16.0°C > 21.0°C: Good sunny intervals early with increasing amounts of cloud later. A calm start with a moderate / fresh westerly breeze developing. Excellent visibility.
Sunrise: 04:52 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 // 07:00 – 09:40
(152nd visit of the year)
Bird notes:
- still the seven Greylag Geese goslings with the four moulting adults.
- one and sometimes both Mute Swans spent time in the reeds around the nest site.
- no Mallard ducklings seen.
- one pair of Great Crested Grebes seen with their three young. Two other adults noted. Perhaps the others were staying in the reeds away from the windy conditions and sometimes choppy water.
- an adult Black-headed Gull was with a begging juvenile on a boating platform.
- the warbler update: even less song today.
a Cetti's Warbler alarm-called once along the South side. Nothing else was seen or heard.
the first five Chiffchaff territories I pass as I walk around had singing birds. No others were noted singing: just one calling
conversely there were plenty of Blackcaps singing.
no Common Whitethroats heard or seen.
Bird(s) noted flying over here:
- 1 Black-headed Gull
- 12 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 111 Wood Pigeons
- 23 Jackdaws
- 2 Rooks
Counts from the lake area:
- 4 + 7 (1 brood) Greylag Geese
- 2 Mute Swans
- 28 (?♂) Mallard
- 3 Moorhens again
- 37 Coots: of these at least four were obvious juveniles from two broods.
- 4 + 3 (1 brood) Great Crested Grebes: see notes
- 1 + 1 (1 brood) Black-headed Gulls: see notes
- 10 Herring Gulls: of these nine, of various ages, dropped in together
- 12 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 1 Grey Heron: early only
Hirundines etc. noted:
- c.25 Swifts early: later no more than six
Warblers noted (the number in brackets refers to birds singing):
- 1 (0) Cetti's Warbler
- 6 (5) Chiffchaffs
- 8 (8) Reed Warblers
- 16 (15) Blackcaps
- no Common Whitethroat
Also noted:
Yet another day with a good number of butterflies but little else in the strong breeze and, latterly, little sun.
Butterflies:
- 5 Small Skipper-type Thymelicus sylvestris
- *1 Large Skipper Ochlodes sylvanus
- 7 Green-veined White Pieris napi
- 2 unidentified "whites"
- 3 Speckled Wood Pararge aegeria
- 2 Ringlet Aphantopus hyperantus
- 17+ Meadow Brown Maniola jurtina
- 5 Gatekeeper Pyronia tithonus
- 4 Red Admiral Vanessa atalanta
- 1 Peacock Aglais io
- 5 Small Skipper-type Thymelicus sylvestris
- *1 Large Skipper Ochlodes sylvanus
- 7 Green-veined White Pieris napi
- 2 unidentified "whites"
- 3 Speckled Wood Pararge aegeria
- 2 Ringlet Aphantopus hyperantus
- 17+ Meadow Brown Maniola jurtina
- 5 Gatekeeper Pyronia tithonus
- 4 Red Admiral Vanessa atalanta
- 1 Peacock Aglais io
Moths:
very poor
- 2 Garden Grass-moth Chrysoteuchia culmella [was Garden Grass-veneer]
- *1 Silver Y Autographa gamma
very poor
- 2 Garden Grass-moth Chrysoteuchia culmella [was Garden Grass-veneer]
- *1 Silver Y Autographa gamma
Bees, wasps etc.:
- Honey Bee Apis mellifera
- Red-tailed Bumblebee Bombus lapidarius
- Common Carder Bee Bombus pascuorum
- Buff-tailed Bumblebee Bombus terrestris
- Common Wasp Vespula vulgaris
- Honey Bee Apis mellifera
- Red-tailed Bumblebee Bombus lapidarius
- Common Carder Bee Bombus pascuorum
- Buff-tailed Bumblebee Bombus terrestris
- Common Wasp Vespula vulgaris
Hoverflies:
- *Dark-winged Wrinklehead Chrysogaster solstitialis
- *! Two-banded Spearhorn Chrysotoxum bicinctum
- Marmalade Hoverfly Episyrphus balteatus
- *Tapered Dronefly Eristalis pertinax
- Common Dronefly Eristalis tenax
- Variable Duskyface Melanostoma mellinum [Short Melanostoma]
- *Dark-winged Wrinklehead Chrysogaster solstitialis
- *! Two-banded Spearhorn Chrysotoxum bicinctum
- Marmalade Hoverfly Episyrphus balteatus
- *Tapered Dronefly Eristalis pertinax
- Common Dronefly Eristalis tenax
- Variable Duskyface Melanostoma mellinum [Short Melanostoma]
Damsel / Dragon-flies:
- *Azure Damselfly Coenagrion puella [Azure Bluet]
- Common Blue Damselfly Enallagma cyathigerum [Common Bluet]
- Blue-tailed Damselfly Ischnura elegans [Common Bluetail]
- Black-tailed Skimmer Orthetrum cancellatum
- *Azure Damselfly Coenagrion puella [Azure Bluet]
- Common Blue Damselfly Enallagma cyathigerum [Common Bluet]
- Blue-tailed Damselfly Ischnura elegans [Common Bluetail]
- Black-tailed Skimmer Orthetrum cancellatum
True flies:
very few including...
- greenbottle Lucilia sp.
- *Scorpion Fly Panorpa sp.
- *Flesh fly Sarcophaga sp.
other unidentified flies
very few including...
- greenbottle Lucilia sp.
- *Scorpion Fly Panorpa sp.
- *Flesh fly Sarcophaga sp.
other unidentified flies
Bugs:
none
none
Beetles:
- False Blister Beetle Oedemera lurida or O. virescens
- *$ probable Black Clock Beetle Pterostichus madidus
- Common Red Soldier Beetle Rhagonycha fulva
On the West end street lamp poles around dawn:
Another blank morning if you discount the three unidentified whatever's trussed up in webs.
A Large Skipper butterfly Ochlodes sylvanus. I do not recall seeing this and Small Skipper Thymelicus sylvestris flying concurrently in previous years.
A Silver Y moth Autographa gamma as always skulking in the grass, The "silver Y" is clear-enough but not much else.
One day I will get a photo that shows the detail on the head of a Dark-winged Wrinklehead hoverfly Chrysogaster solstitialis. Not today.
A good-looking hoverfly. It is a Two-banded Spearhorn Chrysotoxum bicinctum. This genus of hoverfly has, for hoverflies, unusually long antennae. Not long-enough for and too thick to suggest a bee or wasp.
For a change I managed to find an Azure Damselfly Coenagrion puella among the plethora of "blue" damselflies. Identify by either the wide blue stripes on the thorax (known as anti-humeral stripes) or the marking on the first obvious body segment. Here a "U" shape. On a Common Blue Damselfly Enallagma cyathigerum the marking can be compared to the thistle or a club (as in the Ace of Clubs card).
This beetle was scuttling across a path around the football field. It seems to be a Black Clock Beetle Pterostichus madidus ."Why 'clock'?" I heard you ask. Mr. Google tells us "According to the book Bugs Britannica, by Marren and Mabey 'clock' was a word in widespread use to mean any big buzzing insect".
Trussed up #1. All these three were hanging off the street lamps around dawn. On this example one of the antennae is about all that is obvious in what was certainly a moth. It suggests it is (was) a male. But what species?
Trussed up #2. This looks to be a composite from the larder of a spider collected over a period of time. Nothing identifiable here.
(Ed Wilson)
In the Priorslee Avenue tunnel:
Also on the ceiling of the tunnel was this caddis fly. It is possibly Agrypnia varia which Obsidentify calls Speckled Peter for reasons I cannot determine. The antennae look unusually straight for a caddis fly (they are usually arched) and it is difficult to tell whether the legs are banded, as they should be. I cannot offer any other suggestion.
(149th visit of the year)
Bird notes:
- again only eight Mute Swans for certain. Probably a ninth.
- no Great Crested Grebe seen.
Bird(s) noted flying over here:
- 3 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 7 Jackdaws
Noted on / around the water:
- 174 + 1 (1 brood) Canada Geese
- 116 Greylag Geese
- 8? Mute Swans: see notes
- 27 (?♂) Mallard
- 7 (?♂) Tufted Duck
- 3 Moorhens
- 60 Coots: of these seven dependent juveniles from three broods
- no Great Crested Grebes
Hirundines etc. noted:
- False Blister Beetle Oedemera lurida or O. virescens
- *$ probable Black Clock Beetle Pterostichus madidus
- Common Red Soldier Beetle Rhagonycha fulva
On the West end street lamp poles around dawn:
Another blank morning if you discount the three unidentified whatever's trussed up in webs.
At sunrise the sky was almost clear and there was little movement of the water in the light breeze.
And this is no better.
I paused over this male Tapered Dronefly Eristalis pertinax. It sure is "tapered" but the obvious white band of hairs between two of the body segments (or tergites) seemed unusual. Seems it is just "unusual".
A female Scorpion Fly Panorpa sp. She lacks the "sting" - the external sex organ of the male.
Anyone for chequers (draughts)? A Flesh fly from the Sarcophaga genus.
Trussed up #3. Not identifiable either.
(Ed Wilson)
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In the Priorslee Avenue tunnel:
Moths:
- *1 Tawny Grey Eudonia lacustrata [was Little Grey]
- *1 Tawny Grey Eudonia lacustrata [was Little Grey]
Flies:
- 7 midges of several species
- *1 $ caddis fly, possibly Agrypnia varia [Speckled Peter]
- *1 Black Snipefly Chrysopilus cristatus
- 1 moth fly Psychodidae sp. [Drain Fly or Owl Fly]
- 1 cranefly Tipula sp.
- 7 midges of several species
- *1 $ caddis fly, possibly Agrypnia varia [Speckled Peter]
- *1 Black Snipefly Chrysopilus cristatus
- 1 moth fly Psychodidae sp. [Drain Fly or Owl Fly]
- 1 cranefly Tipula sp.
Arthropods:
- 4 White-legged Snake Millipede Tachypodoiulus niger
- 4 White-legged Snake Millipede Tachypodoiulus niger
The only moth in the tunnel today was this Tawny Grey Eudonia lacustrata on the ceiling.
Out of context it took Obsidentify to tell me this was a Black Snipefly Chrysopilus cristatus that was apparently asleep on the ceiling.
(Ed Wilson)
The Flash: 06:00 – 06:55
(Ed Wilson)
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The Flash: 06:00 – 06:55
(149th visit of the year)
Bird notes:
- again only eight Mute Swans for certain. Probably a ninth.
- no Great Crested Grebe seen.
Bird(s) noted flying over here:
- 3 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 7 Jackdaws
Noted on / around the water:
- 174 + 1 (1 brood) Canada Geese
- 116 Greylag Geese
- 8? Mute Swans: see notes
- 27 (?♂) Mallard
- 7 (?♂) Tufted Duck
- 3 Moorhens
- 60 Coots: of these seven dependent juveniles from three broods
- no Great Crested Grebes
Hirundines etc. noted:
None
Warblers noted (the number in brackets refers to birds singing):
- 2 (1) Chiffchaffs
- 4 (4) Blackcaps
Noted around the area:
Warblers noted (the number in brackets refers to birds singing):
- 2 (1) Chiffchaffs
- 4 (4) Blackcaps
Noted around the area:
Moths:
- 3 Garden Grass-moth Chrysoteuchia culmella [was Garden Grass-veneer]
- *1 Riband Wave Idaea aversata of the form remutata
- 3 Garden Grass-moth Chrysoteuchia culmella [was Garden Grass-veneer]
- *1 Riband Wave Idaea aversata of the form remutata
Bees, wasps etc.:
none
none
Hoverflies:
none
none
Bugs:
- *1 Red-legged Shieldbug Pentatoma rufipes
- *1 Red-legged Shieldbug Pentatoma rufipes
Beetles:
- 5 Common Red Soldier Beetle Rhagonycha fulva
- 5 Common Red Soldier Beetle Rhagonycha fulva
Spiders, harvestmen etc.:
- 1 Long-jawed Orb-web Spider Tetragnatha sp.
I am sure this is a Riband Wave moth Idaea aversata of the form remutata. It is unusual in the extent of the speckling and in the faintness of the cross lines. Obsidentify was sure it is a Common Wave Cabera exanthemata but the wing leading edge on that species is more bowed near the body and the cross lines are wider.
(Ed Wilson)
2012
Priorslee Lake
Kingfisher
(Ed Wilson)
2011
Priorslee Lake
A female Ruddy Duck. First site record since January 2009 - formerly semi resident in the district, with several breeding records from both the Lake and Flash.
(John Isherwood / Ed Wilson)
2010
Priorslee Lake
Common Sandpiper
(Ed Wilson)
2006
Priorslee Lake
Common Tern
Kingfisher
2 drake Ruddy Duck
(Ed Wilson)
- 1 Long-jawed Orb-web Spider Tetragnatha sp.
A Red-legged Shieldbug Pentatoma rufipes a long way up a street lamp pole in squirrel alley.
(Ed Wilson)
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2012
Priorslee Lake
Kingfisher
(Ed Wilson)
2011
Priorslee Lake
A female Ruddy Duck. First site record since January 2009 - formerly semi resident in the district, with several breeding records from both the Lake and Flash.
(John Isherwood / Ed Wilson)
2010
Priorslee Lake
Common Sandpiper
(Ed Wilson)
2006
Priorslee Lake
Common Tern
Kingfisher
2 drake Ruddy Duck
(Ed Wilson)