20 Sep 24

Priorslee Balancing Lake and The Flash

13.0°C > 15.0°C: Another dull morning with cloud at low level. Moderate north-easterly breeze. Very good visibility.

Sunrise: 06:53 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

(203rd visit of the year)

Bird notes:
- *a visiting group of eight adult Mute Swans caused the residents some angst.
- *two duck Shoveler and a pair of Gadwall were recent arrivals.
- a pair of Tufted Duck were together at the West end at first light. Later I noted single drake and *duck well separated. I have assumed these are the same.
- in poor light and with the gulls restless it was impossible to get an accurate count. I would judge at least 1000 large gulls arrived between 05:55 and 06:50 with at least another 200 passing over. Once again there seemed to be very few Herring Gulls among the mass of Lesser Black-backs. I have been asked from where these gulls arrive: they are also seen leaving to the West at dusk. I do not know for sure but I think they roost of the roofs of the industrial units in Donnington and Halesfield. It must be close for them to arrive while it is still quite dark.
- *a group of seven Cormorants arrived together, spent about five minutes diving together and then departed.
- no sign of the Great (White) Egret.
- with the gulls spiralling around and the low light-level it was almost impossible to see the Jackdaws and Rooks flying over.
- my first Meadow Pipits on Autumn passage – just two.

Counts of birds noted flying over:
- 13 Canada Geese: 11 outbound in two groups; a duo inbound
- 1 Stock Dove
- 63 Wood Pigeons
- >200 Lesser Black-backed Gulls: see notes
- 21 Jackdaws
- 17 Rooks
- 1 Starling
- 1 Pied Wagtail
- 2 Meadow Pipits

Hirundines etc. noted:

None
**NB: House Martins were once again around Newport breeding sites yesterday.

Warblers noted (the figure in brackets relates to birds heard singing):
- 1 (0) Cetti's Warbler: spluttering half-call, half-song only
- 11 (4) Chiffchaffs
''nominal' warbler:
- 3 (0) Goldcrests

Counts from the lake area:
- 68 Canada Goose: 27 departed together; 38 arrived together; three present throughout
- *10 Mute Swans: eight flew in together
- *2 (0♂) Shoveler
- 2 (1♂) Gadwall
- 10 (8♂) Mallard
- *2 (1♂) Tufted Duck
- 5 Moorhens
- 149 Coots
- 6 Great Crested Grebes
- 94 Black-headed Gulls: also 132 on the football field c.06:55
- >20 Herring Gulls: see notes
- >1000 Lesser Black-backed Gulls: see notes
- *7 Cormorants: arrived and departed together
- 1 Grey Heron: departed

Noted on the street lamps poles pre-dawn:

Flies:
- 1 plumed midge
- 3 female Spotted-winged Drosophila Drosophila suzukii

Spiders, harvestmen etc.
- 3 Bridge Orb-web Spiders Larinioides sclopetarius
- *1 small spider, possibly a Metellina species
- 1 harvestmen Dicranopalpus ramosus/caudatus

Sailing Club
Around the outside of the sailing club HQ pre-dawn:

Flies:
- *2 Grouse Wing caddis flies Mystacides longicornis
- *2 craneflies Tipula confusa
- 3 European Craneflies Tipula paludosa
- *a pair of unidentified flies

Slugs, snails etc.:
- 1 Girdled Snail Hygromia cinctella

Spiders, harvestmen etc.
- 27 spiders: most individuals not identified though the following species were recognised:
- Bridge Orb-web Spider Larinioides sclopetarius
- *Walnut Orb Weaver Nuctenea umbratica
- Missing Sector Orb-web Spider Zygiella x-notata [Silver-sided Sector Spider]

Noted later:
**too dull for much activity

Flies:
- European Cranefly Tipula paludosa

Molluscs:
- White-lipped Snail Cepaea hortensis

Trouble for the local Mute Swans. A group of eight arrive.

 Preparing to drop in.

The formation landing team with almost impeccable timing.

Trying to hide from the residents by staying close to the dam.

Another touch-down.

Two duck Shoveler.

On the left a duck Tufted Duck. Two drake Mallard are with it, both still to come in to full breeding plumage showing white speckling on the head.

The group of seven Cormorants that had briefly visited for a raid on the fish are seen leaving.

One of two Grouse Wing caddis flies Mystacides longicornis that were on the wall of the sailing club HQ.

 This cranefly with patterned wings held in line with the body is Tipula confusa.

This pair of insects is a puzzle. At first sight they look like paired small craneflies but with long antennae they are not. Perhaps caddis flies? But caddis flies are not true flies so they should have two pairs of wings and these do not – it is the shadow from the camera flash.

There are always unknown flies. This is one.

The small spider I found on one of the street lamp poles. Obsidentify suggests it is possibly a Metellina species.

A well-posed Walnut Orb Weaver spider Nuctenea umbratica.

Plane of the day. A surprise on morning of low cloud was this Jodel DR1050M Excellence, especially as the owner lives in Northern Island. The aircraft either has no transponder or it was not operational so I cannot say where it was coming from or going to. Jodel made a range of light aircraft from 1948 through to the 1960s, thereafter licences and plans have been made available for amateur builders. This example was built in 1964 and has been in the UK since 1981 and has had four different owners here.

(Ed Wilson)

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In the Priorslee Avenue tunnel:

Flies:
- 7 plumed midges

Centipedes & Millipedes:
- 12 White-legged Snake Millipedes Tachypodoiulus niger

Spiders, harvestmen etc.
- 6 spiders not specifically identified:

(Ed Wilson)

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The Flash: 09:20 – 10:35

(206th visit of the year)

Bird notes:
- almost all the geese flew in, some while my view was blocked by trees. Some of these likely disappeared inside the island before I could count them.
- Mallard have appeared in profusion.
- the Tufted Duck were well spread-out with many continually diving and my count is almost certain to be too low.

Bird(s) noted flying over here:
- 6 Jackdaws

Hirundines etc. noted:

None

Warblers noted (the figure in brackets relates to birds heard singing):
- 3 (2) Chiffchaffs
''nominal' warbler:
- 1 (0) Goldcrest

Noted on / around the water:
- >152 Canada Geese: arrived in at least six groups: see notes
- 2 Greylag Geese
- 6 + 3 (1 brood) Mute Swan
- 46 (32♂) Mallard
- ?122 (?♂) Tufted Duck
- 1 (0♂) Goosander
- *5 + 9 (6 broods) Moorhens
- 138 adult and immature Coots
- 5 Great Crested Grebes
- 1 Black-headed Gull only
- 5 Cormorants
- 1 Grey Heron
- 1 Kingfisher

Noted elsewhere around The Flash:

Bees, wasps etc.:
- *1 Buff-tailed Bumblebee Bombus terrestris
- 1 Common Wasp Paravespula vulgaris

Flies:
1 fly similar to the Muscid fly Phaonia pallida.
otherwise only unidentified flies

Bugs:
- *1 Common Green Shieldbug Palomena prasina

An adult Moorhen complaining – loudly: as they do.

An immature Moorhen steps out.

At first sight this looks like the Muscid fly Phaonia pallida. However... it has black spots on the abdomen so it isn't. What it is I cannot say.

The only bee I saw today: a Buff-tailed Bumblebee Bombus terrestris.

The only Common Green Shieldbug Palomena prasina I found in the dull conditions. This is a late instar.

(Ed Wilson)

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Sightings from previous years

2011
Priorslee Lake
Common Sandpiper
(Ed Wilson)

2010
Priorslee Lake
Scaup
(Richard Vernon)

The Flash
Scaup
(Stuart Edmunds)

2008
Priorslee Lake
Tawny Owl
(Ed Wilson)

2005
Priorslee Lake
Kingfisher
(Ed Wilson)