2 Oct 24

Priorslee Balancing Lake and The Flash

11.0°C > 12.0°C: Mainly cloudy at low level. A brief burst of sun c.08:20 was followed by light rain for a while. Light northerly wind. Very good visibility.

Sunrise: 07:14 BST

Priorslee Balancing Lake: 05:35 – 09:15

(209th visit of the year)

Bird notes:
- a Pheasant was flushed from its roost in a tree near the Wesley Brook footbridge. I normally only see this species in Spring when it is looking for a nesting site (and a partner).
- 13 visiting Mute Swans initially. Groups of two, three, five and six were put to flight at various times. All splashed back though two flew off later.
- the Tawny Owl was calling again from the Ricoh copse at 05:40.
- two Ravens flew North at 07:25.
- when the wind is from the North the passing Jackdaws and Rooks all fly high. Today it was a challenge to see them against the leaden sky.

Counts of birds noted flying over:
- 2 Canada Geese
- 19 Wood Pigeons
- 17 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 79 Jackdaws: see notes
- 3 Rooks: see notes
- 2 Ravens
- 3 Pied Wagtails

Hirundines etc. noted:
None

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

Counts from the lake area:
- 41 Canada Goose: 22 departed; three stayed; 16 arrived
- 15 Mute Swans: two of these departed
- 2 (1♂) Gadwall
- 16 (11♂) Mallard
- 6 Moorhens
- 170 Coots
- 4 Great Crested Grebes
- 46 Black-headed Gulls
- 10 Herring Gulls
- 128 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 1 Grey Heron
- 1 Kingfisher

Football Field
Birds on the football field c. 07:30
- 10 Black-headed Gulls only
- 16 Wood Pigeons
later:
- 5 Pied Wagtails

Noted on the street lamps poles pre-dawn:

Moths:
- 1 White-marked Stilt Calybites phasianipennella

Flies:
- 4 Spotted-winged Drosophila Drosophila suzukii
- 1 wood gnat Sylvicola sp.
- 1 cranefly Tipula confusa
- 2 other flies of different species

Springtails:
- 1 springtail Pogonognathellus longicornis-type

Spiders, harvestmen etc.
- 1 Bridge Orb-web Spider Larinioides sclopetarius
- 1 as yet unidentified spider
- 1 female harvestman Leiobunum blackwalli.

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

Flies:
- 1 brown lacewing, probably Micromus angulatus
- 1 cranefly Tipula confusa

Slugs, snails etc.:
- 1 black slug

Spiders, harvestmen etc.
- 39 spiders: none specifically identified

Noted later:

Flies:
- cranefly Tipula confusa

Fungus:
- Shaggy Inkcap or Lawyer's Wig Coprinus comatus
at least 16 fruiting bodies not seen previously

The brief sunny spell. It was raining again within five minutes.

There are 12 Mute Swans here. The resident cob is retreating in disgust on the right and the resident pen is out of view. Two other visitors had already flown off.

This group of six visitors was put to flight only to splash down again.

One the Shropshire micromoth recorder helped me with. It is a White-marked Stilt Calybites phasianipennella and a new species of moth for me. The West Midlands Moths web site notes it as an uncommon resident. The Larvae feed on docks and sorrel Rumex. The adult can be seen at any time of the year. My find of the morning.

A different view.

And another, all 15 feet up a street lamp pole. Having done some sorting of this year's moth records I can note this as my 87th species of the year here.

An unknown fly from the street lamp poles. I can't be sure as the abdomen markings are not clear: my vote would be a female Chequered Hoverfly Melanostoma scalare [Long-winged Duskyface].

This was another find of the morning. It is a brown lacewing, very probably Micromus angulatus . My only hesitation is that NatureSpot internet site suggests this species is uncommon and has no photos of it. A Google search of this suggestion by Obsidentify fits well,

This cranefly is Tipula confusa. It is unusual for a Tipula species in holding its wings folded over its back when at rest.

Here is the unidentified fly of the day. It has a noticeably short abdomen but that did not provide any clues.

Two Bridge Orb-web Spiders Larinioides sclopetarius get friendly(?) around the sailing club HQ.

Not sure about this spider. Obsidentify wants to call most spiders I cannot identify Garden Spiders. This isn't one. But I cannot say what it is.

(Ed Wilson)

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In the Priorslee Avenue tunnel:

Moths:
- 1 White-shouldered House Moth Endrosis sarcitrella
- 1 Common Marbled Carpet Chloroclysta truncata

Flies:
- 5 plumed midges

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

Spiders, harvestmen etc.
- 1 Common House Spider Eratigena atrica
- 3 other spiders not specifically identified

A White-shouldered House Moth Endrosis sarcitrella

Yet another (different) specimen of a Common Marbled Carpet moth Chloroclysta truncata using the ceiling of the tunnel as its resting place.

For comparison this is the Common Marbled Carpet moth I found on the outside of a lighted window at home last evening.

A Common House Spider Eratigena atrica.


Another spider Obsidentify wanted to call a Garden Spider. This isn't one either. But again I cannot say what it is.

(Ed Wilson)

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The Flash: 09:20 – 10:20

(211th visit of the year)

Bird notes:
- probably more Tufted Ducks than given by my count. Once again many were continually diving with the added problem of 100+ Greylag Geese moving around amongst them.
- a Grey Wagtail flying around was my first here for a while.

Bird(s) noted flying over here:
- 1 Pied Wagtail (as well as the visited Grey)

Warblers noted (the figure in brackets relates to birds heard singing):
- 2 (1) Chiffchaff

Noted on / around the water:
- 15 Canada Geese
- 134 Greylag Geese
- 2 (mainly) white feral geese
- 6 + 3 (1 brood) Mute Swans
- 42 (27♂) Mallard
- 126 (?♂) Tufted Duck: see notes
- 12 adult and immature Moorhens
- 152 Coots
- 3 Great Crested Grebes
- no Black-headed Gulls
- 1 Cormorant
- 2 Grey Herons: one departed / chased away

Noted elsewhere around The Flash:

Beetles:
- 3 Alder Leaf Beetles Agelastica alni

Spiders, harvestmen etc.
- 2 harvestmen Dicranopalpus ramosus/caudatus

Fungus:
- Dark Honey Fungus Armillaria ostoyae: even more

One of the two Grey Herons present, this one guarding one of the bridges. It was very reluctant to fly when a dog-walker approached.

(Ed Wilson)

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Sightings from previous years

2013
Candles Landfill Site
1st winter Caspian Gull
2nd winter Yellow-legged Gull.
(Tom Lowe)

2012
Priorslee Lake
Redwing
Swallow
(Ed Wilson)

2008
Priorslee Lake
2 Great Black-backed Gulls
(Mike Cooper)

2006
Priorslee Lake
1 Swallow
1 Chiffchaff
(Ed Wilson)