12.0°C > 17.0°C: Much medium / high cloud after a better start. Moderate easterly breeze. Good visibility.
Sunrise: 04:46 BST again
I am having a few days watching birds elsewhere. Back Monday all being well
* = a species photographed today
$ = my first sighting of the species for this year
$$ = my first ever recorded sighting of the species
Priorslee Balancing Lake: 05:05 – 06:05 // 07:10 – 09:40
(145th visit of the year)
Bird notes:
- a Common Peafowl (Peacock) was heard calling from what was the Telford campus site.
- the Canada and Greylag goslings all still present and correct.
- I do wonder whether we are going to get any cygnets this year. The pen Mute Swan was yet again away from the nest site for some while. From ring data she is just four years old and this is likely her first nesting attempt.
- the duck Mallard still with one duckling. *Another duck Mallard located with at least nine ducklings.
- the duck Pochard still here.
- the octet of over-flying Starlings were at a very different time and place to the 14 seen earlier on the "football field". From calls both adults and juveniles involved
- a Grey Wagtail was briefly on the dam-face. It is several weeks since I last recorded this species here.
Bird(s) noted flying over here:
- 1 Stock Dove
- 6 Wood Pigeons
- 4 Herring Gulls
- 10 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 10 Jackdaws
- 4 Rooks
- 8 Starlings
Counts from the lake area:
- 4 + 1 (1 brood) Canada Geese
- 2 + 3 (1 brood) Greylag Geese
- 2 Mute Swans
- *8 (6♂) + 10 (2 broods) Mallard
- 1 (0♂) Pochard
- 2 Moorhen only
- 37 + 20 (8 broods) Coots
- 1 Little Grebe: heard only
- *7 + 2 (2 broods) Great Crested Grebes
- 2 Herring Gulls
- 6 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 1 Grey Heron
Hirundines etc. noted:
- 5 Swifts
Warblers recorded (the figure in brackets is birds noted singing):
- 1 (1) Cetti's Warbler
- 15 (13) Chiffchaffs
- 5 (5) Reed Warblers only
- 8 (6) Blackcaps
- 1 (1) Common Whitethroat
On the West end street lamp poles around-dawn:
Nothing noted
Noted later:
The cloudy conditions and the easterly wind did not help.
Noted later:
The cloudy conditions and the easterly wind did not help.
Butterflies:
none
none
Moths
14 Common Nettle-taps Anthophila fabriciana
*1 Green Oak Tortrix Tortrix viridiana
9 Common Marbles Celypha lacunana
*1 Thistle Root-borer Epiblema scutulana [was Thistle Bell]
2 Silver-ground Carpets Xanthorhoe montanata
1 Straw Dot Rivula sericealis
14 Common Nettle-taps Anthophila fabriciana
*1 Green Oak Tortrix Tortrix viridiana
9 Common Marbles Celypha lacunana
*1 Thistle Root-borer Epiblema scutulana [was Thistle Bell]
2 Silver-ground Carpets Xanthorhoe montanata
1 Straw Dot Rivula sericealis
Bees, wasps etc.:
Not many bees about in the dull conditions
Buff-tailed Bumblebee Bombus terrestris
Common Wasp Paravespula vulgaris
*ichneumon in the Pimplinae group
*sawfly Macrophya montana
*sawfly possibly Rhogogaster chlorosoma
two unidentified ichneumon / sawfly-types
Not many bees about in the dull conditions
Buff-tailed Bumblebee Bombus terrestris
Common Wasp Paravespula vulgaris
*ichneumon in the Pimplinae group
*sawfly Macrophya montana
*sawfly possibly Rhogogaster chlorosoma
two unidentified ichneumon / sawfly-types
Hoverflies:
Marmalade Hoverfly Episyrphus balteatus
Common Dronefly Eristalis tenax
Meadow Field Syrph Eupeodes latifasciatus [Broad-banded Aphideater]
Tiger Hoverfly Helophilus pendulus
*Chequered Hoverfly Melanostoma scalare [Long-winged Duskyface]
Syrphus sp. Common Banded Hoverfly S. ribesii / Black-thighed Flower Fly S. vitripennis
Marmalade Hoverfly Episyrphus balteatus
Common Dronefly Eristalis tenax
Meadow Field Syrph Eupeodes latifasciatus [Broad-banded Aphideater]
Tiger Hoverfly Helophilus pendulus
*Chequered Hoverfly Melanostoma scalare [Long-winged Duskyface]
Syrphus sp. Common Banded Hoverfly S. ribesii / Black-thighed Flower Fly S. vitripennis
Dragon-/Damsel-flies:
Common Blue Damselfly Enallagma cyathigerum [Common Bluet]
Common Blue Damselfly Enallagma cyathigerum [Common Bluet]
Lacewings:
none
none
Other flies:
Black Snipefly Chrysopilus cristatus: abundant as usual and only males noted.
*dagger fly Empis livida
*"greenbottle" Lucilia species
*Noon Fly Mesembrina meridiana
*semaphore fly Poecilobothrus nobilitatus
Yellow Dung Fly Scathophaga stercoraria
*possible Tricholauxania praeusta or similar from the Lauxaniidae group
plus
usual other boring and / or strange flies
Black Snipefly Chrysopilus cristatus: abundant as usual and only males noted.
*dagger fly Empis livida
*"greenbottle" Lucilia species
*Noon Fly Mesembrina meridiana
*semaphore fly Poecilobothrus nobilitatus
Yellow Dung Fly Scathophaga stercoraria
*possible Tricholauxania praeusta or similar from the Lauxaniidae group
plus
usual other boring and / or strange flies
Bugs:
*Mirid bug Calocoris alpestris
*Mirid bug Calocoris alpestris
Beetles:
*click beetle possibly Athous haemorrhoidalis
larvae of Harlequin Ladybird Harmonia axyridis: many
pupae of Harlequin Ladybird Harmonia axyridis: >4
*Harlequin Ladybird Harmonia axyridis var. succinea: >3
*click beetle possibly Athous haemorrhoidalis
larvae of Harlequin Ladybird Harmonia axyridis: many
pupae of Harlequin Ladybird Harmonia axyridis: >4
*Harlequin Ladybird Harmonia axyridis var. succinea: >3
Slugs, snails etc.:
- *White-lipped Snail Cepaea hortensis
- *White-lipped Snail Cepaea hortensis
Spiders, harvestmen etc.:
*Cucumber Green Orb Spider Araniella sp. either A. cucurbitina or A. opisthographa
*unidentified money spider
*Cucumber Green Orb Spider Araniella sp. either A. cucurbitina or A. opisthographa
*unidentified money spider
New flowers for the year:
None
The juvenile Great Crested Grebe from the second brood to hatch. I was surprised to see it dive. Here it is calling for the adult to feed it....
...which it did, dropping a small fish in the water in front of the juvenile, teaching it how to pick up fish for itself.
My second sighting this year of a Song Thrush smashing a snail. It was still early so the light is not great. The snail in the thrush's bill looks to be a White-lipped Snail Cepaea hortensis. When the thrush attempted to smashed the snail it dropped off the kerb in to the road. When the thrush picked it up...
I saw several of these Green Oak Tortrix moths Tortrix viridiana on my latest visit to Woodhouse Lane. This is my first around the lake for several years.
Another micromoth species from a difficult group. I am reasonably confident its is a Thistle Root-borer Epiblema scutulana.
An exciting looking insect. It is a female ichneumon but I can get no further than "in the Pimplinae group" from any web site.
This sawfly is possibly Rhogogaster chlorosoma. There are two other similar species both of which show dark marking on the abdomen that this seems to lack.
And this is an unknown sawfly. As with ichneumons there are very many species, many poorly known and with little literature or internet information.
A hoverfly with no visible means of support. In fact the wings are beating so fast the camera has been unable to record them. The triangular spots on this female suggest it is a Chequered Hoverfly Melanostoma scalare.
With the light at the right angle it is possible to notice that the abdomen of the dagger fly Empis livida is banded.
A "greenbottle" from Lucilia species species group. I cannot see species any illustrated on the web with the dark banding between the abdomen segments.
This was a new fly here for me yesterday. Tubby, all black with orange at the base of the wings and pale feet. It is a Noon Fly Mesembrina meridiana.
A fly species I confirmed for the year yesterday. It is the semaphore fly Poecilobothrus nobilitatus, so called because the males have white tips to their wings which they wave to attract the females.
A very common fly I have had limited success in identifying it. It is possibly Tricholauxania praeusta or similar from the Lauxaniidae group. These are not well illustrated on the internet.
The ventral view of a Cucumber Green Orb Spider Araniella sp. either A. cucurbitina or A. opisthographa with who knows what in its mouth.
(Ed Wilson)
In the Priorslee Avenue tunnel:
Around sunrise the sky was the clearest it would be all morning.
Looking to the West the cloud as building.
The camera comes in handy. There is no other way to count the Mallard ducklings and even then, and on high zoom, I am not certain. Nine?
It is not much fun being a Common Buzzard. Crows and Magpies want you well away from them.
...it was back-on to me. The smashed shell is between the thrush's legs...
...and the bill has some sticky bits of snail on it.
Another ichneumon for which I could not get an identification.
This is the sawfly Macrophya montana.
It is some days since I saw my previous Mirid bug Calocoris alpestris here.
A species of click beetle possibly Athous haemorrhoidalis though there are similar species.
Harlequin Ladybird Harmonia axyridis can be orange-toned or....
...deep red. Both are of the form succinea: all the adults I have seen this year have been of this form.
I think this is "money spider" not all of which are basically black with red legs. I still cannot provide an ID.
(Ed Wilson)
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In the Priorslee Avenue tunnel:
Moths:
*1 Flame Carpet Xanthorhoe designata
*1 Flame Carpet Xanthorhoe designata
Flies
1 cranefly Limonia nubeculosa
1 moth fly Psychodidae sp. [Drain Fly or Owl Fly]
26 midges of various species.
1 cranefly Limonia nubeculosa
1 moth fly Psychodidae sp. [Drain Fly or Owl Fly]
26 midges of various species.
Spiders, harvestmen etc.:
*1 possible Snake-back Spider Segestria senoculata
1 unidentified spider
A moth at an odd angle but I decided against standing in the middle of the Wesley Brook for the best angle. It is my first Flame Carpet Xanthorhoe designata of the year.
(143rd visit of the year)
Bird notes:
- I think the number of geese varies from day-to-day at least in part as once they have had breakfast they climb on the island. I do not count those that are already hidden on the island when I arrive.
- six adult Mute Swans. One, clearly a cob, was chasing what was likely #5 with the four that have been here at least 10 days left alone. These four behave as a pair and a pair that are not speaking – often close but not that close.
- the duck Gadwall seen.
- no Tufted Duck.
- a previously unseen brood of two were the only juvenile Coots I noted. The overall total was down also.
- only one Great Crested Grebe noted.
Bird(s) noted flying over here:
- 1 Sparrowhawk
- 1 Jackdaw
Noted on / around the water:
- 91 Canada Geese
- 23 Greylag Geese
- 1 mainly white feral goose
- 6 Mute Swans
- 1 (0♂) Gadwall
- 19 (14♂) Mallard
- 4 Moorhens
- 13 + 2 (1 brood) Coots
- 1 Great Crested Grebe
Hirundines etc. noted:
- 1 Swift
- 2 House Martins
Warblers recorded (the figure in brackets is birds noted singing):
- 3 (3) Chiffchaffs
- 2 (1) Blackcaps
Noted around the area:
*1 possible Snake-back Spider Segestria senoculata
1 unidentified spider
My second attempt to photograph this spider and once again Obsidentify is 100% sure it is a Snake-back Spider Segestria senoculata. Perhaps it is.
(Ed Wilson)
The Flash: 06:10 – 07:05
(Ed Wilson)
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The Flash: 06:10 – 07:05
(143rd visit of the year)
Bird notes:
- I think the number of geese varies from day-to-day at least in part as once they have had breakfast they climb on the island. I do not count those that are already hidden on the island when I arrive.
- six adult Mute Swans. One, clearly a cob, was chasing what was likely #5 with the four that have been here at least 10 days left alone. These four behave as a pair and a pair that are not speaking – often close but not that close.
- the duck Gadwall seen.
- no Tufted Duck.
- a previously unseen brood of two were the only juvenile Coots I noted. The overall total was down also.
- only one Great Crested Grebe noted.
Bird(s) noted flying over here:
- 1 Sparrowhawk
- 1 Jackdaw
Noted on / around the water:
- 91 Canada Geese
- 23 Greylag Geese
- 1 mainly white feral goose
- 6 Mute Swans
- 1 (0♂) Gadwall
- 19 (14♂) Mallard
- 4 Moorhens
- 13 + 2 (1 brood) Coots
- 1 Great Crested Grebe
Hirundines etc. noted:
- 1 Swift
- 2 House Martins
Warblers recorded (the figure in brackets is birds noted singing):
- 3 (3) Chiffchaffs
- 2 (1) Blackcaps
Noted around the area:
Moths
*1 Common Marbled Carpet Chloroclysta truncata
*1 Common Marbled Carpet Chloroclysta truncata
Bees, wasps etc.:
Common Wasp Paravespula vulgaris
Common Wasp Paravespula vulgaris
Hoverflies:
Marmalade Hoverfly Episyrphus balteatus
Marmalade Hoverfly Episyrphus balteatus
Other flies:
dagger fly Empis livida
wood gnat Sylvicola sp.
also numerous different midges and flies
dagger fly Empis livida
wood gnat Sylvicola sp.
also numerous different midges and flies
Bugs:
none
none
Beetles:
larvae of Harlequin Ladybird Harmonia axyridis
larvae of Harlequin Ladybird Harmonia axyridis
Spiders, harvestmen etc.:
*unidentified money spider
(Ed Wilson)
Between the Balancing Lake and The Flash:
(Ed Wilson)
2006
Priorslee Lake
2 Ruddy Duck
(Ed Wilson)
*unidentified money spider
A well-marked Common Marbled Carpet moth Chloroclysta truncata.
One of many similar species generically known as money spiders. Beyond that...
(Ed Wilson)
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Between the Balancing Lake and The Flash:
Of note
The juvenile Moorhens on the lower pool are now venturing out on to the grassy area.
The juvenile Moorhens on the lower pool are now venturing out on to the grassy area.
(Ed Wilson)
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2006
Priorslee Lake
2 Ruddy Duck
(Ed Wilson)