4 Jul 25

Priorslee Balancing Lake and The Flash

12.0°C > 19.0°C: Extensive areas of quite thick medium/high-level cloud made the sun weak at best. Moderate southerly breeze. Very good visibility.

Sunrise: 04:53 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 – 06:25 // 07:40 – 09:55

(164th visit of the year)

Bird notes:
- the Canada and Greylag goslings all still present and correct.
- I only ever noted the cob Mute Swan today.
- four groups of Mallard ducklings seen: a single duckling; a duo; the familiar group of four; *and ten well-grown birds probably the erstwhile party of eleven of which I only noted eight yesterday – some are self-willed and wander off.
- the duck Pochard not seen again.
- the Little Grebe not heard again.
- the Garden Warbler was heard briefly with another, probable juvenile, heard calling.
- two Common Whitethroats seen in the usual area. No calls or song heard.
- a more normal early movement of Jackdaws and Rooks mainly passing outbound in small groups.

Bird(s) noted flying over here:
- 6 Feral Pigeons: together
- 2 Stock Doves: together
- 113 Wood Pigeons
- 4 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 1 Grey Heron
- 85 Jackdaws
- 70 Rooks

Counts from the lake area:
- 4 + 1 (1 brood) Canada Geese
- 3 + 3 (1 brood) Greylag Geese
- 1 Mute Swan
- *21 (?♂) + 17 (4 broods) Mallard: see notes
- no Pochard again
- no Tufted Duck
- 3 Moorhens again
- 89 adult and juvenile Coots again
- no Little Grebe again
- *8 + >3 (3 broods) Great Crested Grebes again
- 1 Black-headed Gull, briefly and early
- 4 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 1 Grey Heron

Hirundines etc. noted:
- 10 Swifts
- 1 Barn Swallow

Warblers recorded (the figure in brackets is birds noted singing):
the "dawn chorus" is well and truly over with more birds singing later than when I arrive.
- 1 (1) Cetti's Warbler
- *12 (7) Chiffchaffs
- 9 (6) Reed Warblers
- 11 (6) Blackcaps
- 2 (1) Garden Warblers
- 2 (0) Common Whitethroats

On the West end street lamp poles around-dawn:
Nothing was noted. I'm still not doing very well here this year.

Noted later:

Butterflies:
*Small Skipper Thymelicus sylvestris
Large White Pieris brassicae
Green-veined White Pieris napi
Small White Pieris rapae
Speckled Wood Pararge aegeria
Ringlet Aphantopus hyperantus
Meadow Brown Maniola jurtina
Gatekeeper Pyronia tithonus
Red Admiral Vanessa atalanta

Moths [62 species here before today; additions in sighting order]
1 Common Nettle-tap Anthophila fabriciana
1 Common Marble Celypha lacunana
1 Garden Grass-moth Chrysoteuchia culmella [was Garden Grass-veneer]
*1 $ Satin Grass-veneer (Crambus perlella) [species #65]
*1 $ Common Grass-moth Agriphila tristella [was Common Grass-veneer] [species #64]
*1 Straw Grass-moth Agriphila straminella [was Straw Grass-veneer]
other grass moths not identified
1 Small Fan-footed Wave Idaea biselata [species #63]
2 Shaded Broad-bar Scotopteryx chenopodiata
*3 caterpillars of Cinnabar Tyria jacobaeae

Bees, wasps etc.:
Red-tailed Bumblebee Bombus lapidarius
Common Carder Bee Bombus pascuorum
Buff-tailed Bumblebee Bombus terrestris
Common Wasp Paravespula vulgaris

Hoverflies:
*Marmalade Hoverfly Episyrphus balteatus
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]
Syrphus sp. S. ribesii / S. vitripennis

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

Lacewings, caddis flies etc.:
*Grouse Wing caddis fly Mystacides longicornis

Other flies:
Black Snipefly Chrysopilus cristatus
*dagger fly Empis livida
*a fly from the Minettia fasciata aggregate
Scorpion Fly Panorpa communis
*Muscid fly Phaonia sp.
*flesh fly Sarcophaga sp.
plus
as usual many unidentified flies of many different species

Bugs:
*Common Froghopper Philaenus spumarius

Beetles:
7 Spot Ladybird Coccinella 7-punctata
pupae of Harlequin Ladybird (Harmonia axyridis)
Harlequin Ladybird Harmonia axyridis var. succinea
*Rough-haired Lagria Beetle Lagria hirta
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.:
*"money spider" probably an Erigone sp.

New flowers for the year:

None

Mum Mallard with her brood of ten. She has done well to raise so many: the brood was 12 when I first saw them. I cannot positively tell yet what sex any of them are – drakes will acquire a pale green-yellow bill with no brown edging.

I can see at least two fast-growing juveniles on the adult Great Crested Grebe's back. It there are still four the adult will soon be sinking.

This juvenile (a slight gape line) Chiffchaff was one of a number of birds chasing around the South side just after sunrise – the others mostly Blue Tits. And no: it doesn't have a green right wing – that is a leaf behind it!

Here again. Note the flammulations on the breast. I suspect this will soon wear away.

No scent gland in the forewing means this is a female skipper butterfly. Looking at the antennae tips there is no way they are black so this is a Small Skipper Thymelicus sylvestris.

Many grass moths today and many flew away to the middle distance before diving for cover. This pale example is a Satin Grass-veneer Crambus perlella and my first this year.

A Straw Grass-moth Agriphila straminella. I inverted the photo for easier(?) viewing! Very few distinguishing feature – just some paler 'fingers'.

This is my first Common Grass-moth A. tristella of the year. A white area along the wing but no other markings.

A caterpillar of a Cinnabar moth Tyria jacobaeae attacking its favourite food – Common Ragwort Jacobaea vulgaris. For some reason although the food plant grows in several places in the area I only see the caterpillars on stunted plants growing on the poor soil along the edge of the dam.

Marmalade Hoverflies Episyrphus balteatus come in different shades of "marmalade". This one is about the most "orange-marmalade" I have seen.

A Grouse Wing caddis fly Mystacides longicornis. As caddis flies are not true flies in that they have two pairs of wings I will in future record them separately from the flies and lump them with any lacewings (to which they are closely related) in my listings.

This dagger fly Empis livida is a common-enough species but I do not recall noticing the banded abdomen so prominently before.

An unusual fly I found on the sailing club HQ's wall. It has a grey thorax with a barred abdomen and long wings. It is a fly from the Minettia fasciata aggregate only separable by microscopic examination.

A "fly morning" here. This is a Muscid fly Phaonia sp. Beyond that I cannot say.

And this splendid-looking fly is a flesh fly Sarcophaga sp. There are several species that, as so often, require very detailed examination.

The last of the flies and I cannot begin to ID this one. Even Mr. Google stops at "possible housefly or blowfly".

A Common Froghopper Philaenus spumarius looking away from me. Considering the abundance of "cuckoo-spit" seen earlier in the year protecting the larvae of this species I see very few adults.

Another Rough-haired Lagria Beetle Lagria hirta. I have found more this year than I have previously.

Whenever conditions on dam are reasonable I find one or more of these "money spiders" running around on the railing of the boxing rink. Probably an Erigone species but I cannot get a more detailed identification.

(Ed Wilson)

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

In the Priorslee Avenue tunnel:

Moths: [26 species here before today; no additions]
*1 Wormwood Pug Eupithecia absinthiata

Flies:
*1 $$ cranefly Ilisia maculata
1 moth fly Psychodidae sp. [Drain Fly or Owl Fly]
17 midges of various species.

Spiders, harvestmen etc.:
*1 harvestman Leiobunum blackwalli

A Wormwood Pug moth Eupithecia absinthiata. Seems it is different to the individual I photographed yesterday as that did not have the damage to its right wing.

The wing pattern is not a 100% match with examples on the internet: I stilt think it a cranefly Ilisia maculata which is a new species for me.

A female harvestman Leiobunum blackwalli missing her left front leg.

(Ed Wilson)

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The Flash: 06:30 – 07:35

(162nd visit of the year)

Bird notes
Back on 16 June I heard the song of what was either a Marsh or Willow Tit both here and at the Balancing Lake. At neither location was I able to get a positive ID on the distant birds. Since then I have confirmed audibly and visually (photos!) Marsh Tit at the Balancing Lake. This morning one and possibly two Marsh Tits were singing alongside squirrel alley and I can now confidently make this species #73 for me here at The Flash this year.

Other bird notes:
- the late brood of two Mallard ducklings still present. Otherwise many of the adult Mallard were hiding.
- now 17 Tufted Duck. Sexes not determined: too many scruffy / moulting birds
- three Great Crested Grebes located! One apparently thinking it is a Greylag Goose and swimming with them; one on what might be a nest platform in the top left corner; the third near what has been used as a nest site on the island. Confused? I am.
- the Great (White) Egret not seen but...
- a Grey Heron on the island when I arrived, flying off South later

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

Noted on / around the water:
- 159 Canada Geese
- 54 Greylag Geese
- the mainly white feral goose not noted
- 6 Mute Swans
- 8 (?♂) + 2 (1 brood) Mallard: see notes
- 17 (?♂) Tufted Duck
- 4 Moorhens yet again
- 71 + 8 (3 broods) Coots
- 3 Great Crested Grebes: see notes
- no Great (White) Egret
- 1 Grey Heron: departed
- 1 Kingfisher: heard only

Hirundines etc. noted:
- 3 Swifts

Warblers recorded (the figure in brackets is birds noted singing):
- 5 (4) Chiffchaffs
- 3 (3) Blackcaps again

Noted around the area:

Butterflies:
none

Moths [on street lamp poles and in the grass] [46 species here before today; additions in sighting order]
3 Common Marbles Celypha lacunana
*1 Small Fan-footed Wave Idaea biselata [species #49]
*1 Single-dotted Wave Idaea dimidiata [species #48]
*1 Wormwood Pug Eupithecia absinthiata [species #47]

Bees, wasps etc.:
Buff-tailed Bumblebee Bombus terrestris

Hoverflies:
Marmalade Hoverfly Episyrphus balteatus
Meadow Field Syrph Eupeodes latifasciatus [Broad-banded Aphideater]
*Hornet Hoverfly Volucella zonaria [Hornet Plumehorn]

Dragon-/Damsel-flies:
none

Other flies:
*male Muscid fly Graphomya maculata
*Sapromyza sexpunctata
plus numerous different midges and flies

Bugs:
none

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

Spiders, harvestmen etc.:
harvestman Leiobunum blackwalli

New flowers for the year:
*Montbretia Crocosmia sp.
*Purple-loosestrife Lythrum salicaria
*Great Mullein Verbascum thapsus
none of these especially "new". Too many other things on other days!

New to me at this site was another different-looking Wormwood Pug moth Eupithecia absinthiata on the railings around the Priorslee Academy.

Here is a Small Fan-footed Wave moth Idaea biselata. The intensity of the dark between paired wiggly outer cross lines is very variable: this one is paler than many. I hope you can see its "fan-feet"! Mr. Google, who knows everything, says "male Small Fan-footed Wave moths have noticeable tufts or "fans" on their hind legs". So there.

Two days ago I took a photo of a very soggy-looking bee that I could not identify. I think it was this, now dead, Buff-tailed Bumblebee Bombus terrestris, here on my fingers.

Apologies: this photo of a Hornet Hoverfly Volucella zonaria is almost as bad as the one I took asleep (the hoverfly not me – oh! I don't know though: perhaps I was) in the tunnel yesterday. This one was on a distant tree-trunk also sleeping.

This fly is a male Muscid fly Graphomya maculata with a very obvious pattern on its abdomen.

Another unusual fly, apparently Sapromyza sexpunctata. The 'sex' part of the species name refers to the 'six' spots on its abdomen....

...as here: except there are only four spots as apparently there often are.

I got around to photographing some of the flowers here, none strictly 'new' as they have all been in flowers for some days. This Montbretia Crocosmia sp. and most likely of the trio to be a garden escape.

This is Purple-loosestrife Lythrum salicaria. Abundant here but another plant that does not grow around the Balancing Lake.

Lastly a Great Mullein Verbascum thapsus that is definitely past its best!

(Ed Wilson)

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

2012
Priorslee Lake
Kingfisher
(Ed Wilson)

2011
Priorslee Lake
A female Ruddy Duck. First site record since January 2009 - formerly semi resident in the district, with several breeding records from both the Lake and Flash.
(John Isherwood / Ed Wilson)

2010
Priorslee Lake
Common Sandpiper
(Ed Wilson)

2006
Priorslee Lake
Common Tern
Kingfisher
2 drake Ruddy Duck
(Ed Wilson)