6.0°C > 10.0°C: Clear skies! Light south-westerly breeze. Very good visibility.
Sunrise: 06:58 GMT – all times now GMT for the rest of the year
* = a species photographed today.
Priorslee Balancing Lake: 05:30 – 08:50
(229th visit of the year)
Three highlights today:
- a Red-legged Partridge flushed from the south-west at c.08:20. This makes I have recorded 101 bird species while at the lake. My previous record here was when one ran unscathed across Castle Farm Way on 15 July 2021.
- a Water Rail was heard calling from the north-west area c.06:30. What was presumably a different bird was heard in the north-east area at c.08:10.
- I saw my first Fieldfare of the Winter when a group of c.120 flew over
Bird notes:
- a number of Wood Pigeons in 1s, 2s and very small groups were seen heading off South. Frequently these are local birds setting off chasing to catch-up with large groups already passed over. Today that seemed not true: I could not usually find and relevant large groups.
Counts of birds noted flying over:
- 10 Greylag Geese: an octet flew North; a duo flew South
- c.1040 Wood Pigeons: of these c.1015 were noted flying South in 16 migrant parties: see also notes
- 2 Herring Gulls
- 45 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 354 Jackdaws
- 115 Rooks
- 2 Skylarks: together
- 15 Starlings: together
- c.120 Fieldfare: together
- 10 Redwings: singles / small groups
- 2 Siskins
Birds seen leaving roost around the lake:
Count these! Just a small proportion of what I estimated to be 400 Black-headed Gulls that arrived more or less together. A few of the gulls in the foreground are larger Lesser Black-backed Gulls.
The banded abdomen identifies the species and the antennae plumes identify the sex: a male plumed midge Chironomus plumosus.
A male Long-jawed Orb-web Spider Tetragnatha sp. It looks to have an unusually plain-looking body. That looks to be only in part due to the slight dew covering.
Yesterday's photo of a harvestman Paroligolophus agrestis showed an example with unusual pattern on the body. This is a more usual example with a pale stripe down the abdomen.
Plane(?) of the day. This is one of the Welsh Air Ambulance helicopters. This example is based at Cardiff and here it on its was back to base having taken a patient to the Royal Stoke University Hospital where there is a major trauma centre. The helicopter is a MBB-Bk 117 D-2 now marketed as the Airbus Helicopters EC 145T2. The contract for operating all the Welsh Ambulances passed to Gama Aviation (UK) Ltd. headquartered at Farnborough.
(Ed Wilson)
In the Priorslee Avenue tunnel:
(232nd visit of the year)
Bird notes:
Bird(s) noted flying over here:
- *1 Sparrowhawk
- 4 Jackdaws
Noted on / around the water:
- 9 Canada Geese
- 37 Greylag Geese: all of these arrived
- 6 + 3 (1 brood) Mute Swans
- 45 (29♂) Mallard
- 106 (?♂) Tufted Duck
- 17 Moorhens
- 122 Coots
- 1 Great Crested Grebe
- 16 Black-headed Gulls
- 1 Lesser Black-backed Gull
- *1 Cormorant: departed
Noted around The Flash:
Amazing what a little sun can do. There was a distinct hum around the Ivy bank this morning. All totals minima.
At the time I passed this off as one of the many hoverflies on the Ivy. Not with a 'wasp waist' like that it isn't! It is a Honey Bee Apis mellifera.
Among the many wasps flying around this one stood out as being larger and brighter. The triangular yellow mark on the side of the thorax identifies it is as a German Wasp Vespula germanica. It is having a good clean here, legs waving around. All my sources suggest that only the thorax mark and the facial pattern are reliable separation features of this species from the Common Wasp.
A Common Dronefly Eristalis tenax gets stuck in to the nectar from the Ivy which is just coming in to flower.
It seems so long since I last saw many hoverflies I had to go back my books to identify this as one of the very common Humming Syrphus Syrphus ribesii.
Plane of the day #2. It is a Best Off Sky Ranger Nynja 912S(1), a French-designed two-seat kit plane. This example was professionally built by the UK importers. It was making a day trip to Caernarfon from its base at Sywell in Northamptonshire. It made a stop on the way out at Welshpool Airport, no doubt to partake of the excellent fare in their cafe. The cafe is open to the public and gives a close view over the action at this airport nestling in the Severn Valley.
* = a species photographed today.
Priorslee Balancing Lake: 05:30 – 08:50
(229th visit of the year)
Three highlights today:
- a Red-legged Partridge flushed from the south-west at c.08:20. This makes I have recorded 101 bird species while at the lake. My previous record here was when one ran unscathed across Castle Farm Way on 15 July 2021.
- a Water Rail was heard calling from the north-west area c.06:30. What was presumably a different bird was heard in the north-east area at c.08:10.
- I saw my first Fieldfare of the Winter when a group of c.120 flew over
Bird notes:
- a number of Wood Pigeons in 1s, 2s and very small groups were seen heading off South. Frequently these are local birds setting off chasing to catch-up with large groups already passed over. Today that seemed not true: I could not usually find and relevant large groups.
Counts of birds noted flying over:
- 10 Greylag Geese: an octet flew North; a duo flew South
- c.1040 Wood Pigeons: of these c.1015 were noted flying South in 16 migrant parties: see also notes
- 2 Herring Gulls
- 45 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 354 Jackdaws
- 115 Rooks
- 2 Skylarks: together
- 15 Starlings: together
- c.120 Fieldfare: together
- 10 Redwings: singles / small groups
- 2 Siskins
Birds seen leaving roost around the lake:
None, but several Redwings heard calling from trees pre-dawn:
Counts from the lake area:
- 22 Canada Geese: throughout
- 19 Mute Swans
- 4 (3♂) Gadwall
- 9 (6♂) Mallard
- 5 (?♂) Tufted Duck
- 4 Moorhens
- 198 Coots
- 3 Great Crested Grebes
- *>425 Black-headed Gulls
- 19 Herring Gulls
- c.175 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 1 Cormorant: arrived
- 1 Grey Heron
- 1 Kingfisher
Noted on the street lamps poles pre-dawn:
Counts from the lake area:
- 22 Canada Geese: throughout
- 19 Mute Swans
- 4 (3♂) Gadwall
- 9 (6♂) Mallard
- 5 (?♂) Tufted Duck
- 4 Moorhens
- 198 Coots
- 3 Great Crested Grebes
- *>425 Black-headed Gulls
- 19 Herring Gulls
- c.175 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 1 Cormorant: arrived
- 1 Grey Heron
- 1 Kingfisher
Noted on the street lamps poles pre-dawn:
Moths:
- 2 November Moth-types Epirrita dilutata agg.
- 2 November Moth-types Epirrita dilutata agg.
Flies:
- *1 male plumed midge Chironomus plumosus
- 2 Spotted-winged Drosophila Drosophila suzukii
- 2 wood gnats Sylvicola sp.
- *1 cranefly Tipula confusa
- 2 craneflies, male and *female Tipula pagana.
- *1 male plumed midge Chironomus plumosus
- 2 Spotted-winged Drosophila Drosophila suzukii
- 2 wood gnats Sylvicola sp.
- *1 cranefly Tipula confusa
- 2 craneflies, male and *female Tipula pagana.
Spiders, harvestmen etc.:
- *2 Long-jawed Orb-web Spider Tetragnatha sp.
- 1 harvestman Paroligolophus agrestis
Telford Sailing Club
Around the outside of the Telford Sailing Club HQ pre-dawn:
- *2 Long-jawed Orb-web Spider Tetragnatha sp.
- 1 harvestman Paroligolophus agrestis
Telford Sailing Club
Around the outside of the Telford Sailing Club HQ pre-dawn:
I did not check here today
Noted Later:
Noted Later:
Nothing
Blue sky, sun and Autumn tints. About time.
Only a few of these gulls stayed until it was light-enough to make an accurate count. There are two Canada Geese – one bathing – in the foreground.
A cranefly Tipula confusa
Yet another female cranefly Tipula pagana, this view showing the strong abdomen markings.
(Ed Wilson)
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Flies:
- 11 midges/gnats, not specifically identified
- 11 midges/gnats, not specifically identified
Woodlice:
- 2 Common Shiny Woodlice Oniscus asellus
- 2 Common Shiny Woodlice Oniscus asellus
Arthropods:
- 2 White-legged Snake Millipedes Tachypodoiulus niger
- 2 White-legged Snake Millipedes Tachypodoiulus niger
Spiders, harvestmen etc.:
- 4 spiders of several species, not specifically identified
(Ed Wilson)
The Flash: 08:55 – 10:15
- 4 spiders of several species, not specifically identified
(Ed Wilson)
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(232nd visit of the year)
Bird notes:
Bird(s) noted flying over here:
- *1 Sparrowhawk
- 4 Jackdaws
Noted on / around the water:
- 9 Canada Geese
- 37 Greylag Geese: all of these arrived
- 6 + 3 (1 brood) Mute Swans
- 45 (29♂) Mallard
- 106 (?♂) Tufted Duck
- 17 Moorhens
- 122 Coots
- 1 Great Crested Grebe
- 16 Black-headed Gulls
- 1 Lesser Black-backed Gull
- *1 Cormorant: departed
Noted around The Flash:
Amazing what a little sun can do. There was a distinct hum around the Ivy bank this morning. All totals minima.
Moths:
- 1 Pale Birch Tortrix Acleris logiana.: same place as yesterday
- 1 Pale Birch Tortrix Acleris logiana.: same place as yesterday
Bees, wasps etc.:
- *2 Honey Bees Apis mellifera
- >25 Common Wasps Paravespula vulgaris
- *1 German Wasp Vespula germanica
- *2 Honey Bees Apis mellifera
- >25 Common Wasps Paravespula vulgaris
- *1 German Wasp Vespula germanica
Hoverflies:
- *1 Marmalade Hoverfly Episyrphus balteatus
- *>5 Tapered Dronefly Eristalis pertinax [Tapered Drone Fly]
- *>10 Common Dronefly Eristalis tenax [Common Drone Fly]
- 2 Chequered Hoverfly Melanostoma scalare [Long-winged Duskyface]
- *2 Humming Syrphus Syrphus ribesii
- *1 Marmalade Hoverfly Episyrphus balteatus
- *>5 Tapered Dronefly Eristalis pertinax [Tapered Drone Fly]
- *>10 Common Dronefly Eristalis tenax [Common Drone Fly]
- 2 Chequered Hoverfly Melanostoma scalare [Long-winged Duskyface]
- *2 Humming Syrphus Syrphus ribesii
Bugs:
- >5 Nettle Groundbugs Heterogaster urticae
- 1 adult Common Green Shieldbug Palomena prasina
- >5 Nettle Groundbugs Heterogaster urticae
- 1 adult Common Green Shieldbug Palomena prasina
Spiders, harvestmen etc.:
- 1 harvestman Dicranopalpus ramosus/caudatus
- 1 harvestman Leiobunum rotundum
A Sparrowhawk. The rufous tones under the chin indicate this is an adult male. Females are significantly larger than males: this is true for most birds of prey though it is less apparent on larger species like Common Buzzards.
- 1 harvestman Dicranopalpus ramosus/caudatus
- 1 harvestman Leiobunum rotundum
Today's Cormorant departing.
It looks as if it has a worried expression.
Just about my favourite: a Marmalade Hoverfly Episyrphus balteatus.
A Tapered Dronefly Eristalis pertinax.
Like many insects when seen in close hoverflies are hairy.
Its tongue searching out the reward.
(Ed Wilson)
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2011
Priorslee Lake
1 Adult Great Black-backed Gull
1000+ large gulls
(John Isherwood)
2010
Priorslee Lake
Great Black-backed Gull
11 Golden Plover
2 Kingfishers
16 Reed Buntings
5 Skylarks
8 Meadow Pipits
71 Redwings
457 Fieldfare
31 Siskins
1 Linnet
4 Redpolls
(Ed Wilson)
2005
Priorslee Lake
40 Tufted Duck
16 Pochard
2 Ruddy Duck
Common Buzzard
Sparrowhawk
c.2500 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
1 Kingfisher
2 Goldcrest
42 Fieldfare
Willow Tit
14 Long-tailed Tits
(Martin Adlam)
Priorslee Lake
1 Adult Great Black-backed Gull
1000+ large gulls
(John Isherwood)
2010
Priorslee Lake
Great Black-backed Gull
11 Golden Plover
2 Kingfishers
16 Reed Buntings
5 Skylarks
8 Meadow Pipits
71 Redwings
457 Fieldfare
31 Siskins
1 Linnet
4 Redpolls
(Ed Wilson)
2005
Priorslee Lake
40 Tufted Duck
16 Pochard
2 Ruddy Duck
Common Buzzard
Sparrowhawk
c.2500 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
1 Kingfisher
2 Goldcrest
42 Fieldfare
Willow Tit
14 Long-tailed Tits
(Martin Adlam)