9.0°C > 12.0°C: Again overcast and dull. Light south-easterly wind. Good visibility.
Sunrise: 07:13 GMT
* = a species photographed today.
Priorslee Balancing Lake: 06:00 – 09:25
(237th visit of the year)
Bird notes:
- five small geese were seen flying South to the West. Too distant to hear calls or see any plumage details. Seemed too small for Greylags. Could they have been Pink-footed Geese? I will never know!
- some of the Mute Swans were flying around and a trio eventually departed. Yesterday I noted two adult depart leaving 19 adults. There were 21 first thing today: perhaps they came back.
- most of the Wood Pigeon flocks were heading South. However one group of c.95 flew East and another of c.140 flew West.
- all the Black-headed Gulls swooped in from the south-west in one large group that I estimated to contain c.750 birds. Exactly why and what they do at the lake is unclear as most stay less than ten minutes before departing in various directions. At least some do have bathe: far from all though.
- the only large gull that came in early was a Herring Gull. A scatter came in after 08:30.
Birds noted flying over:
- 5 unidentified geese flew South to the West: see notes
- 2 Stock Doves: together
- *c.860 Wood Pigeons: of these c.840 in eight migrant parties
- 5 Herring Gulls
- 23 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 1 Cormorant
- 109 Jackdaws
- 7 Rooks
- 79 Starlings together
- 5 Fieldfare: together
- 1 Pied Wagtail
- 1 Lesser Redpoll
- 1 Siskin
Birds noted leaving roosts around the lake:
- 4 Starlings: two singles and a duo
- 4 Redwings
- 2 Reed Buntings
Counts from the lake area:
- 3 Canada Geese: all departed
- *21 + 2 Mute Swans: of these three adults departed: see notes
- 3 (2♂) Gadwall
- 2 (2♂) Mallard
- 6 (3♂?) Tufted Duck
- 1 Water Rail: heard only
- 7 Moorhens
- 214 Coots
- 4 Great Crested Grebes
- *c.750 Black-headed Gulls
- 3 Herring Gulls
- 19 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 2 Cormorants: arrived together
- 2 Grey Heron: the second soon chased away
Noted on the street lamps poles pre-dawn:
* = a species photographed today.
Priorslee Balancing Lake: 06:00 – 09:25
(237th visit of the year)
Bird notes:
- five small geese were seen flying South to the West. Too distant to hear calls or see any plumage details. Seemed too small for Greylags. Could they have been Pink-footed Geese? I will never know!
- some of the Mute Swans were flying around and a trio eventually departed. Yesterday I noted two adult depart leaving 19 adults. There were 21 first thing today: perhaps they came back.
- most of the Wood Pigeon flocks were heading South. However one group of c.95 flew East and another of c.140 flew West.
- all the Black-headed Gulls swooped in from the south-west in one large group that I estimated to contain c.750 birds. Exactly why and what they do at the lake is unclear as most stay less than ten minutes before departing in various directions. At least some do have bathe: far from all though.
- the only large gull that came in early was a Herring Gull. A scatter came in after 08:30.
Birds noted flying over:
- 5 unidentified geese flew South to the West: see notes
- 2 Stock Doves: together
- *c.860 Wood Pigeons: of these c.840 in eight migrant parties
- 5 Herring Gulls
- 23 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 1 Cormorant
- 109 Jackdaws
- 7 Rooks
- 79 Starlings together
- 5 Fieldfare: together
- 1 Pied Wagtail
- 1 Lesser Redpoll
- 1 Siskin
Birds noted leaving roosts around the lake:
- 4 Starlings: two singles and a duo
- 4 Redwings
- 2 Reed Buntings
Counts from the lake area:
- 3 Canada Geese: all departed
- *21 + 2 Mute Swans: of these three adults departed: see notes
- 3 (2♂) Gadwall
- 2 (2♂) Mallard
- 6 (3♂?) Tufted Duck
- 1 Water Rail: heard only
- 7 Moorhens
- 214 Coots
- 4 Great Crested Grebes
- *c.750 Black-headed Gulls
- 3 Herring Gulls
- 19 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 2 Cormorants: arrived together
- 2 Grey Heron: the second soon chased away
Noted on the street lamps poles pre-dawn:
Moths:
- 6 November Moth-types Epirrita dilutata agg.
- 1 Mottled Umber Erranis defoliaria: same as yesterday
- 1 Sprawler Asteroscopus sphinx: same as yesterday
- 6 November Moth-types Epirrita dilutata agg.
- 1 Mottled Umber Erranis defoliaria: same as yesterday
- 1 Sprawler Asteroscopus sphinx: same as yesterday
Bees, wasps etc.:
- 1 ichneumon sp.
- *1 'black ant' Lasius sp.
- 1 ichneumon sp.
- *1 'black ant' Lasius sp.
Lacewings:
- 1 Common Green Lacewing Chrysoperia carnea
- 1 Common Green Lacewing Chrysoperia carnea
Flies:
- 1 plumed midge Chironomus plumosus
- *1 cranefly Tipula pagana
- 2 winter craneflies Trichocera regelationis
- 1 plumed midge Chironomus plumosus
- *1 cranefly Tipula pagana
- 2 winter craneflies Trichocera regelationis
Spiders, harvestmen etc.:
- 1 Long-jawed Orb-web Spider Tetragnatha sp.
- *1 harvestman Dicranopalpus ramosus/caudatus
Telford Sailing Club
Around the outside of the Telford Sailing Club HQ pre-dawn:
- 1 Long-jawed Orb-web Spider Tetragnatha sp.
- *1 harvestman Dicranopalpus ramosus/caudatus
Telford Sailing Club
Around the outside of the Telford Sailing Club HQ pre-dawn:
Flies:
- 2 winter craneflies Trichocera regelationis
- *19 as yet to be identified flies of the same species
- 2 winter craneflies Trichocera regelationis
- *19 as yet to be identified flies of the same species
Beetles:
- 1 Alder Leaf Beetle Agelastica alni
- 1 Alder Leaf Beetle Agelastica alni
Spiders, harvestmen etc.:
- spiders not counted: I concentrated on the so far unidentified flies
Noted later:
- spiders not counted: I concentrated on the so far unidentified flies
Noted later:
Flies:
- *1 fly Opomyza florum
- *1 fly Opomyza florum
Barkfly:
- *1 Ectopsocus briggsi agg.
- *1 Ectopsocus briggsi agg.
Spiders, harvestmen etc.:
*2 harvestmen Dicranopalpus ramosus/caudatus
*2 harvestmen Dicranopalpus ramosus/caudatus
Fungus:
- *1 Shaggy Inkcap or Lawyer's Wig Coprinus comatus
Just part of the c.750 Black-headed Gulls that arrived together at 06:45: hence the quality of the photo. None of them seem to doing anything – bathing, drinking. Most had gone by 07:00. Four Moorhens are on the grass in the foreground.
When you have a spare minute.... How many Wood Pigeons are there here. At the time I estimated 140. I have not checked.
There were ten of these small midges / flies on one wall of the Telford Sailing Club HQ today. This was my best photo and has not led to any identification. Once again the online suggestions were all caddis flies but this group of insects holds their antennae forward and have spurs on their legs.
An ant crawling up a street lamp pole. Probably best left as a Lasius sp., as there are several similar species best identified by habitat. None is habitually singly on lamp posts! I wonder what it was doing?
On a street lamp pole is a different-looking harvestman of the species pair Dicranopalpus ramosus/caudatus. The usual prominent forked pedipalps are being held folded back; the normally bunched-up legs held at right angles to the body are here spread out; and the two black bands across the abdomen are unusual.
Late to the party. It is over two weeks since I saw my previous Shaggy Inkcap or Lawyer's Wig Coprinus comatus.
The Flash: 09:30 – 10:50
- *1 Shaggy Inkcap or Lawyer's Wig Coprinus comatus
Two of the trio Mute Swans that flew round and around before...
...coming back...
...and then leaving. Note the bottom bird has a duller bill suggesting it is not yet fully mature.
A male cranefly Tipula pagana with about the minimum number of legs it could survive with.
I went back after dawn to try for a daylight photo of them: they had all gone. I did find this fly Opomyza florum.
And also another barkfly from the Ectopsocus briggsi group.
This is more typical.
So would this be if it wasn't missing three legs.
(Ed Wilson)
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The Flash: 09:30 – 10:50
(240th visit of the year)
Bird notes:
- one of the three immature Mute Swans was sitting on the island with one wing outstretched caught by a fishing line. Reported to Cuan
- yesterday's nine (Eurasian) Wigeon gone: the two drake Shoveler still present.
- the drake Common Teal and Little Grebe reappeared alongside the island.
- two additional Great Crested Grebes were noted and seen displaying.
Bird(s) noted flying over here:
- 2 Herring Gulls
- 3 Jackdaws
Noted on / around the water:
- 7 Canada Geese
- *6 + 3 (1 brood) Mute Swans
- 2 (2♂) Shoveler
- 39 (25♂) Mallard
- 1 (♂) Common Teal
- 71 (37?♂) Tufted Duck
- 14 Moorhens
- 143 Coots
- 1 Little Grebe
- *3 Great Crested Grebes
- 9 Black-headed Gulls
- 1 Cormorant
- 1 Grey Heron
Noted around The Flash:
Bird notes:
- one of the three immature Mute Swans was sitting on the island with one wing outstretched caught by a fishing line. Reported to Cuan
- yesterday's nine (Eurasian) Wigeon gone: the two drake Shoveler still present.
- the drake Common Teal and Little Grebe reappeared alongside the island.
- two additional Great Crested Grebes were noted and seen displaying.
Bird(s) noted flying over here:
- 2 Herring Gulls
- 3 Jackdaws
Noted on / around the water:
- 7 Canada Geese
- *6 + 3 (1 brood) Mute Swans
- 2 (2♂) Shoveler
- 39 (25♂) Mallard
- 1 (♂) Common Teal
- 71 (37?♂) Tufted Duck
- 14 Moorhens
- 143 Coots
- 1 Little Grebe
- *3 Great Crested Grebes
- 9 Black-headed Gulls
- 1 Cormorant
- 1 Grey Heron
Noted around The Flash:
Moths:
- 1 Golden-rod Pug Eupithecia virgaureata: for its third day
- 1 Golden-rod Pug Eupithecia virgaureata: for its third day
Bees, wasps etc.:
- 1 Common Wasp Paravespula vulgaris
- 1 Common Wasp Paravespula vulgaris
Spiders, harvestmen etc.:
- *1 harvestman Paroligolophus agrestis
One of the Mute Swan cygnets caught by fishing line (I wondered why there were no fishermen today). One of the local residents was going to call Cuan Wildlife Rescue. It must be painful to have the wing out even if it is supported.
The two grebes did a quick display. It will be some months before the grebes get their head plumes. Nevertheless they have raised their crown feathers,
A harvestman Paroligolophus agrestis. Where is its eighth leg? In the crack on the street lamp pole? This is where most of its right front leg is.
(Ed Wilson)
- *1 harvestman Paroligolophus agrestis
One of the two newly arrived Great Crested Grebes had caught a fish, species unidentified.
Fish species still unidentified.
(Ed Wilson)
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2011
Priorslee Lake
Yellow legged Gull
(John Isherwood)
2010
Priorslee Lake
16 Pochard
43 Tufted Duck
Yellow-legged Gull
Kingfisher
400+ Jackdaws
17 Fieldfare
7 Redwings
Siskins
(Ed Wilson)
The Flash
24 Pochard
81 Tufted Ducks
c.180 large gulls
5 Redwings here
(Ed Wilson)
Trench Lock Pool
Yellow-legged Gull
(Martin Grant)
2009
Priorslee Lake
17 Pochard
4 Wigeon
8 Tufted
42 Mute Swan
400+ Lesser Black-backed Gull
Yellow Legged Gull
(Mike Cooper)
Wrekin
Firecrest
2 Brambling
(Dave Barrow / Andy Latham)
2006
Priorslee Lake
23 Pochard
48 Tufted Ducks
1 Ruddy Duck
650+ Black-headed Gulls
1 Common Gull
134 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
450 Wood Pigeons
15 Pied Wagtails
18 Wrens
13 Dunnocks
25 Robins
18 Blackbirds
155 Fieldfares
5 Song Thrushes
85 Redwings
1 Mistle Thrush
14 Greenfinches
2 Siskins
4 Reed Buntings
(Ed Wilson)
Priorslee Lake
Yellow legged Gull
(John Isherwood)
2010
Priorslee Lake
16 Pochard
43 Tufted Duck
Yellow-legged Gull
Kingfisher
400+ Jackdaws
17 Fieldfare
7 Redwings
Siskins
(Ed Wilson)
The Flash
24 Pochard
81 Tufted Ducks
c.180 large gulls
5 Redwings here
(Ed Wilson)
Trench Lock Pool
Yellow-legged Gull
(Martin Grant)
2009
Priorslee Lake
17 Pochard
4 Wigeon
8 Tufted
42 Mute Swan
400+ Lesser Black-backed Gull
Yellow Legged Gull
(Mike Cooper)
Wrekin
Firecrest
2 Brambling
(Dave Barrow / Andy Latham)
2006
Priorslee Lake
23 Pochard
48 Tufted Ducks
1 Ruddy Duck
650+ Black-headed Gulls
1 Common Gull
134 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
450 Wood Pigeons
15 Pied Wagtails
18 Wrens
13 Dunnocks
25 Robins
18 Blackbirds
155 Fieldfares
5 Song Thrushes
85 Redwings
1 Mistle Thrush
14 Greenfinches
2 Siskins
4 Reed Buntings
(Ed Wilson)