9.0°C > 14.0°C: Early broken cloud gave way to a shower c.07:00. Clear by 07:35 with puffy clouds after 08:00. Light southerly breeze veering westerly and increasing moderate / fresh after the shower passed. Very good visibility.
Sunrise: 04:47 BST
* = 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– 05:55 // 06:55 – 09:35
(136th visit of the year)
Bird notes:
- once again the seven Greylag Geese goslings were present today with two extra adults one being chased by the parents.
- no Mallard duckling seen
- four juvenile Coots seen from three broods as on Sunday.
- I did not see any Great Crested Grebe juveniles. Early there were two pairs displaying in the middle of the water with another at the West end,
- a Cormorant arrived c.08:40. It is some while since any were fishing here.
- c.09:30 a Common Whitethroat was singing alongside Teece Drive moving steadily from the top end almost as far as the academy before it retraced it steps on the other side of the roadway. Most odd. Another was heard calling around the breeding site.
Bird(s) noted flying over here:
- 3 Canada Geese: 1 flew North and a duo flew East.
- 17 Greylag Geese: a quartet flew North; 13 flew West together.
- 1 Black-headed Gull: adult.
- 3 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 1 Grey Heron
- 1 Feral Pigeon
- 2 Stock Doves together
- 4 Wood Pigeons
- 3 Jackdaws
Counts from the lake area:
- 4 + 7 (1 brood) Greylag Geese
- 2 Mute Swan: assuming the pen is still on the hidden nest
- 18 (11♂) Mallard
- 2 Moorhens
- 29 + 4 (3 broods) Coots
- 5 Great Crested Grebes: see notes
- 1 Grey Heron
Hirundines etc. noted:
- >20 Swifts: flew South together
- 1 Sand Martin
- *4 Barn Swallows
- 4 House Martins
Warblers noted (the number in brackets refers to birds singing):
After the significant increase in song on Sunday there was a decrease today.
- 10 (10) Chiffchaffs
- 8 (8) Reed Warblers
- 8 (8) Blackcaps only
- 2 (1) Common Whitethroats
Also noted:
A few things out and about in the wet vegetation.
Butterflies:
none
none
Moths:
- 1 Silver-ground Carpet Xanthorhoe montanata
- 1 Silver-ground Carpet Xanthorhoe montanata
Bees, wasps etc.:
Many bumblebees not checked
- *Tree Bumblebee Bombus hypnorum
- *Red-tailed Bumblebee Bombus lapidarius
- *Common Carder Bee Bombus pascuorum
- *Early Bumblebee Bombus pratorum
- *Buff-tailed Bumblebee Bombus terrestris
Many bumblebees not checked
- *Tree Bumblebee Bombus hypnorum
- *Red-tailed Bumblebee Bombus lapidarius
- *Common Carder Bee Bombus pascuorum
- *Early Bumblebee Bombus pratorum
- *Buff-tailed Bumblebee Bombus terrestris
Hoverflies: only three species but all first for the year.
- *!Superb Ant-hill Hoverfly Xanthogramma pedissequum [Superb Dayglower]
- *!Orange-belted Leaf Licker Xylota segnis [Orange-belted Leafwalker]
- *!Pellucid Fly Volucella pellucens [Pied Plumehorn; Great Pied Hoverfly]
- *!Superb Ant-hill Hoverfly Xanthogramma pedissequum [Superb Dayglower]
- *!Orange-belted Leaf Licker Xylota segnis [Orange-belted Leafwalker]
- *!Pellucid Fly Volucella pellucens [Pied Plumehorn; Great Pied Hoverfly]
Damsel / Dragon-flies:
- Common Blue Damselfly Enallagma cyathigerum [Common Bluet]
- Red-eyed Damselfly Erythromma naja [Large Redeye]
- Common Blue Damselfly Enallagma cyathigerum [Common Bluet]
- Red-eyed Damselfly Erythromma naja [Large Redeye]
Other flies:
Most of the flies were species I cannot identify.
- Common Blow Fly Calliphora vicina
- long-legged fly Dolichopus ungulatus or similar
- greenbottle Lucilia sp.
- Yellow Dung Fly Scathophaga stercoraria
Most of the flies were species I cannot identify.
- Common Blow Fly Calliphora vicina
- long-legged fly Dolichopus ungulatus or similar
- greenbottle Lucilia sp.
- Yellow Dung Fly Scathophaga stercoraria
Bugs:
none
none
Beetles:
- larvae of Harlequin Ladybird Harmonia axyridis: very many
- Harlequin Ladybird Harmonia axyridis var. succinea: just three
- larvae of Harlequin Ladybird Harmonia axyridis: very many
- Harlequin Ladybird Harmonia axyridis var. succinea: just three
Flowers: first sightings this year
- *Convolvulus sp. probably Field Bindweed Convolvulus arvensis
On the West end street lamp poles around dawn:
- *Convolvulus sp. probably Field Bindweed Convolvulus arvensis
On the West end street lamp poles around dawn:
Bees, wasps etc.:
- 1 Common Wasp Vespula vulgaris
- 1 Common Wasp Vespula vulgaris
Spiders, harvestmen etc.:
- 1 Long-jawed Orb-web Spider Tetragnatha sp.
The autofocus on the camera seemed more able to "see" the Barn Swallows as they swept low across the grass than it had been in picking out the birds against the rippled surface of the water.
Pay attention: a bumblebee tutorial. This is a Tree Bumblebee Bombus hypnorum. The ginger "pile" on the thorax thinner in the middle and the tail pure white.
A Common Carder Bee Bombus pascuorum. Also with a ginger pile on the thorax; extensively "fluffy" elsewhere with pale bands across the rear part of the abdomen and gingery tail. This one has been hard at work and the pollen baskets are full.
With two buff-orange bands (the midriff band indistinct) and a buff tail this is an Early Bumblebee Bombus pratorum.
A Buff-tailed Bumblebee Bombus terrestris: two orangey bands and the off-white tail bordered by an (often very) thin buff margin.
Insect of the day: a Superb Ant-hill Hoverfly Xanthogramma pedissequum that Obsidentify would have called a Superb Dayglower had it not misidentified it as a Barred Ant-hill Hoverfly X. citrofasciatum and called it a Barred Dayglower. Perhaps it can be excused: Steven Falk's Flickr account for the genus notes "new cryptic species are being discriminated as our understanding of morphological variation ... improves". The larvae of these hoverflies "are associated with ant-attended root aphids within ant nests".
Will try harder. This Pellucid Fly Volucella pellucens (also called Pied Plumehorn or Great Pied Hoverfly) was very active and my initial thought was of "another Blotch-winged Hoverfly Leucozona lucorum (also known as Blotch-winged Whitebelt)". Too late I noticed it was too robust for this latter species.
(Ed Wilson)
In the Priorslee Avenue tunnel:
(133rd visit of the year)
Bird notes:
- I did not spot the Canada Goose gosling. Probably somewhere in the throng.
- still eight visiting Mute Swans.
- no sign of any Mallard ducklings.
- a drake Tufted Duck still here.
- fewer adult and juvenile Coots likely due to the chilly (9.0°C) conditions. Of the nine juveniles seen eight were well-grown and (almost) independent birds
- a Great Crested Grebe noted at the top end again. Probably been there all along.
- one Grey Heron.
Bird(s) noted flying over here:
- *1 female Sparrowhawk (on size)
- 1 Jackdaw
Noted on / around the water:
- 171 Canada Geese: of these five departed together
- 28 Greylag Geese
- 10 Mute Swans: assuming the pen is still on the hidden nest.
- 20 (17♂) Mallard
- 1 (1♂) Tufted Duck
- 6 Moorhens
- 36 + 9 (4 broods) Coots
- 1 Great Crested Grebe
- 1 Grey Heron
Hirundines etc. noted:
- 1 Long-jawed Orb-web Spider Tetragnatha sp.
Sunrise: before the cloud and rain arrived.
Not sharp I am afraid.
Nor is this but you get the idea.
Slightly better.
A Long-tailed Tit drying out after the rain.
Camera shy.
This is a Red-tailed Bumblebee Bombus lapidarius. Easy: red tail otherwise black.
Still very distinctive with its wings closed.
An Orange-belted Leaf Licker hoverfly Xylota segnis also known as Orange-belted Leafwalker.
The first flowers I have seen this year of Convolvulus, probably Field Bindweed Convolvulus arvensis.
(Ed Wilson)
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In the Priorslee Avenue tunnel:
Moths:
- *1 Treble Brown Spot Idaea trigeminata
- *1 Treble Brown Spot Idaea trigeminata
Flies:
- 9 midges of several species again
- 9 midges of several species again
Spiders, harvestmen etc.:
- 1 Long-jawed Orb-web Spider Tetragnatha sp.
- 1 Long-jawed Orb-web Spider Tetragnatha sp.
Another Treble Brown Spot moth Idaea trigeminata on the wall. There was also one on a fence post at The Flash.
(Ed Wilson)
The Flash: 06:00 – 06:50
(Ed Wilson)
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Flash: 06:00 – 06:50
(133rd visit of the year)
Bird notes:
- I did not spot the Canada Goose gosling. Probably somewhere in the throng.
- still eight visiting Mute Swans.
- no sign of any Mallard ducklings.
- a drake Tufted Duck still here.
- fewer adult and juvenile Coots likely due to the chilly (9.0°C) conditions. Of the nine juveniles seen eight were well-grown and (almost) independent birds
- a Great Crested Grebe noted at the top end again. Probably been there all along.
- one Grey Heron.
Bird(s) noted flying over here:
- *1 female Sparrowhawk (on size)
- 1 Jackdaw
Noted on / around the water:
- 171 Canada Geese: of these five departed together
- 28 Greylag Geese
- 10 Mute Swans: assuming the pen is still on the hidden nest.
- 20 (17♂) Mallard
- 1 (1♂) Tufted Duck
- 6 Moorhens
- 36 + 9 (4 broods) Coots
- 1 Great Crested Grebe
- 1 Grey Heron
Hirundines etc. noted:
None
Warblers noted (the number in brackets refers to birds singing):
- 2 (2) Chiffchaffs
- 4 (4) Blackcaps
Noted around the area:
Warblers noted (the number in brackets refers to birds singing):
- 2 (2) Chiffchaffs
- 4 (4) Blackcaps
Noted around the area:
Moths:
- 1 Treble Brown Spot Idaea trigeminata
- 1 Treble Brown Spot Idaea trigeminata
Flies:
- *Black Snipefly Chrysopilus cristatus: one male and one female.
- dagger fly Empis livida
Not much more than a record shot of the speeding Sparrowhawk. Its bulk indicates it is a female. In many birds of prey the females are larger than the males.
(Ed Wilson)
- *Black Snipefly Chrysopilus cristatus: one male and one female.
- dagger fly Empis livida
A reminder. Female Black Snipeflies Chrysopilus cristatus do not...
...look much like the males. Apart from abdomen size and markings the eyes are totally different.
(Ed Wilson)
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2013
Priorslee Lake
Shelduck
(Ed Wilson)
2012
Priorslee Lake
Grasshopper Warbler
(John Isherwood)
2009
Nedge Hill
Whinchat
Wheatear
(John Isherwood)
2008
Priorslee Lake
Arctic Tern
(Ed Wilson)
Nedge Hill
2 Wheatear
(Ed Wilson)
2006
Priorslee Lake
2 Ruddy Ducks
(Ed Wilson)
Priorslee Lake
Shelduck
(Ed Wilson)
2012
Priorslee Lake
Grasshopper Warbler
(John Isherwood)
2009
Nedge Hill
Whinchat
Wheatear
(John Isherwood)
2008
Priorslee Lake
Arctic Tern
(Ed Wilson)
Nedge Hill
2 Wheatear
(Ed Wilson)
2006
Priorslee Lake
2 Ruddy Ducks
(Ed Wilson)