9.0°C > 13.0°C: Mostly cloudy. A few breaks. A very light shower, mostly passing to the West. Light south-easterly breeze. Very good visibility.
Sunrise: 05:25 BST
* = a species photographed today
$ = a new species for me in this area
Priorslee Balancing Lake: 05:20 – 06:30 // 07:35 – 09:55
(110th visit of the year)
Bird notes:
- the Greylag Geese goslings still doing OK.
- *three Mallard ducklings seen: these seemed to be about a week old.
- still a big sexual disparity in the Tufted Duck: there was none of the chasing and communal diving see the previous two days.
- an adult Black-headed Gull was flying up and down the water c.05:45: an unusual date for any to be here.
- *a third year Herring Gull visited briefly at c.07:50.
- an adult Lesser Black-backed Gull visited very briefly at c.05:40
- more changes in the warblers:
a Sedge Warbler was singing from the lower pool as I walked to the Flash but not when I walked back. Probably a passage bird and my first at this location.
now eight singing Reed Warblers
two Garden Warbler singing again. The one hitherto near its traditional nesting area in the tallest bushes alongside the M54 had moved slightly toward the lake. A second was singing near the Teece Drive gate on my first circuit and was presumably the bird singing from the bottom end of the Ricoh hedge c.09:30. As usual neither was seen.
*the only Common Whitethroats noted was the recent arrival along the South side that was singing over a considerable area.
- for the third day I neither heard nor saw any Reed Buntings.
Bird(s) noted flying over here:
- 3 Canada Geese: a pair flew East; another pair flew East with one of them circling to splash down briefly.
- 1 Lesser Black-backed Gull
- 1 Cormorant again
- 3 Stock Doves: loosely together
- 3 Wood Pigeons
Counts from the lake area:
- 1 Canada Goose: briefly
- 2 + 7 (1 brood) Greylag Geese
- 2 Mute Swans
- *10 (7♂) + 3 (1 brood) Mallard
- 14 (12♂) Tufted Duck: see notes
- 1 Moorhen only
- 15 Coots only
- 6 Great Crested Grebes
- 1 Black-headed Gull: adult
- *1 Herring Gull: third year
- 1 Lesser Black-backed Gull: adult
- 1 Grey Heron: departed
Hirundines etc. noted:
no low cloud so birds feeding elsewhere
- 4 Swifts
- 6 Barn Swallows
Warblers noted (the number in brackets refers to birds singing):
Song is beginning to fade away as birds get on with nesting duties:
- 16 (14) Chiffchaffs
- 1 (1) Sedge Warblers
- 8 (8) Reed Warblers
- 12 (11) Blackcaps
- *1 (1) Common Whitethroat
- 2 (2) Garden Warblers: see notes
Whatever happened to the Cetti's Warbler!?
On the West end street lamp poles post-dawn:
Nothing!
Noted around the area later:
The sun was just about to appear after a very light shower
Butterflies:
- none
- none
Caterpillar:
- *unidentified caterpillar – butterfly? moth? sawfly?
- *unidentified caterpillar – butterfly? moth? sawfly?
Bees, wasps etc.:
- none
- none
Hoverflies:
- *Common Spotted Field Syrph Eupeodes luniger [Lunuled Aphideater]
- Chequered Hoverfly Melanostoma scalare [Long-winged Duskyface]
- *Spotted Meliscaeva Meliscaeva auricollis [Spotted Thintail]
- *Common Spotted Field Syrph Eupeodes luniger [Lunuled Aphideater]
- Chequered Hoverfly Melanostoma scalare [Long-winged Duskyface]
- *Spotted Meliscaeva Meliscaeva auricollis [Spotted Thintail]
Dragon- / damsel-flies:
- none
- none
Other flies:
- *Common Blow Fly Calliphora vicina
- *Fever-fly Dilophus febrilis
- *dagger fly Empis tessellata
- *Fannia lustrator
- Greenbottle Lucilia sp.
- *Muscid fly Phaonia subventa
- *Yellow Dung Fly Scathophaga stercoraria
- *cranefly Tipula varipennis
- *other unidentified flies
- *Common Blow Fly Calliphora vicina
- *Fever-fly Dilophus febrilis
- *dagger fly Empis tessellata
- *Fannia lustrator
- Greenbottle Lucilia sp.
- *Muscid fly Phaonia subventa
- *Yellow Dung Fly Scathophaga stercoraria
- *cranefly Tipula varipennis
- *other unidentified flies
Beetles:
- 7 Spot Ladybird Coccinella 7-punctata
- Harlequin Ladybird Harmonia axyridis var. spectabilis
- *also var. succinea
- *Pollen Beetle Meligethes sp.
- 7 Spot Ladybird Coccinella 7-punctata
- Harlequin Ladybird Harmonia axyridis var. spectabilis
- *also var. succinea
- *Pollen Beetle Meligethes sp.
Spiders, harvestmen etc.:
- *Long-jawed Orb-web Spider Tetragnatha sp.
- *Long-jawed Orb-web Spider Tetragnatha sp.
New flowers for the year:
- *Red Clover Trifolium pratense
A few breaks early before more extensive cloud arrived giving a very light shower, and then the sun tried to get out again.
A third year Herring Gull. Features to note at this age are the extensive adult-looking inner primaries and the indistinct tail-band. The bill (hard to see) is mostly yellow with a small black area.
Not easy to see the spots on this Spotted Meliscaeva hoverfly Meliscaeva auricollis. At least the Obsidentify name of Spotted Thintail points to the abdomen shape as well as the spotting (hidden by the folded wings). Note at the top of the view one of the very common but unidentified midges / flies.
A good plan-view of the dagger fly Empis tessellata. I do need to try for a side-elevation shot to show the dagger-like mouth-parts clearly.
This fly is most likely Fannia lustrator (no common name). The tapered abdomen, orange base to the wings and rufous on the mid- and hind- legs are the features that point to this species.
"My what big eyes you have!" One of the unidentified flies from today. I don't think the body is green: I think it is some type of light interference pattern introduced by the camera.
Very frustrating. This fly has a very distinctive pattern on the thorax and would seem to be easy to ID. "Seem" being the operative word. I am not even sure to which family it belongs.
This one has lost / never had most of its spots: a frequent occurrence. I also noted one of the less-common form spectabilis but it dropped off a leaf in to the undergrowth before I could photograph it.
Soon to be abundant feeding in buttercups is this Pollen Beetle. One of many species in from the large Meligethes genus, most not further identifiable from photos.
I am feeling a bit guilty. I flushed a small midge and it flew in to the web of and was pounced on by a Long-jawed Orb-web Spider Tetragnatha sp. Count the 14 legs!
Red Clover Trifolium pratense. This species always starts flowering before White Clover T. repens and also continues after the latter species dies away in Autumn.
(Ed Wilson)
Noted in the Priorslee Avenue tunnel:
A Common Pug moth Eupithecia vulgata. My first moth of the year here! Only 49 species to go to equal last year's total!
A running crab spider Philodromus sp. There are two broad categories of crab spider. Those that hide and wait for prey to blunder in to them: and this group that chases after prey.
(Ed Wilson)
The Flash: 06:35 – 07:30
(107th visit of the year)
Bird notes:
- the five visiting Mute Swans still here with the resident cob keeping them corralled at the top end. One of the fishermen told me that a trio – two adults and a sub-adult - had briefly flown away only to return. The five do seem to be acting as a pair and a trio. No rings seen.
- a pair of Tufted Duck were separately chased from cover when they strayed too close to a Coot nest.
- a pair of Coots seen with four well-grown juveniles. Most other juveniles are still being brooded on the nest at the time I visit.
- a Common Buzzard attempted to land in trees alongside squirrel alley. The local Magpies had other ideas.
Bird(s) noted flying over here:
- 1 Greylag Goose
- 1 Cormorant again
Noted on / around the water:
- 24 Canada Geese
- no Greylag Geese
- 7 Mute Swans: (assuming the resident pen hidden on the nest): see notes
- 17 (15♂) Mallard
- 2 (1♂) Tufted Duck
- 4 Moorhens again
- 18 + 4 (1 brood) Coots
- 1 Great Crested Grebe: only the bird on the nesting platform seen
Hirundines etc. noted:
- *Red Clover Trifolium pratense
Always at the other end of the water! A duck Mallard with her three growing ducklings.
The recently arrived Common Whitethroat shouting from an unusually high perch.
An unidentified caterpillar descending from the canopy prior to pupating on, or in, the ground.
A Common Spotted Field Syrph Eupeodes luniger. Of all the hoverflies in this genus most individuals of this species are easily recognised by the obvious separation between each pair of yellow lunule-shaped marks.
The most boring of today's flies: a Common Blow Fly Calliphora vicina.
A Fever-fly Dilophus febrilis. It looks superficially like a beetle.
A different individual.
There were many around today: here is another.
And another showing the leg colour clearly.
With an orange abdomen and barely striped thorax this is the Muscid fly Phaonia subventa.
A female Yellow Dung Fly Scathophaga stercoraria
And a male. At this range I could not get all the body in focus.
Close up and personal with a cranefly Tipula varipennis.
A typical Harlequin Ladybird Harmonia axyridis of the most common form succinea.
(Ed Wilson)
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Noted in the Priorslee Avenue tunnel:
Moths!!! My first of the year here!
- *1 Common Pug Eupithecia vulgata
- *1 Common Pug Eupithecia vulgata
Flies:
- 12 midges of at least two species
- 1 moth fly Psychodidae sp. [Drain Fly or Owl Fly]
- 12 midges of at least two species
- 1 moth fly Psychodidae sp. [Drain Fly or Owl Fly]
Spiders, harvestmen etc.:
- *1 running crab spider Philodromus sp.
- *1 unidentified spider
- *1 running crab spider Philodromus sp.
- *1 unidentified spider
I have not got an identity for this small spider that was running along a thread of its web.
(Ed Wilson)
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The Flash: 06:35 – 07:30
(107th visit of the year)
Bird notes:
- the five visiting Mute Swans still here with the resident cob keeping them corralled at the top end. One of the fishermen told me that a trio – two adults and a sub-adult - had briefly flown away only to return. The five do seem to be acting as a pair and a trio. No rings seen.
- a pair of Tufted Duck were separately chased from cover when they strayed too close to a Coot nest.
- a pair of Coots seen with four well-grown juveniles. Most other juveniles are still being brooded on the nest at the time I visit.
- a Common Buzzard attempted to land in trees alongside squirrel alley. The local Magpies had other ideas.
Bird(s) noted flying over here:
- 1 Greylag Goose
- 1 Cormorant again
Noted on / around the water:
- 24 Canada Geese
- no Greylag Geese
- 7 Mute Swans: (assuming the resident pen hidden on the nest): see notes
- 17 (15♂) Mallard
- 2 (1♂) Tufted Duck
- 4 Moorhens again
- 18 + 4 (1 brood) Coots
- 1 Great Crested Grebe: only the bird on the nesting platform seen
Hirundines etc. noted:
None
Warblers noted (the number in brackets refers to birds singing):
- 5 (5) Chiffchaffs
- 4 (4) Blackcaps
Notes around the area:
Warblers noted (the number in brackets refers to birds singing):
- 5 (5) Chiffchaffs
- 4 (4) Blackcaps
Notes around the area:
Flies:
- *1 moth fly Psychodidae sp. [Drain Fly or Owl Fly]
- 2 unidentified midges
I had an extra strong coffee to improve my reaction time and managed to capture a Blue Tit leaving the nest box....
(Ed Wilson)
2010
Priorslee Lake
1 Wheatear
1 Common Sandpiper
(John Isherwood)
Nedge Hill
6 Wheatear
(John Isherwood)
2008
Priorslee Lake
Spotted Flycatcher
5 Black Terns
(Ed Wilson)
Nedge Hill
2 Wheatears
3 Ravens
(Ed Wilson)
2006
Priorslee Lake
2 Ruddy Duck
(Ed Wilson)
- *1 moth fly Psychodidae sp. [Drain Fly or Owl Fly]
- 2 unidentified midges
...and heading away for more insects for the brood.
A moth fly Psychodidae sp. with, as normal, matching patterns on each wing.
(Ed Wilson)
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2010
Priorslee Lake
1 Wheatear
1 Common Sandpiper
(John Isherwood)
Nedge Hill
6 Wheatear
(John Isherwood)
2008
Priorslee Lake
Spotted Flycatcher
5 Black Terns
(Ed Wilson)
Nedge Hill
2 Wheatears
3 Ravens
(Ed Wilson)
2006
Priorslee Lake
2 Ruddy Duck
(Ed Wilson)