3.0°C > 10.0°C: Another clear and fine start with some mist patches over the water. Just frosted. Later increasing amount of high cloud taking the edge off the sun. A calm start with a very light easterly breeze later. Very good visibility.
Sunrise: 06:28 BST
* = a species photographed today.
A few Willow Warblers this morning – a bit late?
Priorslee Balancing Lake: 05:40 – 06:30 // 07:30 – 09:55
(87th visit of the year)
New for the year was a singing Reed Warbler. my joint earliest-ever (with 2023). A bit of a fluke. I heard a Reed Bunting call from the North side reeds and as I have not managed a decent photo of any this year I decided to making squeaking noises to see whether it would pop out and have a look. It did: for all of two seconds but my squeaking set off the Reed Warbler to sing. Bird species #85 for me here this year.
Bird notes:
- I have logged a pair of Mute Swans as fly-overs. They flew West over me as I walked along Teece Drive to The Flash and were presumably the pair seen and chased away from there. Whether they had been on the water at the lake I am unsure. I did not see any swans at all as I looked from the West end ramp pre-dawn..
- a pair of Gadwall again, today at the West end early only.
- the duck Pochard is still present.
- seven was today's the highest Great Crested Grebe count.
- a small group of martins was overhead briefly: at least four Sand Martins and one House Martin; others unidentified.
- a Barn Swallow flew low over from the Ricoh area suggesting the local birds have returned [the breeding birds returned to Sleap Airfield on Sunday 6th – they were not there on Saturday 5th].
- the Starling fly-over was probably a breeding bird from the estate on a feeding foray. This species was unusually scarce during the Winter period and this in only my third record of one this year.
Bird(s) noted flying over here:
- 2 Mute Swans: see notes
- 17 Wood Pigeons
- 2 Herring Gulls
- 3 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 14 Jackdaws
- 6 Rooks
- 1 Starling
Counts from the lake area:
- 8 Canada Geese: of these seven arrived
- 2 Mute Swans
- 2 (1♂) Gadwall: departed – see notes
- 9 (7♂) Mallard
- 1 (0♂) Pochard
- no Tufted Duck
- 7 Moorhens
- 37 Coots
- 9 Great Crested Grebes
- no gulls
- 1 Grey Heron: departed 06:25
Hirundines etc. noted:
- >4 Sand Martins
- 1 Barn Swallow
- >1 House Martin
Warblers recorded (the figure in brackets is birds noted singing):
- 1 (1) Cetti's Warbler
- 4 (3) Willow Warbler
- 21 (21) Chiffchaffs
- 1 (1) Reed Warbler
- 11 (9) Blackcaps
On the West end street lamp poles
Pre-dawn:
Most of the poles were slightly frosted.
Most of the poles were slightly frosted.
Flies:
1 plumed midge
Noted later:
1 plumed midge
Noted later:
Bees, wasps etc.:
Tawny Mining Bee Andrena fulva
Red-tailed Bumblebee Bombus lapidarius
Buff-tailed Bumblebee Bombus terrestris
Common Wasp Paravespula vulgaris
German Wasp Vespula germanica
Tawny Mining Bee Andrena fulva
Red-tailed Bumblebee Bombus lapidarius
Buff-tailed Bumblebee Bombus terrestris
Common Wasp Paravespula vulgaris
German Wasp Vespula germanica
Hoverflies:
Tapered Dronefly Eristalis pertinax
Chequered Hoverfly Melanostoma scalare [Long-winged Duskyface]
Tapered Dronefly Eristalis pertinax
Chequered Hoverfly Melanostoma scalare [Long-winged Duskyface]
Alder flies:
Alder Fly Sialis lutaria
Alder Fly Sialis lutaria
Other flies:
Yellow Dung Fly Scathophaga stercoraria
plus many unidentified flies.
The triangular shape to the yellow on the side of the thorax identify this as a German Wasp Vespula germanica.
Yesterday I showed a photo of a male Chequered Hoverfly Melanostoma scalare. This is a female. The male showed bright red eyes. This does not seem to a notable identification feature.
A male Yellow Dung Fly Scathophaga stercoraria sitting on top of a flower-spike of Cherry Laurel Prunus laurocerasus. Wonderfully gross and ugly but does great clean-up work. Female are more slender and grey with a striped thorax. The eggs are laid in dung where the hatched larvae feed on other larvae (not having dinner are you?)
The side-elevation view of an Alder Fly Sialis lutaria showing the similarity in shape to many caddis flies. None of these have dark wings and such prominent venation.
(Ed Wilson)
The Flash: 06:35 – 07:25
(83rd visit of the year)
Bird notes:
- a Canada Goose x hybrid noted and one I do not recall seeing previously
- both Mute Swans were involved in chasing the visiting pair of birds away, though neither of them did more than fly close and then raise their wings in threat.
- only two Great Crested Grebes noted.
- an immature Herring Gull departed and an adult Lesser Black-backed Gull arrived.
Also:
- I was told that a brood of c.7 Mallard ducklings was seen yesterday afternoon.
Bird(s) noted flying over here:
- 3 Jackdaws
Noted on / around the water:
- 48 Canada Geese: of these seven departed together
- 1 Canada x ? Goose
- 7 Greylag Geese: of these two departed
- 4 Mute Swans: see notes
- 17 (15♂) Mallard
- 9 (6♂) Tufted Duck
- 7 Moorhens
- 29 Coots
- 2 Great Crested Grebes
- 1 Herring Gull: immature, departed
- 1 Lesser Black-backed Gull: adult
Warblers recorded (the figure in brackets is birds noted singing):
- 3 (3) Willow Warblers
- 8 (8) Chiffchaffs
- 1 (1) Blackcap
Of note.
Yellow Dung Fly Scathophaga stercoraria
plus many unidentified flies.
This photo could have been taken any morning this week so far!
Mist over the lake. Autumn already?
"Plane of the day you say. Where?"
"Oh, there".
"The usual X-Air out of the grass airstrip at Shifnal."
"Seen it before..."
"...I prefer to look for fish". The Great Crested Grebe probably makes a wise choice.
I must have seen at least 30 Tapered Droneflies Eristalis pertinax sunning themselves this morning. Here are three and on the right is the only female I noted (the eyes do not meet).
You will be pleased to know I did photograph all 30. A single male in close-up.
A fly with a few identification features – too few.
(Ed Wilson)
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(83rd visit of the year)
Bird notes:
- a Canada Goose x hybrid noted and one I do not recall seeing previously
- both Mute Swans were involved in chasing the visiting pair of birds away, though neither of them did more than fly close and then raise their wings in threat.
- only two Great Crested Grebes noted.
- an immature Herring Gull departed and an adult Lesser Black-backed Gull arrived.
Also:
- I was told that a brood of c.7 Mallard ducklings was seen yesterday afternoon.
Bird(s) noted flying over here:
- 3 Jackdaws
Noted on / around the water:
- 48 Canada Geese: of these seven departed together
- 1 Canada x ? Goose
- 7 Greylag Geese: of these two departed
- 4 Mute Swans: see notes
- 17 (15♂) Mallard
- 9 (6♂) Tufted Duck
- 7 Moorhens
- 29 Coots
- 2 Great Crested Grebes
- 1 Herring Gull: immature, departed
- 1 Lesser Black-backed Gull: adult
Warblers recorded (the figure in brackets is birds noted singing):
- 3 (3) Willow Warblers
- 8 (8) Chiffchaffs
- 1 (1) Blackcap
Of note.
Nothing else
The left-hand bird clearly has Canada Goose genes but is not so clearly a simple cross with a Greylag Goose as are many – the face is too white. The dark tip to the colourless bill is a puzzle. I can't suggest any other genes that might be involved.
The resident Mute Swans on the left and the visitors on the right. The residents did not have to get any more threatening than this for....
A Stock Dove sitting, for a change, on a roof in Derwent Drive. I most often see them on roofs in Westcroft Way.
Frustrating: my best picture of a Willow Warbler today and you can see neither of the key identification features – not the long supercilium nor the pale legs. I could suggest that it shows the longer wings of this species but "longer then what?" without a Chiffchaff in a similar pose for comparison.
(Ed Wilson)
2014
Priorslee Lake
4 Great Crested Grebes
3 Cormorants
2 Grey Herons
2 Greylag Geese
11 Tufted Duck
4 Blackcaps
4 Chiffchaffs
284 Jackdaws
(Ed Wilson)
The Flash
2 Great Crested Grebes
30 Tufted Ducks
2 Blackcap
2 Chiffchaffs
1 Willow Warbler
(Ed Wilson)
The Wrekin
Buzzard
Stock Dove
Willow Warbler
Siskin
Redpoll
Common Redstart
Pied Flycatcher
Crossbill
(Ed Wilson)
2013
Priorslee Lake
5 Chiffchaffs
2 Little Grebes
5 Great Crested Grebes
1 Heron
7 Tufted Ducks
1 Great Black-backed Gull
28 Redwings
(Ed Wilson)
The Flash
2 Great Crested Grebes
1 Canada x ? hybrid goose
1 Pochard
59 Tufted Duck
(Ed Wilson)
Trench Lock Pool
6 Great Crested Grebes
14 Tufted Duck
(Ed Wilson)
Trench Middle Pool
Oystercatcher
2 Great Crested Grebe
2 Cormorant
7 Tufted Ducks
(Ed Wilson)
2012
Nedge Hill
7 Lapwings
2 Skylarks
5 Chiffchaffs
2 Blackcap
1 Willow Warbler
1 Wheatear
2 Jays
(Martin and Ian Grant)
2011
Nedge Hill
5 Wheatear
4 Common Redstart
Ring Ouzel
(John Isherwood)
The Wrekin
2 Tree Pipits
1 Pied Flycatcher
(Ed Wilson)
2010
Nedge Hill
Male Common Redstart
Little Owl
(Pete Nickless)
2007
Priorslee Lake
1 Pintail x Mallard
4 Tufted Duck
2 Meadow Pipit
5 Blackcap
7 Chiffchaff
3 Reed Bunting
(Martin Adlam)
Nedge Hill
Ring Ouzel
8 Fieldfare
(Martin Grant)
2006
Priorslee Lake
6 Great Crested Grebes
1 Heron
3 Cormorants
6 Tufted Ducks
2 Ruddy Ducks
5 Stock Doves
105 Wood Pigeons
4 Great Spotted Woodpeckers
9 Sand Martin.
14 Swallow
4 Meadow Pipits
20 Wrens
21 Robins
23 Blackbirds
1 Blackcap
8 Chiffchaffs
4 Willow Warblers
16 Magpies
1 Jay
15 Greenfinches
2 Siskins
6 Reed Buntings
(Ed Wilson, Martin Adlam)
...the visitors to depart.
(Ed Wilson)
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2014
Priorslee Lake
4 Great Crested Grebes
3 Cormorants
2 Grey Herons
2 Greylag Geese
11 Tufted Duck
4 Blackcaps
4 Chiffchaffs
284 Jackdaws
(Ed Wilson)
The Flash
2 Great Crested Grebes
30 Tufted Ducks
2 Blackcap
2 Chiffchaffs
1 Willow Warbler
(Ed Wilson)
The Wrekin
Buzzard
Stock Dove
Willow Warbler
Siskin
Redpoll
Common Redstart
Pied Flycatcher
Crossbill
(Ed Wilson)
2013
Priorslee Lake
5 Chiffchaffs
2 Little Grebes
5 Great Crested Grebes
1 Heron
7 Tufted Ducks
1 Great Black-backed Gull
28 Redwings
(Ed Wilson)
The Flash
2 Great Crested Grebes
1 Canada x ? hybrid goose
1 Pochard
59 Tufted Duck
(Ed Wilson)
Trench Lock Pool
6 Great Crested Grebes
14 Tufted Duck
(Ed Wilson)
Trench Middle Pool
Oystercatcher
2 Great Crested Grebe
2 Cormorant
7 Tufted Ducks
(Ed Wilson)
2012
Nedge Hill
7 Lapwings
2 Skylarks
5 Chiffchaffs
2 Blackcap
1 Willow Warbler
1 Wheatear
2 Jays
(Martin and Ian Grant)
2011
Nedge Hill
5 Wheatear
4 Common Redstart
Ring Ouzel
(John Isherwood)
The Wrekin
2 Tree Pipits
1 Pied Flycatcher
(Ed Wilson)
2010
Nedge Hill
Male Common Redstart
Little Owl
(Pete Nickless)
2007
Priorslee Lake
1 Pintail x Mallard
4 Tufted Duck
2 Meadow Pipit
5 Blackcap
7 Chiffchaff
3 Reed Bunting
(Martin Adlam)
Nedge Hill
Ring Ouzel
8 Fieldfare
(Martin Grant)
2006
Priorslee Lake
6 Great Crested Grebes
1 Heron
3 Cormorants
6 Tufted Ducks
2 Ruddy Ducks
5 Stock Doves
105 Wood Pigeons
4 Great Spotted Woodpeckers
9 Sand Martin.
14 Swallow
4 Meadow Pipits
20 Wrens
21 Robins
23 Blackbirds
1 Blackcap
8 Chiffchaffs
4 Willow Warblers
16 Magpies
1 Jay
15 Greenfinches
2 Siskins
6 Reed Buntings
(Ed Wilson, Martin Adlam)