13.0°C > 16.0°C: Bright to the East: increasingly cloudy overhead with a very few brighter intervals. Moderate southerly breeze gusting fresh. Very good visibility.
Sunrise: 06:23 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
Notes
Today I piloted my "Winter" visiting hours to avoid getting tied up in the school run which will start in earnest from tomorrow.
As the main part of the moth season fades away the Shropshire micromoth recorder has been looking again at some of my photos from earlier in the year and there are a few changes. I took advantage of making the changes to my master list to double- treble-check on my 2025 species counts. As at 31 August these stood at:
87 at the lake [91 last year, all year]
70 at The Flash [50 last year, all year]
45 in the tunnel [20 last year, all year]
so a relatively poor year at the lake though I should exceed the 2024 total – just
Priorslee Balancing Lake: 05:15 – 09:10
(214th visit of the year)
Bird notes:
- three visiting Mute Swans early, again sleeping well apart from the resident pair. The resident cob gave brief chase – to show them who is boss? He repeated the exercise when a fourth visitor arrived thereafter leaving them alone.
- a big arrival of geese comprised 53 Canadas, 29 Greylags and the hybrid Canada x Greylag Goose. 20 of the Greylags stayed less than ten minutes.
- 28 Mallard counted though I am not sure how accurate / complete that was as birds were scattered all around the edges and tricky to keep track of.
- very few large gulls again.
- over recent months up to six Feral Pigeons have begun to accumulate on the house roofs alongside Teece Drive. Today there were eight and these then joined another 30 circling overhead the estate. I do no typically record this species.
- at c.08:45 at least two Sand Martins, 20 Barn Swallows and 15 House Martins were noted hunting insects along the South side.
- after yesterday's partial return to form in the number of passing Jackdaws it was a poor showing today.
- the Rook passage was unusual too: 73 flew over c.05:55 in three silent groups. It was ten minutes before the balance of 136 started to cross and many of these, in scattered groups, were calling.
Bird(s) noted flying over here:
- 23 Canada Geese: outbound together
- 105 Greylag Geese: 77 outbound in three groups; 28 inbound together
- 2 Stock Doves: together
- 63 Wood Pigeons
- 2 Herring Gulls
- 11 Lesser Black-baked Gulls
- 12 Jackdaws
- 209 Rooks
- 4 Pied Wagtails
Counts from the lake area:
- 55 Canada Geese: two departed c.05:50; 53 arrived in several concurrent groups along with...
- 1 Canada x Greylag Goose and...
- 29 Greylag Geese
- 6 Mute Swans: of these one arrived
- 28 (♂?) Mallard: see notes
- *1 unidentified dabbling duck!
- 17 Moorhens
- 159 adult and juvenile Coots
- 6 + 3 (1? brood) Great Crested Grebes
- c.60 Black-headed Gulls
- 1 Herring Gull
- 5 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 1 Grey Heron: arrived c.05:40
Hirundines etc. noted:
- *>2 Sand Martin
- *>20 Barn Swallows
- >15 House Martins
Warblers recorded (the figure in brackets is birds noted singing):
- 1 (1) Cetti's Warbler: partial song only
- 21 (8) Chiffchaffs
- no Reed Warbler
- 1 (0) Blackcap
Noted on the West end street lamp poles around-dawn:
Bird notes:
- three visiting Mute Swans early, again sleeping well apart from the resident pair. The resident cob gave brief chase – to show them who is boss? He repeated the exercise when a fourth visitor arrived thereafter leaving them alone.
- a big arrival of geese comprised 53 Canadas, 29 Greylags and the hybrid Canada x Greylag Goose. 20 of the Greylags stayed less than ten minutes.
- 28 Mallard counted though I am not sure how accurate / complete that was as birds were scattered all around the edges and tricky to keep track of.
- very few large gulls again.
- over recent months up to six Feral Pigeons have begun to accumulate on the house roofs alongside Teece Drive. Today there were eight and these then joined another 30 circling overhead the estate. I do no typically record this species.
- at c.08:45 at least two Sand Martins, 20 Barn Swallows and 15 House Martins were noted hunting insects along the South side.
- after yesterday's partial return to form in the number of passing Jackdaws it was a poor showing today.
- the Rook passage was unusual too: 73 flew over c.05:55 in three silent groups. It was ten minutes before the balance of 136 started to cross and many of these, in scattered groups, were calling.
Bird(s) noted flying over here:
- 23 Canada Geese: outbound together
- 105 Greylag Geese: 77 outbound in three groups; 28 inbound together
- 2 Stock Doves: together
- 63 Wood Pigeons
- 2 Herring Gulls
- 11 Lesser Black-baked Gulls
- 12 Jackdaws
- 209 Rooks
- 4 Pied Wagtails
Counts from the lake area:
- 55 Canada Geese: two departed c.05:50; 53 arrived in several concurrent groups along with...
- 1 Canada x Greylag Goose and...
- 29 Greylag Geese
- 6 Mute Swans: of these one arrived
- 28 (♂?) Mallard: see notes
- *1 unidentified dabbling duck!
- 17 Moorhens
- 159 adult and juvenile Coots
- 6 + 3 (1? brood) Great Crested Grebes
- c.60 Black-headed Gulls
- 1 Herring Gull
- 5 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 1 Grey Heron: arrived c.05:40
Hirundines etc. noted:
- *>2 Sand Martin
- *>20 Barn Swallows
- >15 House Martins
Warblers recorded (the figure in brackets is birds noted singing):
- 1 (1) Cetti's Warbler: partial song only
- 21 (8) Chiffchaffs
- no Reed Warbler
- 1 (0) Blackcap
Noted on the West end street lamp poles around-dawn:
Moths:
- 1 Common Grass-moth Agriphila tristella [previously Common Grass-veneer]
- 1 Common Grass-moth Agriphila tristella [previously Common Grass-veneer]
Four-winged flies etc.:
- *1 Pond Olive mayfly Cloeon dipterum
- *1 Pond Olive mayfly Cloeon dipterum
Spiders, harvestmen etc.:
- 2 Bridge Orb-web Spiders Larinioides sclopetarius [Bridge Orbweaver]
- 1 Missing Sector Orb-web Spider Zygiella x-notata [Silver-sided Sector Spider]
- several other unidentified spiders with only parts sticking out of cracks in the street furniture.
- *1 harvestman Paroligolophus agrestis
Noted elsewhere:
Dull and breezy conditions and earlier departure limited the possibilities.
- 2 Bridge Orb-web Spiders Larinioides sclopetarius [Bridge Orbweaver]
- 1 Missing Sector Orb-web Spider Zygiella x-notata [Silver-sided Sector Spider]
- several other unidentified spiders with only parts sticking out of cracks in the street furniture.
- *1 harvestman Paroligolophus agrestis
Noted elsewhere:
Dull and breezy conditions and earlier departure limited the possibilities.
Butterflies:
- none
- none
Moths:
- *1 Common Nettle-tap Anthophila fabriciana
- *1 Common Nettle-tap Anthophila fabriciana
Bees, wasps etc.:
- *Common Carder Bee Bombus pascuorum
- Common Wasp Paravespula vulgaris
- *Common Carder Bee Bombus pascuorum
- Common Wasp Paravespula vulgaris
Hoverflies:
- Hornet Hoverfly Volucella zonaria [Hornet Plumehorn]
- Hornet Hoverfly Volucella zonaria [Hornet Plumehorn]
Damsel-/Dragonflies
- none
- none
Other Flies:
- *probable Muscid fly Phaonia tuguriorum
- *possible Scoliocentra villosa from the Heleomyzidae group
- a few other interesting identified and unidentified flies!
- *probable Muscid fly Phaonia tuguriorum
- *possible Scoliocentra villosa from the Heleomyzidae group
- a few other interesting identified and unidentified flies!
Bugs:
- none
- none
Beetles:
- *7 Spot Ladybird Coccinella 7-punctata
- *7 Spot Ladybird Coccinella 7-punctata
Mammals:
- probably three species of bat noted:
5+ pipistrelle type along the North side c.05:45
1 direct flying bat circling low over the South side c.05:35
1 erratically flying bat zig-zagged along Teece Drive toward the lake c.06:20.
As the cloud encroached it was lit by the rising sun and for a while looked better to the North – this taken from the dam top.
Another duck puzzle today. This, compared to the Coot, to be a small duck. It is not a Common Teal as it lacks the white flash down the side of the tail and a teal would not show a dark line through the eye.
Here shown preening, the speculum is clearly blue and not green as it would be in a teal. Could it be a duck / immature Garganey? I would have expected a stronger face pattern with darker cheeks and a pale spot at the base of the bill. I give in!
Taken at c.06:20 the camera and the photo editor have made a very reasonable job on this Common Buzzard stretching its wings on the football field fence.
A few more photos of flying hirundines. More of a challenge this morning with less light and the stronger wind rippling the water surface making it a challenge for the camera to focus on the bird. A Sand Martin with the pale collar...
The tail spots are clearly visible on this bird. From time to time all the birds feeding low over the water would rise together in to the sky before descending a minute or so later. I could not see any predator that might cause them to panic.
Tail spots also visible here on what I think is a juvenile Barn Swallow from the lack of strong colour in the chin area.
A different view of a Common Nettle-tap moth Anthophila fabriciana showing the usually hidden banded abdomen and white hind legs.
I believe this to be a Pond Olive mayfly Cloeon dipterum. I do not have much information on mayfly identification. This is a male from the turbinate eyes, apparently to allow them to see any passing females and grab them.
This is probably the Muscid fly Phaonia tuguriorum. Obsidentify was 100% sure it was this species. It is certainly a Phaonia due to the bulge along the outer edge of the wing. This species is not illustrated on the NatureSpot web site: it is in eakringbirds.com though the angle of their photos does not confirm the rather messy pattern on the thorax and the grey scutellum.
An unusual fly with a tapered orange abdomen. Obsidentify suggested one of the Heleomyzidae group of flies and checking with NatureSpot then Scoliocentra villosa seems a good match.
These midges are very cute with their amazing antennae. But what are they. I can find nothing like them on the web or in my literature.
The same individual from another angle showing the long thin body extending well beyond the wing tips.
At the top of one of the street lamp poles amongst debris from the meals of many spiders I noted this harvestman Paroligolophus agrestis. Not my first of the year here – unusually I saw a late individual at the turn of this year – but my first here this Autumn.
(Ed Wilson)
In the Priorslee Avenue tunnel:
This is a female Banded Mosquito Culiseta annulata. It is just about possible to see the banding on the abdomen. In this species the legs have both dark and pale sections, again just about visible.
I did not take this photo today. It shows a typical male mosquito with his splendid antennae he uses for sniffing out females. Males do not bite. I think this is the "other" common species of mosquito Culex pipiens but you get the idea.
(Ed Wilson)
The Flash: 09:15 – 10:15
(209th visit of the year)
Bird notes:
- I did not see yesterday's unwell-looking Canada Goose.
- probably more geese than I was able to count: some of the earlier arrivals were likely inside the island.
- now 10 Mute Swans.
- *the adult Mallard with her four, now almost full-sized, ducklings was seen again. An improbably high count of Mallard possibly due to birds moving around while my back was turned.
- a return to a number of Tufted Duck more typical of recent days after yesterday's low count.
- three Cormorants at least. Three were on the edge of the island. Later I saw one fishing in the water but was unable to see whether the three were still present.
- just one Grey Heron. Had others been and gone prior to my arrival.
Bird(s) noted flying over here:
- probably three species of bat noted:
5+ pipistrelle type along the North side c.05:45
1 direct flying bat circling low over the South side c.05:35
1 erratically flying bat zig-zagged along Teece Drive toward the lake c.06:20.
Later just as the rising sun was clearing the trees this is what it looked like from the West end.
...extending, albeit fainter, all the way around the neck.
A pleasing shot.
A juvenile Barn Swallow showing a very strong gape line.
I am not sure why I cannot see the spots in the spread tail here.
One or two Common Carder Bees Bombus pascuorum are the only insects I am finding on the plentiful supply of flowers on the Butterfly-bush Buddleja davidii alongside Teece Drive.
It is good to find something I can be very confident about: a 7 Spot Ladybird Coccinella 7-punctata.
(Ed Wilson)
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
In the Priorslee Avenue tunnel:
Moths: [45 species here before today; no addition]
none
none
Flies:
*1 female mosquito Culex pipiens
4 moth flies Psychodidae sp. [Drain Fly or Owl Fly]
*11 midges of various species only
*1 female mosquito Culex pipiens
4 moth flies Psychodidae sp. [Drain Fly or Owl Fly]
*11 midges of various species only
Arthropods:
1 Common Rough Woodlouse Porcellio scaber
*6 White-legged Snake Millipedes Tachypodoiulus niger
1 Common Rough Woodlouse Porcellio scaber
*6 White-legged Snake Millipedes Tachypodoiulus niger
Spiders, harvestmen etc.:
*1 Missing Sector Orb-web Spider Zygiella x-notata [Silver-sided Sector Spider]
4 other unidentified spiders
*1 Missing Sector Orb-web Spider Zygiella x-notata [Silver-sided Sector Spider]
4 other unidentified spiders
Typical of the midges etc. that I see on the wall of the tunnel. This is a male with plumed antennae.
This is probably a female midge. Of the same species?
One of today's White-legged Snake Millipedes Tachypodoiulus niger.
And today's mystery. The shadow of the head makes identification even more of a challenge.
The daily Missing Sector Orb-web Spider Zygiella x-notata.
(Ed Wilson)
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Flash: 09:15 – 10:15
(209th visit of the year)
Bird notes:
- I did not see yesterday's unwell-looking Canada Goose.
- probably more geese than I was able to count: some of the earlier arrivals were likely inside the island.
- now 10 Mute Swans.
- *the adult Mallard with her four, now almost full-sized, ducklings was seen again. An improbably high count of Mallard possibly due to birds moving around while my back was turned.
- a return to a number of Tufted Duck more typical of recent days after yesterday's low count.
- three Cormorants at least. Three were on the edge of the island. Later I saw one fishing in the water but was unable to see whether the three were still present.
- just one Grey Heron. Had others been and gone prior to my arrival.
Bird(s) noted flying over here:
None
Noted on / around the water:
- 69 Canada Geese
- 6 Greylag Geese
- 10 Mute Swans
- 45? (?♂) + *4 (1 brood) Mallard: see notes
- 20 (>14?♂) Tufted Duck
- 12 Moorhens again
- 87 adult and juvenile Coots
- 4 + 5 (2 broods) Great Crested Grebes
- 22 Black-headed Gulls
- 3 (or 4) Cormorants: see notes
- 1 Grey Heron
Warblers recorded (the figure in brackets is birds noted singing):
- 1 (0) Chiffchaff
- 1 (0) Blackcap
Noted around the area:
Noted on / around the water:
- 69 Canada Geese
- 6 Greylag Geese
- 10 Mute Swans
- 45? (?♂) + *4 (1 brood) Mallard: see notes
- 20 (>14?♂) Tufted Duck
- 12 Moorhens again
- 87 adult and juvenile Coots
- 4 + 5 (2 broods) Great Crested Grebes
- 22 Black-headed Gulls
- 3 (or 4) Cormorants: see notes
- 1 Grey Heron
Warblers recorded (the figure in brackets is birds noted singing):
- 1 (0) Chiffchaff
- 1 (0) Blackcap
Noted around the area:
Moths:
- none
- none
Bees, wasps etc.:
- 1 Common Wasp Paravespula vulgaris
- 1 Common Wasp Paravespula vulgaris
Beetles:
- 1 Alder Leaf Beetle Agelastica alni
- 1 Alder Leaf Beetle Agelastica alni
Spiders, harvestmen etc.:
- *1 harvestman Leiobunum blackwalli
- 2 harvestmen Paroligolophus agrestis
These are the four fast-growing Mallard ducklings. Mum was always just too far away to include in the photo.
A harvestman from the species pair Leiobunum blackwalli / rotundum characterised by the rounded body (less so on females) and the very long legs held spread. Separation of the males is done by looking at the ocularium. This is the raised bump at the front of the harvestmen's body that contains their two eyes. On L. blackwalli, which this is, the ocularium surround shows white. I remember "black is white" as it seems perverse: I would expect blackwalli to mean black-walled. In fact it is one of a number of insect species that are named after the important British naturalist John Blackwall.
(Ed Wilson)
2012
Nedge Hill
1 Hobby
1 Wheatear
(John Isherwood)
2010
Priorslee Lake
Tawny Owl
5 Swifts
(Ed Wilson)
2006
Priorslee Lake
Common Tern
2 Swifts
(Ed Wilson)
- *1 harvestman Leiobunum blackwalli
- 2 harvestmen Paroligolophus agrestis
(Ed Wilson)
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2012
Nedge Hill
1 Hobby
1 Wheatear
(John Isherwood)
2010
Priorslee Lake
Tawny Owl
5 Swifts
(Ed Wilson)
2006
Priorslee Lake
Common Tern
2 Swifts
(Ed Wilson)