2.0°C > 9.0°C: Another clear and fine start with mist patches over the water. Calm to start with a very light easterly breeze later. Good visibility with haze again.
Sunrise: 06:23 BST
* = a species photographed today.
Priorslee Balancing Lake: 05:30 – 06:30 // 07:30 – 09:45
(88th visit of the year)
Bird notes
One and a half new species for my year list here – that's taxonomists for you!
- *two White Wagtails were on the dam top c.08:50. The BTO (British Trust for Ornithology), who are keepers of the official British list, regard the UK's native Pied Wagtail and the White Wagtail that breeds on Continental Europe and occurs in the UK only as a migrant as separate races (or sub-species) of the same species. I had planned to remark today that until two weeks ago both Grey and Pied Wagtails were frequenting the dam area and the south-west grass and recently have disappeared.
- a Sedge Warbler was singing from South side reeds at c.09:00
My bird species for this year now stands at 86.5!
Other bird notes:
- of the seven Canada Geese two pairs and a single were chased away by the cob Mute Swan.
- a single Greylag Goose visited briefly. It was not chased by the swans.
- a pair of Gadwall again, around the south-west grassy area throughout.
- the duck Pochard is still present.
- ten was again today's the highest Great Crested Grebe count. On several occasions I could find no more that four!
- a lone Barn Swallow was the only hirundine I noted today.
- a single singing Reed Warbler: from the north-east reeds today.
- for the last few days one or two Mistle Thrushes have been on the south-west grass before 06:00.
Bird(s) noted flying over here:
- 5 Canada Geese: a pair outbound; a single and a pair inbound
- 2 Greylag Geese: a pair inbound
- 10 Wood Pigeons
- 2 Herring Gulls
- 6 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 10 Jackdaws
- 8 Rooks
Counts from the lake area:
- 7 Canada Geese: see notes
- 1 Greylag Goose: briefly
- 2 Mute Swans
- 2 (1♂) Gadwall
- 3 (3♂) Mallard
- 1 (0♂) Pochard
- 7 Moorhens
- 36 Coots
- 10 Great Crested Grebes
- no gulls
- 1 Cormorant: arrived
Hirundines etc. noted:
- 1 Barn Swallow
Warblers recorded (the figure in brackets is birds noted singing):
- 1 (1) Cetti's Warbler
- 1 (1) Willow Warbler
- *23 (16) Chiffchaffs
- 1 (1) Sedge Warbler
- 1 (1) Reed Warbler
- 7 (7) Blackcaps
On the West end street lamp poles
Pre-dawn:
Still too cold at night for many things to emerge.
Still too cold at night for many things to emerge.
Spiders:
*1 unidentified spider
Noted later:
*1 unidentified spider
Noted later:
Bees, wasps etc.:
*Early Mining Bee Andrena haemorrhoa [Orange-tailed Mining Bee]
Buff-tailed Bumblebee Bombus terrestris
*Early Mining Bee Andrena haemorrhoa [Orange-tailed Mining Bee]
Buff-tailed Bumblebee Bombus terrestris
Hoverflies:
Tapered Dronefly Eristalis pertinax
Tapered Dronefly Eristalis pertinax
Alder flies:
*Alder Fly Sialis lutaria
*Alder Fly Sialis lutaria
Other flies:
many unidentified flies.
many unidentified flies.
Beetle:
*Alder Leaf Beetle Agelastica alni on the 'boxing ring'.
*Alder Leaf Beetle Agelastica alni on the 'boxing ring'.
Spiders, harvestmen etc.:
Philodromus species on the 'boxing ring' again
Position changed to emphasise the mist over the lake. Many 'dead' aircraft contrails in the distance left my the early arrivals in to Europe from the States. Most European airfields have an 06:00 local curfew so with the hour difference in clocks and about an hour's flying time to get there the aircraft pass over after c.04:00 out time.
It was one of several birds that were calling rather than singing and as it was in a known territory I assume it is a female. There are no plumage differences between the sexes.
I made squeaking noises to see whether a Reed Warbler would respond. As usual it was one of the tits that came to investigate: a sunlit Blue Tit.
Male White Wagtails are relatively easy to separate from Pied Wagtails. Here the black on the head and breast means it has to be a male. A male Pied Wagtail would have a black back. Also note how 'clean' the flanks are (though not this clean on all individuals).
On both sexes the definitive separation it the tone of the base of the back / the upper tail. On White Wagtail it is pale grey and on Pied Wagtail it is black (male) or dark grey (female). It is not easy to see this "in the field"...
Here is another male to prove the point that not all individuals have the very clean flanks, but the tone is always paler than on a Pied Wagtail.
With the proviso that almost all mining bees are difficult to identify from photos this does appear to be a good candidate for an Early Mining Bee Andrena haemorrhoa, known to Obsidentify as Orange-tailed Mining Bee.
The only creature on any of the street lamp poles pre-dawn was this small spider. At the time I assumed it was one of the "money spiders". Enlarging the photo shows that it isn't, but I am none the wiser.
Plane of the day. A Bombardier built Canadair Challenger 605, one of the smaller executive jets capable of carrying up to 12 people 4000 nautical miles.
As so often with executive jets FlightRadar24 does not identify them. We have ways..... The on-line Canadian Civil Aircraft Register identifies this three year old aircraft as being operated by Image Air Charter Ltd. based in Ontario. Starting in Toronto the aircraft had refuelled in Belfast and is here bound for Nice.
(Ed Wilson)
The Flash: 06:35 – 07:25
(84th visit of the year)
Bird notes:
- *one Great Crested Grebe seen flying off. Still two present thereafter.
- seven adult Lesser Black-backed Gulls appeared overhead together with *three briefly settling on the water.
Bird(s) noted flying over here:
- 4 Lesser Black-backed Gulls: adults: see notes
- 2 Jackdaws
Noted on / around the water:
- 27 Canada Geese
- 11 Greylag Geese: of these six departed together
- 2 Mute Swans
- 12 (9♂) Mallard
- 24 (19♂) Tufted Duck
- 6 Moorhens
- 33 Coots again
- *3 Great Crested Grebes: one departed
- *3 Lesser Black-backed Gulls: adults: see notes
Warblers recorded (the figure in brackets is birds noted singing):
- 2 (2) Willow Warblers
- 10 (9) Chiffchaffs
- 3 (3) Blackcaps
Of note.
The Brindled Pug moth Eupithecia abbreviata was most certainly not still on the same street lamp pole where it had been for three mornings.
The Great Crested Grebe that flew around and away. This species shows an unexpected amount of white in flight.
Note the large feet sticking well beyond the tail. These are very useful for chasing after fish but are set so far back on the body they are more or less useless on land and just about enable the birds to scramble on to their nesting platform of reeds etc.
(Ed Wilson)
Between the Balancing Lake and The Flash:
Philodromus species on the 'boxing ring' again
Another hazy red sunrise.
A fiery sunrise.
Calm waters for a while.
Why is it Chiffchaffs are the only warblers that come and pose for me.
Yes you. Note that the feet, especially, are not always black as many bird books tell you they are..
"Satisfied?"
...where often, as here, the folded wings cover that area and make it look black.
A better side-elevation view of an Alder Fly Sialis lutaria. This species is almost always found neat water spending most of the day sitting around.
My first Alder Leaf Beetle Agelastica alni on the 'boxing ring'.
(Ed Wilson)
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Flash: 06:35 – 07:25
(84th visit of the year)
Bird notes:
- *one Great Crested Grebe seen flying off. Still two present thereafter.
- seven adult Lesser Black-backed Gulls appeared overhead together with *three briefly settling on the water.
Bird(s) noted flying over here:
- 4 Lesser Black-backed Gulls: adults: see notes
- 2 Jackdaws
Noted on / around the water:
- 27 Canada Geese
- 11 Greylag Geese: of these six departed together
- 2 Mute Swans
- 12 (9♂) Mallard
- 24 (19♂) Tufted Duck
- 6 Moorhens
- 33 Coots again
- *3 Great Crested Grebes: one departed
- *3 Lesser Black-backed Gulls: adults: see notes
Warblers recorded (the figure in brackets is birds noted singing):
- 2 (2) Willow Warblers
- 10 (9) Chiffchaffs
- 3 (3) Blackcaps
Of note.
The Brindled Pug moth Eupithecia abbreviata was most certainly not still on the same street lamp pole where it had been for three mornings.
A mart adult Lesser Black-backed Gull arrives...
...shows off its arm-pits...
...and drowns.
Oh: it didn't drown after all.
A passing Long-tailed Tit stopped to deal with an itch.
"Face this way please".
"Thank you".
(Ed Wilson)
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Bird notes:
No birds on the water – I assume the Moorhens are all busy nesting and keeping a low profile.
Also noted:
*first flowers of Marsh Marigold (aka Kingcups) Caltha palustris
No birds on the water – I assume the Moorhens are all busy nesting and keeping a low profile.
Also noted:
*first flowers of Marsh Marigold (aka Kingcups) Caltha palustris
Not in an easy position to photograph: these are my first flowers of Marsh Marigold (aka Kingcups) Caltha palustris this year.
(Ed Wilson)
2014
Priorslee Lake
4 Great Crested Grebes
6 Cormorants
2 Grey Herons
3 Greylag Geese
13 Tufted Duck
2 Common Sandpipers
1 Dunlin
>50 Sand Martins
1 Swallow
8 Blackcaps
7 Chiffchaffs
(Ed Wilson, John Isherwood)
Woodhouse Lane
4 Skylarks
1 Meadow Pipit
1 Blackcap
3 Chiffchaffs
1 Willow Warbler
3 Linnets
3 Yellowhammers
(Ed Wilson)
The Flash
2 Great Crested Grebes
10 Greylag Goose
1 Cackling-type Goose
26 Tufted Ducks
1 Common Sandpiper
2 Blackcap
4 Chiffchaffs
2 Willow Warbler
(Ed Wilson)
Nedge Hill
1 Common Redstart
1 Wheatear
Kestrel
Lapwing
> 50 Meadow Pipits
(John Isherwood)
2013
The Flash
Cackling Goose
(Tom Lowe)
2012
Priorslee Lake
1 Fieldfare
(John Isherwood)
Nedge Hill
3 Wheatear
10 Meadow Pipit
(John Isherwood)
2009
Nedge Hill
1 Redstart
3 Wheatear
1 Redwing
6 Lapwing
(John Isherwood)
2007
Priorslee Lake
2 Sand Martin
Ruddy Duck
(Martin Adlam)
2006
Priorslee Lake
5 Great Crested Grebes
2 Herons
11 Tufted Ducks
2 Ruddy Ducks
387 Jackdaw
2 Stock Doves
1 Great Spotted Woodpeckers
1 Skylark
1 Tree Pipit
1 Meadow Pipit
2 Grey Wagtails
17 Wrens
10 Dunnocks
17 Robins
18 Blackbirds
4 Blackcaps
5 Chiffchaffs
3 Willow Warblers
8 Greenfinches
5 Siskins
5 Reed Buntings
(Ed Wilson)
(Ed Wilson)
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2014
Priorslee Lake
4 Great Crested Grebes
6 Cormorants
2 Grey Herons
3 Greylag Geese
13 Tufted Duck
2 Common Sandpipers
1 Dunlin
>50 Sand Martins
1 Swallow
8 Blackcaps
7 Chiffchaffs
(Ed Wilson, John Isherwood)
Woodhouse Lane
4 Skylarks
1 Meadow Pipit
1 Blackcap
3 Chiffchaffs
1 Willow Warbler
3 Linnets
3 Yellowhammers
(Ed Wilson)
The Flash
2 Great Crested Grebes
10 Greylag Goose
1 Cackling-type Goose
26 Tufted Ducks
1 Common Sandpiper
2 Blackcap
4 Chiffchaffs
2 Willow Warbler
(Ed Wilson)
Nedge Hill
1 Common Redstart
1 Wheatear
Kestrel
Lapwing
> 50 Meadow Pipits
(John Isherwood)
2013
The Flash
Cackling Goose
(Tom Lowe)
2012
Priorslee Lake
1 Fieldfare
(John Isherwood)
Nedge Hill
3 Wheatear
10 Meadow Pipit
(John Isherwood)
2009
Nedge Hill
1 Redstart
3 Wheatear
1 Redwing
6 Lapwing
(John Isherwood)
2007
Priorslee Lake
2 Sand Martin
Ruddy Duck
(Martin Adlam)
2006
Priorslee Lake
5 Great Crested Grebes
2 Herons
11 Tufted Ducks
2 Ruddy Ducks
387 Jackdaw
2 Stock Doves
1 Great Spotted Woodpeckers
1 Skylark
1 Tree Pipit
1 Meadow Pipit
2 Grey Wagtails
17 Wrens
10 Dunnocks
17 Robins
18 Blackbirds
4 Blackcaps
5 Chiffchaffs
3 Willow Warblers
8 Greenfinches
5 Siskins
5 Reed Buntings
(Ed Wilson)