31 Aug 25

Priorslee Balancing Lake and The Flash

11.0°C > 17.0°C: An early very light shower; then clear for a while; cloud developing after c.08:30. Moderate southerly breeze increasing fresh. Very good visibility.

Sunrise: 06:19 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

Note
Weekdays as from tomorrow I will be reverting to "Winter" visiting hours to avoid getting tied up in the school run. That will mean a single visit to the lake, leaving c.09:00 for my walk around The Flash.

Priorslee Balancing Lake: 05:15 – 06:50 // 07:50 – 10:00

(213th visit of the year)

Bird notes:
- five visiting Mute Swans early sleeping well apart from the resident pair. Later only three strangers being left alone by the resident.
- an arrival of geese comprised 38 Canadas, 14 Greylags and the hybrid Canada x Greylag Goose.
- 32 Mallard counted today. A single duck Tufted Duck was the only other duck species noted.
- very few large gulls either on the water or overhead.
- at least 25 House Martins were high over the lake c.06:30. By 08:30 there were at least 35.
- *then at c.09:00 at least two Sand Martins, fifteen Barn Swallows and five House Martins were noted hunting insects.
- another fly-over of Pied Wagtails. These are all heading North, probably from a roost in Stafford Park. I suspect it is "being in the right place at the right time" to see these. I always note them flying overhead the academy buildings.

Bird(s) noted flying over here:
- 79 Canada Geese: 58 outbound in five groups; 21 inbound together
- 22 Greylag Geese: outbound in three groups
- 96 Wood Pigeons
- 1 Herring Gull
- 9 Lesser Black-baked Gulls
- 53 Jackdaws
- 198 Rooks
- 8 Pied Wagtails

Counts from the lake area:
- 38 Canada Geese: arrived in two groups together with...
- 1 Canada x Greylag Goose and...
- 14 Greylag Geese
- 7 Mute Swans: of these two departed
- *32 (♂?) Mallard
- *1 (0♂) Tufted Duck
- 12 Moorhens
- 168 adult and juvenile Coots
- 5 + 3 (1? brood) Great Crested Grebes
- c.75 Black-headed Gulls
- no Herring Gulls
- 4 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 1 Cormorant: arrived early and did not stay long
- 1 Grey Heron

Hirundines etc. noted:
- *>2 Sand Martin
- *>15 Barn Swallows
- >35 House Martins

Warblers recorded (the figure in brackets is birds noted singing):
- no Cetti's Warbler
- 20 (8) Chiffchaffs
- 2 (0) Reed Warblers
- 3 (0) Blackcaps

Noted on the West end street lamp poles around-dawn:

Moths:
- 3 Common Grass-moths Agriphila tristella [previously Common Grass-veneer] again

Four-winged flies:
- *1 Common Green Lacewing Chrysoperia carnea

Spiders, harvestmen etc.:
- *1 Bridge Orb-web Spider Larinioides sclopetarius [Bridge Orbweaver]

Noted later:
A few changes from recent days

Butterflies:
- Speckled Wood Pararge aegeria

Moths:
- *4 Common Nettle-taps Anthophila fabriciana
- *1 Chevron Grass Moth Agriphila geniculea [was Elbow-stripe Grass-veneer]

Bees, wasps etc.:
- *Common Carder Bee Bombus pascuorum
- Common Wasp Paravespula vulgaris
- European Hornet Vespa crabro
- *three different species of ichneumon

Hoverflies:
- *Tapered Dronefly Eristalis pertinax
- *Hornet Hoverfly Volucella zonaria [Hornet Plumehorn]

Damsel-/Dragonflies
- *Common Blue Damselfly Enallagma cyathigerum [Common Bluet]: another "latest date" for this species

Bugs:
- *late instar Common Green Shieldbug Palomena prasina

Beetles:
- none

Flies:
- *Tachinid fly Eriothrix rufomaculata [Red-sided Eriothrix]
- Greenbottle Lucilia sp.
- *Flesh fly Sarcophaga sp., possibly S. carnaria
- otherwise no interesting identified or unidentified flies!

This duck had me puzzled for a while. It is a not-yet-fully-grown Mallard duckling. Note the folded wing feathers only reach half way along its back giving it an unusual profile.

It was much better light for photographing the fast-moving hirundines, many of which were staying low-down over the water. This Sand Martin is not as sharp as I would have liked but this illustrates the overall brown tone, the short tail fork and the dark surround to the dark eye.

I did better with Barn Swallow photos – there were many more of them. This looks to be a juvenile – note the gape line and complete lack of tail streamers. It appears to be about to devour an insect but I suspect the mark is not an insect but another, more distant, swallow flying the other way.

Another juvenile showing white above the bill and no colour on the throat.

From this angle it almost looks to have a breast band suggesting Sand Martin. That species, as we saw, has a brown and not glossy-blue back.

Probably a female without tail streamers. It could be a well-advanced juvenile as the red throat is perhaps slightly too pale?

 The same bird a few seconds later, now with the tail spread making it look shorter.

I was pleased with this photo. I did not see any Tufted Ducks while I was walking around but here is one lurking in the background of my photo. Specsavers here I come (other opticians are available!)

I would judge this to be a juvenile from an earlier brood: it still has white above the bill but the throat is showing some colour.

I think an adult male that has one broken tail-streamer. Deep red above and below the bill.

An adult coming in for the kill!

For once a co-operative Common Nettle-tap moth Anthophila fabriciana that would pose for a photo.

I found this Chevron Grass Moth Agriphila geniculea on a street lamp pole c.09:15. I am sure it wasn't there earlier. Note the extremely feathery-looking palps. There is no mention in the literature that this is a feature of the species.

Common Carder Bees Bombus pascuorum were the only feasters on the Butterfly-bush Buddleja davidii.

The first of three different species of ichneumon. Identification is a challenge as there are so many species and so few of these are illustrated. This female looks to be a good candidate for Pimpla rufipes, based mainly on her short and stout ovipositor along with her overall size.

Not a good photo of ichneumon #2 and I assume the antennae are out-of-focus blurred rather than that thick. Another female with the tip of her ovipositor just protruding from underneath the folded wing.

And ichneumon #3 and also a female. Interesting leg colour. Obsidentify had only one named suggestion (other than ichneumon species) and that was Zaglyptus multicolour. I can find very little about the species on the web other than an NBN entry referring to just 19 UK records, albeit these are all from the Stafford / Manchester area. It looks a promising match but who knows how "many similar species" there may be.

This is a female (the eyes do not meet) Tapered Dronefly Eristalis pertinax. Her abdomen is not tapered and the separation from other members of the genus by the pattern of light and dark areas on the legs.

It may look like a European Hornet Vespa crabro but without the antennae it can't be. It is a harmless, nectar-loving Hornet Hoverfly Volucella zonaria.

Extending my "latest-ever" sighting date by three more days was this male Common Blue Damselfly Enallagma cyathigerum. Will I see one in September?

A Common Green Lacewing Chrysoperia carnea.

The Tachinid fly Eriothrix rufomaculata known as Red-sided Eriothrix in some sources.

These flesh flies from the genus Sarcophaga are certainly impressive even if I cannot identify them!

A late instar Common Green Shieldbug Palomena prasina. This species has been scarce this year.

A male Bridge Orb-web Spider Larinioides sclopetarius in typical pose with legs akimbo on the web ready to race after anything that enters the web.

(Ed Wilson)

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In the Priorslee Avenue tunnel:

Moths: [44 species here before today; one addition]
*1 Chevron Grass Moth Agriphila geniculea [was Elbow-stripe Grass-veneer]: my first here

Flies:
1 female mosquito Culex pipiens
6 moth flies Psychodidae sp. [Drain Fly or Owl Fly]
5 midges of various species only

Arthropods:
4 White-legged Snake Millipedes Tachypodoiulus niger

Spiders, harvestmen etc.:
1 Garden Spider Araneus diadematus [Garden Cross Spider]
*1 Missing Sector Orb-web Spider Zygiella x-notata [Silver-sided Sector Spider]
2 unidentified spiders

Bringing my species total of moths seen in the tunnel this year to a seemingly unlikely 45 was this Chevron Grass Moth Agriphila geniculea. Note the silver tip (cilia) to the wings indicating this is newly emerged. This feature, shared with many other grass moths, quickly wears away.

Obsidentify was 100% sure this is a Missing Sector Orb-web Spider Zygiella x-notata: clearly a male with large palps.

I wish I had some idea what this small creature is!

(Ed Wilson)

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The Flash: 06:55 – 07:45

(208th visit of the year)

Bird notes:
- one of the only two Canada Geese present when I arrived looked to be unwell, on the water hunched up.
- still eight Mute Swans.
- Mallard the only species of dabbling duck noted. A group of five in line astern was almost certainly an adult with her four, now almost full-sized, ducklings.
- so few Tufted Duck: why?
- no Cormorants.
- three Grey Herons again.
- a fly-over Rook was only my second record here this year.

Bird(s) noted flying over here:
- 2 Jackdaws
- 1 Rook

Noted on / around the water:
- 16 Canada Geese: of these 14 arrived in four groups
- 92 Greylag Geese: of these 90 arrived in two groups
- 8 Mute Swans
- 29 (?♂) + 4 (1 brood) Mallard: see notes
- 5 (4?♂) Tufted Duck only
- 12 Moorhens
- 86 adult and juvenile Coots
- 3 + 5 (2 broods) Great Crested Grebes
- 9 Black-headed Gulls
- no Cormorants
- 3 Grey Herons

Warblers recorded (the figure in brackets is birds noted singing):
- 2 (0) Chiffchaffs
- 2 (0) Blackcaps

Noted around the area:

Moths:
- *2 Common Grass-moths Agriphila tristella [previously Common Grass-veneer]

Bees, wasps etc.:
- 1 Common Wasp Paravespula vulgaris

Spiders, harvestmen etc.:
- 1 Garden Spider Araneus diadematus [Garden Cross Spider]
- 1 harvestman Dicranopalpus ramosus/caudatus
- *1 harvestman Paroligolophus agrestis

This Common Grass-moth Agriphila tristella stands out well against the Neighbourhood Watch sign near the academy. The dark border to the creamy stripe along the folded wing and the way the strip splits in to three "fingers" are both well illustrated.

This harvestman, Paroligolophus agrestis, is characterised by is small size, the noticeably thicker basal half to the legs and the pale stripe along the abdomen.

(Ed Wilson)

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2013
Priorslee Lake
Possible Little Ringed Plover
Raven
(John Isherwood)

2012
Priorslee Lake
Hobby
Common Tern
(Ed Wilson)

2011
Nedge Hill
Wheatear
(John Isherwood)

2010
Priorslee Lake
Yellow Wagtail
Little Grebe
Shoveler
(Ed Wilson)
The Flash
58 Tufted Duck
(Ed Wilson)