13.0°C > 17.0°C: A clear start with cloud soon increasing and then cloudy for a while. A few sunny breaks later. Moderate to fresh westerly wind. Very good visibility.
Sunrise: 05:36 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: 05:00 – 06:35 // 07:40 – 09:50
(189th visit of the year)
Bird notes:
- no Canada Geese on the water at dawn. 61 seen flying outbound in four groups with another outbound group of 11 pitching in to the lake and going no further. Eventually 38 noted after other birds flew in later.
- the usual single Greylag Goose was seen when I arrived and present throughout. A group of six were also present at dawn, flying off East together.
- the duck Pochard probably in hiding.
- a late Swift high over the dam area at 05:25 was joined by two others by 05:50. None was seen later.
- a Barn Swallow flew through at 05:40. Then four were hawking insects in the lee of trees at 08:50.
- the early clear skies seemed set to give a good view of the Jackdaws and Rooks as they passed over from their roosts: again it didn't! Perhaps the brighter morning meant they had gone before I arrived. Or perhaps the strong wind caused them to choose a different flight path.
Bird(s) noted flying over here:
- 61 Canada Geese: outbound in four groups
- 188 Wood Pigeons
- 5 Lesser Black-baked Gulls
- 21 Jackdaws
- 17 Rooks
Counts from the lake area:
- 38 Canada Geese: see notes
- 7 Greylag Geese: see notes
- 2 Mute Swans
- 33 (♂?) Mallard
- no Pochard
- 12 + 5 (3 dependent broods) Moorhens
- 103 Coots
- *6 + 5 (3 broods) Great Crested Grebes
- *52 Black-headed Gulls: five juveniles
- 7 Lesser Black-baked Gulls
- 1 Grey Heron
Hirundines etc. noted:
- 3 Swifts
- 5 Barn Swallows
Warblers recorded (the figure in brackets is birds noted singing):
- no Cetti's Warblers again
- 10 (1) Chiffchaffs
- 6 (1) Reed Warblers
- 4 (0) Blackcaps
Noted on the West end street lamp poles around-dawn:
Nothing
Most of the poles were exposed to the brisk wind.
Noted later:
Again there was little flying in the often dull and windy conditions.
Most of the poles were exposed to the brisk wind.
Noted later:
Again there was little flying in the often dull and windy conditions.
Moths
*5 Straw Grass-moth Agriphila straminella [previously Straw Grass-veneer]
*5 Straw Grass-moth Agriphila straminella [previously Straw Grass-veneer]
Bees, wasps etc.:
Common Wasp Paravespula vulgaris
*European Hornet Vespa crabro
Common Wasp Paravespula vulgaris
*European Hornet Vespa crabro
Hoverflies:
Marmalade Hoverfly Episyrphus balteatus
*Hornet Hoverfly Volucella zonaria [Hornet Plumehorn]
Marmalade Hoverfly Episyrphus balteatus
*Hornet Hoverfly Volucella zonaria [Hornet Plumehorn]
Flies:
*Greenbottle Lucilia caesar or similar
*$$ possible Broad-fronted Solieria Solieria pacifica
otherwise many unidentified fly species
*Greenbottle Lucilia caesar or similar
*$$ possible Broad-fronted Solieria Solieria pacifica
otherwise many unidentified fly species
Bugs:
*$$ Mirid bug Delicate Apple Capsid Malacocoris chlorizans
It was wall-to-wall clear when I arrived and the sunrise illuminating the incoming clouds caught me by surprise. I was not in the best position to capture the colour.
It is several days since I noted this brood of Great Crested Grebes. There were two. Now apparently just this one bird begging continually and noisily to be fed.
A trio of adult Black-headed Gulls at rest illustrating how quickly many of them lose their breeding "black head".
Today's photo of a Straw Grass-moth Agriphila straminella and possibly the freshest and therefore best-marked specimen I have noted.
An action shot of a European Hornet Vespa crabro: my third this year and all in the same general location. I must beware of finding the hornets' nest! The invasive and notifiable Asian Hornet V. velutina is also known as the Yellow Legged Hornet which gives a clue to its identification.
Obsidentify best suggestion (67%) for the identity of this fly was Broad-fronted Solieria Solieria pacifica. An internet search found Steven Falk's write up for this species (he does more than just hoverflies and bees). It looks a good match but what I don't know is whether there are the usual "similar species".
Helicopter of the day: it is an Aérospatiale AS 355F2 Twin Squirrel of the PLM Dollar Group from Inverness. They trade as PDG Helicopters - see the logo on the cowling of the two engines (hence "twin" squirrel: there is a single-engined version, the AS 350). The company has an outstation at Halfpenny Green Airfield near Wolverhampton. Their helicopters are frequently utilised for pipeline and cable inspections.
Plane of the day: a Cessna 150F owned by a small company with an address near Bridgnorth. It too flies this 1965-build aircraft from Halfpenny Green Airfield.
(Ed Wilson)
In the Priorslee Avenue tunnel:
Is this the same Flame Carpet moth Xanthorhoe designata I photographed two days ago and if so where was it yesterday?
(186th visit of the year)
Bird notes:
- one duck Mallard again seen with a single well-grown duckling. No other ducklings noted.
Bird(s) noted flying over here:
- 1 Lesser Black-backed Gull again
Noted on / around the water:
- 7 Canada Geese
- c.31 Greylag Geese: of these c.30 arrived, flying over me while my view was partially obscured.
- 8 Mute Swans
- 27 (?♂) + 1 (1 brood) Mallard
- 16 (?♂) Tufted Duck
- 4 Moorhens
- 90 + 2 (2 dependent broods) Coots:
- *4 + 5 (2 broods) Great Crested Grebes
- 3 Black-headed Gulls: no juveniles
- 1 Grey Heron
Hirundines etc. noted:
*$$ Mirid bug Delicate Apple Capsid Malacocoris chlorizans
Not a European Hornet but you can see how the Hornet Hoverfly Volucella zonaria got its name. Perhaps the most spectacular of the UK hoverflies and like them all quite harmless to man.
A very common fly at the moment is the Greenbottle Lucilia caesar or similar.
This Mirid bug, the Delicate Apple Capsid Malacocoris chlorizans is a new species for me.
(Ed Wilson)
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Moths: [37 species here before today; no additions [one ID still pending]]
*1 Flame Carpet Xanthorhoe designata
*1 Flame Carpet Xanthorhoe designata
Flies:
1 male Banded Mosquito Culiseta annulata
1 moth fly Psychodidae sp. [Drain Fly or Owl Fly]
14 midges of various species.
1 male Banded Mosquito Culiseta annulata
1 moth fly Psychodidae sp. [Drain Fly or Owl Fly]
14 midges of various species.
Arthropods:
1 White-legged Snake Millipede Tachypodoiulus niger
1 White-legged Snake Millipede Tachypodoiulus niger
Spiders, harvestmen etc.:
*1 probable running crab spider Philodromus sp., perhaps P. dispar
2 Missing Sector Orb-web Spiders Zygiella x-notata [Silver-sided Sector Spider]
1 harvestman Dicranopalpus ramosus/caudatus
1 harvestman Opilio canestrinii
*1 probable running crab spider Philodromus sp., perhaps P. dispar
2 Missing Sector Orb-web Spiders Zygiella x-notata [Silver-sided Sector Spider]
1 harvestman Dicranopalpus ramosus/caudatus
1 harvestman Opilio canestrinii
A probable running crab spider Philodromus sp., perhaps P. dispar. As with most spiders there are similar species and the abdomen markings are variable. The almost unmarked pale legs are the best guide here.
(Ed Wilson)
The Flash: 06:40 – 07:35
(Ed Wilson)
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The Flash: 06:40 – 07:35
(186th visit of the year)
Bird notes:
- one duck Mallard again seen with a single well-grown duckling. No other ducklings noted.
Bird(s) noted flying over here:
- 1 Lesser Black-backed Gull again
Noted on / around the water:
- 7 Canada Geese
- c.31 Greylag Geese: of these c.30 arrived, flying over me while my view was partially obscured.
- 8 Mute Swans
- 27 (?♂) + 1 (1 brood) Mallard
- 16 (?♂) Tufted Duck
- 4 Moorhens
- 90 + 2 (2 dependent broods) Coots:
- *4 + 5 (2 broods) Great Crested Grebes
- 3 Black-headed Gulls: no juveniles
- 1 Grey Heron
Hirundines etc. noted:
None
Warblers recorded (the figure in brackets is birds noted singing):
- 4 (0) Chiffchaffs
- *3 (0) Blackcaps
Noted around the area:
Warblers recorded (the figure in brackets is birds noted singing):
- 4 (0) Chiffchaffs
- *3 (0) Blackcaps
Noted around the area:
Moths:
*1 Swallow Prominent Pheosia tremula
*1 Red Underwing Catocala nupta
*1 Swallow Prominent Pheosia tremula
*1 Red Underwing Catocala nupta
Spiders, harvestmen etc.:
12 harvestmen Dicranopalpus ramosus/caudatus
I was just too late with this photo to show something I cannot recall ever seeing before. The juvenile Great Crested Grebe on the left was, moments before, on the back of the adult on the left. Meanwhile there is another juvenile riding on the back of the adult on the right. I can only remember seeing juveniles on one parent's back at any one time.
A bit scuffed I am afraid: another Swallow Prominent moth Pheosia tremula this one at the top of a street lamp pole in squirrel alley.
Another Red Underwing moth Catocala nupta and this one at waist-level in almost exactly the same place as the Willow Beauty moth Peribatodes rhomboidaria I photographed two days ago. The question arises: is the face alongside it somehow natural or was it made by a human? And if the latter was it put there before or after the moth arrived?
(Ed Wilson)
2012
Priorslee Lake
Common Sandpiper
(Ed Wilson)
2010
Priorslee Lake
A female Teal
(John Isherwood)
2009
Priorslee Lake
30 House Martins
(Ed Wilson)
2008
Priorslee Lake
Little Grebe
Common Sandpiper
(Ed Wilson)
12 harvestmen Dicranopalpus ramosus/caudatus
A juvenile Blackcap – note the gape line. But what has it got in its bill?
Something with wings?
Yes: a moth which I cannot identify.
Juvenile Blackcaps of both sexes have brown caps.
I still cannot ID the moth! A good view of the juvenile gape here.
The moth's body is about to be eaten.
Is this the same juvenile? I am not sure.
This is the adult female that was "in charge".
(Ed Wilson)
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2012
Priorslee Lake
Common Sandpiper
(Ed Wilson)
2010
Priorslee Lake
A female Teal
(John Isherwood)
2009
Priorslee Lake
30 House Martins
(Ed Wilson)
2008
Priorslee Lake
Little Grebe
Common Sandpiper
(Ed Wilson)