12.0°C > 14.0°C: Mostly cloudy. Light / moderate breeze. Very good visibility.
Sunrise: 05:02 BST
* = a species photographed today
! = a new species for me here this year
!! = a new species for me in Shropshire
Another busy day mostly doing other things so again just the numbers with a few notes. Probably the same tomorrow.
Priorslee Balancing Lake: 05:00 – 06:10 // 07:10 – 08:45
* = a species photographed today
! = a new species for me here this year
!! = a new species for me in Shropshire
Another busy day mostly doing other things so again just the numbers with a few notes. Probably the same tomorrow.
Priorslee Balancing Lake: 05:00 – 06:10 // 07:10 – 08:45
(152nd visit of the year)
Bird Notes
New Bird Species
Highlight today was a Green Woodpecker calling from the north-east area at c.07:50. While I was still approaching the bird was seen to fly off across Castle Farm Way and then heard calling far to the East. Until 2020 I noted this species regularly in the area. It bred along the North side in the mid-late 2010s. My previous record was of a bird heard distantly on 9 April 2021. It is my 98th bird species here this year
Other bird notes:
- another pair of Mute Swans was present throughout. There were occasional skirmishes but provided the interlopers kept to the West end everyone seemed content.
- neither duck Mallard with ducklings was seen.
- 51 Black-headed Gulls (one juveniles) but no large gulls were on the football field c.06:00. Something spooked them and many took refuge on the roof of the academy. The question arises as to where they go when they leave here as only a handful visit the lake.
- I did not see any Great Crested Grebe with any juveniles.
- a trio of Swifts was over the North wood as I arrived. Two were to the East after the breeze picked up.
- a Grey Wagtail on the dam-face was my first post-breeding record of this species.
Counts of birds noted flying over:
- 111 Wood Pigeons
- 2 Black-headed Gulls
- 16 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 16 Jackdaws
- 8 Rooks
- 4 Pied Wagtail
- 2 Greenfinches
Hirundines etc. noted:
- 5 Swifts: see notes
- 2 Barn Swallows
- 1 House Martin
Warblers noted (the figure in brackets relates to birds heard singing):
- 13 (10) Chiffchaffs
- 9 (4) Reed Warblers
- 4 (3) Blackcaps
- 1 (0) Common Whitethroats
'nominal' warbler:
- 1 (1) Goldcrest
Counts from the lake area:
- 4 Mute Swans
- 10 (?♂) Mallard
- 4 + 4 (2 broods) Moorhens
- 21 + 1 (1 brood) Coots
- 3 Great Crested Grebes
- *7 Black-headed Gulls: also 51 on the football field
- 1 Lesser Black-backed Gull: none on the football field
- 1 Grey Heron
Noted on the street lamps poles pre-dawn:
Moths:
- *1 Small Fan-footed Wave Idaea biselata
- *1 Small Fan-footed Wave Idaea biselata
Spiders etc.:
- *1 Cucumber Green Orb Spider Araniella sp. either A. cucurbitina or A. opisthographa
- *1 harvestman: female Leiobunum rotundum
Noted later:
Very dull conditions again
- *1 Cucumber Green Orb Spider Araniella sp. either A. cucurbitina or A. opisthographa
- *1 harvestman: female Leiobunum rotundum
Noted later:
Very dull conditions again
Butterflies:
- none
- none
Moths:
- Common Marble Celypha lacunana
- Common Marble Celypha lacunana
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.
- Chequered Hoverfly Melanostoma scalare [Long-winged Duskyface]
- Chequered Hoverfly Melanostoma scalare [Long-winged Duskyface]
Damsel-/dragon-flies:
- none
- none
Other flies:
- *soldier fly, perhaps Beris geniculata
- Black Snipefly Chrysopilus cristatus
- Grouse Wing caddis fly Mystacides longicornis
- Yellow Dung Fly Scathophaga stercoraria
- *other unidentified flies
- *soldier fly, perhaps Beris geniculata
- Black Snipefly Chrysopilus cristatus
- Grouse Wing caddis fly Mystacides longicornis
- Yellow Dung Fly Scathophaga stercoraria
- *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:
- White-lipped Snail Cepaea hortensis
- White-lipped Snail Cepaea hortensis
Spiders etc.:
- none
- none
Plants:
- none
- none
I seem to be making a habit of this: as good as it got taken soon after dawn.
This is what I have been doing most of the day. Watching aircraft at a local private club fly-in. The weather was no better.
All the Black-headed Gulls on the football field c.06:00 took off with many of them perching on the roof of the academy.
Early in the season there were three Chaffinches singing and holding territory. The only singing bird is now at the East end. I photographed this one at the West end. This is a female: note the grey collar.
A Small Fan-footed Wave moth Idaea biselata on one of the street lamp poles. So far this year I am well down in both the number of moth species and the number of individuals recorded.
I cannot identify this fly. I was attracted(?) by its very hairy abdomen. The poor light meant there was not enough depth of field to get the whole creature in focus.
Another unusual fly with a striped thorax and tapering body. Obsidentify suggested a Fannia species. Neither of the two species in this genus illustrated in the NatureSpot web site match.
A Common Red Soldier Beetle Rhagonycha fulva on a grass head. Look closely and there are two other creatures visible. One under the tip of its left antennae. And the other between its two left front legs. No idea what they mite(?) be!?
Also on a street lamp pole was this Cucumber Green Orb Spider Araniella sp. either A. cucurbitina or A. opisthographa.
(Ed Wilson)
In the Priorslee Avenue tunnel:
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In the Priorslee Avenue tunnel:
Nothing seen
(Ed Wilson)
The Flash: 06:15 – 07:05
(Ed Wilson)
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The Flash: 06:15 – 07:05
(155th visit of the year)
Bird notes:
- many of the Canada Geese initially seemed to be missing: they were not in the water. I found these later on the grass along the East side. Why? Is the food in the water now running out? Are they sufficiently confident about their re-growing flight feathers and believe they could scramble to the water if a threatening dog were to appear? Or is it simply herd instinct after one bird decided the grass was greener?
- at least one Coot still sitting and what I believe to be its mate seemed to be constructing a new nest nearby.
- no sight or sound of yesterday's Reed Warbler.
Bird(s) noted flying over here:
- 1 Herring Gull
- 4 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
Hirundines etc. noted:
- 2 Swifts
- 2 House Martins
Warblers noted (the figure in brackets relates to birds heard singing):
- 6 (3) Chiffchaffs
- 3 (3) Blackcaps
'nominal' warbler:
- 1 (1) Goldcrest
Noted on / around the water:
- 237 Canada Geese
- 60 Greylag Geese
- 1 Canada x Greylag Goose
- 2 + 3 (1 brood) Mute Swan
- 17 Mallard: sexes not determined
- 12 Tufted Duck: sexes not determined
- 3 + 2 (2 broods) Moorhens
- 44 + 1 (1 broods) Coots
- 5 Great Crested Grebes
Noted elsewhere around The Flash:
Moths:
- *2 Tawny Grey Eudonia lacustrata
- *2 Tawny Grey Eudonia lacustrata
Beetles:
- *several Alder Leaf Beetles Agelastica alni : adults
- *several Alder Leaf Beetles Agelastica alni : adults
Spiders etc.:
- 1 harvestman: female Leiobunum rotundum
- 1 harvestman: female Leiobunum rotundum
(Ed Wilson)
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Sightings from previous years
2014
Priorslee Lake
Today's Sightings Here
2007
Priorslee Lake
Hobby
(Ed Wilson)
2006
Priorslee Lake
3 drake Ruddy Ducks
(Ed Wilson)