11.0°C > 13.0°C: Cloudy, often at low level. Light / moderate south-easterly breeze. Good visibility mostly with one period of murk when moderate at best.
Sunrise: 07:13 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: 05:35 – 09:25
(240th visit of the year)
Bird notes
The good run of wildfowl sighting continues through I am not entirely sure the 140+ Canada Geese that departed from the lake c.07:00 qualify as "wild"fowl. Today, in addition to the Mallard, there were: a pair of Shoveler; four Common Teal and at least four duck Tufted Duck. I saw groups of three, four and two of the latter without ever being in a position to see more than one of their locations at any one time.
Other bird notes:
- the gull arrival was somewhat delayed as with all the Canada Geese on the water preparing to leave there was not much room for them.
- there were no Black-headed Gulls on the football field when I visited c.07:15.
- a calling Blackcap was somewhat unexpected. Not quite my "latest date" for this species. No doubt a few will over-winter in the area. These will typically remain silent and largely undetected. I am told they like M&S Christmas cake on bird-tables.
- a single Siskin was just about the only fly-over on a quiet morning.
Bird(s) noted flying over here:
- 19 Greylag Geese: inbound together
- 1 Feral Pigeon
- 15 Wood Pigeons
- 28 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 2 Cormorants: together
- 61 Jackdaws
- 134 Rooks
- 2 Pied Wagtails
- 1 Siskin
Counts from the lake area:
- >140 Canada Geese: departed in nine groups
- 2 Mute Swans
- *2 (1♂) Shoveler
- 19 (10♂) Mallard
- *4 (?♂) Common Teal
- 4+ (0♂) Tufted Duck: see highlight
- 7 Moorhens
- 39 Coots
- 4 Great Crested Grebes
- c.500 Black-headed Gulls
- 3 Herring Gulls only
- c.250 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 1 Cormorant: arrived
- 2 Grey Herons: the second eventually chased away
Hirundines etc. noted:
Bird notes
The good run of wildfowl sighting continues through I am not entirely sure the 140+ Canada Geese that departed from the lake c.07:00 qualify as "wild"fowl. Today, in addition to the Mallard, there were: a pair of Shoveler; four Common Teal and at least four duck Tufted Duck. I saw groups of three, four and two of the latter without ever being in a position to see more than one of their locations at any one time.
Other bird notes:
- the gull arrival was somewhat delayed as with all the Canada Geese on the water preparing to leave there was not much room for them.
- there were no Black-headed Gulls on the football field when I visited c.07:15.
- a calling Blackcap was somewhat unexpected. Not quite my "latest date" for this species. No doubt a few will over-winter in the area. These will typically remain silent and largely undetected. I am told they like M&S Christmas cake on bird-tables.
- a single Siskin was just about the only fly-over on a quiet morning.
Bird(s) noted flying over here:
- 19 Greylag Geese: inbound together
- 1 Feral Pigeon
- 15 Wood Pigeons
- 28 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 2 Cormorants: together
- 61 Jackdaws
- 134 Rooks
- 2 Pied Wagtails
- 1 Siskin
Counts from the lake area:
- >140 Canada Geese: departed in nine groups
- 2 Mute Swans
- *2 (1♂) Shoveler
- 19 (10♂) Mallard
- *4 (?♂) Common Teal
- 4+ (0♂) Tufted Duck: see highlight
- 7 Moorhens
- 39 Coots
- 4 Great Crested Grebes
- c.500 Black-headed Gulls
- 3 Herring Gulls only
- c.250 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 1 Cormorant: arrived
- 2 Grey Herons: the second eventually chased away
Hirundines etc. noted:
None
Warblers recorded (the figure in brackets is birds noted singing):
- 1 (1) Cetti's Warbler
- 2 (0) Chiffchaffs
- 1 (0) Blackcap
Noted on the West end street lamp poles pre-dawn:
Warblers recorded (the figure in brackets is birds noted singing):
- 1 (1) Cetti's Warbler
- 2 (0) Chiffchaffs
- 1 (0) Blackcap
Noted on the West end street lamp poles pre-dawn:
Moths:
- *1 Scalloped Tortrix Acleris emargana [was Notch-wing Button]
- *1 Scalloped Tortrix Acleris emargana [was Notch-wing Button]
Springtails etc.:
- *1 barkfly Ectopsocus briggsi agg.
- 2 springtail Pogonognathellus longicornis
- *1 barkfly Ectopsocus briggsi agg.
- 2 springtail Pogonognathellus longicornis
Four-winged flies:
- *1 Common Green Lacewing Chrysoperia carnea
- *1 Common Green Lacewing Chrysoperia carnea
Other flies:
- 1 female Spotted-winged Drosophila Drosophila suzukii
- 1 European Cranefly Tipula paludosa
- 1 winter cranefly Trichocera sp.
- 1 female Spotted-winged Drosophila Drosophila suzukii
- 1 European Cranefly Tipula paludosa
- 1 winter cranefly Trichocera sp.
Beetles:
- *1 ground beetle Nebria sp.
- *1 ground beetle Nebria sp.
Spiders, harvestmen etc.:
- 1 Bridge Orb-web Spider Larinioides sclopetarius [Bridge Orbweaver]
- *1 possible Metellina sp.
- *1 Missing Sector Orb-web Spider Zygiella x-notata [Silver-sided Sector Spider]
- 1 female and *1 male harvestman Leiobunum rotundum
Noted on the walls of the sailing club HQ pre-dawn:
- 1 Bridge Orb-web Spider Larinioides sclopetarius [Bridge Orbweaver]
- *1 possible Metellina sp.
- *1 Missing Sector Orb-web Spider Zygiella x-notata [Silver-sided Sector Spider]
- 1 female and *1 male harvestman Leiobunum rotundum
Noted on the walls of the sailing club HQ pre-dawn:
Flies:
- *1 unidentified midge sp.
- *1 unidentified midge sp.
Springtails:
- 1 springtail Pogonognathellus longicornis
- 1 springtail Pogonognathellus longicornis
Spiders, harvestmen etc.:
- 47(!!) spiders: usual suspects
- 47(!!) spiders: usual suspects
Slugs, snails etc.
- 1 unidentified snail
Noted later elsewhere:
- 1 unidentified snail
Noted later elsewhere:
Bees, wasps, etc.:
- Common Wasp Paravespula vulgaris
- European Hornet Vespa crabro: still a few around the nest site
- Common Wasp Paravespula vulgaris
- European Hornet Vespa crabro: still a few around the nest site
Flies:
- 1 cranefly Tipula confusa
- 1 cranefly Tipula confusa
Spiders, harvestmen etc.:
- 2 harvestmen Dicranopalpus ramosus/caudatus
- 2 harvestmen Dicranopalpus ramosus/caudatus
Fungus:
- *Shaggy Inkcap or Lawyer's Wig Coprinus comatus
- *$ Weeping Widow Lacrymaria lacrymabunda
- *Brown Rollrim Paxillus involutus
Today it was the turn of Mrs. Shoveler to pose for a photo. The drake had paddled off in to the middle distance.
A "safety shot" of just four Common Teal taken at 07:45. I tried again later and they were nowhere to be seen. Perhaps in the reeds?
It was only 07:10 and there was not much light on a cloudy morning. A Common Buzzard has a vantage post....
The first barkfly of this "Winter!" season. It is one of the Ectopsocus briggsi agg. (aggregate) that require microscopic examination to identify to species level.
A better angle than yesterday and no dew to spoil the view of a Common Green Lacewing Chrysoperia carnea.
"Unidentified non-biting midge" was Obsidentify's answer. An unusual midge with stripes and spots on the thorax and a dark spot in shaded wings.
A ground beetle from the Nebria species group. It would require a much better photo than this to get to species level. I was going to try a closer approach but being a ground beetle it dropped to the ground.
Not really a headless spider. It just looks that way with its very small head. Probably one of the Metellina group though here the legs do not look banded as they do on most NatureSpot web site photos of the two commonest species.
Clearly a male with "boxing glove" palps ready for action. On some spider species the males use these when courting females to hold her jaws open so as not to get bitten.
A close-up of a male harvestman Leiobunum rotundum. Note the black oculum that separates the males of this species from L. blackwalli which has a white oculum. Females are easier as the dark saddle markings differ.
Shaggy Inkcap or Lawyer's Wig fungi Coprinus comatus are popping up all around the football field and in the academy grounds – careful with the camera around the academy!
Obsidentify believes these to be Weeping Widow fungi Lacrymaria lacrymabunda and I am not qualified to argue. So-named because black droplets form around the edges as they age.
I decided that I was not going to be able to do any "gardening" to better expose these Brown Rollrim fungi Paxillus involutus without damaging them.
(Ed Wilson)
In the Priorslee Avenue tunnel:
(240th visit of the year)
Bird notes:
- I had a report that Cuan Wildlife Rescue had been called out yesterday to one of the Mute Swans. More information on the Priorslee Facebook group I am told. Whatever the call-out was for there were two additional swans today!
- at least nine Cormorants. As usual they were flying around, becoming submarines and generally making life difficult.
- I did hear distant House Sparrows today: I think from the "other side" of Priorslee Avenue.
Bird(s) noted flying over here:
Noted around the area:
- *Shaggy Inkcap or Lawyer's Wig Coprinus comatus
- *$ Weeping Widow Lacrymaria lacrymabunda
- *Brown Rollrim Paxillus involutus
A Coot with a severely damaged wing. It seems to manage OK though obviously cannot fly.
...from which it pounced on a creature in the grass. I could not see what.
Yes: well! This moth has seen better days with just one antenna and rather battered wings. Though the wings are not quite so battered as appears at first sight as this is a Scalloped Tortrix Acleris emargana. The previous name of Notch-wing Button describes its unusual wing-shape.
A Missing Sector Orb-web Spider Zygiella x-notata coming out fighting!
(Ed Wilson)
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In the Priorslee Avenue tunnel:
Flies:
- 57 midges of various species
- 57 midges of various species
Arthropods:
- 4 White-legged Snake Millipedes Tachypodoiulus niger
- 4 White-legged Snake Millipedes Tachypodoiulus niger
Spiders, harvestmen etc.:
- 9 spiders: usual suspects
Had I totted up all he midges on the ceiling then the total would have been >100.
(Ed Wilson)
The Flash: 09:30 – 10:30
- 9 spiders: usual suspects
Had I totted up all he midges on the ceiling then the total would have been >100.
(Ed Wilson)
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The Flash: 09:30 – 10:30
(240th visit of the year)
Bird notes:
- I had a report that Cuan Wildlife Rescue had been called out yesterday to one of the Mute Swans. More information on the Priorslee Facebook group I am told. Whatever the call-out was for there were two additional swans today!
- at least nine Cormorants. As usual they were flying around, becoming submarines and generally making life difficult.
- I did hear distant House Sparrows today: I think from the "other side" of Priorslee Avenue.
Bird(s) noted flying over here:
None
Noted on / around the water:
- 9 Canada Geese
- 3 Greylag Geese: more(?) calling inside the island
- 12 Mute Swans
- 37 (21♂) Mallard
- 5 (0?♂) Tufted Duck
- 12 Moorhens again
- 86 Coots
- 7 Great Crested Grebes: not all aged
- 13 Black-headed Gulls
- 9 Cormorants
- 1 Grey Heron
Warblers recorded:
None
Noted on / around the water:
- 9 Canada Geese
- 3 Greylag Geese: more(?) calling inside the island
- 12 Mute Swans
- 37 (21♂) Mallard
- 5 (0?♂) Tufted Duck
- 12 Moorhens again
- 86 Coots
- 7 Great Crested Grebes: not all aged
- 13 Black-headed Gulls
- 9 Cormorants
- 1 Grey Heron
Warblers recorded:
None
Noted around the area:
Bees, wasps, etc.:
- 1 Common Wasp Paravespula vulgaris: just one again
- 1 Common Wasp Paravespula vulgaris: just one again
Flies:
- *1 fly Dryomyza anilis
- *1 female European Cranefly Tipula paludosa
- *1 fly Dryomyza anilis
- *1 female European Cranefly Tipula paludosa
Bug:
- *1 Parent Bug Elasmucha grisea
- *1 Parent Bug Elasmucha grisea
Spiders, harvestmen etc.:
- 1 harvestman Dicranopalpus ramosus/caudatus
- 1 harvestman Dicranopalpus ramosus/caudatus
Fungus:
- no new fungus
Dryomyza anilis is a very striking fly and looks a lot better in a photo taken in daylight, albeit with fill-in flash, than recent photos I took at the Balancing Lake.
This is a female European Cranefly Tipula paludosa: a female because of the ovipositor. There are two similar species, this and T. oleracea. Males are difficult to separate visually. T. oleracea is more common in Summer while T. paludosa is abundant but not exclusive seen in Autumn. Females are easy to separate because, as here, on T. paludosa her wings are shorter than her abdomen.
A Parent Bug Elasmucha grisea. Most specimens are rufous-toned. Here the dark area at the top of the scutellum confirms its identity.
(Ed Wilson)
- no new fungus
(Ed Wilson)
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2013
Priorslee Lake
Common Sandpiper
(Ed Wilson)
Priorslee Lake
Common Sandpiper
(Ed Wilson)