6.0°C > 11.0°C: A stunning sunrise as cloud encroached from the West ahead of forecast rain and gales. Dull for a while. Almost calm. Misty as I arrived, clearing quickly as the cloud cover increased.
Sunrise: 07:08 BST
Priorslee Balancing Lake: 05:30 – 09:15
(208th visit of the year)
Bird notes:
- still 11 visiting Mute Swans to annoy the residents. The visitors stay close together. Some have taken to hiding in the reeds. At least one seems to be a cob up for a challenge and raises his wings and "stands his ground" when approached by the resident cob.
- many of the early arrivals of Lesser Black-backed Gulls came from the south-west rather than the north-west as they have been doing for the last two weeks.
- many groups of unidentified large gulls were flying south-east to the north-east and these groups were concurrent with the Jackdaws and Rooks passing by on roost dispersal. I can't count three things and take sunrise photos at the same time so these are 'best attempts' as the numbers.
Counts of birds noted flying over:
- 1 Canada Goose
- 19 Wood Pigeons
- 1 Herring Gull
- 22 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- c.175 large gulls: see notes
- 14 Cormorants: together
- c.250 Jackdaws: see notes
- c.55 Rooks: see notes
- 5 Pied Wagtails
Hirundines etc. noted:
None
Warblers noted (the figure in brackets relates to birds heard singing):
- 1 (1) Cetti's Warbler: along the South side today
- 5 (0) Chiffchaff
''nominal' warbler:
- 1 (0) Goldcrest
Counts from the lake area:
- 36 Canada Goose: five departed; three stayed; 28 arrived
- 13 Mute Swans
- 2 (1♂) Gadwall
- 12 (9♂) Mallard
- 3 (0♂) Tufted Duck
- 6 Moorhens
- 163 Coots
- 4 Great Crested Grebes
- 66 Black-headed Gulls
- 11 Herring Gulls
- 162 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 1 Grey Heron: departed
- 1 Kingfisher
Football Field
Birds on the football field c. 07:10
- 102 Black-headed Gulls
- 2 Herring Gulls: both immatures
- 11 Wood Pigeons
Noted on the street lamps poles pre-dawn:
Warblers noted (the figure in brackets relates to birds heard singing):
- 1 (1) Cetti's Warbler: along the South side today
- 5 (0) Chiffchaff
''nominal' warbler:
- 1 (0) Goldcrest
Counts from the lake area:
- 36 Canada Goose: five departed; three stayed; 28 arrived
- 13 Mute Swans
- 2 (1♂) Gadwall
- 12 (9♂) Mallard
- 3 (0♂) Tufted Duck
- 6 Moorhens
- 163 Coots
- 4 Great Crested Grebes
- 66 Black-headed Gulls
- 11 Herring Gulls
- 162 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 1 Grey Heron: departed
- 1 Kingfisher
Football Field
Birds on the football field c. 07:10
- 102 Black-headed Gulls
- 2 Herring Gulls: both immatures
- 11 Wood Pigeons
Noted on the street lamps poles pre-dawn:
Moths:
- 1 Vapourer Orgyia antiqua
- 1 Vapourer Orgyia antiqua
Flies:
- 2 Spotted-winged Drosophila Drosophila suzukii
- 1 wood gnat Sylvicola sp.
- 1 cranefly Tipula confusa
- 2 other flies of different species
- 2 Spotted-winged Drosophila Drosophila suzukii
- 1 wood gnat Sylvicola sp.
- 1 cranefly Tipula confusa
- 2 other flies of different species
Springtails:
- 2 springtails Pogonognathellus longicornis-type
- 2 springtails Tomocerus vulgaris-type
- 2 springtails Pogonognathellus longicornis-type
- 2 springtails Tomocerus vulgaris-type
Spiders, harvestmen etc.
- 1 Bridge Orb-web Spider Larinioides sclopetarius
- 1 as yet unidentified spider
- 3 male harvestman Leiobunum rotundum/blackwalli
Sailing Club
- 1 Bridge Orb-web Spider Larinioides sclopetarius
- 1 as yet unidentified spider
- 3 male harvestman Leiobunum rotundum/blackwalli
Sailing Club
Around the outside of the sailing club HQ pre-dawn:
Flies:
- 1 cranefly Tipula confusa
- 1 cranefly Tipula confusa
Spiders, harvestmen etc.
- 23 spiders: none specifically identified
Noted later:
- 23 spiders: none specifically identified
Noted later:
Flies:
- cranefly Tipula confusa
- European Cranefly Tipula paludosa
- cranefly Tipula confusa
- European Cranefly Tipula paludosa
Molluscs:
- White-lipped Snail Cepaea hortensis
- White-lipped Snail Cepaea hortensis
Fungus:
- Shaggy Inkcap or Lawyer's Wig Coprinus comatus
at least 9 fruiting bodies not noted yesterday
- Shaggy Inkcap or Lawyer's Wig Coprinus comatus
at least 9 fruiting bodies not noted yesterday
Without falling in to the water (unauthorised entry not permitted!) this was my best effort.
This is a Vapourer moth Orgyia antiqua. The white markings are likely part of its defence mechanism, either alarming predators or encouraging them to attack the 'eyes' which will cause little harm. Note the feathered antennae (or should that be antenna: it seems to only have one) indicating it is a male.
A close-up of a cranefly Tipula confusa.
These are current galls on the underside of an Oak leaf. They are made by one of Spangle Gall Wasps Neuroterus sp., likely N. quercusbaccarum. The gall species are not easy to separate; the adult wasps are rarely seen and impossible to identify from photos.
Yet another Shaggy Inkcap or Lawyer's Wig Coprinus comatus. Very shaggy.
(Ed Wilson)
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In the Priorslee Avenue tunnel:
Flies:
- 2 plumed midges
- 1 Psychodidae sp. [Drain Fly, Moth Fly or Owl Fly]
- 2 plumed midges
- 1 Psychodidae sp. [Drain Fly, Moth Fly or Owl Fly]
Centipedes & Millipedes:
- 11 White-legged Snake Millipedes Tachypodoiulus niger
- 11 White-legged Snake Millipedes Tachypodoiulus niger
Spiders, harvestmen etc.
- 4 spiders not specifically identified
- 4 spiders not specifically identified
This is one of the spiders in the Eratinga group that includes the Common House Spider E. atrica that falls in to baths at this time of year (drape a towel over the edge of the bath so the poor creature can escape). Not sure of the precise species shown here.
(Ed Wilson)
The Flash: 09:20 – 10:25
(210th visit of the year)
Bird notes:
- probably more Greylag Geese: when I check my photos I may be able to provide a more accurate total. I was too intent on checking for any wayward geese – the over-wintering wild geese are beginning to arrive.
- just one Chiffchaff noted and that singing intermittently.
Bird(s) noted flying over here:
- 1 Lesser Black-backed Gull
- 1 Jackdaw
Warblers noted (the figure in brackets relates to birds heard singing):
- 1 (1) Chiffchaff
''nominal' warbler:
- no Goldcrests
Noted on / around the water:
- 31 Canada Geese
- 133+ Greylag Geese: arrived in several large groups
- 5 white/mainly white feral geese: arrived with the Greylags
- 6 + 3 (1 brood) Mute Swans
- 36 (25♂) Mallard
- 139 (?♂) Tufted Duck
- 6 (0♂) Goosander
- 6 + 6 (6? broods) Moorhens
- 131 adult and immature Coots
- 4 Great Crested Grebes
- 9 Black-headed Gulls
- 1 Grey Heron: departed
Noted elsewhere around The Flash:
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The Flash: 09:20 – 10:25
(210th visit of the year)
Bird notes:
- probably more Greylag Geese: when I check my photos I may be able to provide a more accurate total. I was too intent on checking for any wayward geese – the over-wintering wild geese are beginning to arrive.
- just one Chiffchaff noted and that singing intermittently.
Bird(s) noted flying over here:
- 1 Lesser Black-backed Gull
- 1 Jackdaw
Warblers noted (the figure in brackets relates to birds heard singing):
- 1 (1) Chiffchaff
''nominal' warbler:
- no Goldcrests
Noted on / around the water:
- 31 Canada Geese
- 133+ Greylag Geese: arrived in several large groups
- 5 white/mainly white feral geese: arrived with the Greylags
- 6 + 3 (1 brood) Mute Swans
- 36 (25♂) Mallard
- 139 (?♂) Tufted Duck
- 6 (0♂) Goosander
- 6 + 6 (6? broods) Moorhens
- 131 adult and immature Coots
- 4 Great Crested Grebes
- 9 Black-headed Gulls
- 1 Grey Heron: departed
Noted elsewhere around The Flash:
Bees, wasps etc.:
- 1 Common Wasp Paravespula vulgaris
- 1 Common Wasp Paravespula vulgaris
Flies:
- 1 European Cranefly Tipula paludosa: dead!
- 1 European Cranefly Tipula paludosa: dead!
Beetles:
- 2 Alder Leaf Beetles Agelastica alni
- 2 Alder Leaf Beetles Agelastica alni
Spiders, harvestmen etc.
- 3 harvestmen Dicranopalpus ramosus/caudatus
- 3 harvestmen Dicranopalpus ramosus/caudatus
Fungus: possible identities
- Dark Honey Fungus Armillaria ostoyae: masses
- Dark Honey Fungus Armillaria ostoyae: masses
One of these feral geese.
And the other three between two Greylags.
This trio singled out.
Illustrating that the feral geese are about the same size as Greylags.
For a change two Greylags. The extent of the streaking on the flanks and spotting on the belly is highly variable. These two seem to be concentrating hard on finding some clear water for their splash-down, The lower bird seems to be squinting as if it needs glasses.
Was it something I said? A Grey Heron leaves.
...and the other side.
A close up of some of the better specimens. The worry is that the various forms of honey fungus spread underground years before they begin to show fruiting bodies above ground and other trees in the area may be impacted. Healthy trees may not be affected though those with ash-dieback may not be so lucky.
Yes well! A female European Cranefly Tipula paludosa covered in dew. Is the 'hole' just the way the wings are held? I think I can just see the abdomen on this side of the hole. Would a live insect ever look like this?
(Ed Wilson)
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Sightings from previous years
2010
Priorslee Lake
3 Pochard
2 Sparrowhawks
24 Swallows
Peregrine Falcon
(Ed Wilson)
2008
Priorslee Lake
Redwing
(Ed Wilson)
2005
Priorslee Lake
Siskin
105 Greenfinches
Swallow
House Martin
3 Chiffchaffs
Kingfisher
(Ed Wilson)