13.0°C > 16.0°C: Early rain soon easing. Brighter with some sunny moments after 09:00. Moderate / fresh south-easterly wind. Very good visibility.
Sunrise: 07:15 GMT
* = 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: 05:55 – 09:30
(271st visit of the year)
Bird notes:
- I have previously remarked that the current pair of Mute Swans often take short flights within the confines of the water. Today just one of them flew, the pair re-joining by paddle-power.
- no Gadwall noted.
- my largest count of Tufted Duck so far this second-winter period.
- two Lapwings were seen overhead c.08:35 with presumably the same two again some five minutes later.
- *c.250 gulls were circling overhead by 06:35. None of them showed any inclination to splash down. There were large gulls, probably all Lesser Black-backed Gulls, among this group. None of these visited and I have no real idea how many there might have been. Thus they are not included in the tables below.
- eventually there were c.400 Black-headed Gulls on the water c.07:00 with only an adult and first-winter Herring Gull with them. These all soon departed.
- after 08:05 there was a significant arrival of both Herring and Lesser Black-backed Gulls.
- a Great (White) Egret was present for a while until chased away by the Grey Heron.
- no Starling roost noted.
- a Blackbird was singing quietly c.06:10.
Bird(s) noted flying over here:
- 73 Greylag Geese: westbound in eight groups
- 2 mainly white feral geese with the Greylags
- 1 Stock Dove
- 39 Wood Pigeons: no migrant groups
- 2 Lapwings: see notes
- no large gulls noted passing over
- 586 Jackdaws
- 101 Rooks
- 2 Starlings
- 11 Redwings: two groups
- 2 Pied Wagtails: singles
- 1 Lesser Redpoll
Birds seen leaving roosts around the lake
None
Counts from the lake area:
- 3 Canada Geese: arrived
- 2 Mute Swans
- 11 (7♂) Mallard
- 54 (30?♂) Tufted Duck
- 8 Moorhens
- 41 Coots
- *5 Great Crested Grebes
- c.400 Black-headed Gulls
- 41 Herring Gulls
- c.260 Lesser Black-backed Gulls: all after 08:05
- 1 Grey Heron
- 1 Great (White) Egret: departed
Noted on the West end street lamp poles pre-dawn:
Not much again: still raining when I checked the poles
Counts from the lake area:
- 3 Canada Geese: arrived
- 2 Mute Swans
- 11 (7♂) Mallard
- 54 (30?♂) Tufted Duck
- 8 Moorhens
- 41 Coots
- *5 Great Crested Grebes
- c.400 Black-headed Gulls
- 41 Herring Gulls
- c.260 Lesser Black-backed Gulls: all after 08:05
- 1 Grey Heron
- 1 Great (White) Egret: departed
Noted on the West end street lamp poles pre-dawn:
Not much again: still raining when I checked the poles
Moths:
- one seen in flight only
- one seen in flight only
Flies:
- *1 fly, probably $$ Peplomyza litura
- *1 fly, probably $$ Peplomyza litura
Springtails:
- *3 springtail Pogonognathellus longicornis-type
- *2 globular springtail sp.
- *3 springtail Pogonognathellus longicornis-type
- *2 globular springtail sp.
Spiders, harvestmen etc.:
- 1 harvestman Leiobunum blackwalli / rotundum
- 1 harvestman Paroligolophus agrestis
Noted later:
- 1 harvestman Leiobunum blackwalli / rotundum
- 1 harvestman Paroligolophus agrestis
Noted later:
Nothing other than:
Fruits:
- *berries of Bittersweet Solanum dulcamara
- *berries of Bittersweet Solanum dulcamara
Fish:
- *1 Perch Perca fluviatilis disappearing down the gullet of a Great Crested Grebe
- *1 Perch Perca fluviatilis disappearing down the gullet of a Great Crested Grebe
The Teece Drive fence was very wet providing little contrast to be able to see anything sitting on it.
(Ed Wilson)
In the Priorslee Avenue tunnel pre-dawn:
(266th visit of the year)
Bird notes:
- only four Mute Swans again.
- the pair of (Common) Teal not found among all the geese by the island
- *the Little Egret still here.
Bird(s) noted flying over here:
- 3 Greylag Geese
- 4 Herring Gulls
- 5 Jackdaws
Noted on / around the water:
- 76 Canada Geese: many of these seen arriving
- *82 Greylag Geese
- *4 mainly white feral geese
- 4 Mute Swans
- 27 (19♂) Mallard
- no (Common) Teal
- 8 (4♂) Tufted Duck
- 73 (11♂) Goosander: maybe more
- 7 Moorhens
- 83 Coots
- *1 Little Grebe
- 7 Great Crested Grebes
- *16 Black-headed Gulls
- 4 Herring Gulls: all immatures
- 3 Cormorants
- 1 Grey Heron
- *1 Little Egret
Noted around the area:
One of many similar species of "greenbottle" flies in the Lucilia group. They seem to like to sit on shiny leaves.
Another springtail Orchesella cincta. The markings on the side of the first two abdominal segments are visible here as well as the prominent band across the third abdominal segment.
Not a flower I expected to see at this date. It is a species in the St. John's Wort Hypericum family is as far as I can go.
(Ed Wilson)
Almost looks like a fire! A brief burst of colour as the rain eased.
Many trees have lost many or all of their leaves. A little colour remains.
A Great Crested Grebe with breakfast. The banding on the fish indicates it is (was!) a Perch Perca fluviatilis.
Going...
...almost gone.
The gulls going around and around overhead c.06:45 none of which seemed to settle on the water.
This Common Buzzard was sitting on a branch about 15 feet above the path along the North side. Most unusually is stayed there as I walked past and allowed me to turn around and take its photo before flying off. The bill looks rather odd here...
...this somewhat clarifies it. The yellow area, the cere as it is called, contains the nostrils and is on top of the base of the upper mandible which covers the lower mandible. Follow the line of the cere and you come to the hooked-point of the bill.
A distinctive looking fly which is probably Peplomyza litura and a new species for me.
Two springtails: on the right a Pogonognathellus longicornis. On the left one of the many species of globular springtails.
They may look tasty, indeed they may be tasty. They should not be tasted! These are berries of Bittersweet Solanum dulcamara, also known as Woody Nightshade. Like most species in this family the berries are to a greater or lesser extent poisonous. Tomato is in this family and the fruits are not at all poisonous to most people. Potatoes are also in the same family and their berries are poisonous: the tubers are not, luckily. I wonder who discovered that? It was the Spanish conquistadors (and not Sir Walter Raleigh as popular legend suggests) that brought potatoes from South America to Europe.
(Ed Wilson)
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
In the Priorslee Avenue tunnel pre-dawn:
Flies:
- 1 cranefly Tipula lateralis
- 2 midges only
- 1 cranefly Tipula lateralis
- 2 midges only
Arthropods:
- 1 White-legged Snake Millipede Tachypodoiulus niger
- 1 White-legged Snake Millipede Tachypodoiulus niger
Slugs, snails etc.:
- *1 unidentified snail
- *1 unidentified snail
Spiders, harvestmen etc.:
- 5 spiders: usual species
- 5 spiders: usual species
I have to agree with Obsidentify on this one: "unidentified snail". Very small and not like any I can recall seeing before.
(Ed Wilson)
The Flash: 09:35 – 11:00
(Ed Wilson)
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Flash: 09:35 – 11:00
(266th visit of the year)
Bird notes:
- only four Mute Swans again.
- the pair of (Common) Teal not found among all the geese by the island
- *the Little Egret still here.
Bird(s) noted flying over here:
- 3 Greylag Geese
- 4 Herring Gulls
- 5 Jackdaws
Noted on / around the water:
- 76 Canada Geese: many of these seen arriving
- *82 Greylag Geese
- *4 mainly white feral geese
- 4 Mute Swans
- 27 (19♂) Mallard
- no (Common) Teal
- 8 (4♂) Tufted Duck
- 73 (11♂) Goosander: maybe more
- 7 Moorhens
- 83 Coots
- *1 Little Grebe
- 7 Great Crested Grebes
- *16 Black-headed Gulls
- 4 Herring Gulls: all immatures
- 3 Cormorants
- 1 Grey Heron
- *1 Little Egret
Noted around the area:
Butterflies:
- *1 Red Admiral Vanessa atalanta
- *1 Red Admiral Vanessa atalanta
Bees, wasps etc.:
- *>2 Honey Bees Apis mellifera
- >25 wasps: as usual only Common Wasps Vespula vulgaris specifically identified
- *>2 Honey Bees Apis mellifera
- >25 wasps: as usual only Common Wasps Vespula vulgaris specifically identified
Hoverflies:
- *>3 Tapered Dronefly Eristalis pertinax
- *>3 Tapered Dronefly Eristalis pertinax
Other flies:
- *1 "greenbottle" in the Lucilia group
- *1 Muscid fly.
- *1 "greenbottle" in the Lucilia group
- *1 Muscid fly.
Beetles:
- *2 7 Spot Ladybirds Coccinella 7-punctata
- *2 7 Spot Ladybirds Coccinella 7-punctata
Springtails etc.:
- *3 springtails Orchesella cincta
- *3 springtails Orchesella cincta
Spiders
- *1 Garden Spider Araneus diadematus [Garden Cross Spider]
- *1 Garden Spider Araneus diadematus [Garden Cross Spider]
Flower:
- *St. John's Wort Hypericum sp.
There were four mainly white feral geese with the Greylag Geese on the open water. Someone remarked to me they look like Aylesbury Ducks. Those ducks are indeed white but would be smaller with a less-orange bill. Also, being a Mallard derivative, any drake would show a curled tail-feather. (And what has happened to our all-white duck anyway? I have not seen him since June time)
Do I need to say "Red Admiral Vanessa atalanta". A point worth making is that this is a butterfly and not a moth because it has clubbed antennae and not because it is flying during the day. Many moths fly during the day. A very few butterflies fly at night.
When I saw the banding on the abdomen of this bee I was hoping for my first-ever Ivy Bee Colletes hederae. Sadly not. It is "just " a Honey Bee Apis mellifera.
- *St. John's Wort Hypericum sp.
A Little Grebe looking to be a subject in an oil painting.
A flight shot of a first-winter Black-headed Gull.
Also "little" is what I assume to be the same Little Egret.
One with a good load of pollen for the hive.
Perhaps my best-ever photo of this species?
A female and hence a not-very tapered Tapered Dronefly Eristalis pertinax
One of many similar species of fly in the Muscid group.
A 7 Spot Ladybird Coccinella 7-punctata with a rush of blood to the head.
A cuddly Garden Spider Araneus diadematus.
(Ed Wilson)
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2013
Priorslee Lake
3 Yellow Legged Gull
2 adult Great Black-backed Gulls
4 Gadwall
4 Wigeon
(John Isherwood)
2012
Priorslee Lake
c.80 Greylag Geese over
2 Gadwall
6 Pochard
40 Tufted Ducks
7 Moorhens
c.130 Coots
2500 Wood Pigeons
580+ Jackdaws
45+ Rooks
Raven
1 Siskin
3 Redpolls
(Ed Wilson)
The Flash
106 Greylag Geese
1 possible Bean Goose
38 Canada Geese
2 Pochard
32 Tufted Duck
17 Goosanders
7 Moorhens
7 Coots
(Ed Wilson)
2010
Priorslee Lake
10 Pochard
53 Tufted Duck
2 Yellow-legged Gulls
513 Jackdaws
53 Rooks
732 Wood Pigeons
5 Meadow Pipits
503 Fieldfare
2 Song Thrushes
34 Redwings
1 Brambling
12 Chaffinches
2 Siskins
51 Linnets
(Ed Wilson)
Trench Lock Pool
Yellow-legged Gull
(Martin Grant)
2008
Priorslee Lake
1 Little Grebe
15 Shoveler
1 Gadwall
10 Pochards
117 Tufted Duck
2 Water Rails
100+
Many Redwings
4 Fieldfare
20+ Siskins
(Ed Wilson)
2006
Priorslee Lake
4 Great Crested Grebes
16 Pochard
55 Tufted Ducks
1 drake Ruddy Duck
c.600 Black-headed Gulls
189 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
803 Wood Pigeons
17 Pied Wagtails
19 Wrens
12 Dunnocks
30 Robins
21 Blackbirds
128 Fieldfares
4 Song Thrushes
24 Redwings
1 Mistle Thrush
13 Magpies
347 Jackdaws
160 Rooks
12 Carrion Crows
223 Starlings
2 Siskins
8 Reed Buntings
(Ed Wilson)
2005
Priorslee Lake
Water Rail
Kingfisher
2 Little Grebe
11 Pochard
35 Tufted Duck
3 Ruddy Duck
27 Redwing
10 Fieldfare
5 Reed Bunting
Redpoll
Siskin
101 Rooks
12 Carrion Crow
227 Jackdaws
3 Jay
12 Magpies
1 Raven
1200 Wood Pigeon
(Martin Adlam)
Priorslee Lake
3 Yellow Legged Gull
2 adult Great Black-backed Gulls
4 Gadwall
4 Wigeon
(John Isherwood)
2012
Priorslee Lake
c.80 Greylag Geese over
2 Gadwall
6 Pochard
40 Tufted Ducks
7 Moorhens
c.130 Coots
2500 Wood Pigeons
580+ Jackdaws
45+ Rooks
Raven
1 Siskin
3 Redpolls
(Ed Wilson)
The Flash
106 Greylag Geese
1 possible Bean Goose
38 Canada Geese
2 Pochard
32 Tufted Duck
17 Goosanders
7 Moorhens
7 Coots
(Ed Wilson)
2010
Priorslee Lake
10 Pochard
53 Tufted Duck
2 Yellow-legged Gulls
513 Jackdaws
53 Rooks
732 Wood Pigeons
5 Meadow Pipits
503 Fieldfare
2 Song Thrushes
34 Redwings
1 Brambling
12 Chaffinches
2 Siskins
51 Linnets
(Ed Wilson)
Trench Lock Pool
Yellow-legged Gull
(Martin Grant)
2008
Priorslee Lake
1 Little Grebe
15 Shoveler
1 Gadwall
10 Pochards
117 Tufted Duck
2 Water Rails
100+
Many Redwings
4 Fieldfare
20+ Siskins
(Ed Wilson)
2006
Priorslee Lake
4 Great Crested Grebes
16 Pochard
55 Tufted Ducks
1 drake Ruddy Duck
c.600 Black-headed Gulls
189 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
803 Wood Pigeons
17 Pied Wagtails
19 Wrens
12 Dunnocks
30 Robins
21 Blackbirds
128 Fieldfares
4 Song Thrushes
24 Redwings
1 Mistle Thrush
13 Magpies
347 Jackdaws
160 Rooks
12 Carrion Crows
223 Starlings
2 Siskins
8 Reed Buntings
(Ed Wilson)
2005
Priorslee Lake
Water Rail
Kingfisher
2 Little Grebe
11 Pochard
35 Tufted Duck
3 Ruddy Duck
27 Redwing
10 Fieldfare
5 Reed Bunting
Redpoll
Siskin
101 Rooks
12 Carrion Crow
227 Jackdaws
3 Jay
12 Magpies
1 Raven
1200 Wood Pigeon
(Martin Adlam)