9.0°C > 15.0°C: A clear start with the few clouds melting away. After 09:00 cloud from the West with the last of the sun c.09:30. Calm early with a moderate south-westerly breeze picking up. Very good visibility.
Sunrise: 06:10 BST
* = a species photographed today
! = a new species for me here this year
!! = a new species for me in Shropshire
Priorslee Balancing Lake: 05:10 – 06:35 // 07:40 – 09:50
(184th visit of the year)
Bird notes:
- no sign of yesterday's Tufted Duck.
- for the first time the juvenile Great Crested Grebe had ceased its incessant begging for food. I noted only one adult.
- with clear skies to the East and a bright start (the street lights went out 19 minutes earlier than yesterday) a sizeable roost dispersal passage by the Jackdaws and Rooks was noted.
Counts of birds noted flying over:
- 96 Canada Geese: 74 outbound in five groups; 22 inbound together
- 12 Greylag Geese: all outbound together
- 6 Feral Pigeons: together
- 62 Wood Pigeons
- 57 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 2 Cormorants: together
- 210 Jackdaws
- 98 Rooks
Hirundines etc. noted:
- 18 House Martins high over the estate c.06:25
Warblers noted (the figure in brackets relates to birds heard singing):
- 14 (3) Chiffchaffs
- no Reed Warblers
- 1 (0) Blackcap
- 1 (0) Common Whitethroat
''nominal' warbler:
- 2 (0) Goldcrests
Counts from the lake area:
- 111 Canada Geese: arrived inbound in many small groups
- 2 Mute Swans
- 26 (?♂) Mallard
- 6 adult and juvenile Moorhens
- 87 adult and juvenile Coots
- 1 + 1 (1 brood) Great Crested Grebes
- 8 Black-headed Gulls on the lake c.05:45: none on the football field c.06:20 or later
- 3 Herring Gulls
- *26 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- *5 Cormorants: all immatures, arrived together; three of these departed together
- 1 Grey Heron
- 1 Kingfisher
Noted on the street lamps poles pre-dawn:
Bird notes:
- no sign of yesterday's Tufted Duck.
- for the first time the juvenile Great Crested Grebe had ceased its incessant begging for food. I noted only one adult.
- with clear skies to the East and a bright start (the street lights went out 19 minutes earlier than yesterday) a sizeable roost dispersal passage by the Jackdaws and Rooks was noted.
Counts of birds noted flying over:
- 96 Canada Geese: 74 outbound in five groups; 22 inbound together
- 12 Greylag Geese: all outbound together
- 6 Feral Pigeons: together
- 62 Wood Pigeons
- 57 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 2 Cormorants: together
- 210 Jackdaws
- 98 Rooks
Hirundines etc. noted:
- 18 House Martins high over the estate c.06:25
Warblers noted (the figure in brackets relates to birds heard singing):
- 14 (3) Chiffchaffs
- no Reed Warblers
- 1 (0) Blackcap
- 1 (0) Common Whitethroat
''nominal' warbler:
- 2 (0) Goldcrests
Counts from the lake area:
- 111 Canada Geese: arrived inbound in many small groups
- 2 Mute Swans
- 26 (?♂) Mallard
- 6 adult and juvenile Moorhens
- 87 adult and juvenile Coots
- 1 + 1 (1 brood) Great Crested Grebes
- 8 Black-headed Gulls on the lake c.05:45: none on the football field c.06:20 or later
- 3 Herring Gulls
- *26 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- *5 Cormorants: all immatures, arrived together; three of these departed together
- 1 Grey Heron
- 1 Kingfisher
Noted on the street lamps poles pre-dawn:
Moths:
- *1 Common Grass-moth Agriphila tristella [was Common Grass-veneer]
- *1 !Chevron Grass Moth Agriphila geniculea [was Elbow-stripe Grass-veneer]
- *1 Blood-vein Timandra comae
- *1 Common Grass-moth Agriphila tristella [was Common Grass-veneer]
- *1 !Chevron Grass Moth Agriphila geniculea [was Elbow-stripe Grass-veneer]
- *1 Blood-vein Timandra comae
A word about naming micro-moths. Traditionally few micro moths had vernacular names and amongst "mothers" were always referred to by the second part of their scientific species name e.g. 'tristella' in the first instance above. These names are unique between all UK moths and butterflies and do not change if a species is reassigned to a different genus. A few years ago there was a move to give all the micro moths a vernacular name, with the various county web sites leading the way. Hence we arrived at 'Common Grass-veneer'. Not all parties agreed with the names given – some were not helpful (e.g. 'Wainscot Smudge'). Triggered by the production and widespread availability of the first comprehensive micro-moth field guide, the first edition of which was produced without these names, a new naming attempt has been made. These names are becoming widely adopted. Hence 'Common Grass-moth' (though I am not sure 'Tufted Scallop' is necessarily better than 'Wainscot Smudge'. Time will tell!)
Hoverflies:
- *1 Chequered Hoverfly Melanostoma scalare [Long-winged Duskyface]
- *1 Chequered Hoverfly Melanostoma scalare [Long-winged Duskyface]
Other flies:
- *1 cranefly Limonia nubeculosa
- *1 cranefly Limonia nubeculosa
Springtails:
- 1 springtail Pogonognathellus longicornis-type
- 1 springtail Pogonognathellus longicornis-type
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.: same place for four days
- 2 Copper Underwing agg. Amphipyra pyramidea agg.: same place for four days
Spiders:
- 1 Missing Sector Orb-web Spider Zygiella x-notata [Silver-sided Sector Spider]
- plus many unidentified small spiders.
Noted later:
- 1 Missing Sector Orb-web Spider Zygiella x-notata [Silver-sided Sector Spider]
- plus many unidentified small spiders.
Noted later:
Butterflies:
- *Speckled Wood Pararge aegeria
- *Speckled Wood Pararge aegeria
Bees, wasps etc.:
- *Honey Bee Apis mellifera
- Tree Bumblebee Bombus hypnorum
- *Common Carder Bee Bombus pascuorum
- *Honey Bee Apis mellifera
- 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.
- Parsley Blacklet Cheilosia pagana
- *Plain-faced Dronefly Eristalis arbustorum [Eurasian Drone Fly]
- *Stripe-faced Dronefly Eristalis nemorum [Stripe-faced Drone Fly]
- Tapered Dronefly Eristalis pertinax
- *Common Dronefly Eristalis tenax
- *Meadow Field Syrph Eupeodes latifasciatus [Broad-banded Aphideater]
- *Dead-head Hoverfly Myathropa florea [Common Batman Fly]
- Parsley Blacklet Cheilosia pagana
- *Plain-faced Dronefly Eristalis arbustorum [Eurasian Drone Fly]
- *Stripe-faced Dronefly Eristalis nemorum [Stripe-faced Drone Fly]
- Tapered Dronefly Eristalis pertinax
- *Common Dronefly Eristalis tenax
- *Meadow Field Syrph Eupeodes latifasciatus [Broad-banded Aphideater]
- *Dead-head Hoverfly Myathropa florea [Common Batman Fly]
Damsel- / Dragon-flies:
- *Common Darter Sympetrum striolatum
- unidentified hawker-types
- *Common Darter Sympetrum striolatum
- unidentified hawker-types
Other flies:
- *Thick-headed Fly Conops quadrifasciatus [Four-banded Beegrabber]
- *probably Awkward Clusterfly Pollenia rudis
- *other unidentified flies
- *Thick-headed Fly Conops quadrifasciatus [Four-banded Beegrabber]
- *probably Awkward Clusterfly Pollenia rudis
- *other unidentified flies
Beetles:
- *!!leaf beetle Oulema duftschmidi/melanopus agg.
- *!!leaf beetle Oulema duftschmidi/melanopus agg.
Bugs:
- *Common Green Shieldbug Palomena prasina : instar
- *Common Green Shieldbug Palomena prasina : instar
Spiders:
- *Long-jawed Orb-web Spider Tetragnatha sp.
- *Long-jawed Orb-web Spider Tetragnatha sp.
Molluscs:
- White-lipped Snail Cepaea hortensis
- White-lipped Snail Cepaea hortensis
Where does the time go? Half-moon already.
Talk about scruffy. There are at least four new inner primary feathers growing: otherwise the feathers on the immature Lesser Black-backed Gull desperately need replacing to withstand the rigours of winter.
Not a bad attempt at a formation landing.
They can look very strange when half-and-half.
The only butterfly of the morning: another Speckled Wood Pararge aegeria.
Reminder: this is what a Common Grass-moths Agriphila tristella looks like.
A Honey Bee Apis mellifera emerging from a Greater Bindweed flower.
Covered in dew is a Blood-vein moth Timandra comae.
This is a Stripe-faced Dronefly E. nemorum.
A Common Dronefly E. tenax.
A Dead-head Hoverfly Myathropa florea.
Shadows from my torch ensures this cranefly Limonia nubeculosa has the requisite number of legs.
A small and hairy fly, species not determined.
Cropped and enlarged for maximum 'aargh'. Another fly I have not been able to identify.
A late instar of a Common Green Shieldbug Palomena prasina.
(Ed Wilson)
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In the Priorslee Avenue tunnel:
Moths:
- none
- none
Other things:
- 15 White-legged Snake Millipedes Tachypodoiulus niger
- 15 White-legged Snake Millipedes Tachypodoiulus niger
Spiders:
- 1 Missing Sector Orb-web Spider Zygiella x-notata [Silver-sided Sector Spider]
(Ed Wilson)
The Flash: 06:40 – 07:35
- 1 Missing Sector Orb-web Spider Zygiella x-notata [Silver-sided Sector Spider]
(Ed Wilson)
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The Flash: 06:40 – 07:35
(187th visit of the year)
Bird notes:
- the single Greylag Goose was not on the East side grass, but alongside in the water. Again it did not seek to join the other Greylags when they flew in.
Bird(s) noted flying over here:
- 2 Jackdaws
Hirundines etc. noted:
None
Warblers noted (the figure in brackets relates to birds heard singing):
- 8 (1) Chiffchaffs
'nominal' warbler:
- 1 (0) Goldcrest
Noted on / around the water:
- 3 Canada Geese
- 39 Greylag Goose: 38 of these arrived as a single and then a party of 37
- 4 + 3 (1 brood) Mute Swan
- 26 (?♂) Mallard
- 52 (?♂) Tufted Duck
- 6 + 3 (3 broods) Moorhens
- 64 + 6 (3 broods) Coots
- 4 Great Crested Grebes
- 48 Black-headed Gulls
Noted elsewhere around The Flash:
Warblers noted (the figure in brackets relates to birds heard singing):
- 8 (1) Chiffchaffs
'nominal' warbler:
- 1 (0) Goldcrest
Noted on / around the water:
- 3 Canada Geese
- 39 Greylag Goose: 38 of these arrived as a single and then a party of 37
- 4 + 3 (1 brood) Mute Swan
- 26 (?♂) Mallard
- 52 (?♂) Tufted Duck
- 6 + 3 (3 broods) Moorhens
- 64 + 6 (3 broods) Coots
- 4 Great Crested Grebes
- 48 Black-headed Gulls
Noted elsewhere around The Flash:
Moths:
- 1 Common Grass-moths Agriphila tristella [was Common Grass-veneer]
- 1 Flame Carpet Xanthorhoe designata : the one seen yesterday was in a very different location
- *1 Green Carpet Colostygia pectinataria
- 1 Common Grass-moths Agriphila tristella [was Common Grass-veneer]
- 1 Flame Carpet Xanthorhoe designata : the one seen yesterday was in a very different location
- *1 Green Carpet Colostygia pectinataria
Flies:
- 1 cranefly Tipula lateralis
- 1 cranefly Tipula lateralis
Beetles:
- 1 Alder Leaf Beetle Agelastica alni : adult
- 1 Alder Leaf Beetle Agelastica alni : adult
Spiders, harvestmen etc.
- 2 harvestmen Dicranopalpus ramosus/caudatus
- 2 harvestmen Dicranopalpus ramosus/caudatus
A Great Spotted Woodpecker. But what sex?
This does not help. A red crown indicates it is a juvenile and on this view it could be either sex.
(Ed Wilson)
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Sightings from previous years
2011
Nedge Hill
4 Yellow Wagtails
(John Isherwood)