11.0°C > 12.0°C: Cloud after overnight rain. Clearing after 09:00 with sunny intervals. Light northerly breeze. Good visibility.
Sunrise: 07:31 GMT
* = a photo to be uploaded later: watch the blog for information.
Priorslee Balancing Lake: 06:05 – 09:15
(247th visit of the year)
Bird notes
Two "I wonder what they were":
- while it was still dark a bird 'exploded' from more or less under my feet and whirred away. I would guess a partridge but I saw nothing.
- much later when I was standing on the Wesley Brook bridge checking whether any birds were feeding / bathing in the stream out of the corner of my eye I saw a 'brown bird' get up from the ground and jink away low between trees. I would judge too large for a thrush. Possible Woodcock.
After the very busy morning two days ago it was very quiet today.
Other bird notes:
- one Canada Goose was left behind when the other 14 flew off. Later it flew to the dam-top where it was seen to be hobbling around.
- the three adult Mute Swans that were seen to fly off East yesterday seem to have gone.
- a pair of Gadwall new in / returned
- only a single drake Eurasian Wigeon noted.
Birds noted flying over:
- 12 Wood Pigeons
- 8 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 11 Jackdaws
- 34 Rooks
- 1 Pied Wagtail
- 3 Siskins
Birds noted leaving roosts around the lake:
None
Counts from the lake area:
- 15 Canada Geese: 14 of these flew off together: see notes
- 20 + 2 Mute Swans
- 2 (1♂) Gadwall
- 1 (1♂) Eurasian Wigeon
- 14 (10♂) Mallard
- 14 (5♂) Tufted Duck
- 7 Moorhens
- 228 Coots again
- 4 Great Crested Grebes
- c.110 Black-headed Gulls
- 14 Herring Gulls
- 81 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 1 Grey Heron
Noted on the street lamps poles pre-dawn:
Counts from the lake area:
- 15 Canada Geese: 14 of these flew off together: see notes
- 20 + 2 Mute Swans
- 2 (1♂) Gadwall
- 1 (1♂) Eurasian Wigeon
- 14 (10♂) Mallard
- 14 (5♂) Tufted Duck
- 7 Moorhens
- 228 Coots again
- 4 Great Crested Grebes
- c.110 Black-headed Gulls
- 14 Herring Gulls
- 81 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 1 Grey Heron
Noted on the street lamps poles pre-dawn:
Butterflies, moths etc.:
- *1 unidentified larva / caterpillar
- *1 unidentified larva / caterpillar
Flies:
- *1 orange-bodied fly, probably Phaonia pallida
- 2 winter craneflies Trichocera regelationis
- 3 other craneflies
- *1 orange-bodied fly, probably Phaonia pallida
- 2 winter craneflies Trichocera regelationis
- 3 other craneflies
Springtails:
- *2 unidentified springtails of different species
- *2 unidentified springtails of different species
Barkflies:
- 1 Valenzuela flavidus
- 1 Valenzuela flavidus
Bugs:
- *1 planthopper, probably Eupteryx urticae
- *1 planthopper, probably Eupteryx urticae
Spiders, harvestmen etc.:
- 1 Bridge Orb-web Spider Larinioides sclopetarius
- 1 harvestman Dicranopalpus ramosus/caudatus
Telford Sailing Club
Around the outside of the Telford Sailing Club HQ pre-dawn:
Also affected by the cold temperature
- 1 Bridge Orb-web Spider Larinioides sclopetarius
- 1 harvestman Dicranopalpus ramosus/caudatus
Telford Sailing Club
Around the outside of the Telford Sailing Club HQ pre-dawn:
Also affected by the cold temperature
Bees, wasps etc.:
- *1 ichneumon sp.
- *1 ichneumon sp.
Flies:
- 2 male small midges
- 1 other unidentified fly
- 2 male small midges
- 1 other unidentified fly
Barkflies:
- 9 Valenzuela flavidus
- 9 Valenzuela flavidus
Slugs, snails etc.:
- 3 small 'black slugs'
- 3 small 'black slugs'
Spiders, harvestmen etc.:
- 7 spiders of several species not identified
Later:
The clouds looked about to break around dawn. They filled in again and only started breaking about 09:00.
On a wall of the Telford Sailing Club HQ was this unidentified ichneumon. On this view at least the wings look broader than on most specimens I fail to identify.
(250th visit of the year)
Bird notes:
- the two drake and two duck Shoveler still here tucked up against the island.
- no Common Teal.
- still two drake Pochard.
- someone what unusual was a Jackdaw seen on one of the roofs in Derwent Drive. Probably engaged in "tossing the moss" which they do on my roof.
Bird(s) noted flying over here:
- 7 Herring Gulls: six together
- 1 Lesser Black-backed Gull
- 1 Cormorant
- 3 Jackdaws: singles
Noted on / around the water:
- 5 Canada Geese
- 6 + 2 (1 brood) Mute Swans
- *1 (0♂) Gadwall
- 4 (2♂) Shoveler
- *43 (26♂) Mallard
- 2 (2♂) Pochard
- *50 (25♂) Tufted Duck
- 22 Moorhens
- 127 Coots
- 2 Great Crested Grebes
- 16 Black-headed Gulls
- 3 Herring Gulls: two adults; a second winter arrived
- *1 Lesser Black-backed Gull: adult
- 1 Grey Heron
Noted around The Flash:
A while since I noted any bees: here is a Buff-tailed Bumblebee Bombus terrestris, one of many insects taking advantage of the sun on the Ivy.
It is the narrow band of buff between the white tail and black area of the abdomen that gives this species its name. It is sometimes very hard to see and some authorities lump this species and White-tailed Bumblebee B. lucorum as a single species.
All these springtails were close together on the same street lamp pole. Two different sizes here and I have never previously seen the black one on the left.
And one of the so-called globular springtails. For anyone interested in viewing dozens of species taken more professionally visit the web site below. It does not help with my identification. Neither Obsidentify nor Google Lens gave any suggestions I feel are correct. Certainly "red-clawed crayfish" seems unlikely. https://www.frankashwood.com/macrophotography/collembola
(Ed Wilson)
2013
Priorslee Lake
80 Golden Plover
1 Wigeon
5 Gadwall
2 Teal
76 Tufted Duck
1 Water Rail
229 Coots
133 Wood Pigeons
254 Fieldfare
51 Redwings
391 Jackdaws
66 Rooks
(Ed Wilson)
2012
Priorslee Lake
3 Gadwall
6 Pochard
11 Tufted Ducks
150 Coots
1 Yellow-legged Gull
1 Great Black-backed Gull
2 Snipe
70 Redwings
105 Fieldfares
c.325 Starlings left the roost
c.645 Jackdaws
116 Rooks
Brambling
(John Isherwood/Ed Wilson)
2006
Priorslee Lake
35 Pochard
56 Tufted Ducks
1 drake Ruddy Duck
>750 Black-headed Gulls
>825 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
1 Great Black-backed Gull
660 Wood Pigeons
1 Kingfisher
31 Robins
27 Blackbirds
155 Fieldfares
23 Redwings
1 Willow Tit
415 Jackdaws
194 Rooks
69 Starlings
3 Reed Buntings
(Ed Wilson)
- 7 spiders of several species not identified
Later:
Nothing noted
Larva? Caterpillar?
Google Lens suggested a pupa but they do not move and this was crawling up a street lamp pole.
Or a sea cucumber with this view.
This orange-bodied fly is probably Phaonia pallida.
Top right is a planthopper, probably Eupteryx urticae; bottom left an unidentified springtail.
Two more unknowns. Top left another unidentified springtail, this one stouter and with shorter antennae than usual; bottom right an unidentified fly.
(Ed Wilson)
The Flash: 09:20 – 10:50
(Ed Wilson)
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Flash: 09:20 – 10:50
(250th visit of the year)
Bird notes:
- the two drake and two duck Shoveler still here tucked up against the island.
- no Common Teal.
- still two drake Pochard.
- someone what unusual was a Jackdaw seen on one of the roofs in Derwent Drive. Probably engaged in "tossing the moss" which they do on my roof.
Bird(s) noted flying over here:
- 7 Herring Gulls: six together
- 1 Lesser Black-backed Gull
- 1 Cormorant
- 3 Jackdaws: singles
Noted on / around the water:
- 5 Canada Geese
- 6 + 2 (1 brood) Mute Swans
- *1 (0♂) Gadwall
- 4 (2♂) Shoveler
- *43 (26♂) Mallard
- 2 (2♂) Pochard
- *50 (25♂) Tufted Duck
- 22 Moorhens
- 127 Coots
- 2 Great Crested Grebes
- 16 Black-headed Gulls
- 3 Herring Gulls: two adults; a second winter arrived
- *1 Lesser Black-backed Gull: adult
- 1 Grey Heron
Noted around The Flash:
Bees, wasps etc.:
- *1 Buff-tailed Bumblebee Bombus terrestris
- *>30 Common Wasps Paravespula vulgaris
- *1 Buff-tailed Bumblebee Bombus terrestris
- *>30 Common Wasps Paravespula vulgaris
Hoverflies:
- *c.10 Marmalade Hoverflies Episyrphus balteatus
- *2 Tapered Droneflies Eristalis pertinax
- *3 Common Droneflies Eristalis tenax
- *2 Chequered Hoverflies Melanostoma scalare [Long-winged Duskyface]
- 1 Twin-spot Boxer Platycheirus rosarum [Fourspot Sedgesitter Pyrophaena rosarum]
- *c.10 Marmalade Hoverflies Episyrphus balteatus
- *2 Tapered Droneflies Eristalis pertinax
- *3 Common Droneflies Eristalis tenax
- *2 Chequered Hoverflies Melanostoma scalare [Long-winged Duskyface]
- 1 Twin-spot Boxer Platycheirus rosarum [Fourspot Sedgesitter Pyrophaena rosarum]
Springtails:
- *4 unidentified springtails of four different species
- *4 unidentified springtails of four different species
Bugs:
- *1 7 Spot Ladybird Coccinella 7-punctata
- *1 7 Spot Ladybird Coccinella 7-punctata
Spiders, harvestmen etc.:
- *1 male 'money spider', possibly Erigone atra
All slightly blurred Mallard apart from the blue(?) speculum that she also shares with the otherwise more colourful drake.
A drake Tufted Duck still to acquire full breeding plumage when the flanks will be pure white and there will be a crest on its head.
- *1 male 'money spider', possibly Erigone atra
The duck Gadwall in flight. She shares the pale belly area with the otherwise more colourful drake.
"Who me?"
An adult winter Lesser Black-backed Gull.
Very hairy: a Common Wasp Paravespula vulgaris.
A Marmalade Hoverfly Episyrphus balteatus: note the long legs with pale and dark areas.
Another at rest. There seems to be a growth behind its left eye.
A Tapered Droneflies Eristalis pertinax.
A Common Dronefly Eristalis tenax
Another: the abdomen markings are variable.
A Chequered Hoverfly Melanostoma scalare.
Here it is again with a different companion.
A more 'standard' species: perhaps.
A 7 Spot Ladybird Coccinella 7-punctata
A male 'money spider', possibly Erigone atra.
(Ed Wilson)
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2013
Priorslee Lake
80 Golden Plover
1 Wigeon
5 Gadwall
2 Teal
76 Tufted Duck
1 Water Rail
229 Coots
133 Wood Pigeons
254 Fieldfare
51 Redwings
391 Jackdaws
66 Rooks
(Ed Wilson)
2012
Priorslee Lake
3 Gadwall
6 Pochard
11 Tufted Ducks
150 Coots
1 Yellow-legged Gull
1 Great Black-backed Gull
2 Snipe
70 Redwings
105 Fieldfares
c.325 Starlings left the roost
c.645 Jackdaws
116 Rooks
Brambling
(John Isherwood/Ed Wilson)
2006
Priorslee Lake
35 Pochard
56 Tufted Ducks
1 drake Ruddy Duck
>750 Black-headed Gulls
>825 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
1 Great Black-backed Gull
660 Wood Pigeons
1 Kingfisher
31 Robins
27 Blackbirds
155 Fieldfares
23 Redwings
1 Willow Tit
415 Jackdaws
194 Rooks
69 Starlings
3 Reed Buntings
(Ed Wilson)