14.0°C > 15.0°C: Mostly cloudy after a clear start. An unexpected (i.e. un-forecast - what's new) shower c.06:45. Moderate south-westerly wind increasing fresh, even strong at times. Very good visibility but moderate in shower.
Sunrise: 06:35 BST
* = a species photographed today
! = a new species for me here this year
!! = a new species for me in Shropshire
Priorslee Balancing Lake: 05:20 – 09:15
(195th visit of the year)
Bird notes:
- as yesterday many Canada Geese left the fields to the East very early. A group of 17 headed toward The Flash at 06:10 with two groups totalling 47 birds flew toward the Town Park a few minutes later. Then 10 arrived at the lake. Another 10 drifted in much later.
for many weeks the lake has been almost deserted when I arrive with birds (other than the Mute Swans) gradually emerging from roosts inside the reeds. This morning there were at least 85 Coots in a group already on the water by 05:45
- almost all large gulls visited before 06:45.
- the Cetti's Warbler called and then sang once from the hedge alongside the M54 at 06:25. At c.07:00 it was very vocal for several minutes from vegetation along the South shore.
- there were no Pied Wagtails on the football field c.09:00. There were 14 yesterday. I did see or hear one anywhere today.
Counts of birds noted flying over:
- 51 Canada Geese: quartet outbound; 47 inbound in two groups
- 2 Stock Doves: together
- 142 Wood Pigeons
- 10 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 3 Cormorants: together
- 1 Grey Heron
- *1 Common Buzzard
- 190 Jackdaws
- 111 Rooks
- 1 Linnet
Hirundines etc. noted:
Peering at me from the top of one of the street lamps is a Common Wasp Paravespula vulgaris. The anchor-shaped mark above the jaw separates this species from the similar German Wasp Vespula germanica.
An ichneumon. With hundreds of species to choose from and illustrations of only about 30 of the most distinctive species then this will stay unidentified.
A Chequered Hoverfly Melanostoma scalare. It is of course yet another female with the triangular yellow marks.
A small and delicate cranefly which I think is one of the winter craneflies Trichocera sp. Only one of the species in this group is easy to identify: it has patterned wings which this lacks.
And another. It is possible this is a female Spotted-winged Drosophila Drosophila suzukii – the females lack the spots that the males have on the wing tips.
Later more flies: this is one of the Cluster flies Pollenia sp. identified by the "golden hairs" (it says on the web) on the thorax. Specific identity requires a clearer view of the abdomen.
This one may be the Muscid fly Helina evecta, noted as common at this time of year. The well-separated eyes suggest this is a female. All the pictures on the web must be males.
One of the many 'greenbottles' in close-up. Do the eyes really look like this or it an interference pattern from the camera? Probably one of the Lucilia species of blowfly.
I don't have any real idea as to what this 'fly' might be. It is possible the swollen rounded tip to the abdomen means it is another ichneumon. It is not possible to see whether it has a wasp waist.
(Ed Wilson)
In the Priorslee Avenue tunnel:
Yet another Common Marbled Carpet moth Chloroclysta truncata using the ceiling of the tunnel as the day-roost.
(Ed Wilson)
The Flash: 09:20 – 10:20
(198th visit of the year)
Highlight today was my first Goosander of the season – a 'brownhead' (duck or immature) flying around as I arrived. I did not see it again. This is my earliest-ever second winter record, beating the 30 September of last year which was itself an earliest date.
Bird notes:
- no Common Teal or Little Grebe noted.
Bird(s) noted flying over here:
This duck Mallard turned away just as I pressed the shutter. I think the white in the centre of her back means it is probably the bird I noted at the Balancing Lake with a white forewing when in flight.
The top view shows the white in the wing confined to hind part which probably rules out it being an immature or moulting drake.
Two Girdled Snails Hygromia cinctella get friendly. Since most species of snail are hermaphrodites they don't need to. But I guess these days anything goes even among snails.
This is the harvestman Opilio canestrinii. Most harvestmen feed by chasing prey in vegetation, as here. Most I find seem to be loafing on street lamp poles.
This harvestman is Phalangium opilio. To clarify / correct my statement yesterday that "Harvestmen only have a single pair of eyes, unlike the six or, more usually, eight of spiders.". Spider's six or eight eyes are not 'paired' but arranged in one or two rows. My original statement could be read as suggesting that spiders have six or eight pairs of eyes. Apologies.
(Ed Wilson)
* = a species photographed today
! = a new species for me here this year
!! = a new species for me in Shropshire
Priorslee Balancing Lake: 05:20 – 09:15
(195th visit of the year)
Bird notes:
- as yesterday many Canada Geese left the fields to the East very early. A group of 17 headed toward The Flash at 06:10 with two groups totalling 47 birds flew toward the Town Park a few minutes later. Then 10 arrived at the lake. Another 10 drifted in much later.
for many weeks the lake has been almost deserted when I arrive with birds (other than the Mute Swans) gradually emerging from roosts inside the reeds. This morning there were at least 85 Coots in a group already on the water by 05:45
- almost all large gulls visited before 06:45.
- the Cetti's Warbler called and then sang once from the hedge alongside the M54 at 06:25. At c.07:00 it was very vocal for several minutes from vegetation along the South shore.
- there were no Pied Wagtails on the football field c.09:00. There were 14 yesterday. I did see or hear one anywhere today.
Counts of birds noted flying over:
- 51 Canada Geese: quartet outbound; 47 inbound in two groups
- 2 Stock Doves: together
- 142 Wood Pigeons
- 10 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 3 Cormorants: together
- 1 Grey Heron
- *1 Common Buzzard
- 190 Jackdaws
- 111 Rooks
- 1 Linnet
Hirundines etc. noted:
None
Warblers noted (the figure in brackets relates to birds heard singing):
- 1 (1) Cetti's Warbler
- 9 (3) Chiffchaffs
- 1 (0) Blackcap
''nominal' warbler:
- 3 (0) Goldcrests
Counts from the lake area:
- 20 Canada Geese: arrived as six singles / small groups
- 2 Mute Swans
- 6 (?♂) Mallard: flew off
- 2 (?♂) Tufted Duck
- 7 Moorhens
- 124 Coots
- 6 Great Crested Grebes
- 9 Black-headed Gulls: also 188 counted on the football field c.06:55
- 16 Herring Gulls: also two on the football field c.06:55
- 179 Lesser Black-backed Gulls: also nine on the football field c.06:55
- 1 Grey Heron: departed
Noted on the street lamps poles pre-dawn:
Warblers noted (the figure in brackets relates to birds heard singing):
- 1 (1) Cetti's Warbler
- 9 (3) Chiffchaffs
- 1 (0) Blackcap
''nominal' warbler:
- 3 (0) Goldcrests
Counts from the lake area:
- 20 Canada Geese: arrived as six singles / small groups
- 2 Mute Swans
- 6 (?♂) Mallard: flew off
- 2 (?♂) Tufted Duck
- 7 Moorhens
- 124 Coots
- 6 Great Crested Grebes
- 9 Black-headed Gulls: also 188 counted on the football field c.06:55
- 16 Herring Gulls: also two on the football field c.06:55
- 179 Lesser Black-backed Gulls: also nine on the football field c.06:55
- 1 Grey Heron: departed
Noted on the street lamps poles pre-dawn:
Moths:
- 1 Large Yellow Underwing Noctua pronuba: same as yesterday
- 1 Large Yellow Underwing Noctua pronuba: same as yesterday
Bees, wasps etc.:
- *1 Common Wasp Paravespula vulgaris
- *1 unidentified ichneumon
- *1 Common Wasp Paravespula vulgaris
- *1 unidentified ichneumon
Flies:
- 2 owl midges Psychodidae sp. [Drain Fly, Moth Fly or Owl Fly]
- *1 winter cranefly Trichocera sp.
* at least five species of unidentified flies
- 2 owl midges Psychodidae sp. [Drain Fly, Moth Fly or Owl Fly]
- *1 winter cranefly Trichocera sp.
* at least five species of unidentified flies
Spiders, harvestmen etc.
- 1 Bridge Orb-web Spider Larinioides sclopetarius
- 1 Missing Sector Orb-web Spider Zygiella x-notata [Silver-sided Sector Spider]
Sailing Club HQ
- 1 Bridge Orb-web Spider Larinioides sclopetarius
- 1 Missing Sector Orb-web Spider Zygiella x-notata [Silver-sided Sector Spider]
Sailing Club HQ
Around the outside of the sailing club HQ pre-dawn:
Spiders:
- 24 spiders: species not determined.
Noted later:
With soaking wet vegetation and no sun another limited haul:
- 24 spiders: species not determined.
Noted later:
With soaking wet vegetation and no sun another limited haul:
Bees, wasps etc.:
- *Honey Bee Apis mellifera
- *Garden Bumblebee Bombus hortorum
- Common Wasp Paravespula vulgaris
- *Honey Bee Apis mellifera
- *Garden Bumblebee Bombus hortorum
- Common Wasp Paravespula vulgaris
Hoverflies:
- *Chequered Hoverfly Melanostoma scalare [Long-winged Duskyface]
- *Chequered Hoverfly Melanostoma scalare [Long-winged Duskyface]
Other Flies:
- *Cluster fly Pollenia sp.
* other unidentified flies
- *Cluster fly Pollenia sp.
* other unidentified flies
Molluscs:
- White-lipped Snail Cepaea hortensis
- White-lipped Snail Cepaea hortensis
Mammals:
- 1 pipistrelle-type bat
- 1 pipistrelle-type bat
The weather looked promising before dawn.... it didn't last.
A distant Common Buzzard flies over.
A Honey Bee Apis mellifera homes in on a Greater Bindweed flower Convolvulus sylvaticus. By the looks of the bee's pollen sac it has already visited a few.
A Garden Bumblebee Bombus hortorum at ease.
I did note there were at least five species of fly on the street lamp poles in the dark. Here are two.
And another.
Beyond "exciting looking" I can say no more.
(Ed Wilson)
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In the Priorslee Avenue tunnel:
Moths:
- *1 Common Marbled Carpet Chloroclysta truncata
- *1 Common Marbled Carpet Chloroclysta truncata
Flies:
- 2 plumed midges
- 2 plumed midges
Centipedes & Millipedes:
- 2 White-legged Snake Millipedes Tachypodoiulus niger
- 2 White-legged Snake Millipedes Tachypodoiulus niger
Spiders:
- 6 spiders: just one specifically identified:
- *Missing Sector Orb-web Spider Zygiella x-notata [Silver-sided Sector Spider]
- 6 spiders: just one specifically identified:
- *Missing Sector Orb-web Spider Zygiella x-notata [Silver-sided Sector Spider]
This Missing Sector Orb-web Spider Zygiella x-notata seems to be scratching its back.
(Ed Wilson)
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The Flash: 09:20 – 10:20
(198th visit of the year)
Highlight today was my first Goosander of the season – a 'brownhead' (duck or immature) flying around as I arrived. I did not see it again. This is my earliest-ever second winter record, beating the 30 September of last year which was itself an earliest date.
Bird notes:
- no Common Teal or Little Grebe noted.
Bird(s) noted flying over here:
None
Hirundines etc. noted:
Hirundines etc. noted:
None
Warblers noted (the figure in brackets relates to birds heard singing):
- 1 (0) Chiffchaff
'nominal' warbler:
- no Goldcrests
Noted on / around the water:
It was difficult getting accurate totals. Almost all the ducks and the Coots were in a tight group and the wind was blowing them and me around.
- 36 Canada Geese
- 7 Greylag Geese
- 4 + 3 (1 brood) Mute Swan
- *37 (>23♂?) Mallard
- 81 (?♂) Tufted Duck
- *1 (0♂) Goosander: departed
- 8 + 1 (1 brood) Moorhens
- 118 + 7 (2 dependent broods) Coots
- 4 Great Crested Grebes
- 48 Black-headed Gulls
- 1 Lesser Black-backed Gull: adult, briefly
- 5 Cormorants
- 2 Grey Herons
Noted elsewhere around The Flash:
Warblers noted (the figure in brackets relates to birds heard singing):
- 1 (0) Chiffchaff
'nominal' warbler:
- no Goldcrests
Noted on / around the water:
It was difficult getting accurate totals. Almost all the ducks and the Coots were in a tight group and the wind was blowing them and me around.
- 36 Canada Geese
- 7 Greylag Geese
- 4 + 3 (1 brood) Mute Swan
- *37 (>23♂?) Mallard
- 81 (?♂) Tufted Duck
- *1 (0♂) Goosander: departed
- 8 + 1 (1 brood) Moorhens
- 118 + 7 (2 dependent broods) Coots
- 4 Great Crested Grebes
- 48 Black-headed Gulls
- 1 Lesser Black-backed Gull: adult, briefly
- 5 Cormorants
- 2 Grey Herons
Noted elsewhere around The Flash:
Moths:
- none
- none
Flies:
- *more unidentified flies
- *more unidentified flies
Beetles:
- >10 Alder Leaf Beetles Agelastica alni: adults
- *2 7 Spot Ladybird Coccinella 7-punctata
- >10 Alder Leaf Beetles Agelastica alni: adults
- *2 7 Spot Ladybird Coccinella 7-punctata
Bugs:
- 4 Common Green Shieldbugs Palomena prasina: one adult and three instars of various ages.
- 4 Common Green Shieldbugs Palomena prasina: one adult and three instars of various ages.
Molluscs:
- *3 Girdled Snails Hygromia cinctella
- *3 Girdled Snails Hygromia cinctella
Spiders, harvestmen etc.
- 2 harvestmen Dicranopalpus ramosus/caudatus
- 1 male harvestman Leiobunum rotundum/blackwalli
- *1 harvestman Opilio canestrinii
- *1 harvestman Phalangium opilio
- 2 harvestmen Dicranopalpus ramosus/caudatus
- 1 male harvestman Leiobunum rotundum/blackwalli
- *1 harvestman Opilio canestrinii
- *1 harvestman Phalangium opilio
Not much light but clearly a Goosander. My first and earliest of the Autumn / second winter period.
Unidentified flies here also. The wing markings ought to provide a clue. Ought.
A 7 Spot Ladybird Coccinella 7-punctata.
(Ed Wilson)
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Sightings from previous years
2011
Nedge Hill
2 Wheatear
2 Yellow Wagtail
1 Raven
(John Isherwood)
Priorslee Lake
Common Sandpiper
Wheatear
(John Isherwood)
2010
The Flash
Common Sandpiper
(Ed Wilson)
2008
Priorslee Lake
2 Kingfisher
(Ed Wilson)
2007
Priorslee Lake
Pochard
Common Gull
(Ed Wilson)
2005
Priorslee Lake
A juvenile Arctic Tern
(Ed Wilson)
Nedge Hill
2 Wheatear
2 Yellow Wagtail
1 Raven
(John Isherwood)
Priorslee Lake
Common Sandpiper
Wheatear
(John Isherwood)
2010
The Flash
Common Sandpiper
(Ed Wilson)
2008
Priorslee Lake
2 Kingfisher
(Ed Wilson)
2007
Priorslee Lake
Pochard
Common Gull
(Ed Wilson)
2005
Priorslee Lake
A juvenile Arctic Tern
(Ed Wilson)