13.0°C > 20.0°C: Broken high cloud to start with. More low cloud later and even a few rain spots. Little if any sun. A calm start with a moderate, sometimes fresh, south-westerly breeze developing. Very good visibility.
Sunrise: 04:46 BST.
Weather permitting I am making an annual pilgrimage to Anglesey to see the seabirds and terns. It may be a few days (or not) before my next report,
* = a species photographed today
! = a first sighting of the species this year
$ = a new species for me in this area
Priorslee Balancing Lake: 04:50– 05:45 // 07:00 – 09:45
(144th visit of the year)
Bird notes:
- the seven Greylag Geese goslings with two extra adults throughout. A trio flew in, staying a short while.
- both Mute Swans spent time near the nest but did not visit it.
- for some days an early visit to the south-west grassy area has found just a handful of moulting Mallard. Later visits have netted as many as thirty: where do they come from? Today there were twenty-five at c.05:10 and at c.09:20 thirty-eight!
- fourteen juvenile Coots seen from seven broods.
- I could only confirm six adult Great Crested Grebes with just one juvenile from the second pair to have young seen
- an adult Lesser Black-backed Gull visited the football field for all of three minutes c.05:25.
- the daily warbler update:
no Cetti's Warbler heard.
no Garden Warbler heard.
the Lesser Whitethroat sang twice c.09:25: once from the Ricoh hedge and a few moments later from near the sailing club HQ.
as on Tuesday in addition to the West end and the original south-west Common Whitethroats both singing another was heard alarm calling more to the East along the South side and sufficiently far away from either songster to suggest a different nest site.
Bird(s) noted flying over here:
- 1 Lesser Black-backed Gull
- 4 Stock Doves: two duos
- 9 Wood Pigeons
- 22 Jackdaws
- 8 Rooks
Counts from the lake area:
- *7 + 7 (1 brood) Greylag Geese: see notes
- 2 Mute Swans
- 38 (?♂) Mallard: see notes
- 2 Moorhens
- 31+ 14 (7 broods) Coots
- 6 + 1? (1 brood) Great Crested Grebes: see notes
- 2 Grey Herons: one chased away
Hirundines etc. noted:
- 6 Swifts
- 2 House Martins
Warblers noted (the number in brackets refers to birds singing):
- no Cetti's Warbler
- 10 (10) Chiffchaffs
- 10 (10) Reed Warblers
- 8 (8) Blackcaps
- no Garden Warbler
- 1 (1) Lesser Whitethroat
- *3 (2) Common Whitethroats
Also noted:
Butterflies:
- 3 Ringlet Aphantopus hyperantus
- 1 Painted Lady Vanessa cardui
- *1 !Small Tortoiseshell Aglais urticae
- 3 Ringlet Aphantopus hyperantus
- 1 Painted Lady Vanessa cardui
- *1 !Small Tortoiseshell Aglais urticae
Moths:
- 3 Common Marble Celypha lacunana
- 9 Garden Grass-moth Chrysoteuchia culmella [was Garden Grass-veneer]: as least as many "got away"
- 1 Silver-ground Carpet Xanthorhoe montanata
- 3 Common Marble Celypha lacunana
- 9 Garden Grass-moth Chrysoteuchia culmella [was Garden Grass-veneer]: as least as many "got away"
- 1 Silver-ground Carpet Xanthorhoe montanata
Bees, wasps etc.:
- *Honey Bee Apis mellifera
- *Buff-tailed Bumblebee Bombus terrestris
fewer bumblebees apparently all this species
- Common Wasp Vespula vulgaris
- *Three-banded Mason Wasp Ancistrocerus trifasciatus
- *ichneumon wasp Amblyteles armatorius
- *$ ichneumon wasp probably Pimpla contemplator
- *Honey Bee Apis mellifera
- *Buff-tailed Bumblebee Bombus terrestris
fewer bumblebees apparently all this species
- Common Wasp Vespula vulgaris
- *Three-banded Mason Wasp Ancistrocerus trifasciatus
- *ichneumon wasp Amblyteles armatorius
- *$ ichneumon wasp probably Pimpla contemplator
Hoverflies:
- Buttercup Blacklet Cheilosia albitarsus [Late Buttercup Cheilosia]
- Marmalade Hoverfly Episyrphus balteatus
- *Common Dronefly Eristalis tenax
- Migrant Field Syrph Eupeodes corollae [Migrant Hoverfly; Migrant Aphideater]
- *Common Copperback Ferdinandea cuprea [Bronze Sap Hoverfly; Eurasian Copperback]
- Tiger Hoverfly Helophilus pendulus [Tiger Marsh Fly; Sun Fly]
- *Syrphus sp. S. ribesii / S. vitripennis / S. torvus
- Buttercup Blacklet Cheilosia albitarsus [Late Buttercup Cheilosia]
- Marmalade Hoverfly Episyrphus balteatus
- *Common Dronefly Eristalis tenax
- Migrant Field Syrph Eupeodes corollae [Migrant Hoverfly; Migrant Aphideater]
- *Common Copperback Ferdinandea cuprea [Bronze Sap Hoverfly; Eurasian Copperback]
- Tiger Hoverfly Helophilus pendulus [Tiger Marsh Fly; Sun Fly]
- *Syrphus sp. S. ribesii / S. vitripennis / S. torvus
Damsel / Dragon-flies:
most damselflies not checked
- Common Blue Damselfly Enallagma cyathigerum [Common Bluet]
- Blue-tailed Damselfly Ischnura elegans [Common Bluetail]
most damselflies not checked
- Common Blue Damselfly Enallagma cyathigerum [Common Bluet]
- Blue-tailed Damselfly Ischnura elegans [Common Bluetail]
Other flies:
- Black Snipefly Chrysopilus cristatus: once again all males
- long-legged fly Dolichopus ungulatus or similar
- greenbottle Lucilia sp.
- semaphore fly Poecilobothrus nobilitatus
- Thick-headed Fly Sicus ferrugineus [Ferruginous Beegrabber]
plus many unidentified flies
- Black Snipefly Chrysopilus cristatus: once again all males
- long-legged fly Dolichopus ungulatus or similar
- greenbottle Lucilia sp.
- semaphore fly Poecilobothrus nobilitatus
- Thick-headed Fly Sicus ferrugineus [Ferruginous Beegrabber]
plus many unidentified flies
Bugs:
- mirid bug Deraeocoris flavilinea
- mirid bug Deraeocoris flavilinea
Beetles:
- Alder Leaf Beetle Agelastica alni
- 7 Spot Ladybird Coccinella 7-punctata
- larvae of Harlequin Ladybird Harmonia axyridis: only two
- pollen beetle Meligethes sp.
- Alder Leaf Beetle Agelastica alni
- 7 Spot Ladybird Coccinella 7-punctata
- larvae of Harlequin Ladybird Harmonia axyridis: only two
- pollen beetle Meligethes sp.
Spiders, harvestmen etc.:
- Long-jawed Orb-web Spider Tetragnatha sp.
On the West end street lamp poles around dawn:
- Long-jawed Orb-web Spider Tetragnatha sp.
On the West end street lamp poles around dawn:
Moths: (hooray!)
- *1 Common Marbled Carpet Chloroclysta truncata
I can assure you there are all seven Greylag Goose goslings here. Later they took to the water and were all trying their wings out. No sign of lift off as yet. The parents cannot help at the moment as they are going through their annual wing moult and are flightless.
The male Common Whitethroat from the original arrival. He is looking somewhat worn with the rufous in the wings faded.
My first moth for ages on the street lamp poles at the West end. An unexciting Common Marbled Carpet Chloroclysta truncata. This is a very variable species.
With no direct sun there were few bumblebees around and all those I identified were, like this, Buff-tailed Bumblebee Bombus terrestris. This one with a good pollen load.
A Common Copperback hoverfly Ferdinandea cuprea against the unhelpful plain white background of a petal from a Convolvulus flower probably Field Bindweed Convolvulus arvensis.
Another insect without any visible support. One of the Syrphus group and showing the hind leg clearly. It is of course a male so that does not aid further identification.
(Ed Wilson)
In the Priorslee Avenue tunnel:
I am in the hands of Obsidentify when it comes to most pug moths. There were three apparently different species on the ceiling of the tunnel. This, Obsidentify assures me, is a Slender Pug Eupithecia tenuiata despite its apparent tubby abdomen. I gave Obsidentify several different photos with different degrees of photo editing and the answer was always the same.
(Ed Wilson)
The Flash: 05:50 – 06:55
(141st visit of the year)
Bird notes:
- the Canada Goose gosling is still present.
- I only ever saw eight Mute Swans at any one time, all toward the top end and seemingly the visitors. I had seen two near the island earlier that may or may not have been the resident pair. No sign of any cygnets
- no Mallard ducklings found.
- fewer juvenile Coots than yesterday most likely due to different timing.
- three Great Crested Grebes seen close together at the bottom end, two of them looking as if they might display at any minute.
Bird(s) noted flying over here:
- 3 Jackdaws
Noted on / around the water:
- 146 + 1 Canada Geese
- 82 Greylag Geese
- 8? Mute Swans: see notes
- 17 Mallard
- 4 (4♂) Tufted Duck
- 4 Moorhens
- 38 + 9 (4 broods) Coots
- 3 Great Crested Grebes
- 1 Lesser Black-backed Gull visited briefly again
Hirundines etc. noted:
- 1 House Martin
Warblers noted (the number in brackets refers to birds singing):
- 3 (2) Chiffchaffs
- 2 (2) Blackcaps
Noted around the area:
- *1 Common Marbled Carpet Chloroclysta truncata
The closest I can manage to a sunrise photo at this time of year!
A visiting Greylag Goose makes a typically noisy arrival.
My first Small Tortoiseshell butterfly Aglais urticae of the year. This seems to be a declining species and I only had a single sighting here last year.
A Honey Bee Apis mellifera with no visible means of support. Wings whirring too fast.
A Three-banded Mason Wasp Ancistrocerus trifasciatus
This is the ichneumon wasp Amblyteles armatorius
The pale band on the hind leg of this ichneumon wasp means it is very probably Pimpla contemplator.
An unusually dark form of Common Dronefly Eristalis tenax
None of my apps has any idea about this apparently distinctive-looking small fly.
(Ed Wilson)
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In the Priorslee Avenue tunnel:
Moths:
- *1 !Slender Pug Eupithecia tenuiata
- *1 !Grey Pug Eupithecia subfuscata
- *1 !Double-striped Pug Gymnoscelis rufifasciata
- 2 Treble Brown Spot Idaea trigeminata
- *1 !Slender Pug Eupithecia tenuiata
- *1 !Grey Pug Eupithecia subfuscata
- *1 !Double-striped Pug Gymnoscelis rufifasciata
- 2 Treble Brown Spot Idaea trigeminata
Flies:
- 17 midges of several species
- 1 moth fly Psychodidae sp. [Drain Fly or Owl Fly]
- 1 unidentified cranefly
- 17 midges of several species
- 1 moth fly Psychodidae sp. [Drain Fly or Owl Fly]
- 1 unidentified cranefly
Spiders, harvestmen etc.:
- 1 harvestman Phalangium opilio
- 1 harvestman Phalangium opilio
Apparently a Grey Pug Eupithecia subfuscata. Many of the species are grey!
This identity I am happiest with: a Double-striped Pug Gymnoscelis rufifasciata
(Ed Wilson)
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The Flash: 05:50 – 06:55
(141st visit of the year)
Bird notes:
- the Canada Goose gosling is still present.
- I only ever saw eight Mute Swans at any one time, all toward the top end and seemingly the visitors. I had seen two near the island earlier that may or may not have been the resident pair. No sign of any cygnets
- no Mallard ducklings found.
- fewer juvenile Coots than yesterday most likely due to different timing.
- three Great Crested Grebes seen close together at the bottom end, two of them looking as if they might display at any minute.
Bird(s) noted flying over here:
- 3 Jackdaws
Noted on / around the water:
- 146 + 1 Canada Geese
- 82 Greylag Geese
- 8? Mute Swans: see notes
- 17 Mallard
- 4 (4♂) Tufted Duck
- 4 Moorhens
- 38 + 9 (4 broods) Coots
- 3 Great Crested Grebes
- 1 Lesser Black-backed Gull visited briefly again
Hirundines etc. noted:
- 1 House Martin
Warblers noted (the number in brackets refers to birds singing):
- 3 (2) Chiffchaffs
- 2 (2) Blackcaps
Noted around the area:
Moths:
- 1 *Root-borer moth species from Epiblema stricticana/scutulana/cirsiana
- 1 Common Marble Celypha lacunana
- 1 Garden Grass-moth Chrysoteuchia culmella [was Garden Grass-veneer]
- 4 Treble Brown Spot Idaea trigeminata
- 1 *Root-borer moth species from Epiblema stricticana/scutulana/cirsiana
- 1 Common Marble Celypha lacunana
- 1 Garden Grass-moth Chrysoteuchia culmella [was Garden Grass-veneer]
- 4 Treble Brown Spot Idaea trigeminata
Hoverflies:
- 1 Syrphus sp. S. ribesii / S. vitripennis / S. torvus
- 1 Syrphus sp. S. ribesii / S. vitripennis / S. torvus
Other flies:
- long-legged fly Dolichopus ungulatus or similar
- *long-legged fly species not identified
- greenbottle Lucilia sp.
- long-legged fly Dolichopus ungulatus or similar
- *long-legged fly species not identified
- greenbottle Lucilia sp.
Bees, wasps etc.:
- 4 Buff-tailed Bumblebee Bombus terrestris
- 4 Buff-tailed Bumblebee Bombus terrestris
Beetles:
- 2 Harlequin Ladybird Harmonia axyridis var. succinea
- 2 Harlequin Ladybird Harmonia axyridis var. succinea
Spiders, harvestmen etc.:
- *2 Long-jawed Orb-web Spider Tetragnatha sp.
- *2 Long-jawed Orb-web Spider Tetragnatha sp.
Flower:
- *Biting Stonecrop Sedum acre
It would need a much better photo of this moth to have a chance of deciding which of the Root-borer species from Epiblema stricticana/scutulana/cirsiana trio this is.
My apps agree this is one of the long-legged fly species group. I cannot find any illustration of such a grey-looking species.
Now in flower all along the edge of the brick wall between Derwent Drive and the water is bright Biting Stonecrop Sedum acre.
(Ed Wilson)
2010
Trench Lock Pool
4 drake Pochard
(Ed Wilson)
- *Biting Stonecrop Sedum acre
A Long-jawed Orb-web Spider Tetragnatha sp. waiting patiently in its web.
(Ed Wilson)
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2010
Trench Lock Pool
4 drake Pochard
(Ed Wilson)