8.0°C > 9.0°C: Cloudy. Early light rain gave way to drizzle and mist and then a spell of heavier rain. Mostly very light wind. Moderate visibility decreasing in drizzle and rain.
Sunrise: 05:58 BST
* = a species photographed today.
All numbers, especially at the Balancing Lake, affected by the rain and poor visibility
Priorslee Balancing Lake: 05:30 – 06:35 // 07:30 – 08:50
(99th visit of the year)
Bird notes:
- a lone Canada Goose has been present for well over a week. Perhaps the same bird and perhaps, as in the last two years, it has a partner sitting on eggs somewhere hidden.
- no sighting of the Gadwall.
- I think we must assume that all the Mallard ducklings seen three days ago have perished.
- the duck Pochard was where she usually is.
- a quintet of Tufted Duck.
- *a Common Buzzard was sitting on the South side of football field fence at c.07:35 and on the street lamp pole adjacent to the Belisha beacon at 08:45 flying off in to the Ricoh copse on both occasions. It wouldn't happen on a work-day!
- *two singing Sedge Warblers, both along the South side
Bird(s) noted flying over here:
- 2 Greylag Geese: pair inbound
- 4 Wood Pigeons
- no gulls
- 1 Common Buzzard
- 1 Jackdaw
- 1 Rook
Counts from the lake area:
- 3 Canada Geese: a single throughout: a pair arrived but later departed
- 2 Mute Swans
- no Gadwall
- 5 (3♂) Mallard
- 1 (0♂) Pochard
- 5 (3♂) Tufted Duck
- 5 Moorhens
- Coots not counted
- 6 Great Crested Grebes
- 1 Lesser Black-backed Gull
Hirundines etc. noted:
- 1 Barn Swallow
Warblers recorded (the figure in brackets is birds noted singing):
- 1 (1) Cetti's Warbler
- 17 (13) Chiffchaffs
- *2 (2) Sedge Warblers
- 7 (7) Reed Warblers
- 9 (8) Blackcaps
- *1 (1) Common Whitethroat
Noted on the West end street lamp poles pre-dawn:
Bees, wasps etc.:
- *1 ichneumon, Ophion obscuratus
- *1 ichneumon, Ophion obscuratus
Flies:
- *male and female plumed midges Chironomus plumosus
- *male and female plumed midges Chironomus plumosus
Spiders:
- *1 Stout Sac Spider Clubiona sp.
- *1 Long-jawed Orb-weaver, perhaps a Pachygnatha sp.
Noted later:
- *1 Stout Sac Spider Clubiona sp.
- *1 Long-jawed Orb-weaver, perhaps a Pachygnatha sp.
Noted later:
Flies:
- *Psychodidae sp. [Drain Fly, Moth Fly or Owl Fly]
- *Psychodidae sp. [Drain Fly, Moth Fly or Owl Fly]
Arthropod:
- *possible snake millipede
- *possible snake millipede
Slugs, snails etc.:
- *Greenhouse Slug Ambigolimax valentianus
- *Greenhouse Slug Ambigolimax valentianus
New flowers for the year:
- *Broom, perhaps Cytisus scoparius
- *Spanish Bluebells Hyacinthoides hispanica
- *a species of apple, perhaps Crab Apple Malus sylvestris
- *Common Groundsel Senecio vulgaris
- *Wayfaring-tree Viburnum lantana
- *Broom, perhaps Cytisus scoparius
- *Spanish Bluebells Hyacinthoides hispanica
- *a species of apple, perhaps Crab Apple Malus sylvestris
- *Common Groundsel Senecio vulgaris
- *Wayfaring-tree Viburnum lantana
A soggy-looking Common Whitethroat. Note the rufous in the wings.
Did I mention rufous in the wings?
Did I mention it was a whitethroat?
The stripes on the thorax suggest this ichneumon is Ophion obscuratus. Just to the right of its right antenna is what appears to be a springtail.
A fine-looking male plumed midge Chironomus plumosus. It could get a job sweeping chimneys.
The female equivalent.
A Stout Sac Spider Clubiona sp.
Flowers of Broom, perhaps Cytisus scoparius, though there are many cultivars.
The tight head of white flowers of Wayfaring-tree Viburnum lantana, a common shrub around the lake.
(Ed Wilson)
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The Flash: 06:40 – 07:25
(96th visit of the year)
Bird notes:
- just one Great Crested Grebe noted. Calling from the middle of the water it later moved toward the putative nest site by the island and went to sleep. I could not see any other bird in the area.
Bird(s) noted flying over here:
- 2 Greylag Geese: pair flew South
Noted on / around the water:
- 16 Canada Geese
- 3 Greylag Geese: singles
- 1 Mute Swan: the other presumed to be on the island.
- 20 (19♂) Mallard
- 8 (7♂) Tufted Duck
- 9 Moorhens
- 26 Coots
- 1 Great Crested Grebes
- no gulls
Warblers recorded (the figure in brackets is birds noted singing):
- 6 (5) Chiffchaffs
- 5 (4) Blackcaps
Noted elsewhere:
Moths:
Frosted Green Polyploca ridens: its fourth day
Frosted Green Polyploca ridens: its fourth day
New flowers for the year:
*White Dead-Nettle Lamium album
*White Dead-Nettle Lamium album
(Ed Wilson)
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2012
The Wrekin
1 Wood Warbler
(Sandy Hill)
2011
Wrekin
1 Ring Ouzel
(Observer Unknown)
2010
Priorslee Lake
6 Common Sandpiper
6 Swallow
4 Sand Martin
3 Blackcap
6+ Chiffchaff
1 Willow Warbler
2 Stock Dove
2 Greylag Geese
(Mike Cooper)
2008
Priorslee Lake
1 Swallow
(Martin Adlam)
2007
Priorslee Lake
3 Great Crested Grebe
1 Pintail x Mallard
2 Tufted Duck
1 Ruddy Duck
1 Buzzard
2 Common Sandpiper
3 House Martin
2 Swallow
1 Skylark
5 Blackcap
1 Lesser Whitethroat
1 Reed Warbler
5 Chiffchaff
4 Reed Bunting
(Martin Adlam, Ed Wilson)
Nedge Hill
1 Redstart
(Ed Wilson)
2006
Priorslee Lake
4 Great Crested Grebes
6 Greylag Geese
5 Tufted Ducks
2 Ruddy Ducks
2 Sand Martins
3 Swallows
1 Sedge Warbler
6 Blackcaps
6 Chiffchaffs
6 Willow Warblers.
2 Skylarks
28 Robins
29 Blackbirds
5 Greenfinches
2 Reed Buntings
(Ed Wilson)