13.0°C > 15.0°C: Overcast once more though the cloud thinner and higher making it brighter overall. Moderate northerly wind. Very good visibility.
Sunrise: 06:02 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: 05:10 – 06:35 // 07:40 – 09:50
(205th visit of the year)
Bird notes:
Mainly about absences this morning. No more than 16 Black-headed Gulls appeared. I noted only three Rooks passing over and no Jackdaws at all.
Other bird notes:
- only the resident pair of Mute Swans until another adult arrived c.08:55. It was chased away quickly. By 09:45 there were four visitors causing angst.
- a very late group of three Swifts was over the North side woods at 05:55 mixing with a few unidentified bats before at least five House Martins joined in.
- only Barn Swallows were feeding low over the water later.
- a Cetti's Warbler alarm-called along the North side c.06:00 and much later sang properly from the same general area. A partial song was heard from the South side c.06:10 so it seems there are at least two birds, perhaps both males.
Bird(s) noted flying over here:
- 72 Canada Geese: 40 outbound in four groups; 32 inbound also in four groups
- 6 Greylag Geese: outbound together
- 3 Stock Doves
- 73 Wood Pigeons
- 1 Herring Gull
- 7 Lesser Black-baked Gulls
- no Jackdaws
- 3 Rooks only
Counts from the lake area:
- 6 Mute Swans: see notes
- *1 (1♂) Gadwall
- 21 (♂?) Mallard again
- no Pochard
- 9 + 2 (2 dependent broods) Moorhens
- 143 adult and juvenile Coots again
- 5 + 3 (1 brood) Great Crested Grebes
- 16 Black-headed Gulls only: two confirmed as juveniles
- 1 Herring Gull
- 29 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 2 Grey Herons: the second flew in and departed
Hirundines etc. noted:
- 3 Swifts
- 6 Barn Swallows
- 5 House Martins
Warblers recorded (the figure in brackets is birds noted singing):
- 2 (2) Cetti's Warbler: see notes
- 17 (1) Chiffchaffs again
- 1 (0) Reed Warbler
- 4 (0) Blackcaps
Noted on the West end street lamp poles around-dawn:
Moths:
- *3 Common Grass-moths Agriphila tristella [previously Common Grass-veneer]
- *1 $ Square-spot Rustic Xestia xanthographa
***yesterday's micro-moth has been confirmed by the Shropshire recorder as a White-headed Mompha Mompha propinquella
- *3 Common Grass-moths Agriphila tristella [previously Common Grass-veneer]
- *1 $ Square-spot Rustic Xestia xanthographa
***yesterday's micro-moth has been confirmed by the Shropshire recorder as a White-headed Mompha Mompha propinquella
Flies:
- 1 male plumed midge Chironomus plumosus
- 1 male plumed midge Chironomus plumosus
Spiders, harvestmen etc.:
- 1 unidentified spider
Noted later:
Again nothing in the dull and breezy conditions. Otherwise....
- 1 unidentified spider
Noted later:
Again nothing in the dull and breezy conditions. Otherwise....
Butterflies:
- none
- none
Moths:
- 2 Straw Grass-moths Agriphila straminella [previously Straw Grass-veneer]
- 2 Straw Grass-moths Agriphila straminella [previously Straw Grass-veneer]
Bees, wasps etc.:
- Tree Bumblebee Bombus hypnorum
- *Common Carder Bee Bombus pascuorum
- Buff-tailed Bumblebee Bombus terrestris
- Common Wasp Paravespula vulgaris
- European Hornet Vespa crabro
- *sawfly, perhaps either Eutomostethus luteiventris or Moss Sawfly Nesoselandria morio
- Tree Bumblebee Bombus hypnorum
- *Common Carder Bee Bombus pascuorum
- Buff-tailed Bumblebee Bombus terrestris
- Common Wasp Paravespula vulgaris
- European Hornet Vespa crabro
- *sawfly, perhaps either Eutomostethus luteiventris or Moss Sawfly Nesoselandria morio
Hoverflies:
- *Tapered Dronefly Eristalis pertinax
- Common Dronefly Eristalis tenax
- *Tapered Dronefly Eristalis pertinax
- Common Dronefly Eristalis tenax
Damsel-/Dragonflies
- *Common Blue Damselfly Enallagma cyathigerum [Common Bluet]
- *Common Blue Damselfly Enallagma cyathigerum [Common Bluet]
Flies:
- *Flesh fly Sarcophaga sp., probably S. carnaria
- *an array of unidentified flies
- *Flesh fly Sarcophaga sp., probably S. carnaria
- *an array of unidentified flies
Mammals:
- 2 Pipistrelle-type bats over the Ricoh area c.05:25
- 2 larger bats sp.
- 2 Pipistrelle-type bats over the Ricoh area c.05:25
- 2 larger bats sp.
New flowers:
- *Gypsywort Lycopus europaeus
Clearly a Gadwall but which sex? The bill looks like that of a duck - adult drakes have an all-black bill. The stern is not solidly black as a drake would be. Yet the vermiculations on the feathers of the breast and flanks mean it must be a drake. Reference to the literature tells me that during the annual moult the bill of the drake does indeed resemble that of the duck. You live and learn.
This is a sawfly. Obsidentify was 96% sure it is Eutomostethus luteiventris though NatureSpot suggests that the leg colour is wrong and cautions about identifying this species without detailed examination. Google Lens was prepared to go as far as "sawfly" and then included a range of likely matches one of which was the Moss Sawfly Nesoselandria morio which does seem a better fit with the NatureSpot photos. I am not 100% convinced from the top-down view.
The only Common Blue Damselfly Enallagma cyathigerum I noted, adding a touch of colour to an overcast morning.
Unidentified fly #1. Certainly not the species suggested by Google Lens. Obsidentify did not commit itself.
My first Square-spot Rustic moth Xestia xanthographa of the year – a species I see here most years. It is one of a large group of moths of the Noctuid family most of which fold their wings at rest as shown here. Their wing markings usually include an "oval" and a "kidney mark" here both just about visible above and below the dark "square spot" that gives this species its name.
Gypsywort Lycopus europaeus is an inconspicuous plant when growing among nettles. It has more obvious flowers.
Plane of the day: a Cessna 152 owned by an Oswestry-based company and leased to the Shropshire Aero Club who operate out of Sleap Airfield near Wem. The aircraft was on a local flight.
(Ed Wilson)
In the Priorslee Avenue tunnel:
Not much of interest in the tunnel this morning so a chance to revisit moth flies Psychodidae sp. On size there were at least two different species though as there are about 100 to choose from that was not helpful.
- *Gypsywort Lycopus europaeus
A Common Carder Bee Bombus pascuorum has found one of the few remaining flowers.
A male Tapered Dronefly Eristalis pertinax . One of only two hoverflies I noted.
Unidentified fly #2.
Partially identified fly. One of the Flesh flies Sarcophaga sp., probably S. carnaria.
One of three Common Grass-moths Agriphila tristella, each on a different street lamp pole pre-dawn.
(Ed Wilson)
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In the Priorslee Avenue tunnel:
Moths: [41 species here before today; no additions]
1 Brown House-moth Hofmannophila pseudospretella
1 Brown House-moth Hofmannophila pseudospretella
Flies:
*1 unidentified cranefly
*14 moth flies Psychodidae sp. [Drain Fly or Owl Fly]
10 midges of various species
*1 unidentified cranefly
*14 moth flies Psychodidae sp. [Drain Fly or Owl Fly]
10 midges of various species
Spiders, harvestmen etc.:
*1 unidentified spider
*1 unidentified spider
A dramatic moment captured – sort of. The unidentified spider came racing out of hiding to pounce on the unidentified cranefly. It got away.
(Ed Wilson)
The Flash: 06:40 – 07:35
(Ed Wilson)
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The Flash: 06:40 – 07:35
(199th visit of the year)
Bird notes:
- an improbable total of 15 Mute Swans present.
- no Mallard ducklings seen.
- some adult and juvenile Great Crested Grebes were not seen.
- another improbable sighting was four Grey Herons, all along the East side (at least for a while). They did not seem entirely content that there were so many!
Bird(s) noted flying over here:
- 2 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
Noted on / around the water:
- 6 Canada Geese
- 1 Greylag Goose
- 15 Mute Swans
- 19 (?♂) Mallard
- *19 (17?♂) Tufted Duck
- 8 Moorhens
- 98 adult and juvenile Coots
- 2 + 3 (2 broods) Great Crested Grebes: see notes
- 28 Black-headed Gulls: at least two juveniles
- 2 Cormorants
- *4 Grey Herons: see notes
Hirundines etc. noted:
Bird notes:
- an improbable total of 15 Mute Swans present.
- no Mallard ducklings seen.
- some adult and juvenile Great Crested Grebes were not seen.
- another improbable sighting was four Grey Herons, all along the East side (at least for a while). They did not seem entirely content that there were so many!
Bird(s) noted flying over here:
- 2 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
Noted on / around the water:
- 6 Canada Geese
- 1 Greylag Goose
- 15 Mute Swans
- 19 (?♂) Mallard
- *19 (17?♂) Tufted Duck
- 8 Moorhens
- 98 adult and juvenile Coots
- 2 + 3 (2 broods) Great Crested Grebes: see notes
- 28 Black-headed Gulls: at least two juveniles
- 2 Cormorants
- *4 Grey Herons: see notes
Hirundines etc. noted:
None
Warblers recorded (the figure in brackets is birds noted singing):
- 4 (0) Chiffchaffs
- no Blackcaps
Noted around the area:
Warblers recorded (the figure in brackets is birds noted singing):
- 4 (0) Chiffchaffs
- no Blackcaps
Noted around the area:
Moths:
1 Common Grass-moth Agriphila tristella [previously Common Grass-veneer]
1 Common Grass-moth Agriphila tristella [previously Common Grass-veneer]
Bugs:
*1 Red-legged Shieldbug Pentatoma rufipes again
*1 Red-legged Shieldbug Pentatoma rufipes again
Spiders, harvestmen etc.:
1 harvestmen Dicranopalpus ramosus/caudatus
*1 harvestman Opilio canestrinii
One of the Tufted Duck was close-enough to make a half-decent photo. Here is one: the pale at the base of the bill and the brown flanks could mean this is a duck or an immature of either sex.
A juvenile Black-headed Gull now mostly in first-winter plumage. Just a few ginger-brown feathers on the nape will be moulted out soon. Otherwise the black in the wings will stay in to Spring.
Panning the camera in an attempt to, more or less, freeze the Grey Heron flying-by has left two Coots looking very blurred.
Almost a daily occurrence at the moment: a Red-legged Shieldbug Pentatoma rufipes on one of the many street lamp poles. One with five legs only today.
(Ed Wilson)
2012
Nedge Hill
2 Redstart
7 Ravens
(John Isherwood)
2006
Priorslee Lake
Shag
3 Kingfishers
(Ed Wilson)
1 harvestmen Dicranopalpus ramosus/caudatus
*1 harvestman Opilio canestrinii
Trying to hide in a fold on a street lamp pole is a harvestman Opilio canestrinii.
(Ed Wilson)
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2012
Nedge Hill
2 Redstart
7 Ravens
(John Isherwood)
2006
Priorslee Lake
Shag
3 Kingfishers
(Ed Wilson)