16.0°C > 18.0°C: Surprise, surprise: not as forecast! Low cloud. Light northerly wind. Moderate visibility.
Sunrise: 06:30 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 – 08:55
(192nd visit of the year)
Bird notes:
- two Tufted Duck seen at 06:25 may have been flying around or leaving. None was present at 07:10. Two few East together at 07:25
- the trio of Gadwall and the drake Wigeon all seemed to fly off at 08:30.
- a Little Grebe was new
- my latest ever Common Sandpiper was flying around from c.08:05 until it left to the East at 08:10. It did briefly pause on one of the fishing platforms. At not time did I see it flying low across the water with typical fluttering wing-beats.
Counts of birds noted flying over:
- 4 Canada Geese: two duos outbound
- 2 Greylag Geese: a duo inbound
- 4 (?♂) Tufted Ducks: see notes
- 63 Wood Pigeons
- 2 Black-headed Gulls
- 30 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 86 Jackdaws
- 90 Rooks
Hirundines etc. noted:
- 1 House Martin
Warblers noted (the figure in brackets relates to birds heard singing):
- 11 (2) Chiffchaffs
- 1 (0) Common Whitethroat
- 1 (0) Blackcap
''nominal' warbler:
- 3 (1) Goldcrests
Counts from the lake area:
- 33 Canada Geese: coming and going throughout
- 2 Mute Swans
- 3 (1♂) Gadwall
- 1 (1♂?) Wigeon
- 12 (?♂) Mallard
- 7 Moorhens
- 121 Coots
- 1 Little Grebe
- 5 Great Crested Grebes
- 1 Common Sandpiper
- 5 Black-headed Gulls: also 59 on the football field c.06:50
- 11 Herring Gulls
- 172 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 1 Grey Heron
- 1 Kingfisher
Noted on the street lamps poles pre-dawn:
Bird notes:
- two Tufted Duck seen at 06:25 may have been flying around or leaving. None was present at 07:10. Two few East together at 07:25
- the trio of Gadwall and the drake Wigeon all seemed to fly off at 08:30.
- a Little Grebe was new
- my latest ever Common Sandpiper was flying around from c.08:05 until it left to the East at 08:10. It did briefly pause on one of the fishing platforms. At not time did I see it flying low across the water with typical fluttering wing-beats.
Counts of birds noted flying over:
- 4 Canada Geese: two duos outbound
- 2 Greylag Geese: a duo inbound
- 4 (?♂) Tufted Ducks: see notes
- 63 Wood Pigeons
- 2 Black-headed Gulls
- 30 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 86 Jackdaws
- 90 Rooks
Hirundines etc. noted:
- 1 House Martin
Warblers noted (the figure in brackets relates to birds heard singing):
- 11 (2) Chiffchaffs
- 1 (0) Common Whitethroat
- 1 (0) Blackcap
''nominal' warbler:
- 3 (1) Goldcrests
Counts from the lake area:
- 33 Canada Geese: coming and going throughout
- 2 Mute Swans
- 3 (1♂) Gadwall
- 1 (1♂?) Wigeon
- 12 (?♂) Mallard
- 7 Moorhens
- 121 Coots
- 1 Little Grebe
- 5 Great Crested Grebes
- 1 Common Sandpiper
- 5 Black-headed Gulls: also 59 on the football field c.06:50
- 11 Herring Gulls
- 172 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 1 Grey Heron
- 1 Kingfisher
Noted on the street lamps poles pre-dawn:
Moths:
- 1 possible Dark-marked Tortrix Acleris laterana [previously Dark-triangle Button]
- 1 possible Dark-marked Tortrix Acleris laterana [previously Dark-triangle Button]
Spiders, harvestmen etc.
- 5 Bridge Orb-web Spiders Larinioides sclopetarius
- 1 male harvestman Leiobunum blackwalli
Sailing Club HQ
- 5 Bridge Orb-web Spiders Larinioides sclopetarius
- 1 male harvestman Leiobunum blackwalli
Sailing Club HQ
Around the outside of the sailing club HQ pre-dawn:
Plenty around on a mild morning
Plenty around on a mild morning
Spiders:
- 32 spiders: the few specifically identified included:
- 32 spiders: the few specifically identified included:
Eratinga species, perhaps Common House Spider E. atrica.
Bridge Orb-web Spider Larinioides sclopetarius
Walnut Orb Weaver Nuctenea umbratica
Missing Sector Orb-web Spider Zygiella x-notata [Silver-sided Sector Spider]
There was a large moth flying around that was most likely a Silver Y Autographa gamma but as I cannot prove that it will not go in the log.
Noted later:
In the dull conditions I saw nothing apart from:
Noted later:
In the dull conditions I saw nothing apart from:
Dragonfly:
- 1 unidentified dragonfly flying at 06:35
- 1 unidentified dragonfly flying at 06:35
Mammals:
- 1 pipistrelle-type bat
- 1 pipistrelle-type bat
Record shot: a Little Grebe.
Another record shot! The Common Sandpiper flying around.
A different spider this morning. It is one of the Eratinga group which includes the Common House Spider E. atrica. I cannot confirm this as the identification.
It is no fun being a cranefly. This one is a victim of a Walnut Orb Weaver Nuctenea umbratica.
(Ed Wilson)
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
In the Priorslee Avenue tunnel:
Flies:
- 2 cranefly Tipula lateralis
Centipedes & Millipedes:
- 14 White-legged Snake Millipedes Tachypodoiulus niger
- 14 White-legged Snake Millipedes Tachypodoiulus niger
Spiders:
- 9 spiders: specifically identified:
Missing Sector Orb-web Spider Zygiella x-notata [Silver-sided Sector Spider]
- 9 spiders: specifically identified:
Missing Sector Orb-web Spider Zygiella x-notata [Silver-sided Sector Spider]
A cranefly Tipula lateralis.
A Missing Sector Orb-web Spider Zygiella x-notata showing why it is also known as a Silver-sided Sector Spider as it devours an unfortunate cranefly.
(Ed Wilson)
The Flash: 09:00 – 10:00
(Ed Wilson)
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Flash: 09:00 – 10:00
(195th visit of the year)
Bird notes:
- I could only find a single Common Teal alongside the island. The throng of geese made finding anything difficult.
- what seemed to be yesterday's drake Shoveler was still present and accompanied by another. There was also a separate group of six birds, at least three drakes.
- I could not find any Little Grebes.
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):
- 6 (2) Chiffchaffs
- 1 (0) Blackcap
'nominal' warbler:
- no Goldcrests
Noted on / around the water:
- 87 Canada Geese: most of these arrived in one large group
- 12 Greylag Geese
- 4 + 3 (1 brood) Mute Swan
- 8 (>5♂) Shoveler
- 17 (?♂) Mallard
- 1 (?♂) Common Teal
- 76 (?♂) Tufted Duck
- 7 + 3 (2 broods) Moorhens
- 129 + 6 (3 dependent broods) Coots
- 4 Great Crested Grebes
- 54 Black-headed Gulls
- 5 Cormorants
- 1 Grey Heron
Noted elsewhere around The Flash:
Warblers noted (the figure in brackets relates to birds heard singing):
- 6 (2) Chiffchaffs
- 1 (0) Blackcap
'nominal' warbler:
- no Goldcrests
Noted on / around the water:
- 87 Canada Geese: most of these arrived in one large group
- 12 Greylag Geese
- 4 + 3 (1 brood) Mute Swan
- 8 (>5♂) Shoveler
- 17 (?♂) Mallard
- 1 (?♂) Common Teal
- 76 (?♂) Tufted Duck
- 7 + 3 (2 broods) Moorhens
- 129 + 6 (3 dependent broods) Coots
- 4 Great Crested Grebes
- 54 Black-headed Gulls
- 5 Cormorants
- 1 Grey Heron
Noted elsewhere around The Flash:
Moths:
- 1 Straw Dot Rivula sericealis
- 1 Straw Dot Rivula sericealis
Fly:
- 1 unidentified fly
- 1 unidentified fly
Beetles:
- 1 Alder Leaf Beetle Agelastica alni: both larvae and adults
- 1 Alder Leaf Beetle Agelastica alni: both larvae and adults
Bugs:
- 4 Common Green Shieldbug Palomena prasina: one adult, two late instars and one second instar
- 1 Bronze Shieldbug Troilus luridus: instar
- 4 Common Green Shieldbug Palomena prasina: one adult, two late instars and one second instar
- 1 Bronze Shieldbug Troilus luridus: instar
Spiders, harvestmen etc.
- 1 Bridge Orb-web Spider Larinioides sclopetarius
- 1 unidentified spider gave be a very painful bite!
2 harvestmen Dicranopalpus ramosus/caudatus
- 1 Bridge Orb-web Spider Larinioides sclopetarius
- 1 unidentified spider gave be a very painful bite!
2 harvestmen Dicranopalpus ramosus/caudatus
Yesterday's immature drake Shoveler has a friend.
And the new group of six Shoveler.
A Straw Dot moth Rivula sericealis.
A fly for later identification.
An adult Common Green Shieldbug Palomena prasina.
A late instar Common Green Shieldbug.
To complete the set an early instar Common Green Shieldbug.
A Bronze Shieldbug instar Troilus luridus feeding on an adult Alder Leaf Beetle Agelastica alni.
(Ed Wilson)
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sightings from previous years
2011
Priorslee Lake
Common Sandpiper
(John Isherwood)
Nedge Hill
2 Yellow Wagtails
(John Isherwood)
2006
Priorslee Lake
Spotted Flycatcher
(Ed Wilson)
2011
Priorslee Lake
Common Sandpiper
(John Isherwood)
Nedge Hill
2 Yellow Wagtails
(John Isherwood)
2006
Priorslee Lake
Spotted Flycatcher
(Ed Wilson)