7.0°C > 13.0°C: Early light rain shower: then mostly cloudy until c.08:00 when cloud started to break giving good sunny periods. Light / moderate southerly breeze, veering south-westerly. Very good visibility.
Sunrise: 05:09 BST
* = a species photographed today
$ = a new species for me in this area
Priorslee Balancing Lake: 05:15 – 06:20 // 07:25 – 09:55
(117th visit of the year)
Bird notes:
- the seven Greylag Geese goslings present and correct.
- just the two well-grown and now independent Mallard ducklings seen.
- no Tufted Duck (here or at The Flash)
- an adult Lesser Black-backed Gull briefly on the water c.05:30. Then c.06:00 two first-year and two second-year Herring Gulls were with an adult Lesser Black-backed Gull on the football field before flying off together.
- today's warbler update:
nine singing Reed Warblers. *Two others seen: apparently not first-brood juveniles.
no Common Whitethroat seen or heard again and I think we must assume they have all gone and are not breeding here this year.
I thought I heard a brief snatch of Garden Warbler song at a traditional site. I heard no more of usually very vocal species so...?
- no Starlings were on the football field c.06:00. Three adults were seen on the roofs of houses i Teece Drive around this time.
Bird(s) noted flying over here:
- 4 Canada Geese: two pairs flew East separately
- 2 Wood Pigeons only
- 2 Jackdaws
That's all!
Counts from the lake area:
- 2 Canada Geese: arrived, staying over an hour before leaving.
- 2 + 7 (1 brood) Greylag Geese
- 2 Mute Swans (assuming the pen is on the nest, hidden in the reeds)
- 13 (12♂) + 2 (1 brood) Mallard
- no Tufted Duck
- 3 Moorhens
- 15 Coots only
- 3 Great Crested Grebes
- 4 Herring Gulls: see notes
- 2 Lesser Black-backed Gulls: see notes
- 1 Grey Heron: departed
Hirundines etc. noted:
- >20 Swifts
- no Sand Martins
- >6 Barn Swallows
- >4 House Martins
Warblers noted (the number in brackets refers to birds singing):
- 12 (12) Chiffchaffs again
- *11 (9) Reed Warblers
- 16 (16) Blackcaps
- 1? (1?) Garden Warbler: see notes
On the West end street lamp poles post-dawn:
Nothing during the rain shower
Noted around the area later:
Only partly sunny and still with a cool breeze.
Butterflies:
- none
- none
Moths:
- none
- none
Bees, wasps etc.:
- *Tree Bumblebee Bombus hypnorum
- *Early Bumblebee Bombus pratorum
- *Red Mason Bee Osmia bicornis
- Common Wasp Vespula vulgaris
- *Tree Bumblebee Bombus hypnorum
- *Early Bumblebee Bombus pratorum
- *Red Mason Bee Osmia bicornis
- Common Wasp Vespula vulgaris
Hoverflies:
- *Buttercup Blacklet Cheilosia albitarsus [Late Buttercup Cheilosia]
- *$ Shiny-backed Boxer Platycheirus tarsalis [Shiny-backed Sedgesitter]
- *Buttercup Blacklet Cheilosia albitarsus [Late Buttercup Cheilosia]
- *$ Shiny-backed Boxer Platycheirus tarsalis [Shiny-backed Sedgesitter]
Damsel / Dragon-flies:
- *Azure Damselfly Coenagrion puella [Azure Bluet]
- Common Blue Damselfly Enallagma cyathigerum [Common Bluet]
- *Large Red Damselfly Pyrrhosoma nymphula
- *Azure Damselfly Coenagrion puella [Azure Bluet]
- Common Blue Damselfly Enallagma cyathigerum [Common Bluet]
- *Large Red Damselfly Pyrrhosoma nymphula
Other flies:
- *Root-maggot fly, possibly Botanophila fugax
- *dagger fly Empis tessellata
- *Limonid cranefly, perhaps Limonia hercegovinae
- *Grouse Wing caddis fly Mystacides longicornis
- Muscid fly, perhaps Phaonia subventa
- Flesh fly Sarcophaga sp., possibly S. carnaria
- Yellow Dung Fly Scathophaga stercoraria
- *Tachinid fly Tachina fera
- other unidentified species
- *Root-maggot fly, possibly Botanophila fugax
- *dagger fly Empis tessellata
- *Limonid cranefly, perhaps Limonia hercegovinae
- *Grouse Wing caddis fly Mystacides longicornis
- Muscid fly, perhaps Phaonia subventa
- Flesh fly Sarcophaga sp., possibly S. carnaria
- Yellow Dung Fly Scathophaga stercoraria
- *Tachinid fly Tachina fera
- other 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:
- *Harlequin Ladybird Harmonia axyridis var. succinea
- *Harlequin Ladybird Harmonia axyridis var. succinea
Flowers:
- *Ox-eye daisy Leucanthemum vulgare
One of two Reed Warblers that flew out of reeds and into the surrounding vegetation. Neither sang and they soon both disappeared. I managed this shot of one of them before they did showing the characteristic head-shape of this species and showing this one, at least, is not a juvenile (no gape line) as I wondered at the time.
The orange "pile" on the thorax, black body and white tail makes this a Tree Bumblebee Bombus hypnorum.
Unlike yesterday's Early Bumblebee Bombus pratorum this shows a significant midriff band of buff hairs.
Against the yellow of the Dandelion it is possible to see reddish colouration on the abdomen of the Red Mason Bee Osmia bicornis.
I hope I have correctly solved a puzzle here and added a new hoverfly species to my list. My initial thought was that it was a male Chequered Hoverfly Melanostoma scalare showing off its square yellow spots. But the eyes do not meet so it is a female and the female of that species has triangular spots. I believe it is a female Shiny-backed Boxer Platycheirus tarsalis. Obsidentify uses the name Shiny-backed Sedgesitter. Neither "Boxer" nor "Sedgesitter" seem to be entirely appropriate but you have to name them something if scientific names are not your bent.
The marking on the abdomen of this Azure Damselfly Coenagrion puella are obscured by the folded wings and it is the pattern of black and pale areas on the thorax that separates this species from Common Blue Damselfly Enallagma cyathigerum.
This is certainly a Root-maggot fly. It may or may not be Botanophila fugax. There are many to choose from mostly with obvious red on some of the legs which this lacks.
I am sure this (the remains of) a Limonid cranefly. Obsidentify was certain it is Limonia hercegovinae and it appears a good match with photos on the internet. A small problem is that the distribution maps for this species do not include the UK it having a mostly Central and Southern European distribution – vide the species part of scientific binomial.
Just about the only caddis fly that is easy to identify with its well-marked wings and long, banded antennae. It is a Grouse Wing caddis fly Mystacides longicornis. There is an infrequently seen form with unmarked wings.
My best suggestion for this is the marsh fly Tetanocera ferruginea. Another species of fly where hairs fan-out from the lower leg joint. I wonder why.
(Ed Wilson)
Noted in the Priorslee Avenue tunnel:
- *Ox-eye daisy Leucanthemum vulgare
A different individual. This species seems to have very hairy legs.
I noted only two species of hoverfly this morning. I must have seen about a dozen of these Buttercup Blacklets Cheilosia albitarsus.
A Large Red Damselfly Pyrrhosoma nymphula.
A close-up of the "business end".
Very common today was the dagger fly Empis tessellata.
Lovely! The Tachinid fly Tachina fera
This photo of a nymph of the Mirid bug Calocoris alpestris is a bit of a mess. So it is in real life.
A Harlequin Ladybird Harmonia axyridis of the most common form, succinea.
My first Ox-eye daisy Leucanthemum vulgare of the year.
(Ed Wilson)
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Noted in the Priorslee Avenue tunnel:
Flies:
- 6 midges of at least three species again
- 1 unidentified cranefly
(114th visit of the year)
Bird notes:
- five visiting Mute Swans still.
- *a pair of Canada Geese with three young: how this relates to the five goslings seen Wednesday and the four seen yesterday is unclear.
- a pair of Greylag Geese without goslings departed. Possibly others inside the island?
- no Tufted Duck seen.
- three groups of juvenile Coots seen: nine youngsters.
- *one adult Great Crested Grebe spent a long while on the water and certainly was not collecting food for any young. Later two adults were seen together and neither appeared likely to be carrying juveniles on its back.
Bird(s) noted flying over here:
- 3 (2♂) Mallard: these seen coming from far to the West and flying straight over to disappear to the East.
Noted on / around the water:
- *24 + 3 (1 brood) Canada Geese: see notes
- 2 Greylag Geese: departed: see notes
- 7 Mute Swans: (assuming the resident pen is hidden on the nest) again
- *16 (11♂) Mallard only
- no Tufted Duck
- *5 Moorhens
- 21 + 9 (3 broods) Coots
- *2 Great Crested Grebes
Hirundines etc. noted:
- 6 midges of at least three species again
- 1 unidentified cranefly
(Ed Wilson)
The Flash: 06:25 – 07:20
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The Flash: 06:25 – 07:20
(114th visit of the year)
Bird notes:
- five visiting Mute Swans still.
- *a pair of Canada Geese with three young: how this relates to the five goslings seen Wednesday and the four seen yesterday is unclear.
- a pair of Greylag Geese without goslings departed. Possibly others inside the island?
- no Tufted Duck seen.
- three groups of juvenile Coots seen: nine youngsters.
- *one adult Great Crested Grebe spent a long while on the water and certainly was not collecting food for any young. Later two adults were seen together and neither appeared likely to be carrying juveniles on its back.
Bird(s) noted flying over here:
- 3 (2♂) Mallard: these seen coming from far to the West and flying straight over to disappear to the East.
Noted on / around the water:
- *24 + 3 (1 brood) Canada Geese: see notes
- 2 Greylag Geese: departed: see notes
- 7 Mute Swans: (assuming the resident pen is hidden on the nest) again
- *16 (11♂) Mallard only
- no Tufted Duck
- *5 Moorhens
- 21 + 9 (3 broods) Coots
- *2 Great Crested Grebes
Hirundines etc. noted:
None
Warblers noted (the number in brackets refers to birds singing):
- 3 (3) Chiffchaffs
- *4 (4) Blackcaps
Notes around the area:
Warblers noted (the number in brackets refers to birds singing):
- 3 (3) Chiffchaffs
- *4 (4) Blackcaps
Notes around the area:
Flies:
- *1 possible Flat-footed fly of the Platypezidae family
- 2 unidentified midges
- *1 possible Flat-footed fly of the Platypezidae family
- 2 unidentified midges
Spiders, harvestmen etc.:
- *1 Cucumber Green Orb Spider Araniella sp. either A. cucurbitina or A. opisthographa
A pair of Canada Geese with three goslings. Is this the same as the brood of four yesterday and five last Wednesday?
Looking deep in to the island. A pair of Mallard on the right. A hard-to-see Moorhen dead centre. And some unspecified abandoned eggs to the left. Is one of the eggs broken?
Somewhat unusual for the date a male Blackcap was singing in the open. It was high overhead in squirrel alley.
A very small fly with, relatively, huge eyes. Obsidentify was 95% sure it is one of the Flat-footed flies of the Platypezidae family. There is no match with any of the species shown in NatureSpot where there is the observation that this group has the "characteristic behaviour of running around quickly on leaves, often in circles". Mine was immobile on a street lamp pole. So...?
Not a very good photo of a Cucumber Green Orb Spider Araniella sp. either A. cucurbitina or A. opisthographa. It was some 15 feet up a street lamp pole, not that a closer specimen would have been easier to specifically identify. It is all down to its genitalia.
(Ed Wilson)
2013
Priorslee Lake
Spotted Flycatcher
Wheatear
(Ed Wilson)
2007
Priorslee Lake
Whimbrel
2 drake Ruddy Ducks
(Ed Wilson)
2006
Priorslee Lake
2 Ruddy Ducks
(Ed Wilson)
- *1 Cucumber Green Orb Spider Araniella sp. either A. cucurbitina or A. opisthographa
The two Great Crested Grebes. It does not look possible that either is sheltering juveniles on the back.
(Ed Wilson)
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2013
Priorslee Lake
Spotted Flycatcher
Wheatear
(Ed Wilson)
2007
Priorslee Lake
Whimbrel
2 drake Ruddy Ducks
(Ed Wilson)
2006
Priorslee Lake
2 Ruddy Ducks
(Ed Wilson)