Priorslee Balancing Lake: 06:00 – 09:25
The Flash: 09:30 – 10:556.0°C > 7.0°C: The cloud-layer this morning seemed somewhat higher: there was no mist / drizzle. Moderate visibility. Very light easterly wind.
Sunrise: 07:22 GMT
* = a photo to be uploaded later: watch the blog for information.
Although it seemed brighter earlier the sensors on the street lamps in Castle Farm thought otherwise. The lights went out 10 minutes later than yesterday.
Priorslee Balancing Lake:
(242nd visit of the year)
For the week or so Severn Trent has organised some work on vegetation around the lake. This will involve removing branches that are considered a potential danger to walkers on the paths: and thinning some of the denser areas of scrub. Several weeks ago I accompanied their ecologist to make sure they were aware of trees with nest holes for e.g. Great Spotted Woodpeckers, Tree Creepers etc.
Bird notes:
- yesterday morning's Mute Swan departures and no returned leaving 23 adults and two first years present throughout.
- a pair of Gadwall and trio of Eurasian Wigeon (two drakes) were new arrivals. After a miserable Spring passage of ducks through here the Autumn passage has proved better than average.
- gulls were different again today. Yesterday there were >250 (of eventually c.500) Black-headed Gulls present by 06:30 with the first six large gulls (all Herring Gulls) around 07:00. Today it was >30 Lesser Black-backed Gulls that arrived first after 06:50 with the first 20 (of an eventual c.200) Black-headed Gulls not showing up until 07:05. Very few Herring Gulls today.
- I cannot explain the recent dearth of Rooks flying over on their roost dispersal.
Birds noted flying over: in very misty conditions
- 4 (?♂) Tufted Ducks
- c.365 Wood Pigeons: of these c.350 flew over in six migrant parties
- 1 Herring Gull
- 25 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 2 Cormorants: together
- 138 Jackdaws
- 5 Rooks
- 19 Fieldfare: two groups
- 34 Redwings: two groups
- 1 Siskin
Birds noted leaving roosts around the lake:
- c.45 Starlings: more or less together from the north-east area.
Counts from the lake area:
- 41 Canada Geese: departed in two main groups
- 23 + 2 Mute Swans: see notes
- 2 (1♂) Gadwall
- 3 (2♂) Eurasian Wigeon
- 7 (5♂) Mallard
- 9 (6♂) Tufted Duck
- 2 Moorhens
- 201 Coots
- 4 Great Crested Grebes
- c.200 Black-headed Gulls
- 4 Herring Gulls
- *1 Yellow-legged Gull: adult
- *53 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 1 Grey Heron
- 2 Cormorant: one came and went; another arrived later
Noted on the street lamps poles pre-dawn:
Moths:
- 1 Feathered Thorn Colotois pennaria: for its fourth day
Bees, asps etc.:
- *1 small ichneumon
Lacewings:
- 1 Common Green Lacewing Chrysoperia carnea
Flies:
- 2 plumed midges
- 2 wood gnats, perhaps Sylvicola fenestralis
- *1 cranefly Tipula confusa
- 5 unidentified craneflies, perhaps Trichocera sp.
Barkflies:
- 1 barkfly Ectopsocus briggsi agg.
Spiders, harvestmen etc.:
- *1 Stout Sac Spider Clubiona sp.
- 1 Long-jawed Orb-web Spider Tetragnatha sp.
- 3 male harvestmen Leiobunum rotundum
- 1 harvestman Paroligolophus agrestis
Around the outside of the Telford Sailing Club HQ pre-dawn:
Lacewings:
- *1 brown lacewing Micromus angulatus
Flies:
- *1 unidentified cranefly, perhaps the winter cranefly Trichocera saltator
- 4 midges
-Barkflies:
- 1 barkfly Ectopsocus briggsi agg.
- 11 Valenzuela flavidus
Spiders, harvestmen etc.:
11 spiders of several species, not determined
Noted later on the Teece Drive fence:
Spiders, harvestmen etc.:
- 1 Long-jawed Orb-web Spider Tetragnatha sp.
- 4 harvestmen Dicranopalpus ramosus/caudatus
In the Priorslee Avenue Tunnel pre dawn:
not visited this morning
The Flash:
(245th visit of the year)
Bird notes:
- the flightless 'angel-wing' Canada Goose was the only goose noted.
- a duck Gadwall was new in.
- a pair of Shoveler were also new arrivals
- the all-white drake Mallard-based feral bird was not seen.
- a drake Pochard was also new.
- six Goosander were present but flew away. One a splendid drake.
Bird(s) noted flying over here:
- 3 Herring Gulls
- 1 Lesser Black-backed Gull
- *1 Cormorant
- 2 Jackdaws
Noted on / around the water:
- 1 Canada Goose
- 6 + 2 (1 brood) Mute Swans
- *2 (1♂) Shoveler
- *1 (0♂) Gadwall
- 36 (24♂) Mallard
- 1 (?♂♀) 'feral-type' Mallard
- *1 (1♂) Pochard
- *22 (9♂) Tufted Duck
- *6 (1♂) Goosander: departed
- 19 Moorhens
- *132 Coots
- 1 Great Crested Grebe
- 20 Black-headed Gulls
- 4 Herring Gulls: all adults, three of them briefly
- *3 Lesser Black-backed Gulls: first, second and adult winter birds
Noted around The Flash:
Moths:
- none
Bees, wasps etc.:
- 1 Common Wasp Paravespula vulgaris
yet again on an even colder morning
Flies:
- *1 cranefly Tipula confusa
Springtails:
- *1 unidentified globular springtail
Spiders, harvestmen etc.:
- 1 harvestman Dicranopalpus ramosus/caudatus
- 1 male harvestmen Leiobunum blackwalli
- 1 harvestman Paroligolophus agrestis
(Ed Wilson)