7.0°C > 10.0°C: Mist and low cloud at the Balancing Lake. Clearing somewhat at The Flash. Light southerly wind. Poor visibility early: moderate later at The Flash.
Sunrise: 07:51 BST
* = a species photographed today.
Priorslee Balancing Lake: 06:10 – 09:15
(225th visit of the year)
Very little could be seen in the mist.
Some words of caution about using ID apps on smartphones. You will have read my comments about some of the bizarre suggestions that Obsidentify comes up with. Today I was using the Merlin bird-ID app to confirm it was a Goldcrest that I was hearing and not a Firecrest. These to my ears sound very similar, at least in part because I do not hear Firecrest very often. During the brief period I was using Merlin it told me there was a Song Thrush singing: there wasn't - it was part of a Robin song. It also told me there was a Chaffinch when it was a Great Tit - which admittedly do make many different calls. Most bizarrely it recorded a Peregrine Falcon when it was several Lesser Black-backed Gulls calling. So beware. We have nothing to fear from AI have we!
Bird notes:
- this will be the last day this year for the "Warblers noted" heading. I suspect that any Chiffchaffs still present are now silent and will only be seen by chance. I will specifically note any that I see. Meanwhile the Cetti's Warbler will likely stay all Winter and I will only note it if it does something unusual or appears to have gone.
Counts of birds noted flying over:
Only birds flying more or less directly overhead could be seen. For what it is worth...
- 1 Wood Pigeon
- 4 Jackdaws: one group too tight to specifically count
- 14 Rooks
- 2 Pied Wagtails
Birds seen leaving roost around the lake:
None
Warblers noted (the figure in brackets relates to birds heard singing):
- 1 (1) Cetti's Warbler
Counts from the lake area:
- 12 Canada Goose: throughout
- 19 Mute Swans
- 2 (1♂) Mallard
- 7 (2♂?) Tufted Duck
- 4 Moorhens
- no count of Coots attempted
- 4 Great Crested Grebes
- c.25 Black-headed Gulls
- c.15 Herring Gulls
- c.125 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 1 Grey Heron
- 1 Kingfisher
Noted on the street lamps poles pre-dawn:
Warblers noted (the figure in brackets relates to birds heard singing):
- 1 (1) Cetti's Warbler
Counts from the lake area:
- 12 Canada Goose: throughout
- 19 Mute Swans
- 2 (1♂) Mallard
- 7 (2♂?) Tufted Duck
- 4 Moorhens
- no count of Coots attempted
- 4 Great Crested Grebes
- c.25 Black-headed Gulls
- c.15 Herring Gulls
- c.125 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 1 Grey Heron
- 1 Kingfisher
Noted on the street lamps poles pre-dawn:
Moths:
- *10 November Moth-types Epirrita dilutata agg.
- *10 November Moth-types Epirrita dilutata agg.
Lacewing:
- *1 presumed small lacewing
- *1 presumed small lacewing
Springtails:
- *2 springtails Pogonognathellus longicornis-type
- *2 springtails Pogonognathellus longicornis-type
Spiders, harvestmen etc.:
- 1 Bridge Orb-web Spider Larinioides sclopetarius
- 1 Long-jawed Orb-web Spider Tetragnatha sp.
- 1 Bridge Orb-web Spider Larinioides sclopetarius
- 1 Long-jawed Orb-web Spider Tetragnatha sp.
Apart from the moths tucked up at the top of the street lamp poles there was not much on the dew-covered poles.
Telford Sailing Club
Around the outside of the Telford Sailing Club HQ pre-dawn:
Telford Sailing Club
Around the outside of the Telford Sailing Club HQ pre-dawn:
Flies:
- 9 craneflies, not specifically identified
- 9 craneflies, not specifically identified
Beetles:
- 1 Alder Leaf Beetle Agelastica alni
- 1 Alder Leaf Beetle Agelastica alni
Spiders, harvestmen etc.:
- 7 spiders of several species, not specifically identified
Noted later:
- 7 spiders of several species, not specifically identified
Noted later:
Flies:
- 1 male cranefly Tipula pagana
- 1 male cranefly Tipula pagana
Beetles:
- *1 Alder Leaf Beetle Agelastica alni
- *1 Alder Leaf Beetle Agelastica alni
Spiders, harvestmen etc.:
- 1 harvestman Dicranopalpus ramosus/caudatus
- 1 harvestman Dicranopalpus ramosus/caudatus
Fungus:
- *1 Birch Polypore Piptoporus betulinus
- *1 Birch Polypore Piptoporus betulinus
Autumn colours in a group of Oak leaves.
This fungus is Birch Polypore Piptoporus betulinus. It has been growing each Autumn on the same dead Birch tree for some years. This is the best example I can recall. Now that I have enlarged the photo I see there is a male cranefly Tipula pagana resting on top.
(Ed Wilson)
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Flies:
- 1 female plumed midge
- 1 female plumed midge
Woodlice:
- 9 Common Shiny Woodlice Oniscus asellus (presumed all this species: I did not check them all)
- 9 Common Shiny Woodlice Oniscus asellus (presumed all this species: I did not check them all)
Arthropods:
- 4 White-legged Snake Millipede Tachypodoiulus niger
- 4 White-legged Snake Millipede Tachypodoiulus niger
Spiders, harvestmen etc.:
- 7 spiders of several species, the only one specifically identified:
*1 Stout Sac Spider Clubiona sp.
*1 Long-jawed Orb-web Spider Metellina sp.
- *1 harvestman Paroligolophus agrestis
- 7 spiders of several species, the only one specifically identified:
*1 Stout Sac Spider Clubiona sp.
*1 Long-jawed Orb-web Spider Metellina sp.
- *1 harvestman Paroligolophus agrestis
The noticeably thicker inner portion of the (only six!) legs identifies this as the harvestman Paroligolophus agrestis. This species often noticeably small for a harvestman. This one wasn't. The size of the palps suggest it is a male so perhaps that is why it is larger than some I see.
(Ed Wilson)
The Flash: 09:20 – 10:35
(Ed Wilson)
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The Flash: 09:20 – 10:35
(228th visit of the year)
Bird notes:
- noted together in trees along the East side were two Redwings and five Siskins. The latter were my first of the Autumn here – 23 September last year.
- a Grey Wagtail was present again briefly.
Bird(s) noted flying over here:
- 1 Greylag Goose
- 1 brownhead Goosander
- 75 Wood Pigeons in three migrant groups
- 3 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 23 Jackdaws in two groups
- 10 Starlings: together
Noted on / around the water:
- 5 Canada Geese
- *6 + 3 (1 brood) Mute Swans
- 37 (25♂) Mallard
- *111 (?♂) Tufted Duck
- 15 Moorhens
- 146 Coots
- 1 Great Crested Grebe
- 6 Black-headed Gulls
- *1 Lesser Black-backed Gull: immature
- 2 Cormorants
Noted around The Flash:
Moths:
- 1 November Moth-type Epirrita dilutata agg.
- 1 November Moth-type Epirrita dilutata agg.
Beetles:
- 1 Alder Leaf Beetle Agelastica alni
Last year's Mute Swan cygnets now have much white in their plumage. All are strong flyers able to turn corners. One of them spends much of the time on its own.
An immature Lesser Black-backed Gull showing the typical strong under-wing markings. Ageing this bird has proved to be somewhat problematic. The tail-band is indistinct: it should be stronger in a second winter and absent in a third winter. Also the pale tip to an otherwise black bill similarly does not fit either age. Not all gulls age at the same rate. I think it most likely a late moulting second summer partially in third winter plumage.
- 1 Alder Leaf Beetle Agelastica alni
A drake Tufted Duck with white feathers beginning to appear in its flanks.
The upper view does show that some lesser coverts are still growing.
A better view of the rather indeterminate tail-band.
(Ed Wilson)
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2010
Priorslee Lake
Water Rail
9 Meadow Pipits
143 Fieldfare
8 Redwings
(Ed Wilson)
2009
Priorslee Lake
1 Yellow-legged Gull
2 Common Gull
6 Wigeon
(John Isherwood)
2006
Priorslee Lake
Female Blackcap
(John Isherwood)