5.0°C > 7.0°C: A mixture: early low cloud moved away to the East to leave a mainly high overcast; more low cloud arrived; and then began to lift and break as I was about to depart. Light / moderate westerly breeze. Very good visibility.
Sunrise: 06:59 GMT
* = a species photographed today
$ = a new species for me in this area
Priorslee Balancing Lake: 06:05 – 08:35
(45th visit of the year)
Bird notes:
- the erstwhile resident pair of Canada Geese flew off to the East. A lone bird was present much of the time.
- a pair of Mute Swans present throughout: presumed those that arrived yesterday. At least one is unringed.
- two brownhead and an *immature drake Goosander present.
- only four Great Crested Grebe (as two pairs).
- a trio of Stock Doves were display-flying along the North side.
- c.100 Black-headed Gulls with many on the south-west grass again. Birds were coming and going and probably more individuals were involved.
- two (near?) adult Lesser Black-backed Gulls visited at separate times: just three more noted flying over.
- not sure how to report the number of Jackdaws and Rooks. Six concurrent large and distant groups totalling, at the very least, 400 birds flew by at 06:35. Two more groups of c.100 and c.60 followed a few minutes later. At the time I thought these all Jackdaws but later I noted just one solitary Rook. Almost certainly some of these groups were Rooks and / or mixed species.
- usually the Cetti's Warbler is along the North side. I heard the first song at the West end this morning and then later along the South side where I suspected it nested last year (notwithstanding the juveniles I photographed on the North side!)
- the Chiffchaff was heard and then seen singing in the same area for the third day. Probably establishing its territory.
- a Reed Bunting noted singing along the South side.
Bird(s) noted flying over here:
- 2 Canada Geese flew South
- 3 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 15 Wood Pigeons
- 2 Cormorants
- >550 Jackdaws / Rooks: see notes
Counts from the lake area:
- 3 Canada Geese: the resident(?) pair flew off; a single flew in(?)
- 2 Mute Swans
- 16 (9♂) Mallard
- 12 (8♂) Tufted Duck
- *3 (1♂) Goosander
- 6 Moorhens
- 29 Coots
- 4 Great Crested Grebes
- c.100 Black-headed Gulls
- no Herring Gulls
- 2 Lesser Black-backed Gulls: (near) adults, both briefly
- *6 Cormorants
- 1 Grey Heron
- 1 Great (White) Egret
Noted on the West end street lamp poles pre-dawn:
Flies:
- 1 winter cranefly Trichocera regelationis.
- 1 winter cranefly Trichocera regelationis.
Springtails:
- *1 springtail Pogonognathellus longicornis-type
- *many and various other springtails
- *1 springtail Pogonognathellus longicornis-type
- *many and various other springtails
Beetles:
- *$1 ground beetle, probably Bembidion tetracolum
- *1 medium-sized ground beetle
- *1 very small presumed ground beetle
- *$1 ground beetle, probably Bembidion tetracolum
- *1 medium-sized ground beetle
- *1 very small presumed ground beetle
Spiders, harvestmen etc.:
- *1 money spider, probably Erigone sp.
- *1 possible Missing Sector Orb-web Spider Zygiella x-notata [Silver-sided Sector Spider]
Later:
- *1 money spider, probably Erigone sp.
- *1 possible Missing Sector Orb-web Spider Zygiella x-notata [Silver-sided Sector Spider]
Later:
Nothing of note
Here wing-flapping. I would have expected the white to the rear of the wing to extend across the width in a drake of any age. However I cannot find any other explanation for the white patches showing at the base of the upper-wing.
One of six Cormorants I noted here today. I photographed this to show the small crest that is grown by breeding condition birds. Not so exotic as the large quiff that this species' smaller salt-water relative, the Shag, shows. This bird was at the wring angle to see other breeding condition plumage features – the white head/neck-plumes and thigh patch.
The only one of many springtails I could (probably) identify was this Pogonognathellus longicornis-type
The medium-sized ground beetle that I have failed to identify. If you look around the right and bottom edges of the photo there are five small springtails.
I took this photo to try to identify the "hurry-looking" springtail alongside the fold in the street lamp pole. Failing to achieve that I also have failed to identify the very small presumed ground beetle moving away to the right.
This is a possible Missing Sector Orb-web Spider Zygiella x-notata. There are two more springtails in this photo, one easy(?) to see and the other less than a third the size.
(Ed Wilson)
The Flash: 08:40 – 10:10
(42nd visit of the year)
Bird notes:
- one of the many Canada Geese was walking, nay waddling, in a strange manner with the neck waving from side to side as it did so. I suspect avian flu though its eyes looked clear.
- the drake Pochard still here.
- two Great Crested Grebes seen, always at opposite ends of the water.
- there were no Black-headed Gulls initially: a few drifted in.
- a Chiffchaff was seen: it was neither singing nor calling.
- *the feeding station was very quiet as a cat was in attendance. A Lesser Redpoll was heard calling among the twittering Siskins in the trees.
Bird(s) noted flying over here:
- 1 Jackdaw
Noted on / around the water:
- 37 Canada Geese
- no Greylag Geese
- 1 Mute Swan
- 25 (18♂) Mallard
- 1 (1♂) Pochard
- 32 (20♂) Tufted Duck
- 10 Moorhens
- 29 Coots only
- 2 Great Crested Grebes
- 7 Black-headed Gulls: drifted in
- *1 Herring Gull: first year, very briefly
Noted around the area:
I think the Goosander on the left is a first year drake showing white in the wing.
One of three different-sized ground beetle on different street lamp poles. The markings on then elytra (wing cases) of this, the largest, suggest it is probably Bembidion tetracolum. It would be a new species for me.
A money spider, probably Erigone sp. in the company of two very different and unidentified springtails.
(Ed Wilson)
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Flash: 08:40 – 10:10
(42nd visit of the year)
Bird notes:
- one of the many Canada Geese was walking, nay waddling, in a strange manner with the neck waving from side to side as it did so. I suspect avian flu though its eyes looked clear.
- the drake Pochard still here.
- two Great Crested Grebes seen, always at opposite ends of the water.
- there were no Black-headed Gulls initially: a few drifted in.
- a Chiffchaff was seen: it was neither singing nor calling.
- *the feeding station was very quiet as a cat was in attendance. A Lesser Redpoll was heard calling among the twittering Siskins in the trees.
Bird(s) noted flying over here:
- 1 Jackdaw
Noted on / around the water:
- 37 Canada Geese
- no Greylag Geese
- 1 Mute Swan
- 25 (18♂) Mallard
- 1 (1♂) Pochard
- 32 (20♂) Tufted Duck
- 10 Moorhens
- 29 Coots only
- 2 Great Crested Grebes
- 7 Black-headed Gulls: drifted in
- *1 Herring Gull: first year, very briefly
Noted around the area:
Springtails:
- *1 springtail sp., probably Dicyrtomina saundersi
- 1 springtail Orchesella cincta
- *1 tiny springtail
and
- *1 unidentified pupa case.
Not a good photo but good-enough for me to change the identification of the gull that appeared briefly from the first-year Lesser Black-backed Gull that my eyes suggested to a first-year Herring Gull. The features I used were the pale inner primaries and the smudgy tail-band with markings on the upper-tail.
And a bad photo of a tiny springtail – bottom left. What I did not notice until I edited the photos was, at the centre of the photo, what seems to be a pupa with a hole from which an adult something-or-other has emerged.
(Ed Wilson)
2014
Little Wenlock, Candles Landfill Site
2 Iceland Gulls
(Observer Unknown)
2013
Priorslee Lake
31 Wigeon
7 Gadwall
5 Pochard
18 Tufted Ducks
1 Greater Scaup
2 Lapwings
c.1600 Black-headed Gulls
c.800 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
c.100 Herring Gulls
1 Iceland
1 Glaucous Gull
1 Caspian Gull
1 Yellow-legged Gull
38 Redwings
2 Fieldfare
15 Siskins
(Ed Wilson, Martin Grant, Tom Lowe)
The Flash
1 Little Grebe
10 Pochard
123 Tufted Duck
(Ed Wilson)
Trench Lock Pool
21 Tufted Duck
1 Goosander
(Ed Wilson)
Horsehay Pool
1 Yellow-legged Gull
(Tom Lowe)
Little Wenlock, Candles Landfill Site
2 Yellow-legged Gulls.
(Tom Lowe)
2012
Priorslee Lake
4 Great Crested Grebes
3 Pochard
32 Tufted Duck
4 Curlew
2 Siskins
(Ed Wilson)
Trench Lock
26 Tufted Duck
9 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
13 Herring Gulls
1 Yellow-legged Gull
(Ed Wilson)
2010
Priorslee Lake
1 Little Grebe
6 Great Crested Grebes
4 Gadwall
39 Pochard
57 Tufted Ducks
99 Coots
29 Blackbirds
4 Redwing
8 Song Thrushes
22 Siskins
3 Reed Buntings
(Ed Wilson)
2009
Priorslee Lake
Common Gull
6 Ravens
(Ed Wilson)
Woodhouse Lane
Stonechat
(John Isherwood)
2007
Priorslee Lake
4 Cormorant
2 Pochard
15 Tufted Duck
1 Ruddy Duck
1 Peregrine Falcon
26 Robin
11 Redwing
63 Magpie
196 Jackdaw
12 Greenfinch
10 Reed Bunting
(Ed Wilson)
2006
Priorslee Lake
2 Little Grebes
6 Great Crested Grebes
2 Cormorants
7 Pochard
35 Tufted Ducks
1 Water Rail
800 Wood Pigeon
142 Starlings
14 Pied Wagtails
18 Robins
20 Blackbirds
11 Fieldfare
10 Song Thrushes
2 Willow Tits
15 Greenfinches
11 Siskins
7 Reed Buntings
(Ed Wilson)
- *1 springtail sp., probably Dicyrtomina saundersi
- 1 springtail Orchesella cincta
- *1 tiny springtail
and
- *1 unidentified pupa case.
A Blue Tit checking whether the coast is clear after the appearance of the cat at the feeding station.
A choice: a clear view of a Long-tailed Tit at an artificial feeder...
...a view of a bird in its natural environment, partially obscured by branches!
Head and shoulders. No dandruff visible!
Only slightly better.
One of a few Siskins present before they all scarpered when the cat appeared.
For me this is a good photo of a springtail. It is probably Dicyrtomina saundersi
(Ed Wilson)
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2014
Little Wenlock, Candles Landfill Site
2 Iceland Gulls
(Observer Unknown)
2013
Priorslee Lake
31 Wigeon
7 Gadwall
5 Pochard
18 Tufted Ducks
1 Greater Scaup
2 Lapwings
c.1600 Black-headed Gulls
c.800 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
c.100 Herring Gulls
1 Iceland
1 Glaucous Gull
1 Caspian Gull
1 Yellow-legged Gull
38 Redwings
2 Fieldfare
15 Siskins
(Ed Wilson, Martin Grant, Tom Lowe)
The Flash
1 Little Grebe
10 Pochard
123 Tufted Duck
(Ed Wilson)
Trench Lock Pool
21 Tufted Duck
1 Goosander
(Ed Wilson)
Horsehay Pool
1 Yellow-legged Gull
(Tom Lowe)
Little Wenlock, Candles Landfill Site
2 Yellow-legged Gulls.
(Tom Lowe)
2012
Priorslee Lake
4 Great Crested Grebes
3 Pochard
32 Tufted Duck
4 Curlew
2 Siskins
(Ed Wilson)
Trench Lock
26 Tufted Duck
9 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
13 Herring Gulls
1 Yellow-legged Gull
(Ed Wilson)
2010
Priorslee Lake
1 Little Grebe
6 Great Crested Grebes
4 Gadwall
39 Pochard
57 Tufted Ducks
99 Coots
29 Blackbirds
4 Redwing
8 Song Thrushes
22 Siskins
3 Reed Buntings
(Ed Wilson)
2009
Priorslee Lake
Common Gull
6 Ravens
(Ed Wilson)
Woodhouse Lane
Stonechat
(John Isherwood)
2007
Priorslee Lake
4 Cormorant
2 Pochard
15 Tufted Duck
1 Ruddy Duck
1 Peregrine Falcon
26 Robin
11 Redwing
63 Magpie
196 Jackdaw
12 Greenfinch
10 Reed Bunting
(Ed Wilson)
2006
Priorslee Lake
2 Little Grebes
6 Great Crested Grebes
2 Cormorants
7 Pochard
35 Tufted Ducks
1 Water Rail
800 Wood Pigeon
142 Starlings
14 Pied Wagtails
18 Robins
20 Blackbirds
11 Fieldfare
10 Song Thrushes
2 Willow Tits
15 Greenfinches
11 Siskins
7 Reed Buntings
(Ed Wilson)