6.0°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 species photographed today.
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: 06:00 – 09:25
(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, Treecreepers 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:
On the left an adult Yellow-legged Gull. The back is darker than any Herring Gull but paler than any Lesser Black-backed Gull. Both Herring and Lesser Black-backs confusingly come on two races with slightly different tones. The legs do not very yellow here but is winter and legs of all species are pinker – the feet are not so pink as the Lesser Black-back it is standing next to and these have yellow legs in summer. The more or less unmarked white head, retained throughout the winter, is another pointer to this species.
I am surprised at how many ichneumon wasps I am seeing at the moment. Perhaps the lack of any really cold weather is the cause.
The cranefly with strongly patterned wings is Tipula confusa. Exactly what is doing here is unclear. Asleep with its head on a non-existent pillow on the side of a street lamp pole?
On a wall of the Telford Sailing Club HQ I managed to get photo of one of several species of cranefly I have been trying to identify. This species is smaller than the typical cranefly. I concentrated on species with longer than usual antennae and have concluded it is another of the so-called winter craneflies (which are also called winter gnats) and one of the Trichocera species and likely T. saltator.
With the very low cloud I did not expect to see any aircraft. This Bell 429 Global Ranger helicopter is owned by Harpin Ltd. of Green Hammerton, York. FlightRadar24 had it reporting as being flown at a "barometric altitude" of 950'. This means that the aircraft's barometer was showing it as at that altitude but its real height would depend upon the accuracy of the setting of that barometer by the pilot. He would normally get the "average pressure of the area" from en route Air Traffic Control. Perhaps the cloud was at 1000': it didn't look it.
(Ed Wilson)
In the Priorslee Avenue Tunnel pre dawn:
Record shot of the distant pair of Shoveler. The light was very poor and all the photos from here are either blurred, grainy or both. Apologies.
(Ed Wilson)
2013
Priorslee Lake
4 Wigeon
4 Gadwall
1 Pochard
60 Tufted Duck
1 Water Rail
235 Coots
7 Song Thrushes
118 Fieldfare
30 Redwings
466 Jackdaws
139 Rooks
c.450 Starlings from roost
(Ed Wilson)
2012
Priorslee Lake
c.100 Greylag Geese
3 Gadwall
8 Pochard
18 Tufted Ducks
153 Coots
c.500 Black-headed Gulls
c.450 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
10 Herring Gulls
1 Great Black-backed Gull
118 Wood Pigeons
103 Redwings
154 Fieldfares
809 Jackdaws
201 Rooks
7 Siskin
(Ed Wilson)
The Flash
1 Pink-footed Goose
c.100 Greylag Geese
41 Canada Geese
41 Tufted Duck
12 Goosander
(Ed Wilson)
2011
Priorslee Lake
Yellow legged Gull
Great Black-backed Gull
(John Isherwood)
2010
Priorslee Lake
28 Pochard
65 Tufted Duck
46 Greenfinches
5 Fieldfares
11 Redwings
12 Siskins
(Ed Wilson)
The Flash
2 Goosanders
1 Pochard
45 Tufted Duck
(Ed Wilson)
2007
Priorslee Lake
Great Black-backed Gull
1 Gadwall
1 Shoveler
2 Wigeon
Peregrine Falcon
(Ed Wilson/John Isherwood)
2006
Priorslee Lake
23 Pochard
75 Tufted Ducks
950+ Black-headed Gulls
1204+ Lesser Black-backed Gulls
499 Wood Pigeons
11 Meadow Pipits
23 Robins
23 Blackbirds
13 Fieldfares
4 Song Thrushes
18 Redwings
1 Willow Tit
321 Jackdaws
241 Rooks
22 Greenfinches
9 Reed Buntings
(Ed Wilson)
* = a species photographed today.
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: 06:00 – 09:25
(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, Treecreepers 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
- 1 Feathered Thorn Colotois pennaria: for its fourth day
Bees, asps etc.:
- *1 small ichneumon
- *1 small ichneumon
Lacewings:
- 1 Common Green Lacewing Chrysoperia carnea
- 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.
- 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.
- 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
Telford Sailing Club
Around the outside of the Telford Sailing Club HQ pre-dawn:
- *1 Stout Sac Spider Clubiona sp.
- 1 Long-jawed Orb-web Spider Tetragnatha sp.
- 3 male harvestmen Leiobunum rotundum
- 1 harvestman Paroligolophus agrestis
Telford Sailing Club
Around the outside of the Telford Sailing Club HQ pre-dawn:
Lacewings:
- *1 brown lacewing Micromus angulatus
- *1 brown lacewing Micromus angulatus
Flies:
- *1 unidentified cranefly, perhaps the winter cranefly Trichocera saltator
- 4 midges
- *1 unidentified cranefly, perhaps the winter cranefly Trichocera saltator
- 4 midges
-Barkflies:
- 1 barkfly Ectopsocus briggsi agg.
- 11 Valenzuela flavidus
- 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:
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
- 1 Long-jawed Orb-web Spider Tetragnatha sp.
- 4 harvestmen Dicranopalpus ramosus/caudatus
First recorded by me here on 03 November I found another brown lacewing Micromus angulatus.
I suppose that since all spiders start off as an egg and hatch in to spiderlings then small spiders are to be expected. Here is one such. The abdomen shape identifies it as one of Stout Sac Spiders Clubiona sp.
Not one helicopter but two. This is a Eurocopter built Aérospatiale AS 355NP Twin Squirrel owned by Cameron Charters LLP. of Knutsford. Both helicopters are operated by a company trading as GB Helicopters, also at Knutsford.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
In the Priorslee Avenue Tunnel pre dawn:
Not visited this morning
(Ed Wilson)
The Flash: 09:30 – 10:55
(Ed Wilson)
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Flash: 09:30 – 10:55
(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:
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
- none
Bees, wasps etc.:
- 1 Common Wasp Paravespula vulgaris
yet again on an even colder morning
- 1 Common Wasp Paravespula vulgaris
yet again on an even colder morning
Flies:
- *1 cranefly Tipula confusa
- *1 cranefly Tipula confusa
Springtails:
- *1 unidentified globular springtail
- *1 unidentified globular springtail
Spiders, harvestmen etc.:
- 1 harvestman Dicranopalpus ramosus/caudatus
- 1 male harvestmen Leiobunum blackwalli
- 1 harvestman Paroligolophus agrestis
- 1 harvestman Dicranopalpus ramosus/caudatus
- 1 male harvestmen Leiobunum blackwalli
- 1 harvestman Paroligolophus agrestis
The duck Gadwall with the orange side to her bill.
This Tufted Duck well illustrates why I have been reluctant to say how many of the birds here are drakes. This one mostly looks like a duck but.... The pale at the base of the bill suggests it is a first winter bird, when the sexes look very similar. The area at the front of the flanks looks be acquiring feathers that are too white for a duck - her flanks are always brown-toned. Thus it is most likely a first winter drake. All will be revealed in a few weeks.
Another record shot: the drake Pochard in front of two drake Tufted Duck (and behind them a Coot).
Four brownhead Goosanders take to the air.
Almost in formation.
Two more brownheads departing.
The handsome drake Goosander....
...on streamlined mode. This species is very fast flying.
A second winter Lesser Black-backed Gull (with two more drake Tufted Ducks).
No Cormorant here today: this one had a look and continued.
An adult female Blackbird pulled this fruit out of the gutter to a less dangerous place to peck away at it.
There was a Tipula confusa cranefly here as well as at the lake. This one is sharing the street lamp pole with an unidentified globular springtail.
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2013
Priorslee Lake
4 Wigeon
4 Gadwall
1 Pochard
60 Tufted Duck
1 Water Rail
235 Coots
7 Song Thrushes
118 Fieldfare
30 Redwings
466 Jackdaws
139 Rooks
c.450 Starlings from roost
(Ed Wilson)
2012
Priorslee Lake
c.100 Greylag Geese
3 Gadwall
8 Pochard
18 Tufted Ducks
153 Coots
c.500 Black-headed Gulls
c.450 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
10 Herring Gulls
1 Great Black-backed Gull
118 Wood Pigeons
103 Redwings
154 Fieldfares
809 Jackdaws
201 Rooks
7 Siskin
(Ed Wilson)
The Flash
1 Pink-footed Goose
c.100 Greylag Geese
41 Canada Geese
41 Tufted Duck
12 Goosander
(Ed Wilson)
2011
Priorslee Lake
Yellow legged Gull
Great Black-backed Gull
(John Isherwood)
2010
Priorslee Lake
28 Pochard
65 Tufted Duck
46 Greenfinches
5 Fieldfares
11 Redwings
12 Siskins
(Ed Wilson)
The Flash
2 Goosanders
1 Pochard
45 Tufted Duck
(Ed Wilson)
2007
Priorslee Lake
Great Black-backed Gull
1 Gadwall
1 Shoveler
2 Wigeon
Peregrine Falcon
(Ed Wilson/John Isherwood)
2006
Priorslee Lake
23 Pochard
75 Tufted Ducks
950+ Black-headed Gulls
1204+ Lesser Black-backed Gulls
499 Wood Pigeons
11 Meadow Pipits
23 Robins
23 Blackbirds
13 Fieldfares
4 Song Thrushes
18 Redwings
1 Willow Tit
321 Jackdaws
241 Rooks
22 Greenfinches
9 Reed Buntings
(Ed Wilson)