13.0°C > 11.0°C: Early broken cloud gave way to a heavy shower. Fresh westerly wind. Very good visibility except in heaviest rain.
Sunrise: 04:59 BST
* = a species photographed today
$ = my first sighting of the species for this year
Priorslee Balancing Lake: 05:15 – 06:20: abandoned – wet after un-forecast heavy shower
(128th visit of the year)
Bird notes
A new species for my bird year list. A Hobby flew low West over the football field at c.06:10 scattering the assembled party of c.45 Starlings and was seen no more. It brings my bird species total for 2025 at the Balancing Lake to 95.5 (the White Wagtails only count a half!)
All these sighting are from my only early lap around the area.
Other bird notes:
- the Canada and Greylag goslings all still present and correct.
- no Gadwall again.
- no Mallard ducklings again.
- the duck Pochard was seen.
- no meaningful count of Coots or Great Crested Grebes was made.
- a Grey Heron was circling high overhead at 06:10
- again only one singing Garden Warbler but today it was in the location of bird #1.
- c.45 Starlings as highlighted, today moved on to the football field.
Bird(s) noted flying over here:
- 6 Canada Geese: three pairs outbound
- 2 Greylag Geese: pair outbound again
- 2 Wood Pigeons
- no gulls
- 1 Grey Heron
- 1 Hobby
- 2 Jackdaws
- 3 Rooks
Counts from the lake area:
- 3 + 1 (1 brood) Canada Geese
- 2 + 3 (1 brood) Greylag Geese
- 1 Mute Swan: the other resident assumed to be on the nest: see also notes
- 3 (2♂) Mallard
- 1 (0♂) Pochard
- 3 Moorhens
- Coots not counted
- Great Crested Grebes not counted
- 1 Lesser Black-backed Gull: immature on the football field briefly
Hirundines etc. noted:
- 10 Common Swifts
- 3 House Martins
Warblers recorded (the figure in brackets is birds noted singing):
- 1 (1) Cetti's Warbler
- 15 (12) Chiffchaffs
- 10 (10) Reed Warblers
- 9 (9) Blackcaps
- 1 (1) Garden Warbler again
- no Common Whitethroat
Noted on the West end street lamp poles around-dawn:
Moths
*1 Silver-ground Carpet Xanthorhoe montanata
Noted later:
Rained off!
*1 Silver-ground Carpet Xanthorhoe montanata
Noted later:
Rained off!
Slugs, snails etc.:
*Brown-lipped Snail Cepaea nemoralis
A Grey Heron circling high overhead. I have seen this species "thermalling" with Common Buzzards: there are no thermals at 06:10!
This morning's Silver-ground Carpet moth Xanthorhoe montanata on an unusually shiny part of a street lamp pole.
Not everyone was upset by the rain. It made the traverse of this Brown-lipped Snail Cepaea nemoralis less painful.
(Ed Wilson)
In the Priorslee Avenue tunnel:
Not much in the way of distinctive markings on this long-legged cranefly that was sprawled on the ceiling of the tunnel. I will have to pass.
(Ed Wilson)
The Flash: 06:25 – 07:40
(126th visit of the year)
Bird notes:
- I presume the pen Mute Swan and any cygnet were sheltering unseen inside the island. All the other five adults from yesterday were present.
- no Great Crested Grebe noted
- yesterday's Reed Warbler was still singing alongside Derwent Drive.
Bird(s) noted flying over here:
Also with long antennae but a caddis fly and not a moth. One of the very common Grouse Wing caddis flies Mystacides longicornis.
The larva of Harlequin Ladybird Harmonia axyridis. As far as I know the larva of all the forms of this species look the same.
This Common European Earwig Forficula dentata seemed upset that I had disturbed it and curled its abdomen, raising its cerci (the technical term for its pincers) – in threat?
Slightly better. I noted the first flowers of Cleavers Galium aparine yesterday and then fouled up the photo.
(Ed Wilson)
2012
Nedge Hill
2 Ravens mobbing Kestrel.
(John Isherwood)
2010
Priorslee Lake
Ringed Plover
(Ed Wilson)
2009
Priorslee Lake
Red Kite
(Ed Wilson)
*Brown-lipped Snail Cepaea nemoralis
From this it looked as if the worst of the weather was away to the South. It wasn't!
One adult and four juvenile Starlings on the fence around the football field. Juveniles with their plain brown plumage can be a challenge to identify if not with adults. As they mature and random areas of spotting start to appear they can look even more strange. They always show a small "bandit mask".
(Ed Wilson)
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In the Priorslee Avenue tunnel:
Flies
*1 cranefly
1 owl midge Psychodidae sp. [Drain Fly, Moth Fly or Owl Fly] again
22 other midges of various species.
*1 cranefly
1 owl midge Psychodidae sp. [Drain Fly, Moth Fly or Owl Fly] again
22 other midges of various species.
Beetle:
*1 to be identified (perhaps)
*1 to be identified (perhaps)
I will also have to pass on this beetle. I do know it is not a Great Tit as suggested by Obsidentify.
(Ed Wilson)
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The Flash: 06:25 – 07:40
(126th visit of the year)
Bird notes:
- I presume the pen Mute Swan and any cygnet were sheltering unseen inside the island. All the other five adults from yesterday were present.
- no Great Crested Grebe noted
- yesterday's Reed Warbler was still singing alongside Derwent Drive.
Bird(s) noted flying over here:
None
Noted on / around the water:
- 27 Canada Geese
- 2 Greylag Geese again
- 5 Mute Swan: resident pen and cygnet perhaps inside the island
- 17 (15♂) Mallard
- 1 (1♂) feral Mallard x ?
- 5 Moorhens
- ?? + 3 (2 broods) Coots: rain stopped play before I could complete the count of adults
- no Great Crested Grebe
- 1 Lesser Black-backed Gull: near adult dropped in during rain
Hirundines etc. noted:
- 6 Swifts again
- 3 House Martins
Warblers recorded (the figure in brackets is birds noted singing):
- 6 (5) Chiffchaffs
- 1 (1) Reed Warbler again
- 2 (2) Blackcaps only
Noted around the area:
Noted on / around the water:
- 27 Canada Geese
- 2 Greylag Geese again
- 5 Mute Swan: resident pen and cygnet perhaps inside the island
- 17 (15♂) Mallard
- 1 (1♂) feral Mallard x ?
- 5 Moorhens
- ?? + 3 (2 broods) Coots: rain stopped play before I could complete the count of adults
- no Great Crested Grebe
- 1 Lesser Black-backed Gull: near adult dropped in during rain
Hirundines etc. noted:
- 6 Swifts again
- 3 House Martins
Warblers recorded (the figure in brackets is birds noted singing):
- 6 (5) Chiffchaffs
- 1 (1) Reed Warbler again
- 2 (2) Blackcaps only
Noted around the area:
Moths
*$1 Large Longhorn Nematopogon swammerdamella
*$1 Dark-barred Tortrix Syndemis musculana
1 Silver-ground Carpet Xanthorhoe montanata
1 Pale Tussock Calliteara pudibunda: the long-term individual gone: yesterday's arrival present
***my moth species total here in 2025 now stands at 18
*$1 Large Longhorn Nematopogon swammerdamella
*$1 Dark-barred Tortrix Syndemis musculana
1 Silver-ground Carpet Xanthorhoe montanata
1 Pale Tussock Calliteara pudibunda: the long-term individual gone: yesterday's arrival present
***my moth species total here in 2025 now stands at 18
Hoverflies:
2 Marmalade Hoverflies Episyrphus balteatus
2 Marmalade Hoverflies Episyrphus balteatus
Other flies:
*1 Grouse Wing caddis fly Mystacides longicornis
1 owl midge Psychodidae sp. [Drain Fly, Moth Fly or Owl Fly] again
1 Yellow Dung Fly Scathophaga stercoraria
*1 dagger fly sp.
*numerous different midges and flies
*1 Grouse Wing caddis fly Mystacides longicornis
1 owl midge Psychodidae sp. [Drain Fly, Moth Fly or Owl Fly] again
1 Yellow Dung Fly Scathophaga stercoraria
*1 dagger fly sp.
*numerous different midges and flies
Bugs:
*$1 nymph of Common Flower Bug Anthocoris nemorum
*$1 nymph of Common Flower Bug Anthocoris nemorum
Beetles:
*1 larva of a Harlequin Ladybird Harmonia axyridis
*2 14 Spot Ladybird Propylea quattuordecimpunctata
*1 larva of a Harlequin Ladybird Harmonia axyridis
*2 14 Spot Ladybird Propylea quattuordecimpunctata
Dermaptera:
*1 Common European Earwig Forficula dentata
"My what big ears you have!". This is a Large Longhorn moth Nematopogon swammerdamella. Here "large" does not refer to the length of the antennae or the size of the moth (0.75" or 20 mm) but reflects that there are two smaller species in the same genus.
Its size can be gauged by noting that the flowers are part of one umbel of Cow Parsley Anthriscus sylvestris.
*1 Common European Earwig Forficula dentata
New for the year is this Dark-barred Tortrix moth Syndemis musculana. Sometimes a tricky species in that the "dark bar" is often faded – as here – and may be completely absent.
An unidentified dagger fly.
Another unidentified fly.
Lurking alongside another unidentified fly is the nymph of Common Flower Bug Anthocoris nemorum.
So that's how it is done! Two 14 Spot Ladybird Propylea quattuordecimpunctata demonstrate.
(Ed Wilson)
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Nedge Hill
2 Ravens mobbing Kestrel.
(John Isherwood)
2010
Priorslee Lake
Ringed Plover
(Ed Wilson)
2009
Priorslee Lake
Red Kite
(Ed Wilson)