4.0°C > 5.0°C: Overcast again. Showed signs of breaking but didn't. Light south-easterly breeze. Good visibility.
Sunrise: 08:13 GMT
* = a species photographed today
Priorslee Balancing Lake: 07:05 – 09:30
(13th visit of the year)
Only a little ice remains.
New Bird Species
Two additions to my 2026 bird species list for here, neither exciting:
- a group of c.20 Starlings flew South.
- a Sparrowhawk flew fast along the South side.
These bring this year's total species to 53. Depressing to think that even if 2026 is a good year I have now seen over half the species I might reasonably expect.
Bird notes:
- no Canada Geese today though two Greylag Geese flew over.
- no sign of yesterday's drake Shoveler.
- a trio of drake Pochard seen; also rather more Tufted Duck noted.
- initially there were three Goosander (two drakes). Later just a pair remained.
- no Great Crested Grebes seen again.
- the first gulls were seen at 07:32 but with none on the water they carried on over. It was 07:43 before any gulls settled on the water with up to 10 Herring Gulls and 75 Lesser Black-backed Gulls passing through.
- the first Black-headed Gulls arrived at 07:53 with a maximum count of just 34.
- surprise, surprise: six Cormorants again.
- the first six Jackdaws flew over at 07:31 at least ten minutes before I heard the first Wren – a species I usually regard as the marker for the start of the Corvid passage.
Bird(s) noted flying over here:
- 2 Greylag Geese: flew West together
- 1 Stock Dove
- 21 Wood Pigeons
- 7 Herring Gulls
- 106 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 1 Sparrowhawk
- 58 Jackdaws
- 57 Rooks
- c.20 Starlings
- 3 Redwings
Counts from the lake area:
- 11 (6♂) Mallard
- 3 (3♂) Pochard
- 12 (4♂) Tufted Duck
- *3 (2♂) Goosander: 1 (1♂) departed
- 5 Moorhens
- 16 Coots
- no Great Crested Grebes again
- 34 Black-headed Gulls
- c.10 Herring Gulls
- c.75 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 6 Cormorants again
- *1 Grey Heron
- 1 Great (White) Egret
Noted on the West end street lamp poles pre-dawn:
The poles were damp with dew.
Moths:
- *1 male Early Moth Theria primaria
- *1 male Early Moth Theria primaria
Flies:
- 1 small male plumed midge
- 1 small male plumed midge
Springtails:
- *1 springtail Orchesella sp., perhaps O. villosa
- *1 springtail Pogonognathellus longicornis
- *1 springtail Orchesella sp., perhaps O. villosa
- *1 springtail Pogonognathellus longicornis
Spiders / harvestmen etc.:
- *1 wolf spider Pardosa sp., perhaps Common Wolf Spider P. pullata
- *1 Nursery Web Spider Pisaura mirabilis
Later on the Teece Drive fence or elsewhere
- *1 wolf spider Pardosa sp., perhaps Common Wolf Spider P. pullata
- *1 Nursery Web Spider Pisaura mirabilis
Later on the Teece Drive fence or elsewhere
Nothing noted
Note the white at the bend in the fore-wing. This is somewhat surprising as when at rest with wings folded it is a black mark that is visible at the wing bend.
It soon noticed me and decided to take off. Here thinking about going. Note the rather ragged wing feathers.
This was odd. As I arrived back at my car two Robins tumbled past having a spat and both singing. This one landed at my feet in the middle of Teece Drive....
A male Early Moth Theria primaria. I am not sure why there are parallel pale streaks down the wings. Identify by the pale end-third to the wings and the black mark more or less in the centre of the wings. Not that there are many species flying at this time of year to cause any real confusion.
This springtail seems to be one of the Orchesella sp. It is perhaps O. villosa which at 4mm is suggested as being one of the largest species but....
The springtail Pogonognathellus longicornis looks much larger, though its 6mm size excludes the antennae.
I am fairly sure this is a wolf spider Pardosa sp. It looks very like a Common Wolf Spider P. pullata though NatureSpot notes "occur mainly in early to mid-summer, occasionally persisting until the Autumn" so...
(9th visit of the year)
A small amount of ice remains at each end.
New Bird Species
One addition to my 2026 bird species list for here:
- a trio of Starlings flew West. This species surprisingly does not feature very often on my fly-over list for here despite breeding in roofs around the estate.
This brings this year's total species to 41.
Bird notes:
- *initially the two Mute Swans were, unusually, out of the water and on the East side grass. Later they were seen displaying rather half-heartedly.
- a drake Pochard was a new arrival.
- a pair of Goosander seen.
Bird(s) noted flying over here:
- 3 Herring Gulls
- 3 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 3 Starlings
Noted on / around the water:
- 4 Canada Geese yet again
- *2 Mute Swans still
- 32 (21♂) Mallard
- 1 (1♂) Pochard
- 28 (13♂) Tufted Duck
- 2 (1♂) Goosander
- 11 Moorhens
- 43 Coots
- 1 Great Crested Grebe
- *49 Black-headed Gulls
- 1 Lesser Black-backed Gulls: (near) adult, departed.
- 1 Grey Heron
Noted around the area:
The pair of Goosanders after the extra drake departed. She does not look to interested...
...at all!
The Grey Heron flies across the water.
One of two Common Buzzards around the lake. This one flying between trees.
I noted this one perched and was able to just about get a clear view between twigs and branches.
As usual I could have done with better light.
Unusually clear are the humerals – the feathers in the "arm-pit".
...and started to sing from the ground.
A Nursery Web Spider Pisaura mirabilis with one hind leg held at a jaunty angle. The front two pairs of legs, typically, held together.
(Ed Wilson)
The Flash: 09:35 – 10:35
(Ed Wilson)
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The Flash: 09:35 – 10:35
(9th visit of the year)
A small amount of ice remains at each end.
New Bird Species
One addition to my 2026 bird species list for here:
- a trio of Starlings flew West. This species surprisingly does not feature very often on my fly-over list for here despite breeding in roofs around the estate.
This brings this year's total species to 41.
Bird notes:
- *initially the two Mute Swans were, unusually, out of the water and on the East side grass. Later they were seen displaying rather half-heartedly.
- a drake Pochard was a new arrival.
- a pair of Goosander seen.
Bird(s) noted flying over here:
- 3 Herring Gulls
- 3 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 3 Starlings
Noted on / around the water:
- 4 Canada Geese yet again
- *2 Mute Swans still
- 32 (21♂) Mallard
- 1 (1♂) Pochard
- 28 (13♂) Tufted Duck
- 2 (1♂) Goosander
- 11 Moorhens
- 43 Coots
- 1 Great Crested Grebe
- *49 Black-headed Gulls
- 1 Lesser Black-backed Gulls: (near) adult, departed.
- 1 Grey Heron
Noted around the area:
Flowers:
- *my first female flowers of Hazel Corylus avellana this year.
For some reason many of the Black-headed Gulls preferred to stand on the ice than sit on the water. Makes counting them a challenge.
The female flower of Hazel Corylus avellana. When fertilised this will become the Hazel nut. The flowers are wild pollinated from the male catkins. Not many insects to do the pollination at this date.
(Ed Wilson)
2014
Priorslee Lake
4 Great Black-backed Gulls
(Gary Crowder/Ed Wilson)
2013
Priorslee Lake
Drake Scaup
1 adult Yellow legged Gull
6 Great Black-backed Gulls
1 Goldeneye
(Ed Wilson/ Jim Almond / John Isherwood)
2010
Priorslee Lake
Bittern
2006
Priorslee Lake
2 Great Black-backed Gull
1 Yellow-legged Gull
(Ed Wilson)
- *my first female flowers of Hazel Corylus avellana this year.
All say "aaah"! The cob (male) on the left.
The pen (female) looks suitably coy.
(Ed Wilson)
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2014
Priorslee Lake
4 Great Black-backed Gulls
(Gary Crowder/Ed Wilson)
2013
Priorslee Lake
Drake Scaup
1 adult Yellow legged Gull
6 Great Black-backed Gulls
1 Goldeneye
(Ed Wilson/ Jim Almond / John Isherwood)
2010
Priorslee Lake
Bittern
2006
Priorslee Lake
2 Great Black-backed Gull
1 Yellow-legged Gull
(Ed Wilson)