12.0°C > 16.0°C: Hazy under a high overcast. Some cloud developing later. Moderate south-westerly breeze. Good visibility.
Sunrise: 04:47 BST
* = a species photographed today
$ = my first sighting of the species for this year
$$ = my first ever recorded sighting of the species
Priorslee Balancing Lake: 05:00 – 06:10 // 07:20 – 07:55 // 09:05 – 10:05
(142nd visit of the year)
As I was leaving two vehicles from a company offering "vegetation management" were arriving. I am hoping that these are only the specialist contractors to deal with the invasive and potentially painful Giant Hogweed Heracleum mantegazzianum and nothing more extensive. Severn Trent told me earlier that they were adopting a new tactic and would be digging the plants out at the roots and applying chemicals to stop them regrowing. My view is that these are new plants growing from the seed bank from earlier years and the tactic will have little success. But then I do not have a qualification in biology so what do I know.
Bird notes:
- the Canada and Greylag goslings all still present and correct.
- the pen Mute Swan was off the nest site when I arrived, soon returning.
- the duck Mallard continue to confuse. *One was seen with 12 ducklings that looked to be several days old. Another with just two very small ducklings almost seemed as if it could be the first sighting.
- the duck Pochard still here.
- a drake Tufted Duck present early only.
- the Little Grebe not heard but that is probably of little consequence.
- *a Common Buzzard was marching around the south-west grass at c.07:30 looking for a meal. The parents and the goslings also on the south-west grass seemed, rightly as it turned out, unconcerned.
- a Common Whitethroat was heard to sing just once
Bird(s) noted flying over here:
- 4 Wood Pigeons
- 3 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 2 Cormorants: singles
- 9 Jackdaws
- no Rooks
Counts from the lake area:
- 5 + 1 (1 brood) Canada Geese
- 2 + 3 (1 brood) Greylag Geese
- 2 Mute Swans
- *12 (10♂) + 14 (2 broods) Mallard
- 1 (0♂) Pochard
- 1 (1♂) Tufted Duck: departed
- 1 Moorhen only
- 43 + 16 (7 broods) Coots
- 5 + 2 (2 broods) Great Crested Grebes
- 1 Lesser Black-backed Gull
- 1 Cormorant: arrived and departed
- 1 Grey Heron: arrived
Hirundines etc. noted:
- 10 Swifts
Warblers recorded (the figure in brackets is birds noted singing):
- 1 (1) Cetti's Warbler
- 19 (16) Chiffchaffs
- 7 (6) Reed Warblers
- *14 (12) Blackcaps
- 1 (1) Common Whitethroat
On the West end street lamp poles around-dawn:
Nothing noted
As I was leaving two vehicles from a company offering "vegetation management" were arriving. I am hoping that these are only the specialist contractors to deal with the invasive and potentially painful Giant Hogweed Heracleum mantegazzianum and nothing more extensive. Severn Trent told me earlier that they were adopting a new tactic and would be digging the plants out at the roots and applying chemicals to stop them regrowing. My view is that these are new plants growing from the seed bank from earlier years and the tactic will have little success. But then I do not have a qualification in biology so what do I know.
Bird notes:
- the Canada and Greylag goslings all still present and correct.
- the pen Mute Swan was off the nest site when I arrived, soon returning.
- the duck Mallard continue to confuse. *One was seen with 12 ducklings that looked to be several days old. Another with just two very small ducklings almost seemed as if it could be the first sighting.
- the duck Pochard still here.
- a drake Tufted Duck present early only.
- the Little Grebe not heard but that is probably of little consequence.
- *a Common Buzzard was marching around the south-west grass at c.07:30 looking for a meal. The parents and the goslings also on the south-west grass seemed, rightly as it turned out, unconcerned.
- a Common Whitethroat was heard to sing just once
Bird(s) noted flying over here:
- 4 Wood Pigeons
- 3 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 2 Cormorants: singles
- 9 Jackdaws
- no Rooks
Counts from the lake area:
- 5 + 1 (1 brood) Canada Geese
- 2 + 3 (1 brood) Greylag Geese
- 2 Mute Swans
- *12 (10♂) + 14 (2 broods) Mallard
- 1 (0♂) Pochard
- 1 (1♂) Tufted Duck: departed
- 1 Moorhen only
- 43 + 16 (7 broods) Coots
- 5 + 2 (2 broods) Great Crested Grebes
- 1 Lesser Black-backed Gull
- 1 Cormorant: arrived and departed
- 1 Grey Heron: arrived
Hirundines etc. noted:
- 10 Swifts
Warblers recorded (the figure in brackets is birds noted singing):
- 1 (1) Cetti's Warbler
- 19 (16) Chiffchaffs
- 7 (6) Reed Warblers
- *14 (12) Blackcaps
- 1 (1) Common Whitethroat
On the West end street lamp poles around-dawn:
Nothing noted
Noted later:
It was somewhat of a scoot around as I spent over an hour in Woodhouse Lane (q.v.)
Butterflies:
Small White Pieris rapae
Small White Pieris rapae
Moths
11 Common Nettle-taps Anthophila fabriciana
*3 Common Marbles Celypha lacunana
11 Common Nettle-taps Anthophila fabriciana
*3 Common Marbles Celypha lacunana
Bees, wasps etc.:
Garden Bumblebee Bombus hortorum
Tree Bumblebee Bombus hypnorum
Red-tailed Bumblebee Bombus lapidarius
Common Carder Bee Bombus pascuorum
Early Bumblebee Bombus pratorum
Buff-tailed Bumblebee Bombus terrestris
Common Wasp Paravespula vulgaris
*$$ sawfly, probably Yellow-spotted Macrophya Macrophya montana
Garden Bumblebee Bombus hortorum
Tree Bumblebee Bombus hypnorum
Red-tailed Bumblebee Bombus lapidarius
Common Carder Bee Bombus pascuorum
Early Bumblebee Bombus pratorum
Buff-tailed Bumblebee Bombus terrestris
Common Wasp Paravespula vulgaris
*$$ sawfly, probably Yellow-spotted Macrophya Macrophya montana
Hoverflies:
Bumblebee Blacklet Cheilosia illustrata [Bumblebee Blacklet]
Tapered Dronefly Eristalis pertinax
Common Dronefly Eristalis tenax
Meadow Field Syrph Eupeodes latifasciatus [Broad-banded Aphideater]
Tiger Hoverfly Helophilus pendulus
*$ Dark-saddled Leucozona Leucozona laternaria [Dark-saddled Hoary]
Chequered Hoverfly Melanostoma scalare [Long-winged Duskyface]
Syrphus sp. S. ribesii / S. vitripennis
Bumblebee Blacklet Cheilosia illustrata [Bumblebee Blacklet]
Tapered Dronefly Eristalis pertinax
Common Dronefly Eristalis tenax
Meadow Field Syrph Eupeodes latifasciatus [Broad-banded Aphideater]
Tiger Hoverfly Helophilus pendulus
*$ Dark-saddled Leucozona Leucozona laternaria [Dark-saddled Hoary]
Chequered Hoverfly Melanostoma scalare [Long-winged Duskyface]
Syrphus sp. S. ribesii / S. vitripennis
Dragon-/Damsel-flies:
Common Blue Damselfly Enallagma cyathigerum [Common Bluet]
Blue-tailed Damselfly Ischnura elegans [Common Bluetail]
$ unidentified green hawker-type dragonfly in flight only
Common Blue Damselfly Enallagma cyathigerum [Common Bluet]
Blue-tailed Damselfly Ischnura elegans [Common Bluetail]
$ unidentified green hawker-type dragonfly in flight only
Lacewings:
*lacewing Chrysopa perla
*lacewing Chrysopa perla
Other flies:
Black Snipefly Chrysopilus cristatus
dagger fly Empis tessellata
Scorpion Fly Panorpa sp.
Yellow Dung Fly Scathophaga stercoraria
plus
usual other boring and / or strange flies
Black Snipefly Chrysopilus cristatus
dagger fly Empis tessellata
Scorpion Fly Panorpa sp.
Yellow Dung Fly Scathophaga stercoraria
plus
usual other boring and / or strange flies
Bugs:
none
none
Beetles:
7 Spot Ladybird Coccinella 7-punctata
larvae of Harlequin Ladybird Harmonia axyridis: fewer
Swollen-thighed Beetle Oedemera nobilis [False Oil Beetle or Thick-legged Flower Beetle]
7 Spot Ladybird Coccinella 7-punctata
larvae of Harlequin Ladybird Harmonia axyridis: fewer
Swollen-thighed Beetle Oedemera nobilis [False Oil Beetle or Thick-legged Flower Beetle]
Spiders, harvestmen etc.:
none
none
New flowers for the year:
None
Zoomed in on the hazy sun. Strange there are no obvious sun-spots. I thought the recent Northern Lights activity was due to it being a time of peak sunspot activity.
The Common Buzzard searching for food on the south-west grass with two Canada Geese keeping a watchful eye.
You had to be there. From this angle this does not look at all like a Blackcap, albeit a female or juvenile with a brown cap.
One day I will get a very clear shot of one of the many Common Marble moths Celypha lacunana. Until then this is about my best...
A push-me-pull-you! Obsidentify suggested the sawfly Macrophya montana which is not in NatureSpot. I checked with Steven Falk's Flickr collection and they do indeed look a good match for what Steven calls Yellow-spotted Macrophya.
A side-elevation shot of this mating pair shows the larger female on the left. This species is dimorphic - the males and females differ with the male having white on his legs and the female yellow. A new species for me.
(Ed Wilson)
In the Priorslee Avenue tunnel:
(140th visit of the year)
Bird notes:
- so where did all the geese go? They are back now. Most odd is that a few are clearly in advance wing moult and would appear to be unable to fly anywhere.
- the dead Mute Swan was nowhere to be seen. Thanks to a post on the Priorslee Community Notice Board it seems that it is probably the relatively newly arrived cob. The cause of its demise is unclear.
- the number of Mallard seems improbable though there were many on roofs all around the area including the "second row" of roofs. Did some fly around unseen?
- a trio of Tufted Duck were new arrivals.
- only one Great Crested Grebe noted.
- a Grey Heron – my first here for many weeks – was standing on the roof of a house in Derwent Drive no doubt checking out any garden ponds. It was camera-shy and flew down behind the houses. Anyone lost their Koi Carp?
Bird(s) noted flying over here:
The adult Mute Swan with the cygnet. Now a puzzle: a posting on the Priorslee Community Notice Board suggested that the cob was the bird that had died. It showed a photo of the green-ringed pen with the cygnet though there was no indication as to when that photo was taken. When I shot this photo I did so because it seemed to me the size of the swelling at the base of the adult's bill suggested it was a cob. And....
...this not entirely conclusive shot of the leg fails to show any sign of the green Darvic ring (it was on the left leg of the pen: the new cob was unringed). Although I did not take a photo this bird's right leg was right out of the water earlier and showed no sign of the metal BTO ring that should be on the opposite leg to the green Darvic ring. The story continues...
Two of the several unidentified flies I noted here. This is one of the Dolichopus species of long-legged flies.
(Ed Wilson)
Woodhouse Lane: 07:55 – 09:05
(5th visit of the year)
A wander down the lane and back. The main notable was the clouds of grass pollen being given off as the breeze blew. I am glad I do not suffer from hay-fever.
Bird notes of interest (ignoring Robins, Wrens, tits etc.):
- 2 Pheasants heard
- 1 (1♂) Mallard in one of the storm pools
- 2 Stock Doves
- 2 (2) Chiffchaffs
- 2 (2) Common Whitethroats
- 1 (1) Song Thrush
- 1 (1) Pied Wagtail
- 2 (1) Chaffinches
- 1 Linnet fly-over
- 3 Goldfinches
- *3 (2) Yellowhammers
- *1 (1) Reed Bunting: singing from the middle of a large field of ripening oil-seed rape or similar.
NB: no Skylark seen or heard
Noted around the area:
A "punk" Yellowhammer. This is a male – it sang shortly after I took this photo. The bright yellow of Spring is fading as the activity of being a father wears the feathers.
I found two of these Green Oak Tortrix moths Tortrix viridiana – my first of the year and the only moths I noted in Woodhouse Lane. I expected find many grass moths: these seem scarce so far this year.
An ichneumon, most probably Amblyteles armatorius. There was another exciting-looking but smaller black-and-yellow "wasp" flying around. It would not land for me.
This is a Migrant Field Syrph hoverfly Eupeodes corollae with moustache-shaped yellow marks that wrap around the side of the abdomen. The epithet "migrant" is a bit of a misnomer as they are no more migratory than many other species of hoverfly. Also some generations are born in the UK.
A splendid fly. Very hairy, a rufous patch on the sides of the abdomen and orange bases to the wings. It is the Tachinid fly Eriothrix rufomaculata.
A "greenbottle" and a very bright green one at that. Greenbottle is a generic name for green flies from several different groups of fly and I cannot specifically identify most of them.
An adult 7 Spot Ladybird Coccinella 7-punctata. I noted at least 20 of these. Strangely I did not see a single Harlequin in Woodhouse Lane. This one is typically red.
A smart Zebra Spider Salticus scenicus with the wings of an unfortunate midge sticking out of its mouth.
This is Scentless Mayweed Matricaria perforata. The only way I know of telling it is scentless is to crush some leaves. It was.
I can always rely on finding Common Poppies Papaver rhoeas among the crops in the field as well as along the edges. The seeds of this flower are almost indestructible and can survive in the ground for many years until they decide to germinate.
Common Comfrey Symphytum officinale grows along the roadside of Woodhouse Lane – at least it does until the farmer cuts the verges.
(Ed Wilson)
2009
Priorslee Lake
7 Reed Warblers
2 Willow Warbler
(Ed Wilson)
2007
Priorslee Lake
3 Great Crested Grebe
1 Ruddy Duck
1 Great Spotted Woodpecker
2 House Martin
2 Swallow
Reed Warbler
1 Sedge Warbler
3 Blackcap
1 Garden Warbler
2 Willow Warbler
3 Chiffchaff
4 Bullfinch
2 Reed Bunting
(Martin Adlam)
2006
Priorslee Lake
4 Great Crested Grebes
1 Heron
2 Cormorants
2 Tufted Ducks
1 Kestrel
3 Stock Dove
3 Swift
4 Swallow
11 House Martin
6 Reed Warblers
1 Lesser Whitethroat
9 Blackcap
5 Chiffchaff
7 Greenfinch
3 Bullfinch
6 Reed Bunting
(Ed Wilson)
Soon after sunrise with again a hazy sky. I read that this is due to smoke from the wildfires in Canada.
Thank goodness for cameras. I would never have been confident about 12 Mallard ducklings without "freezing" their skittering about. These look to be several days old to me.
A touch of brown showing as it turns its head.
Zoomed in. Is there a hint of a gape line suggesting this is a juvenile?
...or perhaps this one?
My first Dark-saddled Leucozona hoverfly Leucozona laternaria this year.
My clearest shot yet of the rather skittish lacewings Chrysopa perla.
(Ed Wilson)
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
In the Priorslee Avenue tunnel:
Flies
15 midges of various species.
(Ed Wilson)
The Flash: 06:15 – 07:15
15 midges of various species.
(Ed Wilson)
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Flash: 06:15 – 07:15
(140th visit of the year)
Bird notes:
- so where did all the geese go? They are back now. Most odd is that a few are clearly in advance wing moult and would appear to be unable to fly anywhere.
- the dead Mute Swan was nowhere to be seen. Thanks to a post on the Priorslee Community Notice Board it seems that it is probably the relatively newly arrived cob. The cause of its demise is unclear.
- the number of Mallard seems improbable though there were many on roofs all around the area including the "second row" of roofs. Did some fly around unseen?
- a trio of Tufted Duck were new arrivals.
- only one Great Crested Grebe noted.
- a Grey Heron – my first here for many weeks – was standing on the roof of a house in Derwent Drive no doubt checking out any garden ponds. It was camera-shy and flew down behind the houses. Anyone lost their Koi Carp?
Bird(s) noted flying over here:
None
Noted on / around the water:
- 143 Canada Geese
- 12 Greylag Geese
- 1 mainly white feral goose
- *5 + 1 (1 brood) Mute Swans
- 35 (25♂) Mallard
- 3 Moorhens
- 24 + 3 (1 brood) Coots
- 1 Great Crested Grebe
- 1 Grey Heron: see notes
Hirundines etc. noted:
- 6 Swifts
Warblers recorded (the figure in brackets is birds noted singing):
- 4 (3) Chiffchaffs
- 2 (2) Blackcaps
Noted around the area:
Noted on / around the water:
- 143 Canada Geese
- 12 Greylag Geese
- 1 mainly white feral goose
- *5 + 1 (1 brood) Mute Swans
- 35 (25♂) Mallard
- 3 Moorhens
- 24 + 3 (1 brood) Coots
- 1 Great Crested Grebe
- 1 Grey Heron: see notes
Hirundines etc. noted:
- 6 Swifts
Warblers recorded (the figure in brackets is birds noted singing):
- 4 (3) Chiffchaffs
- 2 (2) Blackcaps
Noted around the area:
Moths
1 Common Nettle-tap Anthophila fabriciana
1 Common Nettle-tap Anthophila fabriciana
Bees, wasps etc.:
Garden Bumblebee Bombus hortorum
Early Bumblebee Bombus pratorum
*Buff-tailed Bumblebee Bombus terrestris
Common Wasp Paravespula vulgaris
Garden Bumblebee Bombus hortorum
Early Bumblebee Bombus pratorum
*Buff-tailed Bumblebee Bombus terrestris
Common Wasp Paravespula vulgaris
Hoverflies:
none
none
Other flies:
numerous different midges and flies
numerous different midges and flies
Bugs:
nymph of Red Bug Deraeocoris ruber
nymph of Red Bug Deraeocoris ruber
Beetles:
larvae of Harlequin Ladybird Harmonia axyridis
adult Harlequin Ladybird Harmonia axyridis var. succinea
larvae of Harlequin Ladybird Harmonia axyridis
adult Harlequin Ladybird Harmonia axyridis var. succinea
Spiders, harvestmen etc.:
1 female harvestman Leiobunum rotundum
1 female harvestman Leiobunum rotundum
Close up and personal with a Buff-tailed Bumblebee Bombus terrestris
While this has long legs it is not in the same family. I cannot suggest further.
(Ed Wilson)
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Woodhouse Lane: 07:55 – 09:05
(5th visit of the year)
A wander down the lane and back. The main notable was the clouds of grass pollen being given off as the breeze blew. I am glad I do not suffer from hay-fever.
Bird notes of interest (ignoring Robins, Wrens, tits etc.):
- 2 Pheasants heard
- 1 (1♂) Mallard in one of the storm pools
- 2 Stock Doves
- 2 (2) Chiffchaffs
- 2 (2) Common Whitethroats
- 1 (1) Song Thrush
- 1 (1) Pied Wagtail
- 2 (1) Chaffinches
- 1 Linnet fly-over
- 3 Goldfinches
- *3 (2) Yellowhammers
- *1 (1) Reed Bunting: singing from the middle of a large field of ripening oil-seed rape or similar.
NB: no Skylark seen or heard
Noted around the area:
Moths
*2 $ Green Oak Tortrix Tortrix viridiana
*2 $ Green Oak Tortrix Tortrix viridiana
Bees, wasps etc.:
Garden Bumblebee Bombus hortorum
Early Bumblebee Bombus pratorum
Common Wasp Paravespula vulgaris
*ichneumon, probably Amblyteles armatorius
Garden Bumblebee Bombus hortorum
Early Bumblebee Bombus pratorum
Common Wasp Paravespula vulgaris
*ichneumon, probably Amblyteles armatorius
Hoverflies:
Marmalade Hoverfly Episyrphus balteatus
Common Dronefly Eristalis tenax
*Migrant Field Syrph Eupeodes corollae [Migrant Hoverfly; Migrant Aphideater]
Tiger Hoverfly Helophilus pendulus
Spotted Meliscaeva Meliscaeva auricollis [Spotted Thintail]
Syrphus sp. S. ribesii / S. vitripennis
Marmalade Hoverfly Episyrphus balteatus
Common Dronefly Eristalis tenax
*Migrant Field Syrph Eupeodes corollae [Migrant Hoverfly; Migrant Aphideater]
Tiger Hoverfly Helophilus pendulus
Spotted Meliscaeva Meliscaeva auricollis [Spotted Thintail]
Syrphus sp. S. ribesii / S. vitripennis
Dragon-/Damsel-flies:
Common Blue Damselfly Enallagma cyathigerum [Common Bluet]
Common Blue Damselfly Enallagma cyathigerum [Common Bluet]
Other flies:
*$ Tachinid fly Eriothrix rufomaculata
Yellow Dung Fly Scathophaga stercoraria
Common Crane-fly Tipula oleracea
plus numerous different midges and flies
*$ Tachinid fly Eriothrix rufomaculata
Yellow Dung Fly Scathophaga stercoraria
Common Crane-fly Tipula oleracea
plus numerous different midges and flies
Bugs:
Red-and-Black Froghopper Cercopis vulnerata
Red-and-Black Froghopper Cercopis vulnerata
Beetles:
*7 Spot Ladybird Coccinella 7-punctata: adults – at least 20; larvae - at least five
*ladybird pupae to be identified but probably the same species
*7 Spot Ladybird Coccinella 7-punctata: adults – at least 20; larvae - at least five
*ladybird pupae to be identified but probably the same species
Spiders, harvestmen etc.:
*Zebra Spider Salticus scenicus
Long-jawed Orb-web Spider Tetragnatha sp.
*Zebra Spider Salticus scenicus
Long-jawed Orb-web Spider Tetragnatha sp.
New flowers:
*$ Scentless Mayweed Matricaria perforata
*$ Common Poppy Papaver rhoeas
*$ Common Comfrey Symphytum officinale
The underwing view: much the same: blue-grey with a dark border. A smaller bird than a Wood Pigeon with a smaller head.
Not entirely unexpected as I have seen and heard Reed Buntings in these fields in previous years. There are no reeds here in the middle of acres of oil seed rape or similar! It was in full song whereas the three territories around the lake are now silent.
*$ Scentless Mayweed Matricaria perforata
*$ Common Poppy Papaver rhoeas
*$ Common Comfrey Symphytum officinale
A Stock Dove in flight. No white in the blue-grey wing with dark bordering.
Another view of the same individual.
Many of them were this rather faded pale red. Yellow specimens are not unknown.
This is a larva of the 7 Spot Ladybird.
Not sure about this pupa. Probably also of a 7 Spot Ladybird.
(Ed Wilson)
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Priorslee Lake
7 Reed Warblers
2 Willow Warbler
(Ed Wilson)
2007
Priorslee Lake
3 Great Crested Grebe
1 Ruddy Duck
1 Great Spotted Woodpecker
2 House Martin
2 Swallow
Reed Warbler
1 Sedge Warbler
3 Blackcap
1 Garden Warbler
2 Willow Warbler
3 Chiffchaff
4 Bullfinch
2 Reed Bunting
(Martin Adlam)
2006
Priorslee Lake
4 Great Crested Grebes
1 Heron
2 Cormorants
2 Tufted Ducks
1 Kestrel
3 Stock Dove
3 Swift
4 Swallow
11 House Martin
6 Reed Warblers
1 Lesser Whitethroat
9 Blackcap
5 Chiffchaff
7 Greenfinch
3 Bullfinch
6 Reed Bunting
(Ed Wilson)