13.0°C > 19.0°C: Clear early with an area of cloud cover after c.08:30. Light south-westerly wind veering westerly. Very good visibility.
Sunrise: 05:44 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 – 06:35 // 07:50 – 10:10
(196th visit of the year)
Highlight today was two Little Egrets flying high south-east at 05:55
Bird notes:
- 26 Canada Geese on the water at dawn before flying off East. 102 flew outbound in nine groups. 89 pitched back in the water with, unusually, 17 of these leaving to the West.
- the usual single Greylag Goose was again present throughout. 23 were present at dawn before flying off East. A single flew outbound early. 17 flew inbound in three groups after which 30 pitched back in the water. Then strangely at c.09:45 38 flew outbound
- Mallard seem confident in their new(ish) wings and there was much flying about making an accurate count difficult.
- the duck Pochard was seen again.
- a single Swift was above the North side trees at 05:55 with probably the same over the dam area 06:05.
Bird(s) noted flying over here:
- 102 Canada Geese: all outbound: see notes
- 56 Greylag Geese: 39 outbound: 17 inbound: see notes
- *2 Little Egrets
- 58 Wood Pigeons
- 4 Lesser Black-baked Gulls
- 166 Jackdaws
- 119 Rooks again – how likely is that?
Counts from the lake area:
- 89 (or 115) Canada Geese: see notes
- 25 (or 45) Greylag Geese: see notes
- 2 Mute Swans
- 29 (♂?) + 2 (1 brood) Mallard
- 1 (0♂) Pochard
- 9 + 4 (3 dependent broods) Moorhens
- 117 adult and juvenile Coots
- 7 + 5 (3 broods) Great Crested Grebes
- 27 Black-headed Gulls: no confirmed juveniles
- 1 Herring Gull
- 15 Lesser Black-baked Gulls
- 1 Grey Heron
Hirundines etc. noted:
- 1 Swift: see notes
Warblers recorded (the figure in brackets is birds noted singing):
- 1 (1) Cetti's Warbler
- 10 (0) Chiffchaffs
- 10 (0) Reed Warblers
- 2 (0) Blackcaps
Noted on the West end street lamp poles around-dawn:
Moths:
- *1 Scalloped Tortrix Acleris emargana [was Notch-wing Button]
- *1 Scalloped Tortrix Acleris emargana [was Notch-wing Button]
Spiders, harvestmen etc.:
- 1 female harvestman Leiobunum rotundum
Noted later:
- 1 female harvestman Leiobunum rotundum
Noted later:
Butterflies:
Green-veined White Pieris napi
Speckled Wood Pararge aegeria
Gatekeeper Pyronia tithonus
Green-veined White Pieris napi
Speckled Wood Pararge aegeria
Gatekeeper Pyronia tithonus
Moths
5 Straw Grass-moths Agriphila straminella [previously Straw Grass-veneer]
5 Straw Grass-moths Agriphila straminella [previously Straw Grass-veneer]
Bees, wasps etc.:
Common Carder Bee Bombus pascuorum
*Common Wasp Paravespula vulgaris
*unidentified ichneumon sp.
*sawfly, possibly Athalia cordata or similar
Common Carder Bee Bombus pascuorum
*Common Wasp Paravespula vulgaris
*unidentified ichneumon sp.
*sawfly, possibly Athalia cordata or similar
Hoverflies:
*$ Yellow-girdled Fleckwing Dasysyrphus tricinctus [Yellow-girdled Brusheye]
*Tapered Dronefly Eristalis pertinax
*Common Spotted Field Syrph Eupeodes luniger [Lunuled Aphideater]
*$ Common Copperback Ferdinandea cuprea [Bronze Sap Hoverfly; Eurasian Copperback]
*Chequered Hoverfly Melanostoma scalare [Long-winged Duskyface]
*Dead-head Hoverfly Myathropa florea [Common Batman Fly]
*$ Yellow-girdled Fleckwing Dasysyrphus tricinctus [Yellow-girdled Brusheye]
*Tapered Dronefly Eristalis pertinax
*Common Spotted Field Syrph Eupeodes luniger [Lunuled Aphideater]
*$ Common Copperback Ferdinandea cuprea [Bronze Sap Hoverfly; Eurasian Copperback]
*Chequered Hoverfly Melanostoma scalare [Long-winged Duskyface]
*Dead-head Hoverfly Myathropa florea [Common Batman Fly]
Damsel- /Dragon- flies:
Common Blue Damselfly Enallagma cyathigerum [Common Bluet]
Common Darter Sympetrum striolatum
Common Blue Damselfly Enallagma cyathigerum [Common Bluet]
Common Darter Sympetrum striolatum
Other flies:
*possible Root-maggot fly Delia radicum
Greenbottle Lucilia caesar or similar
*Sarcophaga sp.
and the usual many unidentified fly species
*possible Root-maggot fly Delia radicum
Greenbottle Lucilia caesar or similar
*Sarcophaga sp.
and the usual many unidentified fly species
Bugs:
none
none
Beetles:
none
A thin layer of cloud meant little detail was visible in the nearly full moon. But then there is little to see until it starts waning and cross-lighting picks out the craters. This is the Sturgeon Full Moon which was less than 21 hours past its prime when I took the photo.
One of two Little Egrets that flew over together at 05:55. It is not always straightforward to separate Little and Great (White) Egrets in flight at a distance. Here the black bill is diagnostic of Little Egret (yellow on its larger cousin).
Difficult contrasting light here. On the left two adult Goldfinches: on the right two juveniles. I suspect the two buried in the bush are also juveniles.
A Common Wasp Paravespula vulgaris busy getting nectar from Wild Angelica Angelica sylvestris and not your picnic.
I am sad to say this splendid creature will have to stay as an "unidentified ichneumon sp." It resembles the Ectemnius group except that all of those illustrated on the web have yellow and black banding. It is certainly not a Marmalade Hoverfly Episyrphus balteatus which was one of Obsidentify's suggestions.
Well this not very nice! The leg markings suggest this is the sawfly I noted yesterday and identified as possibly Athalia cordata or similar
Another excellent hoverfly find and a first for the year: a Yellow-girdled Fleckwing Dasysyrphus tricinctus, called by Obsidentify a Yellow-girdled Brusheye.
A male Tapered Dronefly Eristalis pertinax. Here against the white umbels of Wild Angelica Angelica sylvestris it is possible to see the full extent of the shading in the wings.
This group of hoverflies is tricky to separate. I think this is a Common Spotted Field Syrph Eupeodes luniger on the basis of the way the edges of the yellow marks sweep up – hence its alternative name of Lunuled Aphideater.
A chance long-range shot in to the middle of a Convolvulus flower netted me my first Common Copperback hoverfly Ferdinandea cuprea of the year. Variously also known as Bronze Sap Hoverfly or, by Obsidentify, as Eurasian Copperback.
From this angle it is hard to see why this is called a Dead-head Hoverfly Myathropa florea, or indeed Common Batman Fly.
A fly with a single black line down the thorax and a tapered abdomen was identified as a possible Root-maggot fly Delia radicum by Google Lens. It is a good match against the photos of the species in NatureSpot though it comes with the usual warning of "several similar species".
What made evolution design this Sarcophaga fly? Known as flesh flies their larvae feed on and hence recycle carrion.
Plane of the day. G-ROVA is an appropriate registration for an Aviat A-1B Husky Pup. A "pup" because it has the lower capacity engine of the two offered by the manufacturer. Designed as an updated version of the Piper Super Cub which remains the ubiquitous mount for bush flying in places like Alaska. Piper ceased production of the Super Cub in 1994. Aviat Aircraft are based in Wyoming where they have first-hand knowledge of bush flying. This aircraft is owned by a local company and flies out of Sleap Airfield near Wem. Like all good bush planes it is painted yellow!
(Ed Wilson)
In the Priorslee Avenue tunnel:
Apologies for a naff photo of a very non-PC named large moth. It is an Old Lady Mormo maura. It was tucked in a crevice here and I could not get a better angle without the step-ladder I forgot to bring. From my records its seems it is my first in Shropshire.
(Ed Wilson)
The Flash: 06:40 – 07:35
(191st visit of the year)
Bird notes:
- today's duck Mallard with ducklings was the bird with the single almost full-grown
- a House Martin was heard distantly with a bird seen flying away to the East. c.10 minutes later one was, very briefly, overhead: the same?
Bird(s) noted flying over here:
- 1 Jackdaw
Noted on / around the water:
- 1 Canada Goose only
- no Greylag Geese
- 8 Mute Swans
- 17 (?♂) + 1 (1 brood) Mallard
- 17 (?♂) Tufted Duck
- 8 + 1 (1 brood) Moorhens
- 109 + 1 (1 brood) Coots
- 4 + 5 (2 broods) Great Crested Grebes
- 7 Black-headed Gulls
- 2 Grey Herons
Hirundines etc. noted:
- 1 (or 2) House Martin: see notes
Warblers recorded (the figure in brackets is birds noted singing):
- 4 (1) Chiffchaffs
- 2 (0) Blackcaps
Noted around the area:
none
Makes a change from sunrise over the lake. The moon setting.
A juvenile and two adults. It will be late October before the juveniles moult to develop the red face.
A moth species that has very variable markings, easily recognised by its unique wing shape. It is now known as a Scalloped Tortrix Acleris emargana, previously as a Notch-wing Button.
Against a white petal of a different Convolvulus is a Chequered Hoverfly Melanostoma scalare.
(Ed Wilson)
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In the Priorslee Avenue tunnel:
Moths: [40 species here before today; one addition]
*1 $$ Old Lady Mormo maura
*1 Red Underwing Catocala nupta: new here
*1 $$ Old Lady Mormo maura
*1 Red Underwing Catocala nupta: new here
Flies:
1 moth fly Psychodidae sp. [Drain Fly or Owl Fly]
9 midges of various species
1 moth fly Psychodidae sp. [Drain Fly or Owl Fly]
9 midges of various species
Arthropods:
4 White-legged Snake Millipedes Tachypodoiulus niger
4 White-legged Snake Millipedes Tachypodoiulus niger
Spiders, harvestmen etc.:
none noted
none noted
The Red Underwing moth Catocala nupta even closer!
(Ed Wilson)
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The Flash: 06:40 – 07:35
(191st visit of the year)
Bird notes:
- today's duck Mallard with ducklings was the bird with the single almost full-grown
- a House Martin was heard distantly with a bird seen flying away to the East. c.10 minutes later one was, very briefly, overhead: the same?
Bird(s) noted flying over here:
- 1 Jackdaw
Noted on / around the water:
- 1 Canada Goose only
- no Greylag Geese
- 8 Mute Swans
- 17 (?♂) + 1 (1 brood) Mallard
- 17 (?♂) Tufted Duck
- 8 + 1 (1 brood) Moorhens
- 109 + 1 (1 brood) Coots
- 4 + 5 (2 broods) Great Crested Grebes
- 7 Black-headed Gulls
- 2 Grey Herons
Hirundines etc. noted:
- 1 (or 2) House Martin: see notes
Warblers recorded (the figure in brackets is birds noted singing):
- 4 (1) Chiffchaffs
- 2 (0) Blackcaps
Noted around the area:
Moths:
*1 Common Grass-moth Agriphila tristella [previously Common Grass-veneer]
*1 Common Plume Emmelina monodactyla
1 Marbled Beauty Bryophila domestica: fourth day
*1 Common Grass-moth Agriphila tristella [previously Common Grass-veneer]
*1 Common Plume Emmelina monodactyla
1 Marbled Beauty Bryophila domestica: fourth day
Bees, wasps etc.:
Common Wasp Paravespula vulgaris
Common Wasp Paravespula vulgaris
Spiders, harvestmen etc.:
2 harvestmen Dicranopalpus ramosus/caudatus
A Common Grass-moth Agriphila tristella identified by the strong pale streak along the wing ahead of the split in to "fingers".
What I believe to be a Common Plume moth Emmelina monodactyla. There are several plume moths without much in the way of distinctive markings and the strong lighting here did not help. This species is by far the most likely of those species.
The pupa of a Harlequin Ladybird Harmonia axyridis. I am not sure anyone is "at home". It is several weeks since I noted any larvae and most of the subsequent pupae have long since disappeared. Strangely I have not seen any adults recently.
Any ideas? My suggestion would be a Common Green Lacewing Chrysoperia carnea emerging from a pupa. I am far from convinced.
(Ed Wilson)
2012
Priorslee Lake
6 Little Egrets
(Ed Wilson)
2009
Priorslee Lake
Kingfisher
(Ed Wilson)
2007
Priorslee Lake
1 Little Egret
(Ed Wilson)
Nedge Hill
Location
Redstart
(John Isherwood)
2005
Priorslee Lake
5 Arctic Terns
(Ed Wilson)
2 harvestmen Dicranopalpus ramosus/caudatus
(Ed Wilson)
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2012
Priorslee Lake
6 Little Egrets
(Ed Wilson)
2009
Priorslee Lake
Kingfisher
(Ed Wilson)
2007
Priorslee Lake
1 Little Egret
(Ed Wilson)
Nedge Hill
Location
Redstart
(John Isherwood)
2005
Priorslee Lake
5 Arctic Terns
(Ed Wilson)