7.0°C > 14.0°C: Mostly clear apart from a few lifted mist patches as sporadic low cloud. Light / moderate north-easterly breeze developing. Very good visibility.
Sunrise: 05:09 BST
Apologies: am out of time for getting the pictures together today. They will be added later.
$ = my first sighting of the species for this year
Priorslee Balancing Lake: 05:10 – 06:15 // 07:25 – 09:45
Apologies: am out of time for getting the pictures together today. They will be added later.
$ = my first sighting of the species for this year
Priorslee Balancing Lake: 05:10 – 06:15 // 07:25 – 09:45
(122nd visit of the year)
Bird notes:
- a Peacock / Common Peafowl was calling at dawn from the campus area.
- the pair of Canada Geese still with a single gosling
- the pair of Greylag Geese now with just three goslings.
- a pair of Gadwall seen early only.
- a duck Mallard with a single duckling
- the duck Pochard in her usual place.
- a pair of Tufted Duck were new arrivals.
- only one juvenile Great Crested Grebe seen, still riding on its parent's back throughout.
- back to two Garden Warblers singing but one of these (#3?) was in a new location in the south-east area. #2 was still in the south-west area. No sound from #1 along the South side.
- two Common Whitethroats singing today: yesterday's new arrival still in the West end hedge area. The bird in the south-west scrub seems to have burst back in to song – first brood fledged?
- Starlings, including fledged juveniles, were again heard. As far as I can tell they were on the academy's sports' field to the East of the buildings and not visible from outside the grounds.
Bird(s) noted flying over here:
- 2 Canada Geese pair outbound
- 3 Wood Pigeons
- 5 Jackdaws
- 1 Rook
Counts from the lake area:
- 5 + 1 (1 brood) Canada Geese
- 2 + 3 (1 brood) Greylag Geese
- 1 Mute Swan: the other resident assumed to be on the nest
- 2 (1♂) Gadwall
- 5 (3♂) + 1 (1 brood) Mallard
- 1 (0♂) Pochard
- 2 (1♂) Tufted Duck
- 3 Moorhens again
- 32 + 20 (7 broods) Coots
- 7 +1 (1 brood) Great Crested Grebes
- 2 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
Hirundines etc. noted:
- 4 Swifts
Warblers recorded (the figure in brackets is birds noted singing):
- 1 (1) Cetti's Warbler
- 19 (16) Chiffchaffs
- 12 (12) Reed Warblers
- 13 (12) Blackcaps
- 2 (2) Garden Warble
- 2 (2) Common Whitethroats
Noted on the West end street lamp poles around-dawn:
Spiders, harvestmen etc.:
Long-jawed Orb-web Spider Tetragnatha sp.
Noted later:
Long-jawed Orb-web Spider Tetragnatha sp.
Noted later:
Butterflies:
none
none
Moths
$ Brindled Tortrix Ptycholoma lecheana [Leche's Twist Moth]: a new moth for me
$ Timothy Tortrix Zelotherses paleana
$ Silver-ground Carpet Xanthorhoe montanata
$ Brindled Tortrix Ptycholoma lecheana [Leche's Twist Moth]: a new moth for me
$ Timothy Tortrix Zelotherses paleana
$ Silver-ground Carpet Xanthorhoe montanata
Bees, wasps etc.:
Garden Bumblebee Bombus hortorum
Common Carder Bee Bombus pascuorum
Early Bumblebee Bombus pratorum
$ Blue Mason Bee Osmia caerulescens
Common Wasp Paravespula vulgaris
sawfly of the Tenthredo arcuata / brevicornis / notha / schaefferi complex
Garden Bumblebee Bombus hortorum
Common Carder Bee Bombus pascuorum
Early Bumblebee Bombus pratorum
$ Blue Mason Bee Osmia caerulescens
Common Wasp Paravespula vulgaris
sawfly of the Tenthredo arcuata / brevicornis / notha / schaefferi complex
Hoverflies:
Cheilosia albitarsus agg. either C. ranunculi [Early Buttercup Cheilosia] or C. albitarsis [Late Buttercup Cheilosia]
$ Stripe-faced Dronefly Eristalis nemorum [Stripe-faced Drone Fly]
Tapered Dronefly Eristalis pertinax
Chequered Hoverfly Melanostoma scalare [Long-winged Duskyface]
Spotted Meliscaeva Meliscaeva auricollis [Spotted Thintail]
Dead-head Hoverfly Myathropa florea [Common Batman Fly]
Syrphus sp. S. ribesii / S. vitripennis
Cheilosia albitarsus agg. either C. ranunculi [Early Buttercup Cheilosia] or C. albitarsis [Late Buttercup Cheilosia]
$ Stripe-faced Dronefly Eristalis nemorum [Stripe-faced Drone Fly]
Tapered Dronefly Eristalis pertinax
Chequered Hoverfly Melanostoma scalare [Long-winged Duskyface]
Spotted Meliscaeva Meliscaeva auricollis [Spotted Thintail]
Dead-head Hoverfly Myathropa florea [Common Batman Fly]
Syrphus sp. S. ribesii / S. vitripennis
Alder Flies:
Alder Fly Sialis lutaria
Alder Fly Sialis lutaria
Dragon-/Damsel-flies:
Azure Damselfly Coenagrion puella
Common Blue Damselfly Enallagma cyathigerum [Common Bluet]
Blue-tailed Damselfly Ischnura elegans
Azure Damselfly Coenagrion puella
Common Blue Damselfly Enallagma cyathigerum [Common Bluet]
Blue-tailed Damselfly Ischnura elegans
Other flies
dagger fly Empis tessellata
Scorpion Fly Panorpa communis plus others not specifically identified
Downlooker Snipefly Rhagio scolopaceus
female Yellow Dung Fly Scathophaga stercoraria
Common Crane-fly Tipula oleracea
many other boring and / or strange flies
dagger fly Empis tessellata
Scorpion Fly Panorpa communis plus others not specifically identified
Downlooker Snipefly Rhagio scolopaceus
female Yellow Dung Fly Scathophaga stercoraria
Common Crane-fly Tipula oleracea
many other boring and / or strange flies
Bugs:
Red-and-Black Froghopper Cercopis vulnerata
$ 7 Spot Ladybird Coccinella 7-punctata
Red-and-Black Froghopper Cercopis vulnerata
$ 7 Spot Ladybird Coccinella 7-punctata
Beetles:
Alder Leaf Beetle Agelastica alni
$ Green Dock Beetle Gastrophysa viridula
Alder Leaf Beetle Agelastica alni
$ Green Dock Beetle Gastrophysa viridula
Spiders, harvestmen etc.:
Long-jawed Orb-web Spider Tetragnatha sp.
Long-jawed Orb-web Spider Tetragnatha sp.
New flowers for the year:
$ Bittersweet Solanum dulcamara [Woody Nightshade]
$ White Clover Trifolium repens
$ Bittersweet Solanum dulcamara [Woody Nightshade]
$ White Clover Trifolium repens
Perhaps the last clear sunrise with mist over the lake for a while.
Just three Greylag Goose goslings remain.
The duck Mallard with her lone duckling.
There looks to be just one Great Crested Grebe juvenile extant. I am surprised it is still riding on its parent's back.
A Wood Pigeon carrying what for many of its brethren would make half the nest. This species is not known for its nest-building capability. Just enough to stop the egg rolling away and the keep the squab (baby pigeon) from falling out.
A new moth species for me. This is a Brindled Tortrix Ptycholoma lecheana named by Obsidentify as Leche's Twist Moth
think this bee is a Blue Mason Bee Osmia caerulescens. Obsidentify suggested Grey-banded Mining Bee Andrena denticulata and I can see why. But it was too large for any mining bee and the suggested species should neither be flying in May nor in Shropshire (Global Warming excepted).
A female Azure Damselfly Coenagrion puella. She may or may not "go blue". Some individuals may not.
A male Common Blue Damselfly Enallagma cyathigerum.
And a teneral (immature) male. As far as I know all males will develop the blue colour.
A male Blue-tailed Damselfly Ischnura elegans – only males have the two-tone stigma in the wings.
A female Scorpion Fly Panorpa communis i.e. without the "sting".
And a male head-on!
Yet another Downlooker Snipefly Rhagio scolopaceus that has not read its instructions on how to behave.
My first 7 Spot Ladybird Coccinella 7-punctata this year.
This small critter is a Green Dock Beetle Gastrophysa viridula.
A spider on a street lamp pole around dawn that I cannot make head nor tail of. It is presumably a male with large palps which has hold of a larva? The very white abdomen is a puzzle. Usually any area of white associated with a spider carrying an egg-sac but I am almost certain it is the abdomen itself here.
About to open are the flowers of Bittersweet Solanum dulcamara. Also known as Woody Nightshade all parts of the plant are toxic though unlikely to kill you.
My first White Clover Trifolium repens of the year – always flowers after Red Clover T. pratense and dies away earlier too.
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In the Priorslee Avenue tunnel:
Moths:
$ male Muslin Moth Diaphora mendica
$ male Muslin Moth Diaphora mendica
Flies
2 unidentified craneflies
6 owl midges Psychodidae sp. [Drain Fly, Moth Fly or Owl Fly] again
19 midges of various species.
2 unidentified craneflies
6 owl midges Psychodidae sp. [Drain Fly, Moth Fly or Owl Fly] again
19 midges of various species.
Beetles:
1 unidentified rove beetle
1 unidentified rove beetle
Spiders, harvestmen etc.:
1 unidentified spider
1 unidentified spider
This is a male Muslin Moth Diaphora mendica. As with many species of moth his antennae are plumose (feathery) to pick up the female's pheromones. The females are white.
(Ed Wilson)
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The Flash: 06:20 – 07:20
(119th visit of the year)
Bird notes:
- yesterday's additional pair of Mute Swans gone
- a single well-developed Mallard duckling was noted with what I assume were both parents.
- no Tufted Duck seen again.
- three juvenile Coots noted and strangely were being chased by what seemed to be one of the parents – or at least if it was an adult from a different family their parent's were not about to rescue them.
- guess what: three Great Crested Grebe! None seemed to be interested in a nest site.
Bird(s) noted flying over here:
- 2 Jackdaws
Noted on / around the water:
- 15 Canada Geese
- 1 Greylag Goose
- 1 Mute Swan: the other resident presumed to be on the island.
- 23 (20♂) + 1 (1 brood) Mallard
- no Tufted Duck
- 5 Moorhens again
- 24 + 3 (1 brood) Coots
- 3 Great Crested Grebes
Hirundines etc. noted:
- 12 Swifts
- 2 House Martins
Warblers recorded (the figure in brackets is birds noted singing):
- 9 (8) Chiffchaffs
- 3 (3) Blackcaps
Noted around the area:
Moths
1$ possible May Highflyer Hydriomena impluviata
1 Small Phoenix Ecliptopera silaceata
1 Chocolate-tip Clostera curtula
1$ Straw Dot Rivula sericealis
1 Pale Tussock Calliteara pudibunda
1$ Buff Ermine Spilosoma lutea
1$ possible May Highflyer Hydriomena impluviata
1 Small Phoenix Ecliptopera silaceata
1 Chocolate-tip Clostera curtula
1$ Straw Dot Rivula sericealis
1 Pale Tussock Calliteara pudibunda
1$ Buff Ermine Spilosoma lutea
Bees, wasps etc.:
1 Common Carder Bee Bombus pascuorum
1 Common Carder Bee Bombus pascuorum
Flies:
2 owl midges Psychodidae sp. [Drain Fly, Moth Fly or Owl Fly] again
1 Common Crane-fly Tipula oleracea
numerous different midges
2 owl midges Psychodidae sp. [Drain Fly, Moth Fly or Owl Fly] again
1 Common Crane-fly Tipula oleracea
numerous different midges
Beetles
Alder Leaf Beetles Agelastica alni
My first thought: a pair of Mallard. Not so: the bird on the left is the strange drake hybrid Mallard and who knows what.
It was a "moth day" today and here are photos of five of the six species. I think this is a May Highflyer Hydriomena impluviata. It was sitting in full-sun which was making the marking hard to discern even after photo-editing.
(Ed Wilson)
2013
Priorslee Lake
Spotted Flycatcher
Wheatear
(Ed Wilson)
2007
Priorslee Lake
Whimbrel
2 drake Ruddy Ducks
(Ed Wilson)
2006
Priorslee Lake
2 Ruddy Ducks
(Ed Wilson)
Alder Leaf Beetles Agelastica alni
A long way up a tall street lamp pole so not a brilliant photo of a Small Phoenix Ecliptopera silaceata.
A Straw Dot Rivula sericealis.
A tail-on Chocolate-tip Clostera curtula. A number of dead flies caught in a web alongside it.
A splendid Buff Ermine Spilosoma lutea.
Visually similar to a Grass Fly or Yellow Swarming Fly Thaumatomyia notata but I think a midge. No idea as to the species.
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2013
Priorslee Lake
Spotted Flycatcher
Wheatear
(Ed Wilson)
2007
Priorslee Lake
Whimbrel
2 drake Ruddy Ducks
(Ed Wilson)
2006
Priorslee Lake
2 Ruddy Ducks
(Ed Wilson)