19 Sep 25

Priorslee Balancing Lake and The Flash

16.0°C > 17.0°C: Early broken cloud at multiple levels. Then clouded at medium / low-level until after 10:00 when a few sunny intervals developed. A light southerly breeze. Very good visibility.

Sunrise: 06:51 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: 05:30 – 09:10

(226th visit of the year)

Bird notes:
- unusually the pair of Mute Swans went for a short flight down the length of the water. It is rare to see them fly when they are not chasing intruders.
- a duck Tufted Duck new in
- >350 Black-headed Gulls noted with >200 on the south-west grass for a while. There was none on the football field c.07:10, probably spooked off by a dog approaching the fence too quickly.
- two sizeable arrivals of large gulls, mainly Lesser Black-backs. Also a significant passage overhead concurrent with the Jackdaws and Rooks.
- another passage of Barn Swallows and one southbound group of House Martins. When I visited Sleap later the resident swallows had all departed. Only a few remained last Saturday (13th). [I was wrong yesterday to note that the House Martins had left their Newport breeding sites: there were at least 10 around this afternoon]

Bird(s) noted flying over here:
- 9 Greylag Geese: single and octet outbound
- 1 Stock Dove
- 16 Wood Pigeons
- 1 Herring Gull
- 84 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 171 Jackdaws
- 198 Rooks
- 16 Starlings: together

Counts from the lake area:
- 2 Mute Swans
- 12 (6♂) Mallard again
- 1 (0♂) Tufted Duck
- 10 Moorhens
- 66 Coots
- 2 Great Crested Grebes
- >350 Black-headed Gulls: see notes
- *14 Herring Gulls
- *104 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- *1 Cormorant: arrived by 06:50, unusually early
- 1 Grey Heron: arrived 06:20

Hirundines etc. noted:
- >52 Barn Swallows
- 22 House Martins: together

Warblers recorded (the figure in brackets is birds noted singing):
- 1 (1) Cetti's Warbler
- 15 (3) Chiffchaffs
- 2 (0) Blackcaps once again

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

Moths:
- *1 White-shouldered House Moth Endrosis sarcitrella
- *1 probable Square-spot Rustic Xestia xanthographa

Springtails:
- 1 springtail Pogonognathellus longicornis-type

Flies:
- 1 male Spotted-winged Drosophila Drosophila suzukii

Beetles:
- *1 Harlequin Ladybird Harmonia axyridis var. spectabilis

Spiders, harvestmen etc.:
- 2 Bridge Orb-web Spider Larinioides sclopetarius [Bridge Orbweaver]
- *2 $ Orb-web spiders Metellina segmentata
- 1 Walnut Orb Weaver Nuctenea umbratica

Noted later elsewhere:

Moths:
- *1 Common Nettle-tap Anthophila fabriciana

Bees, wasps, etc.:
- Common Carder Bee Bombus pascuorum
- Common Wasp Paravespula vulgaris
- European Hornet Vespa crabro: again at least 10 around the nest

Flies:
- *Flesh fly Sarcophaga sp.
- *European Cranefly Tipula paludosa
- *as usual some unidentified flies

Mammals:
- 3 pipistrelle-type bats

Plants:
- *$ Borage Borago officinalis

Around dawn there was only a small amount of high cloud. The waning moon just about visible here.

Later low cloud started arriving from the South. Many of the Coots had left the south-west grass and can be seen in the water.

As good as it got.

A juvenile Herring Gull yet to acquire first-winter plumage. The inner primaries are pale and at this age show noticeably dark outer tips.

Compare and contrast time. Two first-winter gulls. On the left a paler Herring Gull facing off against a Lesser Black-backed Gull. The extent of white on the head at this age, especially on Herring Gulls, can be variable. Head shape is more defined by stance than by consistent difference between the species. All immature large gulls have pink legs.

Possibly the same Cormorant as yesterday when I forgot to mention how thick the legs are. Here it is standing with one foot tucked under. I am not sure whether that is just the way it is standing or whether it is deformed.

It did not like my close approach.

Do I need to say – a Robin.

A White-shouldered House Moth Endrosis sarcitrella and my first record of this species away from the Priorslee Avenue tunnel

And still this moth species hangs on: another Common Nettle-tap Anthophila fabriciana.

This moth was snuggled at the top of one of the street lamp poles and the photo is not as sharp as I would have liked. I am fairly certain it is a Square-spot Rustic Xestia xanthographa though the hairy legs are a puzzle.

An unusual back-drop to this Flesh fly Sarcophaga sp.: the roof of my car.

Just about everywhere today were European Craneflies Tipula paludosa. One of the usually abundant species of Autumn Daddy-long-legs

This fly was on a street lamp pole in the dark. I wonder what species it is.

Another fly I cannot identify, this one apparently about to make a left turn. In fact it was stationary on the new seat on the dam-top.

I have only seen two Harlequin Ladybirds Harmonia axyridis of the form spectabilis this year and both of them have been on a street lamp pole around dawn. The white spots on the elytra are reflections of the camera flash and not markings.

One of two Orb-web spiders, probably both Metellina segmentata, seen on the street lamp poles pre-dawn.

Even after allowing for shadows there seems to be too many legs for them all to belong to the Walnut Orb Weaver spider. Nuctenea umbratica. What has it found to devour?

I am sure this plant is present every year even though it does not always make my log. It is Borage Borago officinalis.

A close-up of the flower head.

(Ed Wilson)

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On the walls of the sailing club HQ pre-dawn:

Flies:
- 1 European Cranefly Tipula paludosa
- 2 midges, not identified

Spiders, harvestmen etc.:
- 39(!) spiders, all the usual species including:
Walnut Orb Weaver Nuctenea umbratica
Missing Sector Orb-web Spiders Zygiella x-notata [Silver-sided Sector Spider]

(Ed Wilson)

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In the Priorslee Avenue tunnel:

Moths: [46 species here before today; no addition]
- none

Flies:
- 1 European Cranefly Tipula paludosa
- no moth flies Psychodidae sp. [Drain Fly or Owl Fly]
- 13 midges of various species

Arthropods:
- 1 Common Rough Woodlouse Porcellio scaber
- 5 White-legged Snake Millipedes Tachypodoiulus niger

Spiders, harvestmen etc.:
- 27 spiders over several species: confirmed species were:
*Garden Spider Araneus diadematus [Garden Cross Spider]
Missing Sector Orb-web Spiders Zygiella x-notata [Silver-sided Sector Spider]

One of many Garden Spiders Araneus diadematus noted today – it is spider time of year. This specimen in greyer than many examples.

(Ed Wilson)

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The Flash: 09:15 – 10:20

(219th visit of the year)

Bird notes:
- now only eight Mute Swans

Bird(s) noted flying over here:
- 1 Rook: only my second record of this year here

Noted on / around the water:
- 13 Canada Geese
- 32 Greylag Geese
- 8 Mute Swans
- 38 (26♂) Mallard
- 5 (2♂) Tufted Duck
- 13 Moorhens
- *87 Coots
- 4 + 4 (2 broods) Great Crested Grebes: I suspect the "missing" juvenile was lurking somewhere
- *6 Black-headed Gulls
- 1 Lesser Black-backed Gull: adult
- 5 Cormorants
- 2 Grey Herons

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

Noted around the area:

Moths:
- *1 Common Marbled Carpet Chloroclysta truncata
- *1 $$ Brindled Green Dryobotodes eremita

Bees, wasps etc.
- *Honey Bee Apis mellifera
- Buff-tailed Bumblebee Bombus terrestris
- Common Wasp Paravespula vulgaris

Flies:
- European Cranefly Tipula paludosa

Spiders:
- Garden Spider Araneus diadematus [Garden Cross Spider]

Fungus:
- *$ Peeling Oysterling Crepidotus mollis

The Coot came up with some weed and the Black-headed Gulls were there trying to steal it. Two of the three are first-winter birds. Quick learners.

Another very different-looking Common Marbled Carpet Chloroclysta truncata almost lacking any colour but retaining the distinctive markings.

A poor photo of my first Shropshire record of a Brindled Green moth Dryobotodes eremita. In my defence it was among the detritus at the very top of the tallest street lamp pole in the gloom of squirrel alley. Most "green" moths rapidly loose the green tone after emerging.

Now a better photo of a Honey Bee Apis mellifera than I managed yesterday.

Obsidentify assures me this fungus is Peeling Oysterling Crepidotus mollis, so-named because the outer skin of the fruiting body can be peeled back and it is oyster-shaped.

(Ed Wilson)

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2011
Priorslee Lake
Common Sandpiper
(Ed Wilson)

2008
Priorslee Lake
Water Rail
129 Greenfinches leaving roost
(Ed Wilson)

2007
Priorslee Lake
Kingfisher
2 Redwings
(Ed Wilson)

2006
Priorslee Lake
4 Black-tailed Godwit
(Martin Adlam)