9.0°C > 16.0°C: Early broken cloud mostly cleared after 07:00. Another calm start with slight mist over the water. A very light and variable breeze developed. Very good visibility.
Sunrise: 06:03 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– 06:30 // 07:35 – 09:30
(188th visit of the year)
Bird notes:
- ten Tufted Duck at the West end again.
- the *latest brood of Great Crested Grebes comprises at least two juveniles, still hiding on a parent's back.
- two Collared Doves were on the roof of the academy at c.07:40. I have not seem them there before.
- a few Black-headed Gulls could be heard by 05:15. A group of c.50 arrived from the south-west c.05:35. None was seen on the football field. A count of 57 was made at 08:45.
- another morning with a big arrival of Lesser Black-backed Gull. These were heard from 05:10 in small numbers arriving from the south-west. When it was light-enough to see them I counted 487 (sad but true) arriving before 05:35. Some of these may well have flown over. The mist on the water prevented a detailed check as to whether there were any Herring Gulls among them.
- a small number of Lesser Black-backs dropped in later with a few flying over. Single Herring Gulls were noted at this time.
- a lone Swift was dashing around overhead at 05:55. Presumably the same bird was that seen at 06:05.
- the 08:45 Barn Swallow was present again: this time two birds were over the water. Later one flew South.
- a Lesser Whitethroat was seen briefly in the Ricoh hedge
Bird(s) noted flying over here:
- 11 Canada Geese: flew East in three groups: others heard only.
- 10 Greylag Geese flew East in two groups
- 1 Herring Gull
- 11 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 1 Stock Dove
- 33 Wood Pigeons
- 6 Jackdaws
- 64 Rooks
Counts from the lake area:
- 2 Mute Swans
- 37 (?♂) Mallard
- 10 (3?♂) Tufted Duck again
- 4 Moorhens
- 54 Coot
- 17 *Great Crested Grebes (adults and juveniles)
- >60 Black-headed Gulls
- 1 Herring Gull
- >500 Lesser Black-backed Gulls: see notes
- 1 Grey Heron
Hirundines etc. noted:
- 1 Swift
- 3 Barn Swallows
Warblers noted:
- 13 Chiffchaffs: one sang briefly
- 3 Blackcaps
- 1 Lesser Whitethroat
Also noted:
Butterflies:
- 1 *Small White Pieris rapae
- 1 Green-veined White Pieris napi
- 1 *Small White Pieris rapae
- 1 Green-veined White Pieris napi
Moths:
none
none
Bees, wasps etc.:
- *Common Carder Bee Bombus pascuorum
- Common Wasp Vespula vulgaris
- *Common Carder Bee Bombus pascuorum
- Common Wasp Vespula vulgaris
Hoverflies:
- *Common Dronefly Eristalis tenax: three of these
- *Common Copperback Ferdinandea cuprea [Bronze Sap Hoverfly; Eurasian Copperback]: just one
- ! *Marsh Stripe-back Helophilus hybridus [Marsh Tiger Hoverfly; Woolly-tailed Marsh Fly]
- *Common Dronefly Eristalis tenax: three of these
- *Common Copperback Ferdinandea cuprea [Bronze Sap Hoverfly; Eurasian Copperback]: just one
- ! *Marsh Stripe-back Helophilus hybridus [Marsh Tiger Hoverfly; Woolly-tailed Marsh Fly]
Damsel / Dragon-flies:
- *Common Blue Damselfly Enallagma cyathigerum [Common Bluet]: 1 female
- *Blue-tailed Damselfly Ischnura elegans [Common Bluetail]: 1 male
- *Common Blue Damselfly Enallagma cyathigerum [Common Bluet]: 1 female
- *Blue-tailed Damselfly Ischnura elegans [Common Bluetail]: 1 male
True flies:
- greenbottle Lucilia sp.
very few other flies seen.
- greenbottle Lucilia sp.
very few other flies seen.
Bugs:
none
none
Beetles:
none
none
Spiders, harvestmen etc.:
none
On the West end street lamp poles around dawn:
none
On the West end street lamp poles around dawn:
Moths:
- 19 (gulp!) Common Grass-moth Agriphila tristella [was Common Grass-veneer]
- 1 Common Plume Emmelina monodactyla
- 19 (gulp!) Common Grass-moth Agriphila tristella [was Common Grass-veneer]
- 1 Common Plume Emmelina monodactyla
Flies:
- 1 unidentified fly
- 1 unidentified fly
Spiders, harvestmen etc.:
- 1 harvestman Paroligolophus agrestis
This plume moth had me confused. The two species I see here most often both rest with the wings held at right-angles to the body. There are several species that rest with wings angled like this. I am familiar with none of them. This does not show any helpful markings either.
Happily it stayed around and when I rechecked later it was resting exactly like a Common Plume Emmelina monodactyla should do.
A very fortunate catch as this hoverfly leaves a different convolvulus flower. The extent of the yellow on the hind leg confirms this is what Steve Falk calls Marsh Stripe-back Helophilus hybridus; what I previously knew as Marsh Tiger Hoverfly; and Obsidentify names Woolly-tailed Marsh Fly. Thank heaven for a scientific name we all agree upon. It is five years since I last recorded this species. The more common Tiger Hoverfly H. pendulus (also Tiger Marsh Fly or Sun Fly) has more of the hind leg coloured and in a more orange tone.
A female Common Blue Damselfly Enallagma cyathigerum. There are not many about now though I usually see a few as late as mid-September.
A male Blue-tailed Damselfly Ischnura elegans. I do not have "annual last dates" for this species. It seems later that I can recall.
(Ed Wilson)
In the Priorslee Avenue tunnel:
Moths:
- 1 Common Grass-moth Agriphila tristella [was Common Grass-veneer]
- 1 ! *Rush Veneer Nomophila noctuella
- 1 Double-striped Pug Gymnoscelis rufifasciata
I found this moth tucked up on a tight corner of the tunnel. It is a Rush Veneer Nomophila noctuella. This is a very common species that I ought to see frequently given the amount of suitable vegetation at the Balancing, The Flash and around the pools between. I only note this species in one out of three years.
(Ed Wilson)
The Flash: 06:35 – 07:30
(184th visit of the year)
Bird notes:
- ten Mute Swans again.
- two Little Grebes seen again. In flight and on the water. They may have departed.
- the pair of adult Great Crested Grebe were at the island with one on the nest again. The recent sub-adult was not seen.
Bird(s) noted flying over here:
- 1 harvestman Paroligolophus agrestis
An over-enlarged distant shot of the latest brood of Great Crested Grebes. At least two on the parent's back.
A female Small White butterfly Pieris rapae
As yesterday a single Common Carder Bee Bombus pascuorum was the only bee seen. Here feeding on Common Ragwort Jacobaea vulgaris.
One of three Common Droneflies Eristalis tenax I noted this morning.
A Common Copperback hoverfly Ferdinandea cuprea enjoying a convolvulus flower.
(Ed Wilson)
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In the Priorslee Avenue tunnel:
Moths:
- 1 Common Grass-moth Agriphila tristella [was Common Grass-veneer]
- 1 ! *Rush Veneer Nomophila noctuella
- 1 Double-striped Pug Gymnoscelis rufifasciata
Flies:
- 2 midges
- 37 (gulp) moth fly Psychodidae sp. [Drain Fly or Owl Fly]
- 2 midges
- 37 (gulp) moth fly Psychodidae sp. [Drain Fly or Owl Fly]
Arthropods:
- 2 White-legged Snake Millipede Tachypodoiulus niger
- 2 White-legged Snake Millipede Tachypodoiulus niger
Spiders, harvestmen etc.:
- 2 Missing Sector Orb-web Spider Zygiella x-notata [Silver-sided Sector Spider]
- 2 Missing Sector Orb-web Spider Zygiella x-notata [Silver-sided Sector Spider]
Mammals:
- 1 *Mole Talpa europaea: sadly dead
- 1 *Mole Talpa europaea: sadly dead
On the footpath just outside the tunnel was this dead Mole Talpa europaea. It looks rather scruffy here!
Poor thing.
(Ed Wilson)
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The Flash: 06:35 – 07:30
(184th visit of the year)
Bird notes:
- ten Mute Swans again.
- two Little Grebes seen again. In flight and on the water. They may have departed.
- the pair of adult Great Crested Grebe were at the island with one on the nest again. The recent sub-adult was not seen.
Bird(s) noted flying over here:
None
Noted on / around the water:
- 4 Canada Geese
- 1 Greylag Goose
- 10 Mute Swans
- 30 (?♂) Mallard
- 8 Moorhens
- 33 Coot
- 2 *Little Grebe
- 2 + ? (1 brood) Great Crested Grebes
- 11 Black-headed Gulls
- 1 Cormorant
- 1 Grey Heron
- 1 Little Egret
Warblers noted (no song):
- 3 Chiffchaffs again
Noted around the area:
Noted on / around the water:
- 4 Canada Geese
- 1 Greylag Goose
- 10 Mute Swans
- 30 (?♂) Mallard
- 8 Moorhens
- 33 Coot
- 2 *Little Grebe
- 2 + ? (1 brood) Great Crested Grebes
- 11 Black-headed Gulls
- 1 Cormorant
- 1 Grey Heron
- 1 Little Egret
Warblers noted (no song):
- 3 Chiffchaffs again
Noted around the area:
Moths:
- 5 Common Grass-moth Agriphila tristella [was Common Grass-veneer]
- 2 *Chevron Grass-moth Agriphila geniculea [was Elbow-stripe Grass-veneer]
- 1 *Yellow Shell Camptogramma bilineata
- 1 ! *Flounced Rustic Luperina testacea
- 1 *Centre-barred Sallow Atethmia centrago
Another sighting of two Little Grebe here. These birds were very skittish, taking off and flying short distances. The lighting is not good but they do not look the same of the two adults I photographed on 14 August.
A not-very-yellow Yellow Shell moth Camptogramma bilineata I found on one of the fence stanchions surrounding the academy here.
At the top end of The Flash I found this Flounced Rustic moth Luperina testacea on a street lamp pole. A very typical date: my last two records were on 28th and 20th August in previous years.
What I assume to be the same Centre-barred Sallow moth Atethmia centrago as seen on the previous two mornings, now descended from its location tight at the top of a street lamp pole on to the main part with a Chevron Grass-moth Agriphila geniculea alongside.
(Ed Wilson)
2012
Priorslee Lake
Peregrine Falcon
Yellow Wagtail
(Ed Wilson)
2006
Priorslee Lake
3 Sandwich Terns
Common Tern
Kingfisher
Tree Pipit
(Ed Wilson)
2005
Priorslee Lake
Common Tern
Raven
Kingfisher
(Ed Wilson)
- 5 Common Grass-moth Agriphila tristella [was Common Grass-veneer]
- 2 *Chevron Grass-moth Agriphila geniculea [was Elbow-stripe Grass-veneer]
- 1 *Yellow Shell Camptogramma bilineata
- 1 ! *Flounced Rustic Luperina testacea
- 1 *Centre-barred Sallow Atethmia centrago
(Ed Wilson)
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Priorslee Lake
Peregrine Falcon
Yellow Wagtail
(Ed Wilson)
2006
Priorslee Lake
3 Sandwich Terns
Common Tern
Kingfisher
Tree Pipit
(Ed Wilson)
2005
Priorslee Lake
Common Tern
Raven
Kingfisher
(Ed Wilson)