30 Jun 25

Priorslee Balancing Lake and The Flash

15.0°C > 22.0°C: Early very low cloud / mist slowly lifted with sun breaking through after 09:00. Very light south-easterly breeze. Poor visibility until clouds lifted: then very good.

Sunrise: 04:50 BST

* = a species photographed today
$ = my first sighting of the species for this year
$$ = my first ever recorded sighting of the species in the area

Priorslee Balancing Lake: 04:55 – 06:10 // 07:30 – 09:45

(160th visit of the year)

Bird notes
An apology and a clarification on the Marsh / Willow Tit saga on Saturday. My highlight referred, correctly, to Marsh Tits. For some inexplicable reason I labelled the photos as Willow Tits (the labels have now been corrected!). A senior moment! I should not have been confused as for 15 or more years when I was spending much of my time in Plymouth Marsh Tits were almost daily visitors to the garden feeders and Willow Tits required a trek to the valleys of Bodmin Moor to see.

*As a PS to this: there were two Marsh Tits present in the same area this morning,

Other bird notes:
- the Canada and Greylag goslings all still present and correct. The supernumerary adult Greylag Goose has been banished to the other end of the lake.
- only two groups of Mallard ducklings seen: those of two and a single small duckling. The fog did not help. The number of adults continues to increase – 26 today.
- the duck Pochard present.
- the first returning Common Sandpiper was heard and seen in flight c.05:15 but not later.
- the Little Grebe was heard calling stridently.
- *I could not determine whether all four juveniles were with the third pair of Great Crested Grebes.
- *four adult Black-headed Gulls were seen on the south-west grass.
- a Common Kestrel was over the dam at c.08:35
- I completed by first circuit of the lake without hearing the usual strident song of the Cetti's Warbler!
- the Garden Warblers was still singing frequently.
- perhaps the corvids (Jackdaws and Rooks) were lost in the mist.

Bird(s) noted flying over here:
- 65 Wood Pigeons
- 1 Herring Gull
- 10 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 1 Common Kestrel
- 3 Jackdaws only
- 2 Rooks only: see notes

Counts from the lake area:
- 4 + 1 (1 brood) Canada Geese
- 3 + 3 (1 brood) Greylag Geese
- 2 Mute Swans
- 26 (?♂) + 3 (2 broods) Mallard
- 1 (0♂) Pochard
- 3 Moorhens
- 84 adult and juvenile Coots
- 1 Little Grebe: heard only again
- *8 + >3 (3 broods) Great Crested Grebes
- 1 Common Sandpiper: departed
- *4 Black-headed Gulls
- 9 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 1 Grey Heron: departed

Hirundines etc. noted:

None

Warblers recorded (the figure in brackets is birds noted singing):
- 1 (1) Cetti's Warbler
- 16 (13) Chiffchaffs
- 9 (8) Reed Warblers
- 10 (9) Blackcaps
- 1 (1) Garden Warbler

Noted on the West end street lamp poles around-dawn:

Moths:
1 Common Marble Celypha lacunana (unusual at light)
*1 Double-striped Pug Gymnoscelis rufifasciata [moth species #57 for me here this year]

Bees, wasps etc.:
1 Buff-tailed Bumblebee Bombus terrestris (as prey of unidentified spiders)

Noted later:
cloudy early on.

Butterflies:
Small Skipper Thymelicus sylvestris
Large Skipper Ochlodes sylvanus
*Large White Pieris brassicae
Small White Pieris rapae
*Green-veined White Pieris napi
I must have seen well over 50 "white" butterflies, mostly Large Whites
Speckled Wood Pararge aegeria
Ringlet Aphantopus hyperantus
Meadow Brown Maniola jurtina
*Peacock Aglais io

Moths
1 Common Nettle-tap Anthophila fabriciana
1 Common Marble Celypha lacunana
2 Garden Grass-moth Chrysoteuchia culmella [was Garden Grass-veneer]
*1 $ Straw Grass-moth Agriphila straminella [was Straw Grass-veneer] [moth species #58]
1 Pale Straw Pearl Udea lutealis
1 Shaded Broad-bar Scotopteryx chenopodiata
*4 Cinnabar Tyria jacobaeae caterpillars

Bees, wasps etc.:
Honey Bee Apis mellifera
Common Carder Bee Bombus pascuorum
Buff-tailed Bumblebee Bombus terrestris
*$$ unidentified Yellow-faced Bee Hylaeus sp.
*$$ unidentified bee, perhaps a Base-banded Furrow Bee Lasioglossum sp.
Common Wasp Paravespula vulgaris

Hoverflies:
*Houseleek Blacklet Cheilosia caerulescens
Bumblebee Blacklet Cheilosia illustrata
Marmalade Hoverfly Episyrphus balteatus
I noted how friendly they were yesterday. One visited the camera and rode my hand away!
Tapered Dronefly Eristalis pertinax
Migrant Field Syrph Eupeodes corollae [Migrant Hoverfly; Migrant Aphideater]
Meadow Field Syrph Eupeodes latifasciatus [Broad-banded Aphideater]
Chequered Hoverfly Melanostoma scalare [Long-winged Duskyface]
*Banded Meliscaeva Meliscaeva cinctella [Banded Thintail]
Common Twist-tail Sphaerophoria scripta [Long Hoverfly; Common Globetail]
Syrphus sp. S. ribesii / S. vitripennis

Dragon-/Damsel-flies:
Common Blue Damselfly Enallagma cyathigerum [Common Bluet]
many damselflies not specifically identified

Lacewings:
none

Other flies:
*long-legged fly Dolichopus sp.
*dagger fly Empis livida
*$ Marsh Snipefly Rhagio tringarius
*Thick-headed Fly Sicus ferrugineus [Ferruginous Beegrabber]
plus
as usual many unidentified flies of many different species

Bugs:
none

Beetles:
7 Spot Ladybird Coccinella 7-punctata
pupae of Harlequin Ladybird Harmonia axyridis: many
Pollen Beetle Meligethes sp.
Common Red Soldier Beetle Rhagonycha fulva [Hogweed Bonking-beetle]

Slugs, snails etc.:
*White-lipped Snail Cepaea hortensis

Amphibians:
none

Spiders, harvestmen etc.:
unidentified money spider

New flowers for the year

None

I can't see how many juveniles are on the back of this Great Crested Grebe.

One juvenile is visible here as its partner brings some food which I thought the adult was going to eat...

...but it gave it to a juvenile that was (hidden) alongside the adult.

That was quick: another fish already.

This Great Crested Grebe is one of a pair that do not seem interested in nesting so can catch larger fish for itself. The bars on the side of the fish suggest a Perch Perca fluviatilis though I cannot see the red tail and fins. Grebes seem to kill or stun the fish held sideways and then put the fish back in the water so they...

...swallow it head-first to avoid the spines sticking in their gullet.

Three of the four adult Black-headed Gulls that were on the grass here. The breeding plumage will soon be lost surprisingly quickly.

Just about recognisable to clear any lingering confusion: a MARSH Tit!

A female Large White butterfly Pieris brassicae. Males have a single back spot in each forewing.

A Green-veined White butterfly Pieris napi drinks the nectar.

When freshly emerged the (non green) veins are almost as evident on the upper-wing as they are on the underwing. Also a female with several black marks on the upper-wing. Note the difference in the shape of the black on the wing tip.

What is this looming while drinking nectar from a Common Knapweed Centaurea nigra flower?

Whatever it is doesn't seem to faze the Common Red Soldier Beetle Rhagonycha fulva.

A splendid Peacock butterfly Aglais io.

Yesterday it was a moth species new for the year found in the Priorslee Avenue tunnel. Today a very different-looking specimen on a street lamp pole around dawn. Not as clear as I would have liked: it was a long way up the tallest, shiniest pole.

A species of grass moth with few identification features. Just the way the pale streak divides in to four. It is a Straw Grass-moth Agriphila straminella.

Two Rugby-shirted Cinnabar moth caterpillars Tyria jacobaeae feeding on Common Ragwort Jacobaea vulgaris . This plant contains toxins that make it either toxic or unpleasant for most creatures, but these caterpillars love it. Contrary to popular belief it won't kill horses unless they eat vast quantities which they are unlikely to do as they dislike the taste.

I found two bees from completely new groups for me. Sadly neither could be fully identified after using Obsidentify to start and the Bee Field Guide to help (hinder?). This seems to be one of the Yellow-faced Bees Hylaeus sp.

The other unidentified bee. Obsidentify's best suggestion was one of Base-banded Furrow Bees Lasioglossum sp. There are 1700 species worldwide! The family includes the sweat bees. A microscopic examination is needed in conjunction with detailed literature to identify which of the 34 UK species it is.

Yesterday I was unsure whether I was seeing my first-ever Houseleek Blacklet hoverfly Cheilosia caerulescens. With this view I am now happy that it is indeed this species. Whether it is the same individual is a moot point. It was certainly near where I saw yesterday's example.

I do not see Banded Meliscaeva hoverflies Meliscaeva cinctella too often. Its small size makes it easy to overlook.

This is one of the long-legged flies in the Dolichopus genus. There are 17 species known in the UK and individuals need to be examined in detail to ascribe to species-level. The eyes appear green here: they can be pink or mauve or combinations of all three depending on the angle of the light.

The dagger fly Empis livida.

The marks on the abdomen identify this as a Marsh Snipefly Rhagio tringarius.

What an ugly creature though I bet its mummy loves it! A Thick-headed Fly Sicus ferrugineus here showing clearly how the abdomen is tucked back underneath.

I don't know much about slugs and snails but apparently more than Obsidentify that suggested this was a House Mouse. I think it may be a young White-lipped Snail Cepaea hortensis.

(Ed Wilson)

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In the Priorslee Avenue tunnel:

Moths:
*1 Small Dusty Wave Idaea seriata
*1 $ Single-dotted Wave Idaea dimidiata

Flies
1 moth fly Psychodidae sp. [Drain Fly or Owl Fly]
15 midges of various species.

A very smart example of a Small Dusty Wave moth Idaea seriata.

My first Single-dotted Wave moth Idaea dimidiata of the year. No sure which is the "singe dot"! My 23rd species of moth in the tunnel this year, already bettering last year's total of 20.

(Ed Wilson)

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The Flash: 06:15 – 07:25

(158th visit of the year)

It was very misty when I was here and the counts from the lake are "best effort". I didn't even try with the Coots.

Bird notes:
- back to six adult Mute Swans noted.
- the late brood of Mallard ducklings was noted as just two.
- just five Tufted Duck seen in the mist.
- only two Great Crested Grebes noted. However I could see neither of the potential nest sites through the mist.

Bird(s) noted flying over here:
- 3 Jackdaws

Noted on / around the water:
- 149 Canada Geese
- 59 Greylag Geese
- 1 mainly white feral goose
- 6 Mute Swans
- *22 (?♂) + 2 (1 brood) Mallard
- 5 (3♂) Tufted Duck
- 6 Moorhens
- ?? + 9 (5 broods) Coots
- 2 Great Crested Grebes: see notes

Hirundines etc. noted:

None

Warblers recorded (the figure in brackets is birds noted singing):
- 7 (6) Chiffchaffs
- 4 (4) Blackcaps

Noted around the area:

Butterflies:
none

Moths [on street lamp poles and in the grass]
2 Common Marbles Celypha lacunana
2 Garden Grass-moths Chrysoteuchia culmella [was Garden Grass-veneer]
1 Common Grey Scoparia ambigualis

Bees, wasps etc.:
no bees seen in cool misty conditions
Common Wasp Paravespula vulgaris
small ichneumon

Hoverflies:
none

Dragon-/Damsel-flies:
none

Other flies:
*a fly Minettia longipennis from the Lauxaniidae group
plus numerous different midges and flies

Bugs:
*$ Mirid bug, perhaps Megalocoleus molliculus
*Mirid bug Plagiognathus arbustorum

Beetles:
larvae of Alder Leaf Beetle Agelastica alni
pupae of Harlequin Ladybird Harmonia axyridis:
adult Harlequin Ladybird Harmonia axyridis var. succinea
*Pollen Beetle Meligethes sp.
Common Red Soldier Beetle Rhagonycha fulva [Hogweed Bonking-beetle]

Spiders, harvestmen etc.:
none

New flowers for the year:

None

Disappearing in to the mist is a duck Mallard with two ducklings.

This fly with the humped thorax and orange-tinged wings is a fly Minettia longipennis from the Lauxaniidae group.

I can't get a positive ID for this Mirid bug. It is perhaps Megalocoleus molliculus. A Pollen Beetle Meligethes sp. gate-crashes the party.

I am slightly more confident that this Mirid bug is Plagiognathus arbustorum. Also with a Pollen Beetle getting in on the action.

(Ed Wilson)

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2010
Priorslee Lake
Common Sandpiper
(Ed Wilson)

2006
Priorslee Lake
1 drake Ruddy Duck
(Ed Wilson)