6.0°C > 9.0°C: Overcast with cloud lowering and slight drizzle after c.10:00. Light southerly wind. Good visibility except in drizzle.
Sunrise: 08:17 GMT again
* = a species photographed today
Priorslee Balancing Lake: 06:30 – 09:30
(274th visit of the year)
Bird notes:
- a strange absence of ducks this morning but three unidentified sighting of flying birds:
- 7 seen in flight and leaving to the East at 07:40 might just have been local Mallard flying off.
- 6 birds circled over a few minutes later before leaving to the West. Slightly smaller than Mallard and calling quietly. Too dark to see any plumage details and the calls did not ring any bells.
- - 3 birds flew fast West at 07:50, almost certainly Tufted Duck or Pochard, again while it was too dark to see any details.
- the large gulls were back in some number with many settling on the water before any of the Black-headed Gulls arrived.
- no Great White Egret today.
Bird(s) noted flying over here:
- 2 Greylag Geese: inbound together
- 13 unidentified dabbling ducks: see notes
- 4 Tufted Duck: two duos, sexes not determined
- 3 Tufted/Pochard-type ducks: see notes
- 40 Wood Pigeons: of these a group of 22 flew south-west
- 3 Herring Gulls
- 11 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 76 Jackdaws
- 81 Rooks
- c.35 Starling: one group
Counts from the lake area:
- 1 Canada Goose
- 16 + 2 Mute Swans
- 7 (4♂) Mallard
- 8 Moorhens
- 247 Coots
- 4 Great Crested Grebes
- c.400 Black-headed Gulls
- 26 Herring Gulls
- c.175 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 1 Grey Heron
Birds noted leaving roosts around the lake:
None
Noted on the street lamps poles pre-dawn:
It had been a clear night and there was much dew on the poles even though it was now cloudy
Noted on the street lamps poles pre-dawn:
It had been a clear night and there was much dew on the poles even though it was now cloudy
Moths:
- *1 male Winter Moth Operophtera brumata
- *2 male Mottled Umber Erranis defoliaria
- *1 male Winter Moth Operophtera brumata
- *2 male Mottled Umber Erranis defoliaria
Bees, wasps etc.:
- *1 female Oak Apple Gall Wasp Biorhiza pallida
- *1 female Oak Apple Gall Wasp Biorhiza pallida
Flies:
- 1 plumed midge
- 1 winter cranefly Trichocera sp.
- 1 plumed midge
- 1 winter cranefly Trichocera sp.
Beetles:
- 1 Orange Ladybird Halyzia sedecimguttata
- 1 Orange Ladybird Halyzia sedecimguttata
Spiders, harvestmen etc.:
- 1 Stout Sac Spider Clubiona sp.
- 1 Long-jawed Orb-web Spider Tetragnatha sp.
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.
Telford Sailing Club
Around the outside of the Telford Sailing Club HQ pre-dawn:
Flies:
- *1 Muscid fly
- *1 Muscid fly
Barkflies:
- 2 barkflies Valenzuela flavidus
- 2 barkflies Valenzuela flavidus
Springtails:
- 3 globular springtails from the Dicyrtomina group
- 3 globular springtails from the Dicyrtomina group
Bug:
- *1 planthopper, just perhaps Acericerus heydenii
- *1 planthopper, just perhaps Acericerus heydenii
Spiders, harvestmen etc.:
- 11 spiders:
- *1 Stout Sac Spider Clubiona sp.
1 Long-jawed Orb-web Spider Tetragnatha sp.
9 others, species not determined
Later:
Hand-held very much pre-dawn as the cloud rolled across the sky and was about to obscure the last of the sunrise.
Yet another male Mottled Umber moth Erranis defoliaria, this with pale and indistinct cross-bars not helped by a spattering of dew.
One of those "well, I suppose they have to sleep somewhere" photos. This Muscid fly was on the underside of the guttering around the Telford Sailing Club HQ.
A dew-bespattered insect on a wall of the Telford Sailing Club HQ. It looks to be a species of froghopper.
Later what I assume is the same planthopper, now having lost some of its dew: it has turned 180 degrees. Obsidentify is 100% sure it is the planthopper Acericerus heydenii. Checking with NatureSpot I wonder whether the dew spots have misled the app. The Shropshire recorder agrees that this cannot be positively identified.
(Ed Wilson)
In the Priorslee Avenue tunnel pre-dawn:
(276th visit of the year)
Bird notes:
- most of the Greylag Geese were inside the island until I was about to leave when they all dropped in to the water. There were two mainly white feral geese with them.
Bird(s) noted flying over here:
- 3 Lesser Black-backed Gulls: singles
Noted on / around the water:
- 8 Canada Geese
- *70 Greylag Geese
- *2 mainly white feral geese
- 6 + 2 (1 brood) Mute Swans
- 28 (20♂) Mallard
- 8 (5♂) Pochard
- 81 (>46♂) Tufted Duck
- 13 Moorhens
- 93 Coots
- 22 Black-headed Gulls
- 1 Herring Gull: second winter
- *1 Grey Heron
Noted elsewhere:
- *berries from a Hypericum sp. (St. John's-wort)
Two white feral geese were with the Greylags. Greylag flocks have been frequent here recently: it is some weeks since I have noted any of the five or so white geese that associate with them.
The Grey Heron alongside one of the footbridges. The long trailing feathers are a sign it is coming in to breeding condition. It does not seem to care about the litter
I spent some time photographing a very confiding party of Long-tailed Tits. The light was poor and the birds typically active so not all this random selection of some of the best are as sharp as I would like.
A female Chaffinch. This species has a surprisingly pointed bill. Apart from when the males are singing in late Spring I do not see this species here frequently.
These are berries from one of the several species of Hypericum (St. John's-wort) that grow beside squirrel alley. I cannot identify the species from the berries. What I can tell you is that you should not eat them. All parts of these plants are toxic to some extent, the berries particularly so. Unlikely to kill you: but don't eat.
(Ed Wilson)
- 11 spiders:
- *1 Stout Sac Spider Clubiona sp.
1 Long-jawed Orb-web Spider Tetragnatha sp.
9 others, species not determined
Later:
Nothing noted
Brightening a dull morning is a male Bullfinch.
A male Winter Moth Operophtera brumata caught as it was about to reposition on the street lamp pole.
If I got the previous one correct this is another female Oak Apple Gall Wasp Biorhiza pallida.
Also on a wall of the Telford Sailing Club HQ was an approachable Stout Sac Spider Clubiona sp.
(Ed Wilson)
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Flies:
- 5 midges of various species
- 5 midges of various species
Spiders, harvestmen etc.:
- 6 spiders, species not determined
(Ed Wilson)
The Flash: 09:35 – 11:00
- 6 spiders, species not determined
(Ed Wilson)
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Flash: 09:35 – 11:00
(276th visit of the year)
Bird notes:
- most of the Greylag Geese were inside the island until I was about to leave when they all dropped in to the water. There were two mainly white feral geese with them.
Bird(s) noted flying over here:
- 3 Lesser Black-backed Gulls: singles
Noted on / around the water:
- 8 Canada Geese
- *70 Greylag Geese
- *2 mainly white feral geese
- 6 + 2 (1 brood) Mute Swans
- 28 (20♂) Mallard
- 8 (5♂) Pochard
- 81 (>46♂) Tufted Duck
- 13 Moorhens
- 93 Coots
- 22 Black-headed Gulls
- 1 Herring Gull: second winter
- *1 Grey Heron
Noted elsewhere:
- *berries from a Hypericum sp. (St. John's-wort)
How could I resist?
In best "badger" mode.
This one looks to have been indulging in too much Xmas pud.
"I am watching you"
Another sweetie.
One that is camera-shy.
Definitely too much Xmas pud.
I am being watched!
(Ed Wilson)
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2013
Priorslee Lake
40 Golden Plover
4 Great Black-backed Gulls
5 Gadwall
2 Teal
4 Siskins
2 Redpolls
8 Pochard
83 Tufted Ducks
249 Coots
83 Fieldfare
54 Redwings
216 Jackdaws
(Ed Wilson/John Isherwood)
The Flash
Greater Scaup
1 Little Grebe
179 Tufted Ducks
1 Goosander
(John Isherwood/Ed Wilson)
Holmer Lake
30 Goosander
1 Little Grebe
(John Isherwood)
2012
Priorslee Lake
4 Gadwall
11 Pochard
48 Tufted Ducks
Snipe
1 Water Rail
163 Coots
6 Redwings
227 Jackdaws
3 Redpolls
2 Siskin
(Ed Wilson)
The Flash
2 Pochard
33 Tufted Duck
30 Goosanders
(Ed Wilson)
2009
Priorslee Lake
Black-necked Grebe
5 Great Crested Grebes
29 Swans
36 Pochard
97 Tufted Ducks
3 Water Rails
291 Coots
6 Redwings
c.230 Jackdaws
c.30 Goldfinches
7 Siskins
(Ed Wilson)
2006
Priorslee Lake
18 Pochard
41 Tufted Ducks
35 Fieldfare
19 Redwings
216 Jackdaws
132 Rooks
11 Greenfinches
2 Redpoll
7 Reed Buntings
(Martin Adlam)
2005
Priorslee Lake
c.1500 Black-headed Gulls
c.400 Lesser Black-backs
18 Pochard
77 Tufted Duck
7 Shoveler
5 Great Crested Grebe
2 Dabchick
3 Water Rail
1 Snipe
40 Siskin
2 Redpoll
19 Reed Bunting
(Martin Adlam)
Priorslee Lake
40 Golden Plover
4 Great Black-backed Gulls
5 Gadwall
2 Teal
4 Siskins
2 Redpolls
8 Pochard
83 Tufted Ducks
249 Coots
83 Fieldfare
54 Redwings
216 Jackdaws
(Ed Wilson/John Isherwood)
The Flash
Greater Scaup
1 Little Grebe
179 Tufted Ducks
1 Goosander
(John Isherwood/Ed Wilson)
Holmer Lake
30 Goosander
1 Little Grebe
(John Isherwood)
2012
Priorslee Lake
4 Gadwall
11 Pochard
48 Tufted Ducks
Snipe
1 Water Rail
163 Coots
6 Redwings
227 Jackdaws
3 Redpolls
2 Siskin
(Ed Wilson)
The Flash
2 Pochard
33 Tufted Duck
30 Goosanders
(Ed Wilson)
2009
Priorslee Lake
Black-necked Grebe
5 Great Crested Grebes
29 Swans
36 Pochard
97 Tufted Ducks
3 Water Rails
291 Coots
6 Redwings
c.230 Jackdaws
c.30 Goldfinches
7 Siskins
(Ed Wilson)
2006
Priorslee Lake
18 Pochard
41 Tufted Ducks
35 Fieldfare
19 Redwings
216 Jackdaws
132 Rooks
11 Greenfinches
2 Redpoll
7 Reed Buntings
(Martin Adlam)
2005
Priorslee Lake
c.1500 Black-headed Gulls
c.400 Lesser Black-backs
18 Pochard
77 Tufted Duck
7 Shoveler
5 Great Crested Grebe
2 Dabchick
3 Water Rail
1 Snipe
40 Siskin
2 Redpoll
19 Reed Bunting
(Martin Adlam)