13.0°C > 20.0°C: At last: wall-to-wall clear skies. Light / moderate south-easterly breeze. Very good visibility.
Sunrise: 06:09 BST
* = a species photographed today: I have only had time to include a few
$ = my first sighting of the species for this year
$$ = my first ever recorded sighting of the species in the area
Priorslee Balancing Lake: 05:15 – 06:45 // 07:45 – 09:45
(209th visit of the year)
Bird notes:
- again best effort on the geese numbers.
*- there were four apparently "small" ducks among the Coots along the South side, all avidly feeding and in an area impossible to approach. Long-range photos confirm that one is certainly a duck Common Teal. I have been unable to verify that the others were also this species.
- the duck Pochard not seen.
- an unsexed Tufted Duck flushed from the north-eat area at c.06:15 and was not seen again.
- *two of the juvenile Great Crested Grebes were seen doing the head-shaking display to each other. Oh er!
- fewer large gulls today but more Black-headed Gulls
- a single Swift was over the North side trees c.05:55.
- at least 10 House Martins were circling South high overhead c.09:00 with at least two more low over the water with at least one Sand Martin and five Barn Swallows.
- even fewer Jackdaws noted with the passing Rooks and two of them were "going the wrong way" i.e. North.
- a Marsh Tit was calling and one (the same?) was glimpsed along the North side.
Bird(s) noted flying over here:
- c.67 Canada Geese: 13 outbound in two groups; c.44 inbound in four groups
- c.166 Greylag Geese: c.88 outbound in five groups; c.78 inbound in four groups
- 1 Stock Dove again
- 47 Wood Pigeons
- 16 Lesser Black-baked Gulls
- 1 Cormorant
- 2 Grey Herons
- 5 Jackdaws only
- 141 Rooks
Counts from the lake area:
- 10 Canada Geese: arrived together
- 2 Mute Swans
- 35 (♂?) Mallard
- *1 (0?) Common Teal: see notes
- no Pochard
- 1 (0♂) Tufted Duck: departed
- 14 + 2 (2 broods) Moorhens
- 157 adult and juvenile Coots
- *5 + 4 (2 broods) Great Crested Grebes
- 92 Black-headed Gulls
- 6 Herring Gulls
- 32 Lesser Black-backed Gulls: see notes
- 2 Grey Herons at least: comings and goings
Hirundines etc. noted:
- 1 Swift
- 1+ Sand Martin
- 5 Barn Swallows
- 12+ House Martins
Warblers recorded (the figure in brackets is birds noted singing):
- 1 (1) Cetti's Warblers
- 19 (5) Chiffchaffs
- 2 (0) Reed Warblers yet again
- 2 (2) Blackcaps
Noted on the West end street lamp poles around-dawn:
Moths:
- *1 $$ White-shouldered Ochre Ypsolopha parenthesella [formerly White-shouldered Smudge]
moth species #83 for me here this year and a new species for me.
- 1 Common Grass-moth Agriphila tristella [previously Common Grass-veneer]
- 1 Square-spot Rustic Xestia xanthographa
- *1 $$ White-shouldered Ochre Ypsolopha parenthesella [formerly White-shouldered Smudge]
moth species #83 for me here this year and a new species for me.
- 1 Common Grass-moth Agriphila tristella [previously Common Grass-veneer]
- 1 Square-spot Rustic Xestia xanthographa
Flies:
- 1 male plumed midge Chironomus plumosus
- 1 female Pond Olive mayfly Cloeon dipterum or similar
- 1 male plumed midge Chironomus plumosus
- 1 female Pond Olive mayfly Cloeon dipterum or similar
Spiders, harvestmen etc.:
- *1 Garden Spider Araneus diadematus [Garden Cross Spider]
- 2 Stout Sac Spiders Clubiona sp.
- 1 Bridge Orb-web Spider Larinioides sclopetarius [Bridge Orbweaver]
Noted later:
The lack of flowers and the brisk south-east wind blowing on the sunlit vegetation meant another poor showing:
- *1 Garden Spider Araneus diadematus [Garden Cross Spider]
- 2 Stout Sac Spiders Clubiona sp.
- 1 Bridge Orb-web Spider Larinioides sclopetarius [Bridge Orbweaver]
Noted later:
The lack of flowers and the brisk south-east wind blowing on the sunlit vegetation meant another poor showing:
Butterflies:
- Green-veined White Pieris napi
- Speckled Wood Pararge aegeria
- Green-veined White Pieris napi
- Speckled Wood Pararge aegeria
Moths:
- none
- none
Bees, wasps etc.:
- Common Carder Bee Bombus pascuorum
- Common Wasp Paravespula vulgaris
- *German Wasp Vespula germanica
- Common Carder Bee Bombus pascuorum
- Common Wasp Paravespula vulgaris
- *German Wasp Vespula germanica
Hoverflies:
- none
- none
Damsel-/Dragonflies
- *Common Blue Damselfly Enallagma cyathigerum [Common Bluet]
- Common Darter Sympetrum striolatum
- *Common Blue Damselfly Enallagma cyathigerum [Common Bluet]
- Common Darter Sympetrum striolatum
Beetles:
- none
- none
Flies:
- Greenbottle Lucilia sp.
- *Flesh fly Sarcophaga sp., possibly S. carnaria
- otherwise no interesting identified or unidentified flies
- Greenbottle Lucilia sp.
- *Flesh fly Sarcophaga sp., possibly S. carnaria
- otherwise no interesting identified or unidentified flies
Mammals:
- none
One of the four "small ducks" along the South side. The white flash along the side of the tail identifies this as a duck Common Teal.
I am less sure about this one. The white streak at the tail looks too extensive; the stripe behind the eye and the warm breast are more Mallard-like. But why does it look small?
A struggle here. A wasp seems to have a Flesh fly Sarcophaga sp. in its jaws. Note how the wasp is able to bend its thorax from its abdomen almost at right angles.
From this angle the yellow along the side of the wasp's thorax is not parallel-sided so this is a German Wasp Vespula germanica ("coming over here and killing all our flies....")
(Ed Wilson)
In the Priorslee Avenue tunnel:
(Ed Wilson)
The Flash: 06:50 – 07:40
(204th visit of the year)
Bird notes:
- still 15 Mute Swans present. Again several groups flying around, never going far.
- no Mallard ducklings seen.
- the Great Crested Grebes were "scattered to the winds" and hard to find. The juveniles here seem to have become independent more quickly than those at the lake and can be found almost anywhere around the water.
- a trio of Cormorants was arriving as I departed
- only two Grey Herons.
Bird(s) noted flying over here:
- 1 Jackdaw
Noted on / around the water:
- 6 Canada Geese
- no Greylag Geese
- *15 Mute Swans
- 27 (?♂) Mallard
- 26 (18+?♂) Tufted Duck
- 9 Moorhens
- 105 adult and juvenile Coots: see notes
- 2 + 3 (? broods) Great Crested Grebes
- 16 Black-headed Gulls: at least two juveniles
- 1 Lesser Black-backed Gull
- 2 Grey Herons
Warblers recorded (the figure in brackets is birds noted singing):
- 6 (2) Chiffchaffs
- 3 (0) Blackcaps
Noted around the area:
- none
Two juvenile Great Crested Grebes displaying. Naughty children.
A new moth for me: it is a White-shouldered Ochre Ypsolopha parenthesella.
My latest ever date for a Common Blue Damselfly Enallagma cyathigerum.
A rather splendid Garden Spider Araneus diadematus
(Ed Wilson)
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In the Priorslee Avenue tunnel:
Moths: [42 species here before today; no addition]
*1 Double-striped Pug Gymnoscelis rufifasciata
*1 Double-striped Pug Gymnoscelis rufifasciata
Bees, wasps etc.:
*1 Honey Bee Apis mellifera: again! why?
*1 Honey Bee Apis mellifera: again! why?
Flies:
12 moth flies Psychodidae sp. [Drain Fly or Owl Fly]
10 midges of various species
12 moth flies Psychodidae sp. [Drain Fly or Owl Fly]
10 midges of various species
Arthropods:
no White-legged Snake Millipede Tachypodoiulus niger
no White-legged Snake Millipede Tachypodoiulus niger
Spiders, harvestmen etc.:
*1 Garden Spider Araneus diadematus [Garden Cross Spider]
1 $ harvestman Phalangium opilio
*1 Garden Spider Araneus diadematus [Garden Cross Spider]
1 $ harvestman Phalangium opilio
Another sighting of a Honey Bee Apis mellifera asleep in the ceiling. Most odd!
A Double-striped Pug Gymnoscelis rufifasciata. The tunnel is the place to find pug moths.
A scrunched up Garden Spider Araneus diadematus
(Ed Wilson)
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The Flash: 06:50 – 07:40
(204th visit of the year)
Bird notes:
- still 15 Mute Swans present. Again several groups flying around, never going far.
- no Mallard ducklings seen.
- the Great Crested Grebes were "scattered to the winds" and hard to find. The juveniles here seem to have become independent more quickly than those at the lake and can be found almost anywhere around the water.
- a trio of Cormorants was arriving as I departed
- only two Grey Herons.
Bird(s) noted flying over here:
- 1 Jackdaw
Noted on / around the water:
- 6 Canada Geese
- no Greylag Geese
- *15 Mute Swans
- 27 (?♂) Mallard
- 26 (18+?♂) Tufted Duck
- 9 Moorhens
- 105 adult and juvenile Coots: see notes
- 2 + 3 (? broods) Great Crested Grebes
- 16 Black-headed Gulls: at least two juveniles
- 1 Lesser Black-backed Gull
- 2 Grey Herons
Warblers recorded (the figure in brackets is birds noted singing):
- 6 (2) Chiffchaffs
- 3 (0) Blackcaps
Noted around the area:
Moths:
1 Common Grass-moths Agriphila tristella [previously Common Grass-veneer]
*1 dead Chevron Grass Moth Agriphila geniculea [previously Elbow-stripe Grass-veneer]
1 Common Grass-moths Agriphila tristella [previously Common Grass-veneer]
*1 dead Chevron Grass Moth Agriphila geniculea [previously Elbow-stripe Grass-veneer]
Leafhoppers etc.:
*1 $$ leafhopper, probably Tremulicerus vitreus
*1 $$ leafhopper, probably Tremulicerus vitreus
Spiders, harvestmen etc.:
1 harvestman Dicranopalpus ramosus/caudatus
I extracted this dead Chevron Grass Moth Agriphila geniculea from a spider's web. A few remnants of the chevron marks remain to confirm its identity. It is resting on one of my finger nails.
A new insect for me: it is a leafhopper and very probably Tremulicerus vitreus here taken with camera flash as it rested on a shaded street lamp pole.
(Ed Wilson)
2011
Nedge Hill
4 Yellow Wagtails
(John Isherwood)
1 harvestman Dicranopalpus ramosus/caudatus
A Mute Swan returning from a short flight around.
I assume these Collared Dove are a pair? The low morning sun has given a warm-tone to their plumage.
The same insect taken by natural light.
(Ed Wilson)
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Nedge Hill
4 Yellow Wagtails
(John Isherwood)