15.0°C > 16.0°C: Mostly overcast at medium-high level; some occasional light rain c.07:15 and c.08:30. Mainly light north-westerly breeze. Very good visibility, less during rain.
Sunrise: 05:22 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: 05:05 – 06:30 // 07:40 – 09:45
(183rd visit of the year)
Bird notes:
- today one Canada and one Greylag Goose stayed put with two Canadas and five Greylags departing as I was arriving. As the geese were returning from the East 16 Canada Geese flew on with eventually 66 Canada Geese and 14 Greylag Geese present.
- two quite small Mallard ducklings were noted without any obvious adult in attendance.
- the duck Pochard missing again.
- the same three juvenile Great Crested Grebes as yesterday were all that were found again .
- a lone Blackbird was heard to sing just once and briefly at c.08:00.
- at least two Cetti's Warblers was heard calling along the North side on my first lap only.
- several small groups of Reed Warblers were seen and heard away from the reeds. The calls of the juveniles were reported by Merlin as "Tree Sparrow". I wish.
- no Garden Warbler or Lesser Whitethroat were seen or heard.
- an adult male Common Whitethroat was at the West hedge between the footpath and the Ricoh ground. Its location suggests it might be a returning bird moving through rather than one of the breeding birds.
- yet I heard a tit call just twice. Ii might just have been the elusive Marsh Tit. I have again decided to "let it go".
Bird(s) noted flying over here:
- 24 Canada Geese: an octet outbound; 16 inbound together
- 8 Greylag Geese: a single and a septet outbound
- 104 Wood Pigeons
- 1 Herring Gull again
- 5 Lesser Black-baked Gulls
- 52 Jackdaws
- 48 Rooks
Counts from the lake area:
- 66 Canada Geese: see notes
- 14 Greylag Geese: see notes
- 2 Mute Swans
- 19 (?♂) + 2 (1 brood) Mallard: see notes
- 9+ 4 (2 dependent broods) Moorhens
- 111 Coots
- 7 + 3 (2 broods) Great Crested Grebes: see notes
- 11 Black-headed Gulls: no juveniles
- 2 Lesser Black-baked Gulls
- 1 Grey Heron
Hirundines etc. noted:
- 1 Barn Swallow
- 5 House Martins high to the north-east: where from and to?
Warblers recorded (the figure in brackets is birds noted singing):
- 2 (0) Cetti's Warblers
- 9 (0) Chiffchaffs
- 7 (1) Reed Warblers
- 3 (0) Blackcaps
- 1 (0) Common Whitethroat
Noted on the West end street lamp poles around-dawn:
Four-winged flies – Lacewings, Caddisflies etc.:
*1 Common Green Lacewing Chrysoperia carnea
Noted later:
Very little in cloudy weather
*1 Common Green Lacewing Chrysoperia carnea
Noted later:
Very little in cloudy weather
Butterflies:
Gatekeeper Pyronia tithonus
Gatekeeper Pyronia tithonus
Moths
*9 Straw Grass-moth Agriphila straminella [was Straw Grass-veneer]
>15 unidentified grass moths, possibly all this species
*9 Straw Grass-moth Agriphila straminella [was Straw Grass-veneer]
>15 unidentified grass moths, possibly all this species
Bees, wasps etc.:
Common Wasp Paravespula vulgaris
*Turnip Sawfly Athalia rosae
Common Wasp Paravespula vulgaris
*Turnip Sawfly Athalia rosae
Hoverflies:
Marmalade Hoverfly Episyrphus balteatus
Chequered Hoverfly Melanostoma scalare [Long-winged Duskyface]
Marmalade Hoverfly Episyrphus balteatus
Chequered Hoverfly Melanostoma scalare [Long-winged Duskyface]
Dragon-/Damsel-flies:
*Common Blue Damselfly Enallagma cyathigerum [Common Bluet]
*Common Blue Damselfly Enallagma cyathigerum [Common Bluet]
Four-winged flies – Lacewings, Caddisflies etc.:
none
none
Other flies:
*muscid fly Phaonia rufiventris
Grass Fly or Yellow Swarming Fly Thaumatomyia notata
otherwise only unidentified fly species
*muscid fly Phaonia rufiventris
Grass Fly or Yellow Swarming Fly Thaumatomyia notata
otherwise only unidentified fly species
Bugs etc.:
*myrid bug Orthotylus sp.
*myrid bug Orthotylus sp.
Beetles:
*$$ probable Ragwort Flea Beetle Longitarsus jacobaeae
*Common Red Soldier Beetle Rhagonycha fulva
*$$ probable Ragwort Flea Beetle Longitarsus jacobaeae
*Common Red Soldier Beetle Rhagonycha fulva
Amphibians:
None
None
Spiders, harvestmen etc.:
None
None
New plants for the year:
None
And another. You will be pleased to know I am not going to show the other seven!
A male Common Blue Damselfly Enallagma cyathigerum.
And another – this one an immature with the blue colour not fully developed especially around the thorax.
Common Green Lacewing Chrysoperia carnea.
If only all flies were this easy! The muscid fly Phaonia rufiventris.
On my hand is one of the difficult to identify myrid bugs from the Orthotylus genus.
A well-posed Common Red Soldier Beetle Rhagonycha fulva.
(Ed Wilson)
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In the Priorslee Avenue tunnel:
Moths: [34 species here before today; at least one addition]
*1 $ Dusky Pearl Udea prunalis
*1 Small Fan-footed Wave Idaea biselata
1 Single-dotted Wave Idaea dimidiata
1 moth still to be identified but possibly a Cloaked Minor Mesoligia furuncula
*1 $ Dusky Pearl Udea prunalis
*1 Small Fan-footed Wave Idaea biselata
1 Single-dotted Wave Idaea dimidiata
1 moth still to be identified but possibly a Cloaked Minor Mesoligia furuncula
Flies:
*1 female Banded Mosquito Culiseta annulata
8 moth flies Psychodidae sp. [Drain Fly or Owl Fly]
22 midges of various species.
*1 female Banded Mosquito Culiseta annulata
8 moth flies Psychodidae sp. [Drain Fly or Owl Fly]
22 midges of various species.
Arthropods:
2 White-legged Snake Millipedes Tachypodoiulus niger
2 White-legged Snake Millipedes Tachypodoiulus niger
Spiders, harvestmen etc.:
1 Missing Sector Orb-web Spider Zygiella x-notata [Silver-sided Sector Spider]
1 Missing Sector Orb-web Spider Zygiella x-notata [Silver-sided Sector Spider]
New for the year a Dusky Pearl moth Udea prunalis.
Small Fan-footed Wave moth Idaea biselata.
A female Banded Mosquito Culiseta annulata.
(Ed Wilson)
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The Flash: 06:35 – 07:35
(179th visit of the year)
Bird notes:
- *a new brood of seven Mallard ducklings with a parent.
- another new brood (of just one) Coot juveniles. At least one other bird is still sitting, presumably on egg(s).
- the Great Crested Grebes continue to confuse. A pair at the top end still with no sign of the presumed juveniles in the water. A third bird at the top end sitting on what appeared to be a nesting platform. Meanwhile another pair were by the island with just two juveniles. One adult was swimming around trying to prevent the juveniles climbing aboard.
Bird(s) noted flying over here:
None
Noted on / around the water:
- 11 Canada Geese only
- 3 Greylag Geese only
- 6 Mute Swans
- *22 (?♂) + 7 (1 brood) Mallard
- 20 (?♂) Tufted Duck
- 6 Moorhens
- 82 + 10 (7 dependent broods) Coots:
- *5 + 2 (1 brood) Great Crested Grebes: see notes
- 2 Black-headed Gulls
- no Grey Heron
Hirundines etc. noted:
Noted on / around the water:
- 11 Canada Geese only
- 3 Greylag Geese only
- 6 Mute Swans
- *22 (?♂) + 7 (1 brood) Mallard
- 20 (?♂) Tufted Duck
- 6 Moorhens
- 82 + 10 (7 dependent broods) Coots:
- *5 + 2 (1 brood) Great Crested Grebes: see notes
- 2 Black-headed Gulls
- no Grey Heron
Hirundines etc. noted:
None
Warblers recorded (the figure in brackets is birds noted singing):
- 3 (1) Chiffchaffs
- 1 (0) Blackcap
Noted around the area:
Warblers recorded (the figure in brackets is birds noted singing):
- 3 (1) Chiffchaffs
- 1 (0) Blackcap
Noted around the area:
Butterflies:
none
none
Moths [on street lamp poles and in the grass] [61 species here before today (another recount!): no additions]
1 Riband Wave Idaea aversata
1 Swallow Prominent Pheosia tremula: back at the top end today.
1 Riband Wave Idaea aversata
1 Swallow Prominent Pheosia tremula: back at the top end today.
Bees, wasps etc.:
Buff-tailed Bumblebee Bombus terrestris
Buff-tailed Bumblebee Bombus terrestris
Hoverflies:
Chequered Hoverfly Melanostoma scalare [Long-winged Duskyface]
Chequered Hoverfly Melanostoma scalare [Long-winged Duskyface]
Dragon-/Damsel-flies:
none
none
Four-winged flies – Lacewings, Caddisflies etc.:
none
none
Other flies:
only unidentified fly species
only unidentified fly species
Bugs etc.:
none
none
Beetles:
larvae of Alder Leaf Beetle Agelastica alni
larvae of Alder Leaf Beetle Agelastica alni
Arthropods:
none
none
Fungus:
*Turkeytail Trametes versicolor
*Turkeytail Trametes versicolor
Spiders, harvestmen etc.:
5 harvestmen Dicranopalpus ramosus/caudatus
*3 harvestmen Opilio canestrinii
5 harvestmen Dicranopalpus ramosus/caudatus
*3 harvestmen Opilio canestrinii
New plant for the year
*Early Goldenrod Solidago gigantea [Giant Goldenrod]
What NatureSpot calls Early Goldenrod Solidago gigantea and Obsidentify calls Giant Goldenrod. For some reason I have never logged this plant here before. Since I had a Golden-rod Pug Eupithecia virgaureata in the Priorslee Avenue tunnel yesterday there had to be some of the plant about.
(Ed Wilson)
2006
Priorslee Lake
Redshank
(Ed Wilson)
*Early Goldenrod Solidago gigantea [Giant Goldenrod]
The new brood of seven Mallard ducklings with their mother.
I am sure there has to be one or more juvenile Great Crested Grebes on the right-most bird's back but...
Turkeytail fungus Trametes versicolor. A very common fungus on dead wood.
A male harvestmen Opilio canestrinii.
And a female.
(Ed Wilson)
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2006
Priorslee Lake
Redshank
(Ed Wilson)