14.0°C > 17.0°C: Fine. Mostly cloud with a few sunny intervals. Almost calm start with light / moderate south-westerly breeze developing. Excellent visibility.
Sunrise: 04:53 BST again
* = a species photographed today
$ = a new species for me in this area
Priorslee Balancing Lake: 04:45 – 06:00 // 07:10 – 09:05
(127th visit of the year)
Bird notes:
- at least 11 Canada Geese present at various times, to the annoyance of the cob Mute Swan who briefly recruited the pen to help chase them.
- the seven Greylag Geese goslings present and correct. Another adult flew in and later departed.
- the usual trio of almost independent Mallard ducklings seen. What seemed to be a different trio of independent ducklings together with an older duo.
- a pair of Tufted Duck here with none at The Flash.
- no juvenile Coots seen.
- a fly-over Lesser Black-backed Gull was the only gull seen here
- only the new of the Common Whitethroats was noted singing. At the original site one was heard alarm-calling suggesting juveniles nearby.
- no Garden Warbler heard today/
Bird(s) noted flying over here:
- 27 Canada Geese: 16 flew East in three groups; 11 flew North in two groups.
- 1 Lesser Black-backed Gull
- 2 Wood Pigeons only
- 4 Jackdaws
Counts from the lake area:
- 11 Canada Geese: see notes
- 3 + 7 (1 brood) Greylag Geese: see notes
- 2 Mute Swans
- 15 (10♂) + 8 (3 broods) Mallard: see notes
- 2 (1♂) Tufted Duck again
- 4 Moorhens
- 23 Coots
- 6 Great Crested Grebes again
- no Grey Heron
Hirundines etc. noted:
- 6 Swifts arrived c.05:05. Birds visible most of the time in small numbers
- 1 Barn Swallow
- 2 House Martins briefly over the Castle Farm Way end.
Warblers noted (the number in brackets refers to birds singing):
- 16 (12) Chiffchaffs
- 9 (9) Reed Warblers
- 16 (15) Blackcaps
- 2 (1) Common Whitethroats: see notes
- no Garden Warbler
Also noted:
Butterflies:
- 1 Painted Lady Vanessa cardui
- 1 Painted Lady Vanessa cardui
Moths:
- 1 Yellow-barred Longhorn Nemophora degeerella
- 1 Common Marble Celypha lacunana
- 1 Yellow-barred Longhorn Nemophora degeerella
- 1 Common Marble Celypha lacunana
Bees, wasps etc.:
- Tree Bumblebee Bombus hypnorum
- Early Bumblebee Bombus pratorum
fewer bumblebees around
- sawfly of the Tenthredo arcuata / brevicornis / notha / schaefferi complex
- Tree Bumblebee Bombus hypnorum
- Early Bumblebee Bombus pratorum
fewer bumblebees around
- sawfly of the Tenthredo arcuata / brevicornis / notha / schaefferi complex
Hoverflies:
- Buttercup Blacklet Cheilosia albitarsus
- Marmalade Hoverfly Episyrphus balteatus
- Tapered Dronefly Eristalis pertinax
- Common Dronefly Eristalis tenax
- Syrphus sp. S. ribesii / S. vitripennis / S. torvus
- Buttercup Blacklet Cheilosia albitarsus
- Marmalade Hoverfly Episyrphus balteatus
- Tapered Dronefly Eristalis pertinax
- Common Dronefly Eristalis tenax
- Syrphus sp. S. ribesii / S. vitripennis / S. torvus
Damsel / Dragon-flies:
none: no sun = no damselflies
none: no sun = no damselflies
Other flies:
- long-legged fly Argyra diaphana
- $ long-legged fly Argyra leucocephala [5 mm]
- Black Snipefly Chrysopilus cristatus: very many: two females noted again
- long-legged fly Dolichopus ungulatus or similar
- $ possible lance fly Lonchoptera bifurcata or similar
- greenbottle Lucilia sp.
- Yellow Dung Fly Scathophaga stercoraria
- $ possible stretched-foot fly Tanypeza longimana
- otherwise many unidentified fly species
- long-legged fly Argyra diaphana
- $ long-legged fly Argyra leucocephala [5 mm]
- Black Snipefly Chrysopilus cristatus: very many: two females noted again
- long-legged fly Dolichopus ungulatus or similar
- $ possible lance fly Lonchoptera bifurcata or similar
- greenbottle Lucilia sp.
- Yellow Dung Fly Scathophaga stercoraria
- $ possible stretched-foot fly Tanypeza longimana
- otherwise many unidentified fly species
Grasshoppers, crickets:
none
none
Bugs:
none
none
Beetles:
- click beetle Athous haemorrhoidalis
- Harlequin Ladybird Harmonia axyridis: larvae (these cannot be ascribed to the adult form)
- Harlequin Ladybird Harmonia axyridis var. succinea
- False Blister Beetle Oedemera lurida or O. virescens
- click beetle Athous haemorrhoidalis
- Harlequin Ladybird Harmonia axyridis: larvae (these cannot be ascribed to the adult form)
- Harlequin Ladybird Harmonia axyridis var. succinea
- False Blister Beetle Oedemera lurida or O. virescens
Spiders, harvestmen etc.:
- presumed money spider Erigone sp.
- Long-jawed Orb-web Spider Tetragnatha sp.
- presumed money spider Erigone sp.
- Long-jawed Orb-web Spider Tetragnatha sp.
New flowers for the year:
- $ Water-cress agg. Nasturtium officinale agg. [Water-cress N. officinale; Narrow-fruited Water-cress N. microphyllum and hybrids]
On the West end street lamp poles around dawn:
- $ Water-cress agg. Nasturtium officinale agg. [Water-cress N. officinale; Narrow-fruited Water-cress N. microphyllum and hybrids]
On the West end street lamp poles around dawn:
Another blank day: why do I bother!
Deathly quiet on Castle Farm Way at 05:05 with a touch of colour in the dawn. Mostly cloudy later.
Not good light at 05:10 as a Great Crested Grebe scoffs a large breakfast!
In a brief sunny interlude this Painted Lady butterfly Vanessa cardui posed well.
A smart Yellow-barred Longhorn moth Nemophora degeerella
A Common Marble moth Celypha lacunana. Very common and easily disturbed during the day but usually flies in to the middle-distance or dives on to the underside of a leaf.
A male (the eyes meet) Common Dronefly Eristalis tenax at rest.
This small red-eyed fly seems to be the long-legged fly Argyra diaphana.
A female Black Snipefly Chrysopilus cristatus: very different from the all-black, slim-bodied males.
This is the long-legged fly Dolichopus ungulatus (or similar).
This is the click beetle Athous haemorrhoidalis.
(Ed Wilson)
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In the Priorslee Avenue tunnel:
Moths:
- 1 Marbled Minor agg. Oligia strigilis agg.
- 1 Marbled Minor agg. Oligia strigilis agg.
Flies:
- 1 Black Snipefly Chrysopilus cristatus: male
- 17 midges of several species
- 2 moth fly Psychodidae sp. [Drain Fly or Owl Fly]
- 1 Black Snipefly Chrysopilus cristatus: male
- 17 midges of several species
- 2 moth fly Psychodidae sp. [Drain Fly or Owl Fly]
A moth from the Marbled Minor aggregate Oligia strigilis agg. There are three species involved and males (only) can be separated by examining the genitalia
(Ed Wilson)
The Flash: 06:05 – 07:05
(Ed Wilson)
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The Flash: 06:05 – 07:05
(124th visit of the year)
Bird notes:
- the Canada Goose gosling seen again.
- no Greylag Geese.
- a Canada x Greylag Goose present: many weeks since I noted any hybrids.
- one of the visiting Mute Swans not seen - the first year bird.
- only four juvenile Coots found from three broods.
Bird(s) noted flying over here:
- 1 Lesser Black-backed Gull
Noted on / around the water:
- 72 + 1 (1 brood) Canada Geese: of these a pair departed
- 1 Canada x Greylag Goose
- 6 Mute Swans: assuming the pen is on the hidden nest?
- 18 (16♂) Mallard
- 7 Moorhens
- 33+ 4 (3 broods) Coots
- 1 Great Crested Grebe
Hirundines etc. noted:
- 2 Swifts
- 2 House Martins: together, briefly, over the East side
Warblers noted (the number in brackets refers to birds singing):
- 4 (4) Chiffchaffs again
- 3 (3) Blackcaps again
Noted around the area:
A milder morning with the wind only beginning to pick up:
Moths:
- 1 Pale Tussock Calliteara pudibunda
- 1 Pale Tussock Calliteara pudibunda
Hoverflies:
- Spotted Meliscaeva Meliscaeva auricollis [Spotted Thintail]
- Spotted Meliscaeva Meliscaeva auricollis [Spotted Thintail]
Damsel-/dragon-flies:
- Blue-tailed Damselfly Ischnura elegans [Common Bluetail]
- Blue-tailed Damselfly Ischnura elegans [Common Bluetail]
Other flies:
- Black Snipefly Chrysopilus cristatus: all males
- $ probable fungus gnat Macrocera sp.
- moth fly Psychodidae sp. [Drain Fly or Owl Fly]
- Black Snipefly Chrysopilus cristatus: all males
- $ probable fungus gnat Macrocera sp.
- moth fly Psychodidae sp. [Drain Fly or Owl Fly]
Beetles:
- Alder Leaf Beetle Agelastica alni
- 7 Spot Ladybird Coccinella 7-punctata
- Harlequin Ladybird Harmonia axyridis var. succinea
- Alder Leaf Beetle Agelastica alni
- 7 Spot Ladybird Coccinella 7-punctata
- Harlequin Ladybird Harmonia axyridis var. succinea
Spiders, harvestmen etc.:
- Long-jawed Orb-web Spider Tetragnatha sp.
The closer goose is a hybrid, mostly Canada but the pale bill and eye-ring suggest a Greylag influence. It is one of the least crosses I can recall over the years - they come and they go. It seems from my records that this is the first hybrid I have seen here this year. The Winter period usually has delivered a few. Moult time - about to start - is another time hybrids tend to appear.
Trying to blend in with an algae-covered sign attached to a street lamp pole was this Pale Tussock moth Calliteara pudibunda.
A sleeping beauty. This is a Spotted Meliscaeva hoverfly Meliscaeva auricollis. In most specimens there is a thin black line down the centre of the abdomen "joining the dots".
The only damselfly I noted today was this Blue-tailed Damselfly Ischnura elegans. My first at The Flash this year.
A truly odd fly. Both Obsidentify and Google Lens think a fungus gnat Macrocera sp. Note the long antennae and the spurs on the legs. The banded abdomen does not match any species in the NatureSpot gallery.
(Ed Wilson)
2007
Wrekin
3 Tree Pipit
2 Wood Warbler
1 Pied Flycatcher
2 Spotted Flycatcher
(Martin Adlam)
- Long-jawed Orb-web Spider Tetragnatha sp.
Another view. Those long antennae are thicker than I expected.
A moth fly Psychodidae sp. in daylight.
(Ed Wilson)
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2007
Wrekin
3 Tree Pipit
2 Wood Warbler
1 Pied Flycatcher
2 Spotted Flycatcher
(Martin Adlam)