14.0°C > 16.0°C: Cloudy at medium level after overnight rain. Moderate south-westerly wind. Very good visibility.
Sunrise: 05:01 BST
* = a species photographed today
$ = my first sighting of the species for this year
Priorslee Balancing Lake: 05:15 – 06:25 // 07:30 – 09:45
(128th visit of the year)
Bird notes:
- the Canada and Greylag goslings all still present and correct.
- no Gadwall seen.
- no Mallard ducklings seen
- no duck Pochard seen.
- no Tufted Duck
- I assume many of the Coots were sheltering from the breezy and dull conditions.
- Great Crested Grebes much as yesterday with a single juvenile in the water and an undetermined number likely on the back of an adult from a different pair.
- many calling Chiffchaffs suggesting fledged juveniles around.
- only one singing Garden Warbler.
- 17 Starlings noted on railings atop the academy.
Bird(s) noted flying over here:
- 4 Canada Geese: single and four pairs outbound
- 2 Greylag Geese: pair outbound
- 4 Wood Pigeons
- 2 Herring Gulls
- 9 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- *1 Common Kestrel
- 11 Jackdaws
- no Rooks
Counts from the lake area:
- 11 + 1 (1 brood) Canada Geese: of these a trio of adults arrived
- 2 + 3 (1 brood) Greylag Geese
- 1 Mute Swan: the other resident assumed to be on the nest: see also notes
- no Gadwall
- 8 (7♂) Mallard
- no Pochard
- 4 Moorhens
- 16 + 7 (2 broods) Coots
- 7 + >1 (>1 brood) Great Crested Grebes: see notes
- 6 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
Hirundines etc. noted:
- 6 Common Swifts
Warblers recorded (the figure in brackets is birds noted singing):
- 1 (1) Cetti's Warbler
- 20 (11) Chiffchaffs
- 12 (11) Reed Warblers
- 11 (10) Blackcaps
- 1 (1) Garden Warbler
- 1 (1) Common Whitethroat again
Noted on the West end street lamp poles around-dawn:
Spider:
*1 Bridge Orb-web Spider Larinioides sclopetarius
Noted later:
Note: not too much in damp and cloudy conditions.
*1 Bridge Orb-web Spider Larinioides sclopetarius
Noted later:
Note: not too much in damp and cloudy conditions.
Butterflies:
none
none
Moths
*Plain Pollen-moth Micropterix calthella [was Plain Gold]
*Common Nettle-tap Anthophila fabriciana
*Common Marble Celypha lacunana
*Plum Tortrix Hedya pruniana
Silver-ground Carpet Xanthorhoe montanata
*Plain Pollen-moth Micropterix calthella [was Plain Gold]
*Common Nettle-tap Anthophila fabriciana
*Common Marble Celypha lacunana
*Plum Tortrix Hedya pruniana
Silver-ground Carpet Xanthorhoe montanata
Bees, wasps etc.:
none
none
Hoverflies:
*Chequered Hoverfly Melanostoma scalare [Long-winged Duskyface]
*Chequered Hoverfly Melanostoma scalare [Long-winged Duskyface]
Dragon-/Damsel-flies:
singles of each
Common Blue Damselfly Enallagma cyathigerum [Common Bluet]
*Blue-tailed Damselfly Ischnura elegans
singles of each
Common Blue Damselfly Enallagma cyathigerum [Common Bluet]
*Blue-tailed Damselfly Ischnura elegans
Other flies:
*$ cranefly, probably Phylidorea ferruginea
plus
*usual other boring and / or strange flies
*$ cranefly, probably Phylidorea ferruginea
plus
*usual other boring and / or strange flies
Bugs:
Mirid bug Calocoris alpestris
Mirid bug Calocoris alpestris
Beetles:
Raspberry Beetle Byturus tomentosus
*$ Wasp Beetle Clytus arietis
*7 Spot Ladybird Coccinella 7-punctata
*$ 14 Spot Ladybird Propylea quattuordecimpunctata
Raspberry Beetle Byturus tomentosus
*$ Wasp Beetle Clytus arietis
*7 Spot Ladybird Coccinella 7-punctata
*$ 14 Spot Ladybird Propylea quattuordecimpunctata
Slugs, snails etc.:
*after the rain a number of unidentified slugs on the Telford sailing club HQ walls.
*after the rain a number of unidentified slugs on the Telford sailing club HQ walls.
Spiders, harvestmen etc.:
*Stout Sac Spider Clubiona sp.
*Long-jawed Orb-web Spider Tetragnatha sp.
*unidentified small spider
*Stout Sac Spider Clubiona sp.
*Long-jawed Orb-web Spider Tetragnatha sp.
*unidentified small spider
New flowers for the year
None
No sunrise today.
Two Plain Pollen-moths Micropterix calthella on their obligate food plant – buttercups.
One of two Common Nettle-tap moths Anthophila fabriciana this morning.
A Common Marble moth Celypha lacunana.
My second Plum Tortrix moth Hedya pruniana of the year.
It looks as if this Chequered Hoverfly Melanostoma scalare needs to go on a diet.
One of only two damselflies I noted, both motionless. This is a Blue-tailed Damselfly Ischnura elegans.
Sadly this cranefly flew off before I could get a better angle and photo. The overall colour suggests it must be Phylidorea ferruginea.
#2.
#3.
#4.
My find of the morning was this Wasp Beetle Clytus arietis. I see one most years.
A 7 Spot Ladybird Coccinella 7-punctata with its spots somewhat faded.
My first 14 Spot Ladybird Propylea quattuordecimpunctata of the year showing the face.
And here you can count all the spots. "Spots" is a bit of a misnomer!
One of about ten unidentified slugs responding to the overnight rain.
The distinctive abdomen shape of a Stout Sac Spider Clubiona sp.
A small, attractively marked spider is about all I can say!
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In the Priorslee Avenue tunnel:
Flies
*$ 1 cranefly Ilisia occoecata
*$ 1 cranefly, possibly Rhipidia maculata
*1 cranefly Tipula oleracea
5 owl midges Psychodidae sp. [Drain Fly, Moth Fly or Owl Fly] again
*$ 1 midge Psectrotanypus varius
28 other midges of various species.
*$ 1 cranefly Ilisia occoecata
*$ 1 cranefly, possibly Rhipidia maculata
*1 cranefly Tipula oleracea
5 owl midges Psychodidae sp. [Drain Fly, Moth Fly or Owl Fly] again
*$ 1 midge Psectrotanypus varius
28 other midges of various species.
Arthropods:
1 White-legged Snake Millipede Tachypodoiulus niger
1 White-legged Snake Millipede Tachypodoiulus niger
A happy hunting ground for craneflies this morning. This cranefly is Ilisia occoecata.
The dark line down the centre of the abdomen of this female cranefly identifies it as Tipula oleracea.
The patterned wings identify this small midge as Psectrotanypus varius.
(Ed Wilson)
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The Flash: 06:30 – 07:25
(125th visit of the year)
Bird notes
Best today was my second Reed Warbler of the year here. It was singing away deep inside the reeds alongside Derwent Drive. There is precedent for such a later arrival - I have had one in June in previous years.
Other bird notes:
- *one of the four visiting Mute Swan (the pen '7JSS') went for a fly-around and probably departed at least for a while. It was presumably the same bird reported by fishermen flying around the Balancing Lake while I was en route back to there.
- an update on the bird noted yesterday with the blue Darvic ring '7JXV'. It has had a colourful life, abandoned as a cygnet with five siblings at Kenley near Much Wenlock in 2022. It was taken in to care by Cuan Wildlife Rescue. It was released near Cosford later that year. Then in October 2023 it was found stranded on the M54 and again Cuan came to the rescue, releasing it back near Cosford a few days later. There has been no sighting since then – until yesterday. Thanks to Martin Grant for the information.
- no Mallard ducklings noted.
- no Tufted Duck noted.
- one Great Crested Grebe heard calling possibly to an unseen bird underneath overhanging vegetation around the island.
- for the last few days I have only heard House Martin(s) above the lake with the Swifts.
Bird(s) noted flying over here:
None
Noted on / around the water:
- 25 Canada Geese
- 2 Greylag Geese
- *6 + 1 (1 brood) Mute Swan: one of these departed
- 14 (11♂) Mallard
- no Tufted Duck
- 8 Moorhens
- 19 + 3 (2 broods) Coots
- 1 Great Crested Grebe
Hirundines etc. noted:
- 6 Swifts
- 1 House Martin: see notes
Warblers recorded (the figure in brackets is birds noted singing):
- 4 (4) Chiffchaffs
- 1 (1) Reed Warbler
- 5 (5) Blackcaps
Noted around the area:
Noted on / around the water:
- 25 Canada Geese
- 2 Greylag Geese
- *6 + 1 (1 brood) Mute Swan: one of these departed
- 14 (11♂) Mallard
- no Tufted Duck
- 8 Moorhens
- 19 + 3 (2 broods) Coots
- 1 Great Crested Grebe
Hirundines etc. noted:
- 6 Swifts
- 1 House Martin: see notes
Warblers recorded (the figure in brackets is birds noted singing):
- 4 (4) Chiffchaffs
- 1 (1) Reed Warbler
- 5 (5) Blackcaps
Noted around the area:
Moths
2 Pale Tussocks Calliteara pudibunda: one for its seventh day; *the other on the adjacent street lamp pole in squirrel alley.
2 Pale Tussocks Calliteara pudibunda: one for its seventh day; *the other on the adjacent street lamp pole in squirrel alley.
Flies:
*numerous different midges and flies
*numerous different midges and flies
Spiders, harvestmen etc.:
2 Long-jawed Orb-web Spider Tetragnatha sp.
2 Long-jawed Orb-web Spider Tetragnatha sp.
New flowers for the year
Cleavers Galium aparine
What I assume is the resident pen Mute Swan with the one cygnet. Whichever parent this was the other was well apart and seemingly uninterested,
And the other, collecting food. I have no idea why the camera has resolved them to have such different tones of brown.
(Ed Wilson)
2007
Priorslee Lake
Cuckoo
(Ed Wilson)
Cleavers Galium aparine
Mute Swan '7JSS' going for a fly. It is as well that the Darvic ring is on her left leg.
I noted two Song Thrushes in full voice and two others. Here is one of the latter.
The newly arrived (noticed?) second Pale Tussock moth Calliteara pudibunda in squirrel alley.
An apparently very distinctive fly with a red abdomen. I have not found anything for it.
(Ed Wilson)
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2007
Priorslee Lake
Cuckoo
(Ed Wilson)