9.0°C > 11.0°C: Mostly thin high cloud early. More cloud later and no sun. Moderate westerly wind gusting fresh at times. Very good visibility.
Sunrise: 08:16 GMT
* = a species photographed today
Priorslee Balancing Lake: 06:35 – 09:40
* = a species photographed today
Priorslee Balancing Lake: 06:35 – 09:40
(272nd visit of the year)
Bird notes:
- three Canada Geese when I arrived; another two flew in; then four flew out leaving the hobbling bird behind. Another bird dropped in for less than a minute.
- today a Water Rail was heard calling in the north-west area; yesterday in the north-east area. I suspect there are birds in both locations and it depends where I am when they wake up and call.
Bird(s) noted flying over here:
- 43 Greylag Geese: inbound at various times
- 46 Wood Pigeons: of these 32 flew North together
- 10 Herring Gulls
- 96 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 125 Jackdaws
- 32 Rooks
- c.77 Starlings: party of c.70; group of six and a single
Counts from the lake area:
- 6 Canada Geese: see notes
- 16 + 2 Mute Swans
- 9 (6♂) Mallard
- 11 (7♂) Pochard
- 21 (8♂) Tufted Duck
- 1 Water Rail: heard only
- 7 Moorhens
- 266 Coots
- 4 Great Crested Grebes
- >350 Black-headed Gulls
- 18 Herring Gulls
- 1 Yellow-legged Gull
- 108 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 2 Cormorants: arrived separately
- 1 Grey Heron
- *1 Great (White) Egret
Birds noted leaving roosts around the lake:
- 2 Redwings
Noted on the street lamps poles pre-dawn:
Moths:
- 1 male Winter Moth Operophtera brumata
- *2 male Northern Winter Moths Operophtera fagata
- 2 male Mottled Umbers Erranis defoliaria
- 1 male Winter Moth Operophtera brumata
- *2 male Northern Winter Moths Operophtera fagata
- 2 male Mottled Umbers Erranis defoliaria
Flies:
- 1 plumed midge
- *1 moth fly, probably Psychoda surcoufi
- 2 winter craneflies Trichocera sp.
- 1 plumed midge
- *1 moth fly, probably Psychoda surcoufi
- 2 winter craneflies Trichocera sp.
Springtails:
- *1 possible springtail Tomocerus vulgaris
- *1 possible springtail Tomocerus vulgaris
Bugs:
- *1 plant bug either Drymus ryei or D. brunneus
- *1 plant bug either Drymus ryei or D. brunneus
Beetles:
- 1 Orange Ladybird Halyzia sedecimguttata
- *1 leaf beetle, perhaps Crepidodera fulvicornis
- *1 rove beetle of genus Stenus, probably S. cicindeloides
- 1 Orange Ladybird Halyzia sedecimguttata
- *1 leaf beetle, perhaps Crepidodera fulvicornis
- *1 rove beetle of genus Stenus, probably S. cicindeloides
Spiders, harvestmen etc.:
- 1 Long-jawed Orb-web Spider Tetragnatha sp.
Telford Sailing Club
Around the outside of the Telford Sailing Club HQ pre-dawn:
- 1 Long-jawed Orb-web Spider Tetragnatha sp.
Telford Sailing Club
Around the outside of the Telford Sailing Club HQ pre-dawn:
Barkflies:
- 3 barkflies Valenzuela flavidus
- 3 barkflies Valenzuela flavidus
Bugs:
- *1 Birch Catkin Bug Kleidocerys resedae
- *1 Birch Catkin Bug Kleidocerys resedae
Spiders, harvestmen etc.:
- 5 spiders, species not determined
Later:
- 5 spiders, species not determined
Later:
Nothing of note
This month's full moon in known as the Cold Moon (or The Long Night's Moon). Here it is just under three hours before it is full. A layer of thin high cloud has taken the edge off the details visible. I always think the moon looks better later when there is slight cross-lighting to show the craters.
After the moon a sunrise of sorts. Well-early here.
More colour now. Street lamps still on.
More cloud arrived before the sun popped over the horizon – well not so much 'popped', more 'eased' at this time of year.
It seems to manage. Now remember to read the sign: "no swimming"!
Similar pose, different colour. A Cormorant dries its wings: perhaps.
Two for the price of one. The moth looks to be a Northern Winter Moth Operophtera fagata with the hindwings extending beyond the folded forewings. The other creature is...
... I now realise, a bug and not a beetle. Courtesy of the Shropshire Recorder this plant bug is either Drymus ryei or D. brunneus, not separable except by detailed examination by an expert!
This springtail is possibly Tomocerus vulgaris: it is stubbier than many examples I see.
I have not got a positive ID on this leaf beetle. The best match I can find is Crepidodera fulvicornis.
(Ed Wilson)
In the Priorslee Avenue tunnel pre-dawn:
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
In the Priorslee Avenue tunnel pre-dawn:
Moths:
- *1 male Mottled Umber Erranis defoliaria: my 20th species of moth found in the tunnel this year.
- *1 male Mottled Umber Erranis defoliaria: my 20th species of moth found in the tunnel this year.
Flies etc.:
- 1 winter cranefly Trichocera sp.
- 6 midges of several species
- 1 winter cranefly Trichocera sp.
- 6 midges of several species
Spiders, harvestmen etc.:
- 2 spiders, species not determined
- 2 spiders, species not determined
This male Mottled Umber moth Erranis defoliaria was on the ceiling of the Priorslee Avenue tunnel – my 20th moth species seen there this year. This example is very 'mottled' and very 'umber' and almost devoid of other markings.
(Ed Wilson)
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The Flash: 09:45 – 10:55
(274th visit of the year)
Bird notes:
- 18 more Greylag Geese flew in but many more were already in and around the island.
- a pair of Common Teal managed to find space between the geese to lurk around the island.
- a Water Rail was giving its alarm-call notes quietly(!) at the top end.
- in recent days there have been fewer Coots in the area around Derwent Drive with more gathered at the top end. Today there were fewer in both areas.
- I could not find the Little Grebe today.
Bird(s) noted flying over here:
- 2 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 2 Common Buzzards
- 1 Raven
- 2 Jackdaws
Noted on / around the water:
- 11 Canada Geese
- >75 Greylag Geese
- 6 + 2 (1 brood) Mute Swans
- 38 (24♂) Mallard
- *2 (1♂) Common Teal
- 1 (1♂) Pochard
- 93 (>51♂) Tufted Duck
- 1 Water Rail: heard only
- 15 Moorhens
- 72 Coots
- 51 Black-headed Gulls
- 2 Herring Gulls: both immatures
- 1 Grey Heron
Also noted:
Moths:
- *1 male Mottled Umber Erranis defoliaria
- *1 male Winter Moth Operophtera brumata:
too windy and dull for anything else to show.
"We're busy". A pair of Common Teal is more intent on feeding than in posing for a photo. Two Coots in attendance and at the top of the photo a bit of one of the many Greylag Geese inside the island.
A very different-looking male Mottled Umber moth Erranis defoliaria. Not very 'mottled' and not very 'umber'. I did not pay attention to biology (or anything much else) at school and I have not studied genetics. It confuses me that two such different-looking moths are the same species whereas the four species on the November Moth group look identical. Answers on a postcard....
This tiny creature was flying past me when I instinctively put my hand out to capture it. Amazingly I did and here it is perched on one of my fingers. It looks very like on of the barkflies Valenzuela flavidus that I have been seeing on the walls of the Telford Sailing Club HQ.
(Ed Wilson)
- *1 male Mottled Umber Erranis defoliaria
- *1 male Winter Moth Operophtera brumata:
too windy and dull for anything else to show.
"We're busy". A pair of Common Teal is more intent on feeding than in posing for a photo. Two Coots in attendance and at the top of the photo a bit of one of the many Greylag Geese inside the island.
Can you "C" the male Winter Moth Operophtera brumata: taking part in the local neighbourhood watch
(Ed Wilson)
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2013
Priorslee Lake
48 Magpies
2 Ravens
134 Starlings
1 Siskin
6 Gadwall
2 Teal
6 Pochard
115 Tufted Ducks
1 Water Rail
235 Coots
258 Black-headed Gulls
27 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
24 Herring Gulls
3 Great Black-backed Gulls
32 Fieldfare
96 Redwings
(Ed Wilson)
The Flash
4 Pochard
198 Tufted Ducks
1 Greater Scaup
6 Goosanders
(Ed Wilson)
2012
Priorslee Lake
1 Little Grebe.
4 Gadwall
8 Pochard
50 Tufted Ducks
1 Goosander
1 Water Rail
168 Coots
296 Wood Pigeons
3 Redwings
1 Fieldfare
203 Jackdaws
41 Rooks
4 Siskins
1 Redpoll
(Ed Wilson)
Trench Lock Pool
1 Heron
34 Swans
2 Shoveler
1 Pochard
41 Tufted Duck
1 Goldeneye
170 Coots
(Ed Wilson)
2010
Priorslee Lake
10 Pochard
19 Tufted Ducks
Curlew
2 Fieldfare
23 Redwings
c.25 Siskins
(Ed Wilson)
The Flash
33 Tufted Ducks
1 drake Goosander
1 Common Gull
(Ed Wilson)
2009
Priorslee Lake
Black necked Grebe
30 Mute Swans
2 Gadwall
27 Pochard
93 Tufted Ducks
1 Teal
263 Coot
2 Yellow-legged Gulls
600 Black-headed Gulls
Goldcrest
11 Siskins
(Ed Wilson/John Isherwood)
2006
Priorslee Lake
3 Herons
25 Pochard
41 Tufted Ducks
64 Coots
>500 Black-headed Gulls
>1700 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
7 Herring Gulls
35 Robins
30 Blackbirds
c.30 Fieldfare
c.24 Redwings
259 Jackdaws
232 Rooks
3 Reed Buntings
(Ed Wilson)
Priorslee Lake
48 Magpies
2 Ravens
134 Starlings
1 Siskin
6 Gadwall
2 Teal
6 Pochard
115 Tufted Ducks
1 Water Rail
235 Coots
258 Black-headed Gulls
27 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
24 Herring Gulls
3 Great Black-backed Gulls
32 Fieldfare
96 Redwings
(Ed Wilson)
The Flash
4 Pochard
198 Tufted Ducks
1 Greater Scaup
6 Goosanders
(Ed Wilson)
2012
Priorslee Lake
1 Little Grebe.
4 Gadwall
8 Pochard
50 Tufted Ducks
1 Goosander
1 Water Rail
168 Coots
296 Wood Pigeons
3 Redwings
1 Fieldfare
203 Jackdaws
41 Rooks
4 Siskins
1 Redpoll
(Ed Wilson)
Trench Lock Pool
1 Heron
34 Swans
2 Shoveler
1 Pochard
41 Tufted Duck
1 Goldeneye
170 Coots
(Ed Wilson)
2010
Priorslee Lake
10 Pochard
19 Tufted Ducks
Curlew
2 Fieldfare
23 Redwings
c.25 Siskins
(Ed Wilson)
The Flash
33 Tufted Ducks
1 drake Goosander
1 Common Gull
(Ed Wilson)
2009
Priorslee Lake
Black necked Grebe
30 Mute Swans
2 Gadwall
27 Pochard
93 Tufted Ducks
1 Teal
263 Coot
2 Yellow-legged Gulls
600 Black-headed Gulls
Goldcrest
11 Siskins
(Ed Wilson/John Isherwood)
2006
Priorslee Lake
3 Herons
25 Pochard
41 Tufted Ducks
64 Coots
>500 Black-headed Gulls
>1700 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
7 Herring Gulls
35 Robins
30 Blackbirds
c.30 Fieldfare
c.24 Redwings
259 Jackdaws
232 Rooks
3 Reed Buntings
(Ed Wilson)