15 Sep 25

The Flash and Priorslee Balancing Lake

14.0°C > 16.0°C: Broken cloud with light passing showers. Fresh / strong south-westerly breeze. Very good visibility.

[Sunrise: 06:44 BST]

* = a species photographed today
$ = my first sighting of the species for this year
$$ = my first ever recorded sighting of the species in the area

With a forecast of heavy rain, gales, plagues of frogs and the like I decided to forgo the usual early visit. By the time I realised none of that was strictly accurate it was school run time. I body-swerved that and started later at The Flash.

Priorslee Balancing Lake: 10:40 – 12:30

(223rd visit of the year)

As a result of the different timing not too much should be read in to the totals.

Bird notes:
- many Moorhens and Coots assumed to be sheltering unseen in the reeds.
- where were the expected gulls?

Bird(s) noted flying over here:
- 7 Wood Pigeons only
- 1 Lesser Black-backed Gull
- 2 Jackdaws

Counts from the lake area:
- 16 Canada Geese
- 2 Mute Swans
- 11 (4♂) Mallard
- *1 (0♂) Tufted Duck
- 2 Moorhens only
- 72 Coots
- 5 Great Crested Grebes still
- 2 Black-headed Gulls
- 1 Grey Heron

Hirundines etc. noted: minimum numbers
- 2 Sand Martins
- *c.10 Barn Swallows
- *c.6 House Martins

Warblers recorded (the figure in brackets is birds noted singing):
- 1 (1) Cetti's Warbler
- 4 (0) Chiffchaffs
- no Blackcaps

West end street lamp poles around-dawn:

Not visited today

Noted elsewhere:
A surprising numbers of things found in the more sheltered areas:

Butterflies:
- Red Admiral Vanessa atalanta

Bees, wasps, etc.:
- Common Wasp Paravespula vulgaris
- European Hornet Vespa crabro
- *small ichneumon, possibly a Schizopyga sp.

Hoverflies:
- *Spotted Meliscaeva Meliscaeva auricollis [Spotted Thintail]

Damselflies:
- Common Blue Damselfly Enallagma cyathigerum [Common Bluet]: my first-ever September sighting!

Other flies:
- *long-legged flies Dolichopus sp.
- *unidentified Muscid fly
- *Yellow Cereal Fly Opomyza florum
- *European Cranefly Tipula paludosa

Bugs:
- *Hawthorn Shieldbug Acanthosoma haemorrhoidale

Beetles:
- *Harlequin Ladybird Harmonia axyridis var. succinea

Spiders:
- *White Crab Spider Misumena vatia [Flower Spider]

Fungus:
- *possible White Dapperling Leucoagaricus leucothites

Looking along the dam there is much weed under the surface that seems to have drifted there. Note also the water is green-toned with algae. This colour is across the whole water-body despite the recent rain having introduced fresh run-off through the sluices near the Teece Drive gate.

This duck Tufted Duck was a new arrival since yesterday morning.

Fewer hirundines today. Here is a juvenile Barn Swallow still showing a gape line and without any tail-streamers.

House Martins were going this way and...

... that.

A small ichneumon, possibly a Schizopyga species. Searching on the internet produced several different species all with banded legs as seen here. They were all photos from the New World so I am none the wiser.

A Spotted Meliscaeva hoverfly Meliscaeva auricollis. This species can be recorded throughout the year. In Autumn it feeds primarily on Ivy blossom – that is an Ivy leaf in the background.

One of two long-legged flies, probably one of the Dolichopus species.

And the other one. I am not sure whether it really has dark wings or whether that is due to the angle of the light.

I believe this grey-bodied fly to be one of the Muscid house-fly group. I cannot find a more detailed identity for it.

A Yellow Cereal Fly Opomyza florum. It has four black spots in the wings that do not show clearly from this angle.

Close-up and personal with a male European Cranefly Tipula paludosa.

A Hawthorn Shieldbug Acanthosoma haemorrhoidale. The species part of its scientific binomial name always makes me smile. A red rear-end produced by haemorrhoids? Those who name species often do so with a wry sense of humour.

A pale-looking Harlequin Ladybird Harmonia axyridis of the form succinea

Waiting to pounce is a White Crab Spider Misumena vatia. Also known as the Flower Spider it can apparently change colour to match its background. It has failed here on one of the last flowers of Knapweed Centaurea nigra.

This fungus is possibly White Dapperling Leucoagaricus leucothites. Obsidentify was not too sure: its next two suggestions were Common Toad and The Miller (a species of moth)! Reference to NatureSpot supports the best suggestion.

(Ed Wilson)

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Priorslee Avenue tunnel:

Not visited today

(Ed Wilson)

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The Flash: 09:25 – 10:30

(216th visit of the year)

Bird notes:
- many geese already unseen in the island when I arrived.
- try as I might I could find only 10 Mute Swans.
- the duck Mallard with four almost full-grown off-spring seen again.
- a significant arrival of Tufted Duck since yesterday.

Bird(s) noted flying over here:

None

Noted on / around the water:
- >26 Canada Geese
- heard Greylag Geese only: from inside island
- 10 Mute Swans
- 32 (21?♂) + 4 (1 brood) Mallard
- 16 (4?♂) Tufted Duck
- 6 Moorhens
- 84 Coots
- 4 + 5 (2 broods) Great Crested Grebes
- 5 Black-headed Gulls
- *1 Lesser Black-backed Gull: adult
- 7 Cormorants: none sitting in trees – they are not that clever perching in a strong breeze
- 2 Grey Herons

Warblers recorded (the figure in brackets is birds noted singing):
- 1 (0) Chiffchaff

Noted around the area:

Bees, wasps etc.
- Common Carder Bee Bombus pascuorum
- Honey Bee Apis mellifera
- Common Wasp Paravespula vulgaris
- *German Wasp Vespula germanica

Spiders, harvestmen etc.:
- *1 Garden Spider Araneus diadematus [Garden Cross Spider]

- *1 female harvestman Leiobunum blackwalli

Very few gulls around this morning this handsome adult Lesser Black-backed Gull was the only large gull on either water.

"Alright I'll take your photo. Now get out of my way!". A belligerent Wood Pigeon.

The shape of the yellow on the side of the thorax identifies this as a German Wasp Vespula germanica.

Yet another Garden Spider Araneus diadematus. This species is always abundant at this time of year. This one looks to have something in its jaws.

Another "top of the street lamp pole special". The shape of the dark marking on the saddle immediately identifies this as a female harvestman Leiobunum blackwalli. Seems it is almost unique in having all eight legs present and correct.


(Ed Wilson)

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2013
Priorslee Lake
Green Sandpiper
9 Ravens
(Ed Wilson)

2010
Priorslee Lake
Mallard x Pintail
Raven
2 Sand Martin
(Ed Wilson)

2008
Priorslee Lake
100+ hirundines
31 Pied Wagtails
Redwing
14 Chiffchaffs
7 Siskins
(Ed Wilson)

14 Sep 25

Priorslee Balancing Lake and The Flash

8.0°C > 11.0°C: Fine and clear start with high cloud increasing and lowering ahead of forecast rain. Another calm start with a light southerly breeze developing. Very good visibility.

Sunrise: 06:43 BST

* = a species photographed today
$ = my first sighting of the species for this year
$$ = my first ever recorded sighting of the species in the area

Notes:
In spite of all the recent rain the Wesley Brook as it leaves The Flash remains dry. A merest trickle develops before the brook reaches the Balancing Lake. The lake has been "topped up" by water from the sluices near the Teece Drive gate that always respond quickly to any rain. Indeed on at least one occasion recently the flow has been sufficient to overtop the footbridge. The outbound sluice towards Shifnal is now running. The lake itself still has a significant blue-green algal bloom.

Priorslee Balancing Lake: 05:35 – 09:05

(222nd visit of the year)

Bird notes:
- no Canada Geese seen outbound or inbound (but plenty flew in to The Flash later).
- the 126 inbound Greylag Geese were counted from photos and are unusually accurate number!
- very few Mallard remain. A few are seen flying to and from the fields (pools?) to the East. The record counts of a few weeks ago are no more.
- I probably ought to acknowledge that the long-term duck Pochard is no longer around. I hope that once the wing-moult was complete she was able to fly away.
- c.75 of the c.185 Black-headed Gulls arrived and then flew off East. The other c.110 were spooked to leave the football field c.06:50 and were presumed to include the c.65 seen on the south-west grass c.06:30.
- up to c.50 hirundines today. The first to arrive were two Barn Swallows at 06:35. As usual birds low over the water would suddenly rise in to the air with most (all?) descending again. Some appeared to leave to the South but I was never convinced they did not drift back. No Sand Matins were noted. It is puzzling as to why none are being seen at The Flash.

Bird(s) noted flying over here:
- no Canada Geese
- 196 Greylag Geese: 70 outbound in six groups; 126 inbound in five groups
- 2 Stock Doves: together
- 16 Wood Pigeons only
- 16 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 1 Cormorant
- 84 Jackdaws
- 182 Rooks

Counts from the lake area:
- 2 Mute Swans
- 6 (1♂) Mallard
- 9 Moorhens
- 102 Coots
- 5 Great Crested Grebes again
- c.185 Black-headed Gulls: see notes
- *1 Herring Gull-type
- *31 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 1 Grey Heron

Hirundines etc. noted: minimum numbers
- *>30 Barn Swallows
- *>20 House Martins

Warblers recorded (the figure in brackets is birds noted singing):
- 1 (1) Cetti's Warbler
- 18 (4) Chiffchaffs
- 3 (0) Blackcaps

Noted on the West end street lamp poles around-dawn:

Moths:
*1 Common Plume Emmelina monodactyla

Flies:
2 male and 1 female Spotted-winged Drosophila Drosophila suzukii
*1 possible Muscid fly Mydaea setifemur

Spiders, harvestmen etc.:
*1 Garden Spider Araneus diadematus [Garden Cross Spider]
1 Bridge Orb-web Spider Larinioides sclopetarius [Bridge Orbweaver]

Noted elsewhere:
In the dull and chilly conditions just...

Bees, wasps, etc.:
- European Hornet Vespa crabro: two fly-bys

Fungus:
- *Brown Rollrim Paxillus involutus

Almost exactly half-moon. Was it me or the moon that was lopsided?

Sunrise with high cloud beginning to spread across the sky.

The ice crystals in the high cloud produced a halo around the sun. It is the result of same internal light refraction that produces rainbows, though the colours of the halo are "washed-out". If you happen to be on a high peak overlooking a valley at the right time, with the sun in the correct position and thin high cloud – a big ask – then it is possible to see a complete circle. Easier when flying in an aircraft.

Gull conundrum. A "Herring Gull-type" which looked slightly too dark on the back, though hard to tell as there were no obvious Herring Gulls for comparison. The head is unusually rounded giving it a gentle appearance.

The definitive way to see whether the bird was something other than a Herring Gull would be to look closely at the wing-tip markings. I waited until it took off. Hopes were dashed as it is clearly moulting the all-important five outer primaries and no firm identity can be established.

It is worth noting that here it looks anything but gentle and round-headed and had it not been the only non-Lesser Black-back I would have been wondering whether I had photographed the wrong departing bird.

A few dark smudges on the forewing and a less than clean-looking bill suggest this is a third year bird of whatever species it is.

An adult Lesser Black-backed Gull in wing moult. The three outermost old primaries are yet to be dropped with six inner primaries regrowing. The seventh has been dropped and its replacement is not yet visible.

The same bird. The left wing is in a symmetric state of moult.

Me and my shadow? No. Two different Barn Swallows in the same view – the lower bird has two tail streamers.

A tubbier bird – a House Martin.

Also with a shorter, stubbier bill.

Sitting at a jaunty angle is a Common Plume moth Emmelina monodactyla. This species is single-brooded but extant as an adult from September through to May. I most moth species Spring sightings would be an earlier brood than individuals seen in late-Summer early-Autumn.

A better photo today enables me to say this is possibly the Muscid fly Mydaea setifemur. NatureSpot notes that it is difficult to separate from M. humeralis but does not illustrate this latter species.

Wheee! A Garden Spider Araneus diadematus with no visible means of support.

Another species of fungus reacting quickly to the rain. This is Brown Rollrim Paxillus involutus.

As there were more than 30 fruiting bodies I did not feel inhibited from picking one to illustrate the "roll rim" to good effect. I have no idea what the carbuncle is all about.

(Ed Wilson)

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In the Priorslee Avenue tunnel:

Moths: [45 species here before today; no addition]
*1 White-shouldered House Moth Endrosis sarcitrella

Flies:
1 moth fly Psychodidae sp. [Drain Fly or Owl Fly]
23 midges of various species

Arthropods:
*1 Common Rough Woodlouse Porcellio scaber
8 White-legged Snake Millipedes Tachypodoiulus niger

Spiders, harvestmen etc.:
1 lace-weaver spider Amaurobius sp.
1 Garden Spider Araneus diadematus [Garden Cross Spider]
2 Missing Sector Orb-web Spiders Zygiella x-notata [Silver-sided Sector Spider]

Today's White-shouldered House Moth Endrosis sarcitrella.

A Common Rough Woodlouse Porcellio scaber

(Ed Wilson)

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The Flash: 09:10 – 10:15

(215th visit of the year)

Bird notes:
- big arrival of Canada Geese in four large groups. They were too close to photograph and I ran out of fingers and toes to make accurate counts.
-* the duck Mallard with four almost full-grown off-spring seen again.
- *even fewer Tufted Duck noted.

Bird(s) noted flying over here:
- 1 Sparrowhawk
- 2 Jackdaws

Noted on / around the water:
- >170 Canada Geese: all but four of these seen arriving
- >16 Greylag Geese: all flew in together
- 11 Mute Swans
- *36 (20?♂) + 4 (1 brood) Mallard
- *4 (2?♂) Tufted Duck
- 10 Moorhens yet again
- 75 Coots
- *3 + 4 (2 broods) Great Crested Grebes: all very mobile and I suspect the others were still present
- *11 Black-headed Gulls
- 6 Cormorants: five sitting in trees
- 1 Grey Heron

Warblers recorded (the figure in brackets is birds noted singing):
- 1 (0) Chiffchaff

Noted around the area:
As at the Balancing Lake it was too cool and cloudy. Just:

Spiders, harvestmen etc.:
- *1 harvestman Paroligolophus agrestis

I photographed all four of the almost full-grown Mallard ducklings. Looking at the bill I reckon this one is a girl.

As is this.

(Tut tut: apologies this is blurred!). The front one is also a girl: the other with the paler bill a boy.

A drake Tufted Duck clearly bit with no "tuft" to speak of.

Birds with browner flanks, as here, can be difficult to sex, especially at any distance. The sexes are very similar in their post-breeding moult. This bird's eye is paler and the under-tail shows white. I believe it to also be a drake, with the extent of its "tuft" being the clincher for me.

One of the juvenile Great Crested Grebes has certainly learnt how to catch fish.

A Black-headed Gull in transition from juvenile to first-winter plumage. A few of the brown-toned feathers along the leading edge of the inner wing will fade before they are replaced in the partial Spring moult.

A Cormorant comes up for air. The eyes of all members of the Cormorant / Shag family world-wide have bright eyes – greens, blues, or reds. There does not appear to be any definitive information as to why different species of bird have different eye colours. As with all species other than human and domesticated animals the eye-colour is consistent though it may differ through age and between the sexes.

A long way up a street lamp pole was this harvestman Paroligolophus agrestis identified by its relatively small size and especially the abrupt change in the leg width around half-way. Yet another harvestman missing a few legs – three in this instance.

Plane of the day running the gauntlet of the advancing rain. This is a Best Off Sky Ranger registered to two locals from the Telford area. They fly it from Mid-Wales Airport, also known as Welshpool Airport. Here it is on a short return flight to the airstrip at Otherton near Penkridge. The Best Off Sky Ranger is a French-designed two-seat ultralight utility aircraft, produced by Best Off, of Toulouse.

(Ed Wilson)

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Priorslee Lake
Water Rail
Hobby
(Ed Wilson)

The Flash
Snipe
(Ed Wilson)

2010
Priorslee Lake
Sandwich Tern
(Ed Wilson)

2007
Priorslee Lake
Green Sandpiper
(Ed Wilson)