3.0°C > 12.0°C: A clear and chilly start with variable cloud and sunny intervals later. Light westerly breeze developing. Very good visibility.
Sunrise: 05:18 BST
* = a species photographed today
$ = a new species for me in this area
Priorslee Balancing Lake: 05:15 – 06:35 // 07:30 – 09:50
(114th visit of the year)
Bird notes:
- as you were with the seven Greylag Geese goslings.
- *in addition to the two very well-grown Mallard ducklings another group of four new ducklings was seen.
- it is strange: on my first lap for several days I have seen just one drake Tufted Duck. Later there are many more. Do they hide in the reeds?
- two adult Lesser Black-backed Gulls were on the football field c.06:15.
- the Grey Heron seen early only.
- the usual warbler update but note whether it was the chilly start or whether as sunrise becomes earlier the dawn chorus was very sparse this morning. This means I have difficulty on my second lap trying to decide whether I have heard any bird previously.
just seven singing Reed Warbler.
no Garden Warbler heard but that doesn't seen to mean that much with this year's intermittent songster.
only Common Whitethroat with the recent arrival along the South side heard singing before 06:00 only.
Bird(s) noted flying over here:
- 6 Canada Geese: three pairs flew East separately
- 2 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 6 Wood Pigeons
- 4 Jackdaws
Counts from the lake area:
- 2 + 7 (1 brood) Greylag Geese
- *2 Mute Swans
- *10 (8♂) + 6 (2 broods) Mallard
- 8 (7♂) Tufted Duck again
- 4 Moorhens
- 16 Coots only
- 4 Great Crested Grebes only
- 2 Lesser Black-backed Gulls: see notes
- 1 Grey Heron: departed
Hirundines etc. noted:
- *>25 Swifts
- 2 Sand Martins
- >15 Barn Swallows
- >6 House Martins
Warblers noted (the number in brackets refers to birds singing):
- 11 (9) Chiffchaffs only
- 7 (7) Reed Warblers
- 22 (21) Blackcaps
- 1 (1) Common Whitethroat
- no Garden Warbler
On the West end street lamp poles post-dawn:
A blank morning in the cool conditions.
Noted around the area later:
Butterflies:
- 1 Green-veined White Pieris napi
- 1 Green-veined White Pieris napi
Moths:
- *1 Green Long-horn Adela reaumurella
- *1 Thistle Root-borer Epiblema scutulana [was Thistle Bell]: moth species #20 for me here this year
- *1 Green Long-horn Adela reaumurella
- *1 Thistle Root-borer Epiblema scutulana [was Thistle Bell]: moth species #20 for me here this year
Bees, wasps etc.:
- *Buff-tailed Bumblebee Bombus terrestris
- *Common Wasp Vespula vulgaris
- *sawfly Small Yellow-girdled Tenthredo Tenthredo temula
- *unidentified "green" caterpillar probably of a sawfly
- *Buff-tailed Bumblebee Bombus terrestris
- *Common Wasp Vespula vulgaris
- *sawfly Small Yellow-girdled Tenthredo Tenthredo temula
- *unidentified "green" caterpillar probably of a sawfly
Hoverflies:
- *Buttercup Blacklet Cheilosia albitarsus
- Tapered Dronefly Eristalis pertinax
- Tiger Hoverfly Helophilus pendulus [Tiger Marsh Fly; Sun Fly]
- *Grey-spotted Boxer Platycheirus albimanus [Grey-spotted Sedgesitter or White-footed Hoverfly]
- *Buttercup Blacklet Cheilosia albitarsus
- Tapered Dronefly Eristalis pertinax
- Tiger Hoverfly Helophilus pendulus [Tiger Marsh Fly; Sun Fly]
- *Grey-spotted Boxer Platycheirus albimanus [Grey-spotted Sedgesitter or White-footed Hoverfly]
Other flies:
- *dagger fly Empis scutellata
- *dagger fly Empis tessellata
- *Green Bottle Fly Lucilia sp.
- either Spotted/Tiger Cranefly Nephrotoma appendiculata / N. flavescens
- *Scorpion Fly Panorpa sp.
- *Tachinid fly Tachina fera
- *cranefly Tipula varipennis
- many, many unidentified species
- *dagger fly Empis scutellata
- *dagger fly Empis tessellata
- *Green Bottle Fly Lucilia sp.
- either Spotted/Tiger Cranefly Nephrotoma appendiculata / N. flavescens
- *Scorpion Fly Panorpa sp.
- *Tachinid fly Tachina fera
- *cranefly Tipula varipennis
- many, many unidentified species
Bugs:
- *nymph of the Mirid bug Calocoris alpestris
- *Red-and-Black Froghopper Cercopis vulnerata
- *nymph of the Mirid bug Calocoris alpestris
- *Red-and-Black Froghopper Cercopis vulnerata
Beetles:
- *Alder Leaf Beetle Agelastica alni
- Raspberry Beetles Byturus tomentosus or perhaps Meligethes aeneus (in a buttercup)
- 7 Spot Ladybird Coccinella 7-punctata
- *Nettle Weevil Phyllobius pomaceus
The resident cob Mute Swan went for a fly down the lake for no apparent reason. Bored waiting for the eggs to hatch perhaps.
I suppose this has to be a Buff-tailed Bumblebee Bombus terrestris. The buff tail is more extensive than usual and it lacks any midriff band. I cannot find a better match.
A Common Wasp Vespula vulgaris. So far this year, as in 2024, there have been very few on the wing and I have seen none chewing the wood on the Teece Drive fence for their nest.
Most cooperative of the sawfly to sit with its wings open enabling its positive identification as a Small Yellow-girdled Tenthredo Tenthredo temula
This hoverfly confused me. I thought a Grey-spotted Boxer Platycheirus albimanus but it only has four spots and I am used to seeing six. Reference to Steven Falk's Flickr pages confirms that females do only have four spots – and the pointed abdomen indicates it is a female.
My first Scorpion Fly Panorpa sp. of the year. I have forgotten how to separate the two species in the UK by their wing pattern. The "sting" is the genitalia.
(Ed Wilson)
Noted in the Priorslee Avenue tunnel:
(111th visit of the year)
Bird notes:
- *six visiting Mute Swans. Just three when I arrived with a pair arriving from the North and a single arriving from the South a few minutes later. All to the annoyance of the resident cob until he gathered them all at the top end.
- after several blank days a lone drake Tufted Duck was present.
- the same two pairs of Coots as yesterday noted were noted with three and four well-grown juveniles respectively.
- *a juvenile Treecreeper was noted being fed by one of two adults seen.
- at the same time I saw what I thought was a newly-fledged Blue Tit but was distracted by the Treecreepers. Later I saw no activity at the nest box that had been used by a pair of Blue Tits so perhaps the young have flown.
Bird(s) noted flying over here:
- 5 Jackdaws
Noted on / around the water:
- 14 Canada Geese
- 2 Greylag Geese again
- *8 Mute Swans: (assuming the resident pen is hidden on the nest): see notes
- 19 (17♂) Mallard
- 1 (1) Tufted Duck
- 2 Moorhens only
- 18 + 7 (2 broods) Coots
- 2 Great Crested Grebes
- 1 Lesser Black-backed Gull: an adult, very briefly
Hirundines etc. noted:
A tiny spider dealing with a green midge almost larger than itself. For scale the tip of the (dirty!) nail of my index finger.
(Ed Wilson)
- *Alder Leaf Beetle Agelastica alni
- Raspberry Beetles Byturus tomentosus or perhaps Meligethes aeneus (in a buttercup)
- 7 Spot Ladybird Coccinella 7-punctata
- *Nettle Weevil Phyllobius pomaceus
The view to the West was better this morning.
Another brood of Mallard ducklings.
There were many of these Swifts chasing around screaming.
Glossing very badly in the sun is a Green Long-horn moth Adela reaumurella.
I had a small gap between leaves to photograph this moth and could only shoot it from behind. I knew if I moved anything it would fly - which it did. This looking at the rear of a Thistle Root-borer Epiblema scutulana. Its previous name was Thistle Bell.
An unidentified "green" caterpillar probably of a sawfly.
A Buttercup Blacklet hoverfly Cheilosia albitarsus
I think this small orangey dagger fly is Empis scutellata. There are several similar species.
More or less head-on for a better view of the mouthpiece of the dagger fly Empis tessellata
A Green Bottle Fly Lucilia sp.
A favourite at the moment: the Tachinid fly Tachina fera
The wing marking indicates this is the cranefly Tipula varipennis. It is a male with an unusually dark abdomen. I can't find another species that is a better fit.
This a female of the same species?!
A nymph of the Mirid bug Calocoris alpestris.
A head-on view of a Red-and-Black Froghopper Cercopis vulnerata
An Alder Leaf Beetle Agelastica alni
My first Nettle Weevil Phyllobius pomaceus of the year.
(Ed Wilson)
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Noted in the Priorslee Avenue tunnel:
Flies:
- 11 midges of at least three species again
- 1 moth fly Psychodidae sp. [Drain Fly or Owl Fly] again
- 11 midges of at least three species again
- 1 moth fly Psychodidae sp. [Drain Fly or Owl Fly] again
Arthropods:
- 1 (Common) Striped Woodlouse Philoscia muscorum
- 1 (Common) Striped Woodlouse Philoscia muscorum
Spiders, Harvestmen etc.:
- 1 unidentified spider
(Ed Wilson)
The Flash: 06:40 – 07:25
- 1 unidentified spider
(Ed Wilson)
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Flash: 06:40 – 07:25
(111th visit of the year)
Bird notes:
- *six visiting Mute Swans. Just three when I arrived with a pair arriving from the North and a single arriving from the South a few minutes later. All to the annoyance of the resident cob until he gathered them all at the top end.
- after several blank days a lone drake Tufted Duck was present.
- the same two pairs of Coots as yesterday noted were noted with three and four well-grown juveniles respectively.
- *a juvenile Treecreeper was noted being fed by one of two adults seen.
- at the same time I saw what I thought was a newly-fledged Blue Tit but was distracted by the Treecreepers. Later I saw no activity at the nest box that had been used by a pair of Blue Tits so perhaps the young have flown.
Bird(s) noted flying over here:
- 5 Jackdaws
Noted on / around the water:
- 14 Canada Geese
- 2 Greylag Geese again
- *8 Mute Swans: (assuming the resident pen is hidden on the nest): see notes
- 19 (17♂) Mallard
- 1 (1) Tufted Duck
- 2 Moorhens only
- 18 + 7 (2 broods) Coots
- 2 Great Crested Grebes
- 1 Lesser Black-backed Gull: an adult, very briefly
Hirundines etc. noted:
None
Warblers noted (the number in brackets refers to birds singing):
- 6 (6) Chiffchaffs again
- 1 (1) Blackcap only
Notes around the area:
Warblers noted (the number in brackets refers to birds singing):
- 6 (6) Chiffchaffs again
- 1 (1) Blackcap only
Notes around the area:
Flies:
- 1 wood gnat, perhaps Sylvicola fenestralis
- only 9 unidentified mayflies remain
- 2 unidentified midges
- 1 wood gnat, perhaps Sylvicola fenestralis
- only 9 unidentified mayflies remain
- 2 unidentified midges
Spiders, Harvestmen etc.:
- *1 Long-jawed Orb-web Spider Tetragnatha sp.
- *1 small money(?) spider
- *1 Long-jawed Orb-web Spider Tetragnatha sp.
- *1 small money(?) spider
Flower:
- *Red Valerian Valeriana officinalis
One of the pair of Mute Swans that arrived. This bird has neither blue Darvic nor a BTO metal ring and therefore is not one of the pair seen here a week or so ago.
Definite highlight of the day. Here is a juvenile Treecreeper spread-eagled (if that is the correct phrase) and awaiting a food delivery. Note at this age the shorter tail but the large claws.
A Starling rooting about for food in the long grass. Sexing this bird is not easy. Is the base of the bill blue (male) or pink (female)? Hard to say. I am sure I have read that the shape of the spotting differs between the sexes but a Google search has failed to find it. I suspect a female.
- *Red Valerian Valeriana officinalis
Looking about: "where is my breakfast?"
Zoomed in.
And here is the food delivery.
The adult isolated in this shot. Strong feet.
"Where has my food gone?"
"Open wide"
Down the hatch
"I'll be back soon"
A good size and plumage comparison.
Another Long-jawed Orb-web Spider Tetragnatha sp.
Just beginning to open is a spike of Red Valerian Valeriana officinalis. A garden escape here?
(Ed Wilson)