16.0°C > 19.0°C: Overcast with cloud lowering and wind increasing from almost calm to fresh southerly. Patchy light rain occasionally after 08:15. Excellent visibility.
Sunrise: 05:34 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 // 07:35 – 09:20
(188th visit of the year)
Bird notes:
- no Canada Geese on the water at dawn. 64 seen flying outbound in nine groups. After c.08:15 birds started arriving at the lake from the East with eventually 82 noted.
- the usual single Greylag Goose was seen when I arrived and present throughout. no others were seen.
- a bumper log of Mallard both here and at The Flash. At least 35 here with some hard-to-distinguish well-grown ducklings
- the duck Pochard seen again.
- there is an increasing number of Feral Pigeons in the area. I do not usually log these. Up to three are usually on roofs in Teece Drive with many more often seen circling the houses over the main part of the estate. This morning something alarmed these birds and 26 were circling over the football field c.06:15.
- an unusual sighting over the football field c.06:10 was a local Common Buzzard being chased by two Sparrowhawks which in turn were being chased by Magpies and Carrion Crows.
- just two House Martins were high over the football field c.06:15
- the early high overcast would seem to have provided perfect conditions to see the Jackdaws and Rooks as they passed over from their roosts: but it didn't! Those I did see were very far to the East even though at that stage the wind was very light.
Bird(s) noted flying over here:
- 64 Canada Geese: outbound in nine groups
- 3 Feral Pigeons: together (in addition to those seen over the football field – see notes)
- 1 Stock Dove
- c.210 Wood Pigeons: of these c.85 flew West together probably flushed from fields to the East
- 8 Lesser Black-baked Gulls
- 2 Sparrowhawks
- 66 Jackdaws
- 63 Rooks
Counts from the lake area:
- 82 Canada Geese: see notes
- 1 Greylag Goose: see notes
- 2 Mute Swans
- 34 (♂?) Mallard: see notes
- 1 (0♂) Pochard
- 10 + 3 (3 dependent broods) Moorhens
- 112 Coots
- 5 + 4 (2 broods) Great Crested Grebes
- 33 Black-headed Gulls: no juveniles
- 4 Lesser Black-baked Gulls
- 1 Grey Heron: departed
Hirundines etc. noted:
- 2 House Martins
Warblers recorded (the figure in brackets is birds noted singing):
increasing wind rustling the leaves made it hard to hear bird calls
- no Cetti's Warblers
- 7 (0) Chiffchaffs
- 2 (0) Reed Warblers
- 1 (0) Blackcap
Noted on the West end street lamp poles around-dawn:
Moths:
- *1 unidentified moth in an unidentified spider's clutches
- *1 unidentified moth in an unidentified spider's clutches
Bees, wasps etc.:
- - *1 European Hornet Vespa crabro
- - *1 European Hornet Vespa crabro
Spiders, harvestmen etc.:
- *3 Bridge Orb-web Spiders Larinioides sclopetarius
- 1 Noble or False Widow Spider Steatoda nobilis
- 1 harvestmen Leiobunum rotundum: male
Noted later:
There was little flying in the dull and windy conditions.
- *3 Bridge Orb-web Spiders Larinioides sclopetarius
- 1 Noble or False Widow Spider Steatoda nobilis
- 1 harvestmen Leiobunum rotundum: male
Noted later:
There was little flying in the dull and windy conditions.
Moths
*3 Straw Grass-moth Agriphila straminella [previously Straw Grass-veneer]
*3 Straw Grass-moth Agriphila straminella [previously Straw Grass-veneer]
Bees, wasps etc.:
Hornet Vespa crabro
Hornet Vespa crabro
Flies:
only unidentified fly species
The West end street lamp poles were not a happy place unless you are a spider. Here an unidentified spider has wrapped up an unidentified moth as breakfast.
Meanwhile a Bridge Orb-web Spider Larinioides sclopetarius closes in on what might be an already-subdued European Hornet Vespa crabro. Good luck with that battle!
(185th visit of the year)
Bird notes:
- one duck Mallard seen with a single well-grown duckling again. *Another duck Mallard seen with five mid-sized ducklings and clearly not the new brood seen yesterday.
- *the pair of Great Crested Grebes from the top end were sheltering the juvenile(e?) on one of their backs. The other adult was proffering a small fish but initially, other than a passing Black-headed Gull, seemed interested. Eventually one of the juveniles showed some interest. The three juveniles from the other pair were together with one of the adults: I could not locate the other adult - away fishing elsewhere in the pool?
Bird(s) noted flying over here:
- 1 Lesser Black-backed Gull
Noted on / around the water:
- 15 Canada Geese: again
- 1 Greylag Goose
- 8 Mute Swans
- *39 (?♂) + 6 (2 broods) Mallard: see notes
- 8 (?♂) Tufted Duck
- 5 Moorhens
- 97 + 5 (3 dependent broods) Coots:
- *3 + >4? (2 broods) Great Crested Grebes: see notes
- 9 Black-headed Gulls: again: still no juveniles
- 1 Grey Heron
Hirundines etc. noted:
only unidentified fly species
The only moths I could find here were a few Straw Grass-moths Agriphila straminella. Here is one.
These are growing fruits of Lords & Ladies Arum maculatum unlike the mown-down examples I photographed 10 days ago. The plant is also called Cuckoo Pint due to the flower spike appearing at the same time as Cuckoos arrive (not here they don't any more!). All parts of the plant are poisonous to humans.
(Ed Wilson)
In the Priorslee Avenue tunnel:
(Ed Wilson)
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
In the Priorslee Avenue tunnel:
Moths: [37 species here before today; no additions [one ID still pending]]
*1 Brown House-moth Hofmannophila pseudospretella
*1 Brown House-moth Hofmannophila pseudospretella
Flies:
4 moth flies Psychodidae sp. [Drain Fly or Owl Fly]
17 midges of various species.
4 moth flies Psychodidae sp. [Drain Fly or Owl Fly]
17 midges of various species.
Arthropods:
1 White-legged Snake Millipede Tachypodoiulus niger
1 White-legged Snake Millipede Tachypodoiulus niger
Spiders, harvestmen etc.:
1 Missing Sector Orb-web Spider Zygiella x-notata [Silver-sided Sector Spider]
1 Missing Sector Orb-web Spider Zygiella x-notata [Silver-sided Sector Spider]
The only moth I found here today was another Brown House-moth Hofmannophila pseudospretella. This species does seem to like it here: it is my seventh sighting here this year.
(Ed Wilson)
The Flash: 06:40 – 07:30
(Ed Wilson)
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Flash: 06:40 – 07:30
(185th visit of the year)
Bird notes:
- one duck Mallard seen with a single well-grown duckling again. *Another duck Mallard seen with five mid-sized ducklings and clearly not the new brood seen yesterday.
- *the pair of Great Crested Grebes from the top end were sheltering the juvenile(e?) on one of their backs. The other adult was proffering a small fish but initially, other than a passing Black-headed Gull, seemed interested. Eventually one of the juveniles showed some interest. The three juveniles from the other pair were together with one of the adults: I could not locate the other adult - away fishing elsewhere in the pool?
Bird(s) noted flying over here:
- 1 Lesser Black-backed Gull
Noted on / around the water:
- 15 Canada Geese: again
- 1 Greylag Goose
- 8 Mute Swans
- *39 (?♂) + 6 (2 broods) Mallard: see notes
- 8 (?♂) Tufted Duck
- 5 Moorhens
- 97 + 5 (3 dependent broods) Coots:
- *3 + >4? (2 broods) Great Crested Grebes: see notes
- 9 Black-headed Gulls: again: still no juveniles
- 1 Grey Heron
Hirundines etc. noted:
None
Warblers recorded (the figure in brackets is birds noted singing):
- 2 (0) Chiffchaffs
- no Blackcaps
Noted around the area:
Warblers recorded (the figure in brackets is birds noted singing):
- 2 (0) Chiffchaffs
- no Blackcaps
Noted around the area:
Moths:
*1 Black Arches Lymantria monacha
*1 Black Arches Lymantria monacha
Bugs:
*1 Red-legged Shieldbug Pentatoma rufipes
*1 Red-legged Shieldbug Pentatoma rufipes
Spiders, harvestmen etc.:
*9 harvestmen Dicranopalpus ramosus/caudatus
Five fluffy Mallard ducklings. These seem to be too large to from be same brood as the trio I saw yesterday.
A parent Great Crested Grebe arrives with breakfast. Initially none of the juveniles under the other parent's arched back-feathers seems interested.
A Red-legged Shieldbug Pentatoma rufipes using a council notice on a street lamp pole to try and disguise its presence. I am not sure where its two left legs are. Perhaps tucked underneath?
Yet another Black Arches moth Lymantria monacha. By far my best year for this species. This is my sixth at The Flash and my first at the top end.
One of nine harvestmen from the Dicranopalpus ramosus/caudatus species pair. This one has, unusually, folded up its long and forked pedipalps.
(Ed Wilson)
2013
Trench Lock Pool
4 Common Terns
(Dave Tromans)
2012
Priorslee Lake
Green Sandpiper
(Ed Wilson)
2011
Priorslee Lake
3 Common Terns
(Ed Wilson)
2008
Priorslee Lake
Black-tailed Godwit
Little Grebe
(Ed Wilson)
2008
Priorslee Lake
Black-tailed Godwit
Little Grebe
(Ed Wilson)
*9 harvestmen Dicranopalpus ramosus/caudatus
Eventually one appeared. That looks a big fish for a small juvenile.
The adult is still carrying the fish around...
(Ed Wilson)
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2013
Trench Lock Pool
4 Common Terns
(Dave Tromans)
2012
Priorslee Lake
Green Sandpiper
(Ed Wilson)
2011
Priorslee Lake
3 Common Terns
(Ed Wilson)
2008
Priorslee Lake
Black-tailed Godwit
Little Grebe
(Ed Wilson)
2008
Priorslee Lake
Black-tailed Godwit
Little Grebe
(Ed Wilson)