to birds heard singing):
- 3 (0) Chiffchaffs

Noted on / around the water:
- 48 Canada Geese
- 1 Greylag Goose
- 2 + 3 (1 brood) Mute Swan
- 3 (?♂) Mallard only
- 30 (?♂) Tufted Duck
- 4 + 4 (2 broods) Moorhens
- 47 + 4 (4 broods) Coots
- 2 Great Crested Grebes
- 1 Black-headed Gull
- 1 Grey Heron

Noted elsewhere around The Flash:

Flies:
- *1 unidentified mayfly sp.

Beetles:
- 1 Alder Leaf Beetle Agelastica alni larva

Spiders:
- 1 Long-jawed Orb-web Spider Tetragnatha sp.
- *1 Comb-footed Spider, probably Theridion varians

Another "won't win any prizes" photo. Amongst the debris high up on a street is what is clearly a mayfly but which species I have no idea. Only my second-ever log of a mayfly here – and the other was just about two weeks ago.

A tiny spider I found, also on one of the street lamp poles. It is probably the Comb-footed Spider Theridion varians. As the scientific name implies this is a very variably-marked species that can resemble others in the family.

(Ed Wilson)

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Sightings from previous years

2006
Priorslee Lake
1 Common Tern
(Ed Wilson)