14.0°C > 20.0°C: A few wisps of high cloud otherwise wall-to-wall sun. Very light wind. Very good visibility.
Sunrise: 04:59 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: 05:00 – 06:20 // 07:40 – 09:40
(167th visit of the year)
Bird notes:
- more Canada Geese have arrived.
- both resident Mute Swans were out and about much of the time.
- *five groups of Mallard ducklings seen again: a single; a duo; [the familiar group of four not noted]; back to ten well-grown birds; a group of five; and yesterday's new brood of eight still present. The bumper number of 28 "adults" may include some now full-grown ducklings. This has been by far and away the best year for both the number of broods and the survival rate.
- A duck Tufted Duck appeared briefly.
- *two Little Grebes, apparently both adults, were seen off the south-west grass but disappeared as soon as the first dog-walkers appeared.
- still three juvenile Great Crested Grebes in one recent brood. There are two juveniles in the brood first sighted yesterday. So there are four pairs with juveniles and also a 'spare pair' - 10 adults..
- a single Swift appeared over, circled several times to judge the wind strength and direction, and then swooped down for a drink and flew away.
- four different Coal Tits heard on my first lap. Several on the second lap from different locations assumed to be birds moving around rather than new records.
- Marsh Tit(s) heard with one seen in trees alongside the start of Teece Drive.
- the Cetti's Warbler was heard just once.
- no Garden Warbler seen or heard.
- *a Common Whitethroat was seen and heard.
Bird(s) noted flying over here:
- 1 Stock Dove
- 64 Wood Pigeons
- no gulls
- 21 Jackdaws
- 59 Rooks
Counts from the lake area:
- 12 + 1 (1 brood) Canada Geese
- 1 Greylag Goose
- 2 Mute Swans
- *28 (?♂) + 26 (5 broods) Mallard: see notes
- 1 (0♂) Tufted Duck: briefly
- 8 + 1 (1 brood) Moorhens
- 93 adult and juvenile Coots: more late new broods
- *2 Little Grebes
- *10 + 7 (4 broods) Great Crested Grebes: see notes
- 4 Black-headed Gulls
- 1 Herring Gull
- 4 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 1 Grey Heron: departed
Hirundines etc. noted:
- 1 Swift
Warblers recorded (the figure in brackets is birds noted singing):
- 1 (1) Cetti's Warbler
- 12 (8) Chiffchaffs
- *8 (7) Reed Warblers
- 6 (5) Blackcaps
- no Garden Warblers
- *1 (0) Common Whitethroat
Noted on the West end street lamp poles around-dawn:
Moths:
*1 Common Zebra Moth Helcystogramma rufescens [was Orange Crest] [species #67]
*1 Common Zebra Moth Helcystogramma rufescens [was Orange Crest] [species #67]
Earwigs etc.:
*1 Common European Earwig Forficula dentata : in spider's web!
*1 Common European Earwig Forficula dentata : in spider's web!
Spiders, harvestmen etc.:
None
Noted later:
Apart from a blizzard of butterflies insects were none too plentiful
Noted later:
Apart from a blizzard of butterflies insects were none too plentiful
Butterflies:
*Small Skipper Thymelicus sylvestris: 1 very faded
*Large White Pieris brassicae
Small White Pieris rapae
Green-veined White Pieris napi
Speckled Wood Pararge aegeria
Ringlet Aphantopus hyperantus
Meadow Brown Maniola jurtina
Gatekeeper Pyronia tithonus
*Comma Polygonia c-album
*Small Copper Lycaena phlaeas
*Holly Blue Celastrina argiolus
*Small Skipper Thymelicus sylvestris: 1 very faded
*Large White Pieris brassicae
Small White Pieris rapae
Green-veined White Pieris napi
Speckled Wood Pararge aegeria
Ringlet Aphantopus hyperantus
Meadow Brown Maniola jurtina
Gatekeeper Pyronia tithonus
*Comma Polygonia c-album
*Small Copper Lycaena phlaeas
*Holly Blue Celastrina argiolus
Moths [63 species here before today; xxx addition today]
*$ >12 Horse-chestnut Leaf-miners Cameraria ohridella
*17 Cinnabar Tyria jacobaeae caterpillars: 10 on one plant; seven on another at the opposite end
a few other moths "got away and hid from the sun (and me)
*$ >12 Horse-chestnut Leaf-miners Cameraria ohridella
*17 Cinnabar Tyria jacobaeae caterpillars: 10 on one plant; seven on another at the opposite end
a few other moths "got away and hid from the sun (and me)
Bees, wasps etc.:
Honey Bee Apis mellifera
Common Carder Bee Bombus pascuorum
Buff-tailed Bumblebee Bombus terrestris
Common Wasp Paravespula vulgaris
Honey Bee Apis mellifera
Common Carder Bee Bombus pascuorum
Buff-tailed Bumblebee Bombus terrestris
Common Wasp Paravespula vulgaris
Hoverflies:
Bumblebee Blacklet Cheilosia illustrata [Bumblebee Blacklet]
Marmalade Hoverfly Episyrphus balteatus
Tapered Dronefly Eristalis pertinax
Migrant Field Syrph Eupeodes corollae [Migrant Hoverfly; Migrant Aphideater]
Common Spotted Field Syrph Eupeodes luniger [Lunuled Aphideater]
Chequered Hoverfly Melanostoma scalare [Long-winged Duskyface]
*Common Pipiza Pipiza noctiluca [Common Pithead]
Syrphus sp. S. ribesii / S. vitripennis
Bumblebee Blacklet Cheilosia illustrata [Bumblebee Blacklet]
Marmalade Hoverfly Episyrphus balteatus
Tapered Dronefly Eristalis pertinax
Migrant Field Syrph Eupeodes corollae [Migrant Hoverfly; Migrant Aphideater]
Common Spotted Field Syrph Eupeodes luniger [Lunuled Aphideater]
Chequered Hoverfly Melanostoma scalare [Long-winged Duskyface]
*Common Pipiza Pipiza noctiluca [Common Pithead]
Syrphus sp. S. ribesii / S. vitripennis
Dragon-/Damsel-flies:
Common Blue Damselfly Enallagma cyathigerum [Common Bluet]
still no Azure Damselflies
Common Blue Damselfly Enallagma cyathigerum [Common Bluet]
still no Azure Damselflies
Lacewings, caddis flies etc.:
none
none
Other flies:
none specifically identified
plus
as usual many unidentified flies of many different species
none specifically identified
plus
as usual many unidentified flies of many different species
Bugs:
none
none
Beetles:
Alder Leaf Beetle Agelastica alni
7 Spot Ladybird Coccinella 7-punctata
Harlequin Ladybird Harmonia axyridis var. succinea
Common Red Soldier Beetle Rhagonycha fulva
*Spotted Longhorn Beetle Rutpela maculata [formerly Strangalia maculata]
Alder Leaf Beetle Agelastica alni
7 Spot Ladybird Coccinella 7-punctata
Harlequin Ladybird Harmonia axyridis var. succinea
Common Red Soldier Beetle Rhagonycha fulva
*Spotted Longhorn Beetle Rutpela maculata [formerly Strangalia maculata]
Slugs, snails etc.:
White-lipped Snail Cepaea hortensis
White-lipped Snail Cepaea hortensis
Mammal:
1 bat sp. high over estate to the north-east
1 bat sp. high over estate to the north-east
Amphibians:
none
none
Spiders, harvestmen etc.:
none
none
New plants for the year:
None
It was only the photo that allowed me to see all eight of the Mallard ducklings as they zoomed about. They were more ordered than yesterday though.
Across the width of the water here are two summer-plumaged and hence adult Little Grebes. They disappeared as soon as the dog-walkers arrived. How these relate to the calls heard occasionally along the North side is unclear. A Coot looks on.
The food in close-up. I can almost identify the cranefly! This is zoomed in and enlarged and I was not that close to or hassling the bird.
Another "angry bird" photo, this time of a Common Whitethroat. The bill is open as it emits a quiet alarm call to warn others of danger.
A very worn and faded Small Skipper butterfly Thymelicus sylvestris:. The antennae tips are not solid black so it is not an Essex Skipper T. lineola.
Most of the very many "white" butterflies I saw this morning were, like this, Large Whites Pieris brassicae : this is a female with two spots on each upper wing. I did manage to see at least one Small White P. rapae and Green-veined White P. napi.
A Small Copper Lycaena phlaeas. This must be from a second brood as I last saw this species here in early May.
At last a "blue" butterfly found at rest and I discover it is a Holly Blue Celastrina argiolus which likely means I have been mis-identifying the fly-by Common Blue butterflies the last few days.
Success at only my second attempt! A photograph of a tiny (5mm [0.2"]) Horse-chestnut Leaf-miner moth Cameraria ohridella, the larvae of which are the culprits of the damage to the leaves of the tree. While this does not directly affect the tree it must impact the tree's ability to photosynthesise. The species name "ohridella" derives from Lake Ohrid, situated between Macedonia and Albania and from where the moth was first described in 1984 (though it was later found in a Greek collection dated 1879). It has recently spread rapidly through Europe reaching Southern England c.2005 and now extends in to Scotland.
Four Rugby-shirted Cinnabar Tyria jacobaeae caterpillars here. There were ten on this plant and I found another seven on a different Common Ragwort Jacobaea vulgaris plant at the other end of the water. My best year for these caterpillars.
This hoverfly may be a Common Pipiza Pipiza noctiluca. There is little information about this group even on Steven Falk's Flickr pages. The resting position with wings akimbo is noted as typical.
It was not entirely clear from ground level exactly what was trussed up in the spider's web on one of the street lights. A photo revealed the pincers identifying it as a Common European Earwig Forficula dentata. How did it get up there?
Difficult lighting here but you can make out the Spotted Longhorn Beetle Rutpela maculata on White Clover Trifolium repens well-enough.
(Ed Wilson)
In the Priorslee Avenue tunnel:
A female Ghost Moth Hepialus humuli. I have inverted the photo for easier viewing: it was on the ceiling of the tunnel.
One of two small unidentified spiders and another winner for Obsidentify which gave entirely a wrong answer even if I don't know what species it is.
(Ed Wilson)
The Flash: 06:25 – 07:35
(165th visit of the year)
Bird notes:
- yesterday's two Shoveler not re-found
- *just one Mallard duckling noted. This seemed too small to be a remnant of the brood of two seen last week.
- 17 Tufted Duck of which 15 appeared to be drakes in various stages of moult
- three Great Crested Grebes to confuse. Two at the top end, one of which was sitting on what might be a nest platform. The third bird was near the island and heard calling several times but I could not see who to!
Bird(s) noted flying over here:
- 6 Jackdaws
Noted on / around the water:
- 131 Canada Geese
- 58 Greylag Geese
- 6 Mute Swans
- *8 (?♂) + 1 (1 brood) Mallard: see notes
- 17 (15♂) Tufted Duck
- 6 + 1 (1 brood) Moorhens
- 70 + 7 (4 broods) Coots
- 3 Great Crested Grebes: see notes
Hirundines etc. noted:
Similarly I had to resort to the camera to find all ten of the well-grown ducklings here.
That is a big breakfast being brought to one of the Great Crested Grebe juveniles.
An adult Reed Warbler with food for the youngsters.
A sweetie really.
"Are you taking my photo?"
A big butterfly day today. We have not seen a Comma Polygonia c-album for a few days.
This moth is a Common Zebra Moth Helcystogramma rufescens though not looking at all striped here.
(Ed Wilson)
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
In the Priorslee Avenue tunnel:
Moths: [26 species here before today; one addition]
*1 female Ghost Moth Hepialus humuli
1 Brown House-moth Hofmannophila pseudospretella
1 Early Thorn Selenia dentaria
*1 female Ghost Moth Hepialus humuli
1 Brown House-moth Hofmannophila pseudospretella
1 Early Thorn Selenia dentaria
Flies:
1 Banded Mosquito Culiseta annulata
1 cranefly Tipula sp.
4 moth flies Psychodidae sp. [Drain Fly or Owl Fly]
10 midges of various species.
1 Banded Mosquito Culiseta annulata
1 cranefly Tipula sp.
4 moth flies Psychodidae sp. [Drain Fly or Owl Fly]
10 midges of various species.
Spiders, harvestmen etc.:
*2 small unidentified spiders
*1 $ harvestman Opilio canestrinii
*2 small unidentified spiders
*1 $ harvestman Opilio canestrinii
My first harvestman Opilio canestrinii of the season. The black 'knees' help identify this species.
(Ed Wilson)
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Flash: 06:25 – 07:35
(165th visit of the year)
Bird notes:
- yesterday's two Shoveler not re-found
- *just one Mallard duckling noted. This seemed too small to be a remnant of the brood of two seen last week.
- 17 Tufted Duck of which 15 appeared to be drakes in various stages of moult
- three Great Crested Grebes to confuse. Two at the top end, one of which was sitting on what might be a nest platform. The third bird was near the island and heard calling several times but I could not see who to!
Bird(s) noted flying over here:
- 6 Jackdaws
Noted on / around the water:
- 131 Canada Geese
- 58 Greylag Geese
- 6 Mute Swans
- *8 (?♂) + 1 (1 brood) Mallard: see notes
- 17 (15♂) Tufted Duck
- 6 + 1 (1 brood) Moorhens
- 70 + 7 (4 broods) Coots
- 3 Great Crested Grebes: see notes
Hirundines etc. noted:
None
Warblers recorded (the figure in brackets is birds noted singing):
- 3 (3) Chiffchaffs
- 4 (4) Blackcaps
Noted around the area:
Warblers recorded (the figure in brackets is birds noted singing):
- 3 (3) Chiffchaffs
- 4 (4) Blackcaps
Noted around the area:
Butterflies:
none
none
Moths [on street lamp poles and in the grass] [50 species here before today; one addition today]
none: a few grass moths "got away"
none: a few grass moths "got away"
Bees, wasps etc.:
Common Carder Bee Bombus pascuorum
Common Wasp Paravespula vulgaris
Common Carder Bee Bombus pascuorum
Common Wasp Paravespula vulgaris
Hoverflies:
Marmalade Hoverfly Episyrphus balteatus
Meadow Field Syrph Eupeodes latifasciatus [Broad-banded Aphideater]
Common Spotted Field Syrph Eupeodes luniger [Lunuled Aphideater]
Chequered Hoverfly Melanostoma scalare [Long-winged Duskyface]
Marmalade Hoverfly Episyrphus balteatus
Meadow Field Syrph Eupeodes latifasciatus [Broad-banded Aphideater]
Common Spotted Field Syrph Eupeodes luniger [Lunuled Aphideater]
Chequered Hoverfly Melanostoma scalare [Long-winged Duskyface]
Dragon-/Damsel-flies:
none
none
Lacewings, caddis flies etc.:
*1 caddisfly, possibly Molanna angustata
*1 caddisfly, possibly Molanna angustata
Other flies:
numerous different midges and flies
numerous different midges and flies
Bugs:
*$$ possible Tarnished Plant Bug Lygus rugulipennis
Mirid bug Plagiognathus arbustorum
*$$ possible Tarnished Plant Bug Lygus rugulipennis
Mirid bug Plagiognathus arbustorum
Beetles:
larvae of Alder Leaf Beetle Agelastica alni
Common Red Soldier Beetle Rhagonycha fulva
larvae of Alder Leaf Beetle Agelastica alni
Common Red Soldier Beetle Rhagonycha fulva
Spiders, harvestmen etc.:
*1 Cucumber Green Orb Spider Araniella sp. either A. cucurbitina or A. opisthographa
2 harvestmen Leiobunum blackwalli/rotundum
*1 Cucumber Green Orb Spider Araniella sp. either A. cucurbitina or A. opisthographa
2 harvestmen Leiobunum blackwalli/rotundum
New flowers for the year:
None
Mrs. Mallard blinked as I took the photo of her with just one small duckling. Surely too small to be the ducklings seen last week?
Obsidentify was 95% sure this bug is a Tarnished Plant Bug Lygus rugulipennis , a recent colonist and now widespread. NatureSpot urges caution as there are three similar species in the genus that are difficult to separate. It is a new species for me whatever it is!
Yet another winner from Obsidentify and it is a good job I know this spider. It is a Cucumber Green Orb Spider Araniella sp. either A. cucurbitina or A. opisthographa . These two species are not separable from photos.
(Ed Wilson)
2009
Priorslee Lake
12 Swifts
1 Lesser Whitethroat
(Ed Wilson)
The Flash
3 Great Crested Grebes
201 Canada Geese
4 Tufted Duck
(Ed Wilson)
2007
Priorslee Lake
After 29 days the 5 remaining Mute Swan Cygnets are still going strong. Last year, as you may recall, we had 9 but ended up with just 1, after a Mink devastated the family. This year it has been Mink clear and even though we lost 2 within the first two days, these guys I think will do really well.
(Martin Adlam)
Another view to show how small and delicate Chequered Hoverflies Melanostoma scalare are.
Only a tentative identity on this caddisfly. Perhaps Molanna angustata.
(Ed Wilson)
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2009
Priorslee Lake
12 Swifts
1 Lesser Whitethroat
(Ed Wilson)
The Flash
3 Great Crested Grebes
201 Canada Geese
4 Tufted Duck
(Ed Wilson)
2007
Priorslee Lake
After 29 days the 5 remaining Mute Swan Cygnets are still going strong. Last year, as you may recall, we had 9 but ended up with just 1, after a Mink devastated the family. This year it has been Mink clear and even though we lost 2 within the first two days, these guys I think will do really well.
(Martin Adlam)