12.0°C > 14.0°C: Overcast, often at low level. Light rain after 07:00. Soaking drizzle for a while c.08:45. Clearer to the North. Light south-westerly breeze. Very good visibility except moderate in drizzle.
Sunrise: 06:08 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 – 06:40 // 07:35 – 09:15
(183rd visit of the year)
Bird notes:
- my first Tufted Ducks of the season noted.
Counts of birds noted flying over:
- 40 Canada Geese: 36 outbound in six groups; four inbound as a single and trio
- 86 Greylag Geese: 16 outbound in two groups; 70 inbound in seven groups
- 2 (?♂) Mallard
- 6 Feral Pigeons: together
- 64 Wood Pigeons
- 2 Herring Gulls
- 32 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 63 Jackdaws
- 37 Rooks
Hirundines etc. noted:
An adult Lesser Black-backed Gull undertaking a traffic census on Castle Farm Way. It is usually Black-headed Gulls that sit on the lamp posts here.
From the few remnant pale fringed secondary coverts I think this is a juvenile Lesser Black-backed Gull moulting in to first winter plumage.
Both Copper Underwing-type moths Amphipyra pyramidea agg. were still where I found then on Thursday, this one having moved slightly to allow a view of the markings on its abdomen.
Not a great shot. A small green bug with red eyes. It is likely a capsid bug, perhaps Black Kneed Capsid Blepharidopterus angulatus.
Seems it is not just harvestmen that lose legs. I can only see six on this Bridge Orb-web Spider Larinioides sclopetarius with its small breakfast at the top of on one of the street lamp poles.
Pity they didn't decide this before all the trees and bushes were chopped down when they gave planning permission for the academy. I had not noticed this sign until this morning. More information here, from where there is a link to a map. At least Priorslee Balancing Lake is noted as a "wildlife site", whatever that means.
In the Priorslee Avenue tunnel:
This moth is a Square-spot Rustic Xestia xanthographa. On most individuals the area between what are called the oval and the kidney marks on the wing (the two pale marks) is solid black giving a 'square spot'. Not on this one. A very common moth I see most years.
I cannot recall a cranefly with wings marked like this before. It seems to be Ilisia occoecata, a new species for me.
The Flash: 06:45 – 07:30
(186th visit of the year)
Bird notes:
- I did not hear the Willow Warbler. One of the two singing Chiffchaffs and a calling Blackcap were in the same area.
Bird(s) noted flying over here:
- 9 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 1 Jackdaw
Hirundines etc. noted:
A juvenile Moorhen learning to keep its balance. If I had long toes like this I would be steadier on my feet.
Another Bridge Orb-web Spider Larinioides sclopetarius. My logs suggest this is the first example I have found at The Flash.
(Ed Wilson)
Sightings from previous years
2012
Priorslee Lake
Yellow Wagtail
(Ed Wilson)
* = a species photographed today
! = a new species for me here this year
!! = a new species for me in Shropshire
Priorslee Balancing Lake: 05:05 – 06:40 // 07:35 – 09:15
(183rd visit of the year)
Bird notes:
- my first Tufted Ducks of the season noted.
Counts of birds noted flying over:
- 40 Canada Geese: 36 outbound in six groups; four inbound as a single and trio
- 86 Greylag Geese: 16 outbound in two groups; 70 inbound in seven groups
- 2 (?♂) Mallard
- 6 Feral Pigeons: together
- 64 Wood Pigeons
- 2 Herring Gulls
- 32 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 63 Jackdaws
- 37 Rooks
Hirundines etc. noted:
None
Warblers noted (the figure in brackets relates to birds heard singing):
- 10 (1) Chiffchaffs
- 1 (0) Reed Warbler
- 1 (0) Blackcap
- 1 (0) Common Whitethroat
'nominal' warbler:
- 2 (0) Goldcrests
Counts from the lake area:
- 9 Canada Geese: stopped off outbound briefly; none noted later
- 2 Mute Swans
- 20 (?♂) Mallard
- 2 (?♂) Tufted Duck
- 6 adult and juvenile Moorhens
- 82 adult and juvenile Coots
- 4 + 1 (1 brood) Great Crested Grebes
- 14 Black-headed Gulls on the lake by 05:45 but none later: 57 on the football field c.06:30
- 2 Herring Gulls
- *19 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 1 Grey Heron
Noted on the street lamps poles pre-dawn:
Warblers noted (the figure in brackets relates to birds heard singing):
- 10 (1) Chiffchaffs
- 1 (0) Reed Warbler
- 1 (0) Blackcap
- 1 (0) Common Whitethroat
'nominal' warbler:
- 2 (0) Goldcrests
Counts from the lake area:
- 9 Canada Geese: stopped off outbound briefly; none noted later
- 2 Mute Swans
- 20 (?♂) Mallard
- 2 (?♂) Tufted Duck
- 6 adult and juvenile Moorhens
- 82 adult and juvenile Coots
- 4 + 1 (1 brood) Great Crested Grebes
- 14 Black-headed Gulls on the lake by 05:45 but none later: 57 on the football field c.06:30
- 2 Herring Gulls
- *19 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 1 Grey Heron
Noted on the street lamps poles pre-dawn:
Moths:
- none
- none
Springtails:
- several, all likely Pogonognathellus longicornis-type
- several, all likely Pogonognathellus longicornis-type
Bug:
- *probable capsid bug, perhaps Black Kneed Capsid Blepharidopterus angulatus
- *probable capsid bug, perhaps Black Kneed Capsid Blepharidopterus angulatus
Spiders, harvestmen etc.
- *1 Bridge Orb-web Spider Larinioides sclopetarius
- 3 harvestmen Dicranopalpus ramosus/caudatus
Sailing Club HQ:
I again prowled around the outside of the sailing club HQ pre-dawn:
- *1 Bridge Orb-web Spider Larinioides sclopetarius
- 3 harvestmen Dicranopalpus ramosus/caudatus
Sailing Club HQ:
I again prowled around the outside of the sailing club HQ pre-dawn:
Moths:
- *2 Copper Underwing agg. Amphipyra pyramidea agg. In the same place as noted on Thursday
- *2 Copper Underwing agg. Amphipyra pyramidea agg. In the same place as noted on Thursday
Spiders:
- *1 Walnut Orb Weaver Nuctenea umbratica
- many small spiders not identified
Noted later:
I was inspected by a wasp and I saw a bumble bee in flight. Otherwise zilch.
- *1 Walnut Orb Weaver Nuctenea umbratica
- many small spiders not identified
Noted later:
I was inspected by a wasp and I saw a bumble bee in flight. Otherwise zilch.
Eight Starlings with varying degrees of spotting crowd on a street lamp around the football field.
The other one.
One of the springtails Pogonognathellus longicornis-type.
On the wall of the sailing club HQ I found this Walnut Orb Weaver spider Nuctenea umbratica. With a full complement of legs too.
(Ed Wilson)
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In the Priorslee Avenue tunnel:
Moths:
- *1 Square-spot Rustic Xestia xanthographa
- *1 Red Underwing Catocala nupta
- *1 Square-spot Rustic Xestia xanthographa
- *1 Red Underwing Catocala nupta
Flies:
- *1 !!cranefly Ilisia occoecata
- 1 cranefly Tipula lateralis
- *1 unidentified fly
- *1 !!cranefly Ilisia occoecata
- 1 cranefly Tipula lateralis
- *1 unidentified fly
Other things:
- 12 White-legged Snake Millipedes Tachypodoiulus niger
- 12 White-legged Snake Millipedes Tachypodoiulus niger
A Red Underwing moth Catocala nupta, this one not revealing any hint of the underwing colour.
I have not seen many flies like this resting in the tunnel.
(Ed Wilson)
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The Flash: 06:45 – 07:30
(186th visit of the year)
Bird notes:
- I did not hear the Willow Warbler. One of the two singing Chiffchaffs and a calling Blackcap were in the same area.
Bird(s) noted flying over here:
- 9 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 1 Jackdaw
Hirundines etc. noted:
None
Warblers noted (the figure in brackets relates to birds heard singing):
- 5 (2) Chiffchaffs
- 1 (0) Blackcap
'nominal' warbler:
- 1 (0) Goldcrest
Noted on / around the water:
- 3 Canada Geese
- 1 Greylag Goose
- 4 + 3 (1 brood) Mute Swan
- 24 (?♂) Mallard
- 45 (?♂) Tufted Duck
- 7 + 3 (3 broods) Moorhens
- 49 + 7 (4 broods) Coots
- 4 Great Crested Grebes
- 48 Black-headed Gulls
- 1 Cormorant
- 1 Kingfisher
Noted elsewhere around The Flash:
Warblers noted (the figure in brackets relates to birds heard singing):
- 5 (2) Chiffchaffs
- 1 (0) Blackcap
'nominal' warbler:
- 1 (0) Goldcrest
Noted on / around the water:
- 3 Canada Geese
- 1 Greylag Goose
- 4 + 3 (1 brood) Mute Swan
- 24 (?♂) Mallard
- 45 (?♂) Tufted Duck
- 7 + 3 (3 broods) Moorhens
- 49 + 7 (4 broods) Coots
- 4 Great Crested Grebes
- 48 Black-headed Gulls
- 1 Cormorant
- 1 Kingfisher
Noted elsewhere around The Flash:
Moths:
- *1 Common Grass-moth Agriphila tristella [was Common Grass-veneer]
- *1 Flame Carpet Xanthorhoe designata
- *1 Common Grass-moth Agriphila tristella [was Common Grass-veneer]
- *1 Flame Carpet Xanthorhoe designata
Beetles:
- 1 Alder Leaf Beetle Agelastica alni adult
- 1 Alder Leaf Beetle Agelastica alni adult
Spiders, harvestmen etc.
- *1 Bridge Orb-web Spider Larinioides sclopetarius: unusual here
- 1 harvestman Dicranopalpus ramosus/caudatus
- *1 Bridge Orb-web Spider Larinioides sclopetarius: unusual here
- 1 harvestman Dicranopalpus ramosus/caudatus
"Where is the food?"
Perhaps the clearest photo I have taken of a Common Grass-moth Agriphila tristella.
Another Flame Carpet moth Xanthorhoe designata. My best year for this species.
(Ed Wilson)
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sightings from previous years
2012
Priorslee Lake
Yellow Wagtail
(Ed Wilson)