14.0°C > 15.0°C: Early low cloud lifted somewhat before descending again with spells of light drizzle after 07:00. Light south-westerly breeze. Very good visibility except during drizzle.
Sunrise: 05:00 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 – 09:40
* = 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 – 09:40
(150th visit of the year)
Bird Notes
New Bird Species
*Highlight today was a Common Redshank on the south-west grass when I arrived. I did not see it after 05:30. However one, presumably the same bird, was calling from somewhere at the West end at 07:30. I do not record this species every year and then it is usually birds on Spring passage. That said my previous record was on 17 June 2022 when the bird might have been going either North or South! My 2024 bird species total from here staggers up to 97.
Other bird notes:
- just one Mallard duckling seen, assumed to be from the same brood as the recent sighting of two ducklings.
- 34 Black-headed Gulls (no juveniles) and 11 Lesser Black-backed Gulls (*one juvenile, eight immatures and two adults) were on the football field c.06:00.
- *one Oystercatcher was on the south-west grass at 07:30 staying until c.09:00.
- *a pair of Great Crested Grebes have at least one juvenile.
- 10 Swifts were noted low over the Castle Farm Way trees at 05:15. Then at least 30 more descended out of the low cloud at c.05:30 with at least one House Martin with them. Most had disappeared by 05:45. At 08:00 just a single bird was present.
- a Cormorant paid a very brief visit c.08:45. 22 April was my previous sighting of one in the water here.
- another low count of dispersing Jackdaws. There were at least 250 circling as they left their roost at the West end of Newport at 04:50 so perhaps they beat me to the lake!
Counts of birds noted flying over:
- 2 Canada Geese: outbound together
- 2 Stock Dove: pair
- 148 Wood Pigeons
- 16 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 7 Jackdaws
- 1 Rook
Hirundines etc. noted:
- >40 Swifts: see notes
- 3 Barn Swallows
- 1 House Martin
Warblers noted (the figure in brackets relates to birds heard singing):
- 12 (9) Chiffchaffs
- 7 (4) Reed Warblers
- 7 (5) Blackcaps
- *2 (0) Common Whitethroats
'nominal' warbler:
- 1 (1) Goldcrest
Counts from the lake area:
- 2 Mute Swans
- 13 (?♂) + 1 (1 brood) Mallard
- 3 + 2 (1 brood) Moorhens
- 25 + 5 (4 broods) Coots
- *3 + 1? (1 brood) Great Crested Grebes
- *1 Oystercatcher: departed
- *1 Common Redshank: departed
- 1 Black-headed Gull: also 34 on the football field
- 4 Lesser Black-backed Gulls: also 11 on the football field
- 1 Cormorant: briefly
- 2 Grey Heron: the second bird briefly
Noted on the street lamps poles pre-dawn:
Spiders etc.:
- 1 Common Candy-striped Spider Enoplognatha ovata or similar
- 2 harvestmen: both female Leiobunum rotundum
Noted later:
Not much in dull, damp conditions.
- 1 Common Candy-striped Spider Enoplognatha ovata or similar
- 2 harvestmen: both female Leiobunum rotundum
Noted later:
Not much in dull, damp conditions.
Butterflies:
- *Ringlet Aphantopus hyperantus
- *Ringlet Aphantopus hyperantus
Moths:
- *Common Marble Celypha lacunana
- Shaded Broad-bar Scotopteryx chenopodiata
- *Common Marble Celypha lacunana
- Shaded Broad-bar Scotopteryx chenopodiata
Bees, wasps etc.:
- none
- none
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
- *!Meadow Field Syrph Eupeodes latifasciatus [Broad-banded Aphideater]
- *Marmalade Hoverfly Episyrphus balteatus
- *!Meadow Field Syrph Eupeodes latifasciatus [Broad-banded Aphideater]
Damsel-/dragon-flies:
- none
- none
Other flies:
- *Black Snipefly Chrysopilus cristatus
- *long-legged fly Dolichopus wahlbergi or similar
- *dagger fly Empis livida
- Balloon Fly Hilara maura or similar
- *leaf mines of the Agromyzid fly Phytomyza spondylii + pastinacea
- semaphore fly Poecilobothrus nobilitatus
- other unidentified flies
- *Black Snipefly Chrysopilus cristatus
- *long-legged fly Dolichopus wahlbergi or similar
- *dagger fly Empis livida
- Balloon Fly Hilara maura or similar
- *leaf mines of the Agromyzid fly Phytomyza spondylii + pastinacea
- semaphore fly Poecilobothrus nobilitatus
- other unidentified flies
Bugs etc.:
- none
- none
Beetles:
- Alder Leaf Beetle Agelastica alni : larvae only
- Common Red Soldier Beetle Rhagonycha fulva
- Alder Leaf Beetle Agelastica alni : larvae only
- Common Red Soldier Beetle Rhagonycha fulva
Molluscs:
- *possible Copse Snail Arianta arbustorum
- White-lipped Snail Cepaea hortensis
- *possible Copse Snail Arianta arbustorum
- White-lipped Snail Cepaea hortensis
Spiders etc.:
- none
- none
Plants:
- *Yarrow Achillea millefolium flowers
- *Rowan Sorbus aucupana : berries!
- *Yarrow Achillea millefolium flowers
- *Rowan Sorbus aucupana : berries!
Not much light at 05:20, especially on a dull morning. The best I could do with the Common Redshank (behind out of focus sleeping Mallard). The pale fringes on the back feathers of the wader suggest it is a juvenile.
Already in to confusion gull time. This is a juvenile gull and seems to show slightly paler inner primaries on its well-spread wing-tip feathers.
Here it is on the ground. Obsidentify gave Caspian Gull as the most likely species. I am not convinced. It is earlier than usual for this species to appear and the head is not pale-enough. The dark head seems to rule out Yellow-legged Gull which was Obsidentify's next best suggestion. the folded tertials seem to lack any notches in the markings which suggests to me that it is a juvenile Lesser Black-backed Gull.
One juvenile Great Crested Grebe riding on one of its parent's back. Whether there were others peering out of the other side of the adult's neck I never saw.
An adult Wood Pigeon with a newly-fledged juveniles. These lack the white neck patch but do show a white edge to the folded wing which the slightly smaller Stock Dove never does.
A Common Whitethroat. The brown head suggests this is a juvenile or a female.
I must be going deaf: I did not hear it sing or call.
Even in dull weather so long as it is warm-enough Ringlet butterflies Aphantopus hyperantus will be on the wing.
It is coming to the end of the flight season for Common Marble moths Celypha lacunana.
A Marmalade Hoverfly Episyrphus balteatus apparently turning left.
My first Meadow Field Syrph hoverfly Eupeodes latifasciatus this year.
A male Black Snipefly Chrysopilus cristatus.
Look closely: the swelling is on the middle leg and therefore this is a long-legged fly Dolichopus wahlbergi or similar.
The three lines on thorax help identify this dagger fly as Empis livida.
This a leaf mine of the Agromyzid fly which Obsidentify is certain is Phytomyza spondylii + pastinacea. Exactly what that means I am unclear as neither of these two species is illustrated in the NatureSpot web site. The leaf is Common Hogweed Heracleum sphondylium.
A poor photo of what might be a Copse Snail Arianta arbustorum. The point of the photo is that of all the many Greater Bindweed flowers Convolvulus sylvaticus this was only one inhabited this morning. Normally bees and hoverflies are working them. I suppose that in the dull weather they were not producing nectar so why try feeding?
Confirm its identity by noting the feathery leaves.
Berries of Rowan Sorbus aucupana already. Is it Autumn? Where was Summer?
(Ed Wilson)
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In the Priorslee Avenue tunnel:
Moth:
- *1 Small Dusty Wave Idaea seriata
- *1 Small Dusty Wave Idaea seriata
On the ceiling I found this Small Dusty Wave moth Idaea seriata.
(Ed Wilson)
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The Flash: 06:15 – 07:15
(153rd visit of the year)
Bird notes:
- yesterday just 13 Mallard: today 30 noted.
- yesterday no Tufted Duck: today 17. Why?
Bird(s) noted flying over here:
- 7 Lesser Black-backed Gulls: loosely together
Hirundines etc. noted:
- 4 Swifts
- 3 House Martins
Warblers noted (the figure in brackets relates to birds heard singing):
- 5 (3) Chiffchaffs
- 3 (3) Blackcaps
'nominal' warbler:
- no Goldcrests
Noted on / around the water:
- 240 Canada Geese
- 61 Greylag Geese
- 1 Canada x Greylag Goose
- 2 + 3 (1 brood) Mute Swan
- [Gadwall not located]
- 30 Mallard: sexes not determined
- 17 Tufted Duck: sexes not determined
- *5 + 1 (1 brood) Moorhens
- *50 + 5 (4 broods) Coots
- 3 Great Crested Grebes
Noted elsewhere around The Flash:
Bird notes:
- yesterday just 13 Mallard: today 30 noted.
- yesterday no Tufted Duck: today 17. Why?
Bird(s) noted flying over here:
- 7 Lesser Black-backed Gulls: loosely together
Hirundines etc. noted:
- 4 Swifts
- 3 House Martins
Warblers noted (the figure in brackets relates to birds heard singing):
- 5 (3) Chiffchaffs
- 3 (3) Blackcaps
'nominal' warbler:
- no Goldcrests
Noted on / around the water:
- 240 Canada Geese
- 61 Greylag Geese
- 1 Canada x Greylag Goose
- 2 + 3 (1 brood) Mute Swan
- [Gadwall not located]
- 30 Mallard: sexes not determined
- 17 Tufted Duck: sexes not determined
- *5 + 1 (1 brood) Moorhens
- *50 + 5 (4 broods) Coots
- 3 Great Crested Grebes
Noted elsewhere around The Flash:
Moths:
- 1 Garden Grass-moth Chrysoteuchia culmella [was Garden Grass-veneer]
- *1 Riband Wave Idaea aversata f. remutata
- 1 Garden Grass-moth Chrysoteuchia culmella [was Garden Grass-veneer]
- *1 Riband Wave Idaea aversata f. remutata
A battle between a Moorhen (on the left) and a Coot.
(Ed Wilson)
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Sightings from previous years
2013
Nedge Hill
Redstart
(John Isherwood)
2008
Priorslee Lake
Sandwich Tern
Common Tern
(Ed Wilson)
2007
Priorslee Lake
5 Shelduck
(Ed Wilson)