29 Oct 24

The Flash and Priorslee Balancing Lake

12.0°C > 13.0°C: Mostly cloudy a few breaks and occasional some light drizzle. Almost calm. Very good visibility. moderate in drizzle.

[Sunrise: 07:00 GMT]

* = a species photographed today.

I decided not to peer in to the early low cloud and murk at probably nothing much. As usual with a late start I went to The Flash first before checking the Balancing Lake from the dam-top area only.

Priorslee Balancing Lake: 10:44 – 11:36

(231st visit of the year)

Bird notes:

Birds of interest noted flying over:

None

Counts from the lake area:
- 27 Canada Geese: arrived together
- 19 Mute Swans
- 2 (1♂) Gadwall
- 3 (3♂) Mallard
- 4 (?♂) Tufted Duck
- 2 Moorhens
- 212 Coots
- 5 Great Crested Grebes
- 13 Black-headed Gulls
- 8 Herring Gulls
- 69 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 3 Cormorants
- 1 Grey Heron

(Ed Wilson)

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The Flash: 09:21 – 10:37

(234th visit of the year)

Bird notes
The highlight was my first Rook of the year at this site. For some reason they are very scarce here even though over 100 pass over the lake most days. Bird species #79 for me here this year.

Other bird notes:
- fewer Tufted Duck counted. Apart from the usual gang continually diving and difficult to count a few groups were paddling around at speed and I may have overlooked some.

Bird(s) noted flying over here:
- 2 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 16 Jackdaws
- *1 Rook

Noted on / around the water:
- 6 Canada Geese
- 8 Greylag Geese
- 6 + 3 (1 brood) Mute Swans
- 38 (26♂) Mallard
- *101 (?♂) Tufted Duck
- *17 Moorhens
- *135 Coots
- 1 Great Crested Grebe
- 6 Black-headed Gulls
- *2 Cormorants
- 1 Grey Heron

Noted around The Flash:

Moths:
- 1 Pale Birch Tortrix Acleris logiana.: the same place as yesterday
- *1 November Moth-type Epirrita dilutata agg.

Bees, wasps etc.:
- >5 Common Wasps Paravespula vulgaris
It was warm enough for insects to fly though the dull conditions would have limited the production of pollen and nectar. Only a few marauding wasps were out and about.

Fungus:
- *Butter Waxcap Hygrocybe ceracea

"I've told you before to keep away from my man". Two duck-type Tufted Ducks seem to be having an argument.

The loser slopes moves away while the drake in the background peers at what it going on while pretending to be asleep. Note the eye-colour of the two quarrelling birds is different. I cannot find a definitive answer but it might indicate the paler-eyed bird is an immature drake which makes my reading of the situation incorrect.

The Coots were at it again today, apparently disputing that pile of sticks and stems, aka a nest!

 "Let's fight". An adult and immature Moorhen come to see what is going on....

...and get caught up in the action. Four Moorhens (two adults with red shields and two immatures) and four Coots.

The adult Moorhens claim the best seats at the fight.

A typical semi-submarine Cormorant, a pose often adopted while they are actively searching for fish.

Record shot only! This morning's Rook passing by, recognised mainly by the very different bill shape from that of a Carrion Crow. Also evident here is the more diamond-shaped tail.

It was supposed to be a photo of the passing Goldcrest. That had clearly passed and been replaced by a Blue Tit when I pressed the shutter or whatever the equivalent is these digital days).

A much more clearly marked specimen of a November Moth-type Epirrita dilutata agg. The markings cannot be used to determine which of the four species involved it might be.

What I believe to be Butter Waxcap fungus Hygrocybe ceracea. A new species for me. It was on its own so I decided not to disturb it for pictures of the stem and gills.

Autumn colours on leaves of Horse-chestnut Aesculus hippocastanum though not quite as it seems. The brown marks are all remnants of the leaf-mines made by the larvae of the Horse-chestnut Leaf-miner moth Cameraria ohridella. The jury seems to be out as to whether these mines from this recent naturally invasive moth species do any harm to the tree itself. It must to some extent inhibit photosynthesis but beyond that... It is generally a bad idea to kill your food plant!

(Ed Wilson)

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2013
Priorslee Lake
7 Gadwall
1 Teal
1 Raven
(John Isherwood)

The Flash
Location
1 Pochard
1 Teal
(John Isherwood)

2012
Priorslee Lake
1 Yellow legged Gull
2 Gadwall
1 Shoveler
1 Wigeon
Chiffchaff
10+ Fieldfare
Siskin
Willow Tit
(John Isherwood)

The Flash
Location
3 Pochard
Sparrowhawk
(John Isherwood)

2010
Priorslee Lake
34 Pochard a high count
500+ Lesser Black-backed Gulls
432 Jackdaws
228 Rooks
171 Fieldfare
5 Redwings
2 Siskins
4 Linnets
(Ed Wilson)

2006
Priorslee Lake
115 Canada Geese
9 Pochard
52 Tufted Ducks
1 Kestrel
c.200 Golden Plover
23 Pied Wagtails
17 Robins
18 Blackbirds
12 Song Thrushes
70 Redwing
1 Mistle Thrush
9 Fieldfare
1 Chiffchaff
1 Blackcap
1 Willow Tit
195 Jackdaws
206 Rooks
31 Greenfinches
4 Redpoll
10 Reed Buntings
(Martin Adlam)

2005
Priorslee Lake
Buzzard feeding on earthworms, mobbed by Black-headed Gulls
1 Raven
7 Pied Wagtails
3 Grey Wagtail
11 Meadow Pipits
Kingfisher
1700+ Wood Pigeon
192 Redwing
111 Fieldfare
(Martin Adlam)