11.0°C > 13.0°C: None of the dense fog forecast. The low clouds did descend to the tops of the trees for a while. A few breaks developing. Very light northerly breeze. Mostly good visibility with a brief murky period.
Sunrise: 06:46 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
(200th visit of the year)
Two highlights today
- one or more Tawny Owls calling from the Ricoh wood at 05:25 and then heard from around the lower pool between the Balancing Lake and The Flash. I heard the wavering notes, the 'kvick' calls and the hoots. Sources seem to differ about which sex gives which calls. Many adamant that the hoots are the male and the 'kvick' calls are from the female. David Attenborough repeated this on the BBC's late-lamented "tweet of the day". More recent guides hedge their bets. All I can say is that I could never detect calls simultaneously from different locations.
- a duck Common Teal was by the boat launching platforms at c.08:45. My first of 2024 here and is bird species 100-up.
I was surprised to see the Great (White) Egret still present. I thought that yesterday's "taster session" by the sailing club might have created too much disturbance. Perhaps yesterday's rain meant there was little action.
Bird notes:
- the three extra Mute Swans were present early. At 07:15 all three took to the air for no obvious reason. A pair circled around and then left to the East. The other bird splashed down again. The residents appeared and chased it vigorously forcing it to take flight. It too left to the East at 07:35 and calm descended on the lake.
- a slightly lower Coot number is likely due to the misty conditions when I made the count.
- similarly the low cloud was likely obscuring some of the over-flying Jackdaws and Rooks.
- the Cetti's Warbler sang once properly from the North side at 06:25. It (could it be another) was again giving a spluttering half-song half-call at the West end c.09:00.
- a Blackcap was again heard sub-singing.
Counts of birds noted flying over:
- 68 Wood Pigeons
- 1 Herring Gull
- 58 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 184 Jackdaws
- 101 Rooks
- 7 Pied Wagtails
Hirundines etc. noted:
None
Warblers noted (the figure in brackets relates to birds heard singing):
- 1 (1) Cetti's Warbler: see notes
- 1 (0) Willow Warbler
- 10 (3) Chiffchaffs
- 2 (1) Blackcaps
''nominal' warbler:
- 2 (0) Goldcrests
Counts from the lake area:
- 5 Canada Geese: arrived together
- *5 > 3 > 2 Mute Swans: see notes
- 11 (9♂) Mallard
- *1 (0♂) Common Teal
- 1 (0♂) Tufted Duck
- *10 Moorhens
- 125 Coots
- 4 Great Crested Grebes
- 34 Black-headed Gulls: 181 on the football field c.06:50
- 16 Herring Gulls: none on the football field
- c.165 Lesser Black-backed Gulls: none on the football field
- 2 Grey Herons: one flew off 06:20
- *1 Great (White) Egret
Noted on the street lamps poles pre-dawn:
Warblers noted (the figure in brackets relates to birds heard singing):
- 1 (1) Cetti's Warbler: see notes
- 1 (0) Willow Warbler
- 10 (3) Chiffchaffs
- 2 (1) Blackcaps
''nominal' warbler:
- 2 (0) Goldcrests
Counts from the lake area:
- 5 Canada Geese: arrived together
- *5 > 3 > 2 Mute Swans: see notes
- 11 (9♂) Mallard
- *1 (0♂) Common Teal
- 1 (0♂) Tufted Duck
- *10 Moorhens
- 125 Coots
- 4 Great Crested Grebes
- 34 Black-headed Gulls: 181 on the football field c.06:50
- 16 Herring Gulls: none on the football field
- c.165 Lesser Black-backed Gulls: none on the football field
- 2 Grey Herons: one flew off 06:20
- *1 Great (White) Egret
Noted on the street lamps poles pre-dawn:
Moths:
- None
- None
Flies:
- 1 female Spotted-winged Drosophila Drosophila suzukii
- 1 female Spotted-winged Drosophila Drosophila suzukii
Springtails:
- 1 springtail Pogonognathellus longicornis
- 1 springtail Tomocerus vulgaris
- 1 springtail Pogonognathellus longicornis
- 1 springtail Tomocerus vulgaris
Spiders, harvestmen etc.
- 2 Bridge Orb-web Spiders Larinioides sclopetarius
- 1 male harvestman Leiobunum rotundum
Sailing Club
- 2 Bridge Orb-web Spiders Larinioides sclopetarius
- 1 male harvestman Leiobunum rotundum
Sailing Club
Around the outside of the sailing club HQ pre-dawn:
Flies:
- *2 European Craneflies Tipula paludosa
- *2 European Craneflies Tipula paludosa
Slugs, snails etc.:
- *1 Tawny Soil Slug Arion owenii
- *2 unidentified snails
- *1 Tawny Soil Slug Arion owenii
- *2 unidentified snails
Spiders:
- 41(!) spiders: most species not determined apart from:
- Bridge Orb-web Spider Larinioides sclopetarius
- *Missing Sector Orb-web Spider Zygiella x-notata [Silver-sided Sector Spider]
- *1 male harvestman Leiobunum rotundum / blackwalli
Noted later:
Dull and misty
- 41(!) spiders: most species not determined apart from:
- Bridge Orb-web Spider Larinioides sclopetarius
- *Missing Sector Orb-web Spider Zygiella x-notata [Silver-sided Sector Spider]
- *1 male harvestman Leiobunum rotundum / blackwalli
Noted later:
Dull and misty
Beetles:
- Alder Leaf Beetle Agelastica alni: adult
- Alder Leaf Beetle Agelastica alni: adult
Molluscs:
- White-lipped Snail Cepaea hortensis
- White-lipped Snail Cepaea hortensis
Fruits:
- *Lords & Ladies Arum maculatum [Cuckoo Pint]
- *Lords & Ladies Arum maculatum [Cuckoo Pint]
The last remaining additional Mute Swan, er, evacuates the lake.
Luckily I did not need an umbrella.
A distant view of a duck Common Teal. Best identified at long range by the white flash along the side of her tail.
A species I am not able to capture in flight: an adult Moorhen.
The Great (White) Egret. A few steps and it typically disappeared in the reeds.
It did briefly stand in the open. It was not there when I was standing on that fishing platform earlier.
It is not only The Flash that has (reasonably) friendly Robins.
A male European Cranefly Tipula paludosa. Unlike the female his wings are as long as his abdomen.
I am sure these Lords & Ladies Arum maculatum were not here yesterday!
(Ed Wilson)
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In the Priorslee Avenue tunnel:
Flies:
- 10 plumed midges
- 10 plumed midges
Centipedes & Millipedes:
- 9 White-legged Snake Millipede Tachypodoiulus niger
- 9 White-legged Snake Millipede Tachypodoiulus niger
Woodlice:
- Common Rough Woodlouse Porcellio scaber
- Common Rough Woodlouse Porcellio scaber
Spiders:
- 4 spiders not specifically identified:
(Ed Wilson)
The Flash: 09:25 – 10:35
- 4 spiders not specifically identified:
(Ed Wilson)
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The Flash: 09:25 – 10:35
(203rd visit of the year)
Bird notes:
- I could again find only two of the Mute Swan cygnets. Asking around did not provide any explanation.
- Mallard, especially drakes, back in force.
- Tufted Duck possibly under-recorded. Lots of diving amongst the Coots.
- Nine brownhead Goosanders were feeding in a raiding party while another six sat it out inside the island.
Bird(s) noted flying over here:
- 7 Jackdaws: together
Hirundines etc. noted:
None
Warblers noted (the figure in brackets relates to birds heard singing):
- 2 (2) Chiffchaff
- 1 (0) Blackcap
'nominal' warbler:
- 2 (0) Goldcrests
Noted on / around the water:
- 28 Canada Geese: these all flew in. There should also have been the 'angel wing' flightless bird somewhere but I did not see it.
- 41 Greylag Geese: arrived together
- 4 + 2 (1 brood) Mute Swan: see notes
- 33 (26♂) Mallard
- 90 (?♂) Tufted Duck
- 14 (0♂) Goosander
- 6 + 6 (4 broods) Moorhens
- 122 + 6 (2 dependent broods) Coots
- 4 Great Crested Grebes
- 12 Black-headed Gulls
- 5 Cormorants
- 1 Grey Heron
- 1 Kingfisher
Noted elsewhere around The Flash:
With the sun beginning to break through a few things.
Warblers noted (the figure in brackets relates to birds heard singing):
- 2 (2) Chiffchaff
- 1 (0) Blackcap
'nominal' warbler:
- 2 (0) Goldcrests
Noted on / around the water:
- 28 Canada Geese: these all flew in. There should also have been the 'angel wing' flightless bird somewhere but I did not see it.
- 41 Greylag Geese: arrived together
- 4 + 2 (1 brood) Mute Swan: see notes
- 33 (26♂) Mallard
- 90 (?♂) Tufted Duck
- 14 (0♂) Goosander
- 6 + 6 (4 broods) Moorhens
- 122 + 6 (2 dependent broods) Coots
- 4 Great Crested Grebes
- 12 Black-headed Gulls
- 5 Cormorants
- 1 Grey Heron
- 1 Kingfisher
Noted elsewhere around The Flash:
With the sun beginning to break through a few things.
Bees, wasps etc.:
- Common Wasp Paravespula vulgaris
- Common Wasp Paravespula vulgaris
Hoverflies:
- *Common Drone Fly Eristalis tenax
- *Common Drone Fly Eristalis tenax
Flies:
* only unidentified flies
* only unidentified flies
Beetles:
- Alder Leaf Beetles Agelastica alni: adults
- Alder Leaf Beetles Agelastica alni: adults
Bugs:
- [where have all the Nettle Groundbugs Heterogaster urticae gone?]
- *11 Common Green Shieldbugs Palomena prasina: various instars and adults
- [where have all the Nettle Groundbugs Heterogaster urticae gone?]
- *11 Common Green Shieldbugs Palomena prasina: various instars and adults
Slugs, snails etc.:
- *1 Girdled Snail Hygromia cinctella
- *1 Girdled Snail Hygromia cinctella
Spiders, harvestmen etc.
- *1 spider Nigma walckenaeri
- 3 harvestmen Dicranopalpus ramosus/caudatus
- *1 spider Nigma walckenaeri
- 3 harvestmen Dicranopalpus ramosus/caudatus
Flowers:
- *Sowbread Cyclamen hederifolium [Cyclamen]
- *Sowbread Cyclamen hederifolium [Cyclamen]
A male (its eyes meet) Common Drone Fly Eristalis tenax.
One of 11 Common Green Shieldbugs Palomena prasina, this a late instar.
(Ed Wilson)
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Sightings from previous years
2013
Priorslee Lake
Ringed Plover
(Ed Wilson)
2007
Priorslee Lake
Nuthatch
Kingfisher
(Ed Wilson)
2006
Priorslee Lake
Kingfisher
(Ed Wilson)
Priorslee Lake
Ringed Plover
(Ed Wilson)
2007
Priorslee Lake
Nuthatch
Kingfisher
(Ed Wilson)
2006
Priorslee Lake
Kingfisher
(Ed Wilson)