21 Sep 24

Priorslee Balancing Lake and The Flash

14.0°C > 16.0°C: Another dull one. A few blue holes in the cloud, not enough to show the sun. Moderate north-easterly breeze. Good visibility.

Sunrise: 06:55 BST

* = a species photographed today
! = a new species for me here this year
!! = a new species for me in Shropshire

Priorslee Balancing Lake: 05:25 – 09:05

(204th visit of the year)

Bird notes:
- yesterday's group of eight additional adult Mute Swans had grown to nine.
- the two duck Shoveler still present.
- what seemed to be a trio of Gadwall flew off. Certainly a drake and a duck. The third bird was noticeably smaller – Common Teal size - but showed the white speculum of Gadwall so I assume that is what it was.
- four Tufted Duck flew off at 06:40.
- significantly fewer gulls today and they were at least 15 minutes later than yesterday in starting to arrive.

Counts of birds noted flying over:
- 1 Stock Dove
- 149 Wood Pigeons
- 2 Herring Gulls
- >100 Lesser Black-backed Gulls: see notes
- 3 Cormorants: together
- 1 Common Buzzard
- 98 Jackdaws
- 20 Rooks
- 6 Pied Wagtails

Hirundines etc. noted:

None

**NB: House Martins were still around their Newport breeding sites after the storms later today.

Warblers noted (the figure in brackets relates to birds heard singing):
- 1 (1) Cetti's Warbler
- 11 (4) Chiffchaffs
''nominal' warbler:
- 2 (0) Goldcrests

Counts from the lake area:
- 34 Canada Goose: 21 departed in three groups; 13 arrived in two groups
- 11 Mute Swans
- 2 (0♂) Shoveler
- 3 (2♂) Gadwall: see notes
- 12 (8♂) Mallard
- 4 (?♂) Tufted Duck: departed together
- 8 Moorhens
- 149 Coots
- 6 Great Crested Grebes
- 78 Black-headed Gulls: none on the football field c.06:55
- >12 Herring Gulls
- >400 Lesser Black-backed Gulls: see notes
- 1 Grey Heron: departed

Noted on the street lamps poles pre-dawn:

Spiders, harvestmen etc.
- 2 Bridge Orb-web Spiders Larinioides sclopetarius

Sailing Club

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

Flies:
- 1 cranefly Tipula confusa
- 4 European Craneflies Tipula paludosa
- *1 unidentified fly

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

Spiders, harvestmen etc.
- 34 spiders: most individuals not identified though the following species were confirmed:
- 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

Bees, wasps etc.:
- Common Wasp Paravespula vulgaris

Flies:
- European Cranefly Tipula paludosa

Molluscs:
- White-lipped Snail Cepaea hortensis

Mammals:
- Bat sp. Just one and not a pipistrelle-type

When investigating the pre-dawn creatures on the walls of the sailing club HQ I rarely see any common-or-garden flies. This was one this morning though I have no idea as to the species.

(Ed Wilson)

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In the Priorslee Avenue tunnel:

Flies:
- 4 plumed midges

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

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

(Ed Wilson)

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The Flash: 09:10 – 10:20

(207th visit of the year)

New Bird Species
Highlight here was a calling Tawny Owl at c.10:00. I noted at least two Jays and a few Magpies making a lot of noise from the wooded hill alongside squirrel alley. I then heard a Tawny Owl call once. I assume the Jays etc. had found a roosting owl and were mobbing it. I tried to get closer but the sound of the Jays was moving away faster than I could keep up. A new species for me here, my 76th bird species here this year.

Bird notes:
- more and uncounted geese were heard flying in while I was in fruitless pursuit of the owl.
- *two of the 'extra' adult Mute Swans went for an extended fly-around, only to return.
- *two of the Mute Swan cygnets were making a very good effort at flying, just about achieving lift off.
- it is proving to be a good Autumn for ducks on passage. *Six drake (Eurasian) Wigeon and *duck Shoveler were new in. *Two Common Teal have probably been here all the while and obscured by the geese. All but one of the nine *Goosanders were loafing inside the island.

Bird(s) noted flying over here:
- 1 Lesser Black-backed Gull
- 1 Grey Wagtail

Hirundines etc. noted:

None

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

Noted on / around the water:
- >60 Canada Geese: see notes
- 3 Greylag Geese
- *6 + 3 (1 brood) Mute Swan
- *1 (0♂) Shoveler
- *6 (6♂) Wigeon
- *37 (24♂) Mallard
- *2 (0?♂) Common Teal
- *131 (?♂) Tufted Duck
- *9 (0♂) Goosander
- 6 + 7 (5 broods) Moorhens
- *132 adult and immature Coots
- 4 Great Crested Grebes
- 2 Black-headed Gulls only
- *3 Cormorants

Noted elsewhere around The Flash:

Bees, wasps etc.:
- 1 Common Wasp Paravespula vulgaris

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

Bugs:
- 2 Common Green Shieldbugs Palomena prasina

Nearly achieving lift-off is one of the Mute Swan cygnets. As seems to be the norm here they are teaching themselves to fly rather than being shown by their parents.

Two of the 'extra' adult Mute Swans go for a fly. I thought they were going to leave: they didn't. A male with the larger swelling at the base of the bill is nearest the camera.

A comparison of the plumage tones of duck Shoveler behind a duck Mallard. The duck Mallard shows that she is, typically, smaller than the drakes.

One of the (Eurasian) Wigeons present. All had pale bills indicating they are drakes. None was in breeding plumage so they were all moulting adults or first winter birds.

Two of the four in this view are hiding their bills. Bottom left is a drake Tufted Duck. The other two are duck Tufted Ducks.

And the sixth drake Wigeon with a Coot photo-bombing the frame.

It is always a struggle to photograph the Common Teal when they are close to the island - it is a long way from the nearest path. I am not certain of the sex of these: the white on the side of their tails suggests both are ducks. However the right-hand bird shows a dark cap and may well be a juvenile drake.

Resting on the island are eight brownhead Goosander. A Cormorant in typical half-submerged pose passes in front of the Canada Geese.

Even when there are few insects about there are usually some unidentified flies. Here is one with big eyes. I assume a male as the eyes meet.

Which perhaps means this is a female. A different species though.

(Ed Wilson)

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Sightings from previous years

2011
Priorslee Lake
Kingfisher
Common Sandpiper
(Ed Wilson)

2008
Priorslee Lake
Wigeon
Water Rail
(Ed Wilson)

2007
Priorslee Lake
Kingfisher
(Ed Wilson)