18.0°C > 16.0°C: Cloudy with the lightest of drizzle to start. Brighter with sunny periods until c.09:00 when cloud and heavier drizzle returned. Moderate south-westerly breeze. Very good visibility, moderate in drizzle.
Sunrise: 04:49 BST
* = a species photographed today
! = a first sighting of the species this year
$ = a new species for me in this area
The last two days I have been helping set up and assist with the Hope House Charity Fly-in at Shirlowe farm strip airfield. Back to the usual round.
Priorslee Balancing Lake: 04:40– 05:55 // 07:05 – 09:15
(148th visit of the year)
Bird notes:
- the seven Greylag Geese goslings with two extra adults still here and likely to be so until the adults moult in to their new wings and teach the youngster to fly. May be quite soon as there was a lone Greylag Goose flying over this morning.
- just five obvious Coot juveniles.
- seven adult Great Crested Grebes: two pairs, each with a trio of juveniles; one pair was just sitting around; the lone bird was perhaps one of the birds from the first pair to hatch young and which seemed to have perished. Could a partner be hidden on a nest making a second attempt? One of the family groups exhibited behaviour I have not noted before: as I surprised them by appearing at a gap in the reeds the juveniles all dived and repeatedly did so until they were some distance away with the adults remaining on the surface.
- *a pair of Black-headed Gulls arrived with two recently fledged juveniles. The youngster stayed on one of the boating piers begging to be fed as the adult went to find food. They did not stay long. I have never seen dependent juveniles here previously.
- an adult Lesser Black-backed Gull was on the football field briefly c.05:40. Two others were separately seen on buoys in the water. A few overhead as well.
- the warbler update:
no Cetti's Warbler noted.
a Garden Warbler was in full song at 05:00 at a location where I have heard one earlier this year. I have no idea whether one bird has been singing very intermittently (unusual); or several birds have visited separately over many days (also unusual). Perhaps both?
no Common Whitethroats seen or heard.
- at least two family parties of Goldcrests heard and glimpsed. There seemed to be five breeding sites for this species around the lake this year.
Bird(s) noted flying over here:
- 1 Greylag Goose: flew East
- 4 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 1 Cormorant
- 28 Wood Pigeons
- 3 Jackdaws
- 3 Rooks
Counts from the lake area:
- 4 + 7 (1 brood) Greylag Geese
- 2 Mute Swans
- *18 (?♂) Mallard
- 2 Moorhen only
- 45 adult and immature Coots
- 7 + 6 (2 broods) Great Crested Grebes: see notes
- *2 + 2 juvenile Black-headed Gulls: see notes
- 3 Lesser Black-backed Gull: see notes
Hirundines etc. noted:
- 6 Swifts
- 12 House Martin
Warblers noted (the number in brackets refers to birds singing):
- no Cetti's Warbler
- 9 (8) Chiffchaffs
- 7 (7) Reed Warblers again
- 14 (13) Blackcaps
- 1 (1) Garden Warbler
- no Common Whitethroat
Also noted:
Not too much in the cloudy and then drizzly conditions
Butterflies:
- 2 Ringlet Aphantopus hyperantus
- *1 Meadow Brown Maniola jurtina
- 1 Painted Lady Vanessa cardui
- 2 Ringlet Aphantopus hyperantus
- *1 Meadow Brown Maniola jurtina
- 1 Painted Lady Vanessa cardui
Moths:
- *1 ! Ghost Moth Hepialus humuli
- 1 Common Marble Celypha lacunana
- 9 Garden Grass-moth Chrysoteuchia culmella [was Garden Grass-veneer]
- *1 unidentified grass moth
- *1 $ probable Lesser Cream Wave Scopula immutata
- *1 ! Ghost Moth Hepialus humuli
- 1 Common Marble Celypha lacunana
- 9 Garden Grass-moth Chrysoteuchia culmella [was Garden Grass-veneer]
- *1 unidentified grass moth
- *1 $ probable Lesser Cream Wave Scopula immutata
Bees, wasps etc.:
- Red-tailed Bumblebee Bombus lapidarius
- Common Carder Bee Bombus pascuorum
- Buff-tailed Bumblebee Bombus terrestris
- wasp sp.: either German Wasp Vespula germanica or Common Wasp V. vulgaris
- *! ichneumon wasp Amblyteles armatorius
- Red-tailed Bumblebee Bombus lapidarius
- Common Carder Bee Bombus pascuorum
- Buff-tailed Bumblebee Bombus terrestris
- wasp sp.: either German Wasp Vespula germanica or Common Wasp V. vulgaris
- *! ichneumon wasp Amblyteles armatorius
Hoverflies:
- Marmalade Hoverfly Episyrphus balteatus
- *Common Dronefly Eristalis tenax
- Syrphus sp. S. ribesii / S. vitripennis / S. torvus
- Marmalade Hoverfly Episyrphus balteatus
- *Common Dronefly Eristalis tenax
- Syrphus sp. S. ribesii / S. vitripennis / S. torvus
Damsel / Dragon-flies:
many damselflies not checked
- Common Blue Damselfly Enallagma cyathigerum [Common Bluet]
- Blue-tailed Damselfly Ischnura elegans [Common Bluetail]
- at least one species of dragonfly seen in flight only
many damselflies not checked
- Common Blue Damselfly Enallagma cyathigerum [Common Bluet]
- Blue-tailed Damselfly Ischnura elegans [Common Bluetail]
- at least one species of dragonfly seen in flight only
Other flies:
fewer flies because of lack of sun: a range of species.
- *! Little Snipe Fly Chrysopilus asiliformis
- *Black Snipefly Chrysopilus cristatus
- *long-legged fly Dolichopus ungulatus or similar
- *! probable spear-winged fly Lonchoptera sp.
- greenbottle Lucilia sp.
- *$ blowfly Melanomya nana
other unidentified flies
fewer flies because of lack of sun: a range of species.
- *! Little Snipe Fly Chrysopilus asiliformis
- *Black Snipefly Chrysopilus cristatus
- *long-legged fly Dolichopus ungulatus or similar
- *! probable spear-winged fly Lonchoptera sp.
- greenbottle Lucilia sp.
- *$ blowfly Melanomya nana
other unidentified flies
Bugs:
none
none
Beetles:
- 7 Spot Ladybird Coccinella 7-punctata
- Harlequin Ladybird Harmonia axyridis var. succinea
- *! Rough-haired Lagria Beetle Lagria hirta
On the West end street lamp poles around dawn:
- 7 Spot Ladybird Coccinella 7-punctata
- Harlequin Ladybird Harmonia axyridis var. succinea
- *! Rough-haired Lagria Beetle Lagria hirta
On the West end street lamp poles around dawn:
Moths:
- 1 ! Bird-cherry Ermine Yponomeuta evonymella
- 1 ! Bird-cherry Ermine Yponomeuta evonymella
Bugs:
- $ mirid bug, probably Phytocoris longipennis
From all the way across the water... On the left four sleeping and moulting Mallard. On the right an adult Black-headed Gull is feeding one of two recently-fledged juveniles. I have never seen dependent juveniles here previously and rarely any juveniles before the end of June.
I believe this small moth is a Bird-cherry Ermine Yponomeuta evonymella. There are several of these ermine moths with differing arrangement of spotting and they are not easy to separate. I am hoping that Obsidentify's pattern recognition is working 100% here.
The "brown" group of butterflies do not need sun to appear provided it is above about 15°C. Here is a Meadow Brown Maniola jurtina taking it easy. No point opening your wings to sunbathe when there is no sun.
Not sitting at a very helpful angle is this female Ghost Moth Hepialus humuli. Males are all-white (apart from yellow hairs on the head) and can be seen flying over vegetation at dusk – hence the "ghost" name.
I think this moth is a Lesser Cream Wave Scopula immutata which makes it a first in Shropshire for me. An uncommon species (at least according to the West Midlands Moths web site). There are numerous species of "wave" moths but only this species shows the combination of a black spot in each wing, three wavy lines toward the wing edges, another wavy line running almost through the black spots and a (faint) fifth line inboard.
This small critter is a Little Snipe Fly Chrysopilus asiliformis. Often the eyes appear a vivid green. Either the angle is wrong or it was the dull conditions in light drizzle that means it does not show well – a hint around the edges only.
With many other interesting things photographed recently it is a while since I showed a Black Snipefly Chrysopilus cristatus. This is a male with an unusual amount of brown showing on the abdomen. It cannot be a female as she would have a much broader body with her eyes very well separated on each side of the head.
This is probably a spear-winged fly from the genus Lonchoptera. These are not well-depicted on the internet and noted as variable in colouration.
Another new(ly identified?) species for me. It is the smallest in blowfly group and Melanomya nana. The tapering and hairy abdomen, the dark leading edge to the wings and the, relatively, large eyes all point to this species.
On one of the West end street lamp poles around dawn was this mirid bug, probably Phytocoris longipennis. I have asked the Shropshire recorder to confirm. As usual there are similar species. This will be a new species for me whatever it is.
(Ed Wilson)
In the Priorslee Avenue tunnel:
On the ceiling of the tunnel I found this Garden Grass-moth Chrysoteuchia culmella. The wing markings here are as strong as any I can recall seeing on this variable species.
(Ed Wilson)
The Flash: 06:00 – 07:00
(145th visit of the year)
The path across the bridges remains firmly shut.
Bird notes:
- many of the geese were moving around and with part of the path out of action it is very difficult to keep track of the them to give accurate counts,
- the Canada Goose gosling is now beginning to acquire the white chin-strap.
- eight Mute Swans noted. What I take to be the resident cob made a brief attempt to show the six visitors who was boss. They were largely unimpressed. The pen was just inside the island most of the time.
- *the duck Mallard with the six partly-grown ducklings was seen again. Another duck Mallard was noted with just one duckling, this also not a recent hatchling.
- three Great Crested Grebes with a pair seen displaying next to the reeds at the top end.
Bird(s) noted flying over here:
- 1 Lesser Black-backed Gull
- 4 Jackdaws
Noted on / around the water:
- 172 + 1 (1 brood) Canada Geese: see notes
- 89 Greylag Geese: see notes
- 8 Mute Swans: see notes
- *22 + 7 (2 broods) Mallard: see notes
- 9 (7♂) Tufted Duck
- 5 Moorhens
- 25 adult and immature Coots: one of these a small juvenile
- 3 Great Crested Grebes
Hirundines etc. noted:
- $ mirid bug, probably Phytocoris longipennis
A grass moth I am not able to identify. The white area that splits in to three "fingers" suggests one of the Agriphila species. Both of these should show a broad white or creamy-white area at the base of the wing. This doesn't!
This is the ichneumon wasp Amblyteles armatorius.
A close-up of a male Common Dronefly Eristalis tenax.
Another view of one of the long-legged flies Dolichopus ungulatus (or similar).
A Rough-haired Lagria Beetle Lagria hirta.
(Ed Wilson)
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
In the Priorslee Avenue tunnel:
The dreaded childish scribblers have defiled even more of the wall.
Moths:
- *1 Garden Grass-moth Chrysoteuchia culmella [was Garden Grass-veneer]
- *1 Garden Grass-moth Chrysoteuchia culmella [was Garden Grass-veneer]
Flies:
- 12 midges of several species
- 1 moth fly Psychodidae sp. [Drain Fly or Owl Fly]
- 12 midges of several species
- 1 moth fly Psychodidae sp. [Drain Fly or Owl Fly]
Arthropods:
- 1 White-legged Snake Millipede Tachypodoiulus niger
- 1 White-legged Snake Millipede Tachypodoiulus niger
(Ed Wilson)
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Flash: 06:00 – 07:00
(145th visit of the year)
The path across the bridges remains firmly shut.
Bird notes:
- many of the geese were moving around and with part of the path out of action it is very difficult to keep track of the them to give accurate counts,
- the Canada Goose gosling is now beginning to acquire the white chin-strap.
- eight Mute Swans noted. What I take to be the resident cob made a brief attempt to show the six visitors who was boss. They were largely unimpressed. The pen was just inside the island most of the time.
- *the duck Mallard with the six partly-grown ducklings was seen again. Another duck Mallard was noted with just one duckling, this also not a recent hatchling.
- three Great Crested Grebes with a pair seen displaying next to the reeds at the top end.
Bird(s) noted flying over here:
- 1 Lesser Black-backed Gull
- 4 Jackdaws
Noted on / around the water:
- 172 + 1 (1 brood) Canada Geese: see notes
- 89 Greylag Geese: see notes
- 8 Mute Swans: see notes
- *22 + 7 (2 broods) Mallard: see notes
- 9 (7♂) Tufted Duck
- 5 Moorhens
- 25 adult and immature Coots: one of these a small juvenile
- 3 Great Crested Grebes
Hirundines etc. noted:
None
Warblers noted (the number in brackets refers to birds singing):
- 1 (1) Chiffchaff only
- 3 (3) Blackcaps
Noted around the area:
Warblers noted (the number in brackets refers to birds singing):
- 1 (1) Chiffchaff only
- 3 (3) Blackcaps
Noted around the area:
Moths:
- 10 Garden Grass-moth Chrysoteuchia culmella [was Garden Grass-veneer]
- 1 Treble Brown Spot Idaea trigeminata
- 10 Garden Grass-moth Chrysoteuchia culmella [was Garden Grass-veneer]
- 1 Treble Brown Spot Idaea trigeminata
Hoverflies:
- >10 Marmalade Hoverfly Episyrphus balteatus
- >10 Marmalade Hoverfly Episyrphus balteatus
Other flies:
- *1 soldier fly Broad Centurian Chloromyia formosa
- 1 Black Snipefly Chrysopilus cristatus
- *1 Tiger Cranefly Nephrotoma flavescens
- *1 soldier fly Broad Centurian Chloromyia formosa
- 1 Black Snipefly Chrysopilus cristatus
- *1 Tiger Cranefly Nephrotoma flavescens
Spiders, harvestmen etc.:
- *2 Long-jawed Orb-web Spider Tetragnatha sp.
The lone duckling at the other end of the water. I could not work out which of a dozen scruffy-looking moulting Mallard might be this duckling's mother.
A small fly with a gleaming green thorax. It is the soldier fly Broad Centurian Chloromyia formosa. I tried to find out why the species scientific name is "formosa" - seems a long way from home. Apparently it is because the fly's larvae feed exclusively on the roots of Leycesteria formosa, a plant native to China and Tibet and widely grown in (and escaped from) gardens in the UK. Incidentally the genus name "Chloromyia" comes from Greek roots "chloros" (green) and "myia" (fly) [this illustrates why it is more correct to use the term "scientific name" rather than "Latin name" in species' nomenclature].
A Long-jawed Orb-web Spider Tetragnatha sp. silhouetted against the identification label on one of the street lamp poles around the area. The contrast makes it difficult to show the abdomen markings.
(Ed Wilson)
2009
Priorslee Lake
Yellow Wagtail
(Ed Wilson)
2006
Priorslee Lake
Common Tern
(Ed Wilson)
- *2 Long-jawed Orb-web Spider Tetragnatha sp.
Mrs. Mallard with all her six duck(ling)s in a row.
A female Tiger Cranefly Nephrotoma flavescens. Yes I know tigers are striped. I didn't name it!
(Ed Wilson)
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2009
Priorslee Lake
Yellow Wagtail
(Ed Wilson)
2006
Priorslee Lake
Common Tern
(Ed Wilson)