16.0°C > 18.0°C: Low cloud with a light shower c.08:30. Humid with a light easterly breeze. Moderate visibility.
Sunrise: 06:09 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– 06:35 // 07:40 – 09:30
(192nd visit of the year)
Bird notes:
- fifteen Tufted Duck at the West end c.09:10. At least four of these drakes. In most years this species is more numerous at The Flash where it has been strangely absent for much of the summer months.
- more Black-headed Gulls with c.275 arriving after 05:30.
- three groups of Lesser Black-backed Gulls arrived before 05:50 totalling c.245 birds.
- later just a single immature Lesser Black-back was seen on the water with 17 flying over along with but a single Herring Gull.
- c.30 *Barn Swallows dropped in to feed over the water during the shower. Several food-passes noted before they all headed off South.
- *a juvenile Grey Wagtail seen: the first of this species for many weeks.
Bird(s) noted flying over here:
- 39 Canada Geese: 38 flew East in five groups; later a single flew West.
- 59 Greylag Geese: five flew East in two groups; 54 flew West in four groups.
- 1 Herring Gull
- 17 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 5 Feral Pigeons: together
- 52 Wood Pigeons
- 82 Jackdaws
- 106 Rooks
Counts from the lake area:
- 2 Mute Swans
- 40 (?♂) Mallard
- 15 (4+♂) Tufted Duck
- 5 Moorhens
- 43 Coot only
- 14 Great Crested Grebes only
- c.275 Black-headed Gulls
- c.245 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 1 Grey Heron
Hirundines etc. noted:
- c.30 *Barn Swallows
Warblers noted: fewer noted today
- 9 Chiffchaffs
- 2 Blackcaps
Also noted:
Butterflies:
none
none
Moths:
none
none
Bees, wasps etc.:
- Common Wasp Vespula vulgaris
- Common Wasp Vespula vulgaris
Hoverflies:
singles of each species
- Tapered Dronefly Eristalis pertinax
- Hornet Hoverfly Volucella zonaria [Hornet Plumehorn]
singles of each species
- Tapered Dronefly Eristalis pertinax
- Hornet Hoverfly Volucella zonaria [Hornet Plumehorn]
Damsel / Dragon-flies:
none
none
True flies:
- *root-maggot fly Anthomyia procellaris
- *greenbottle Lucilia sp.
no other flies seen.
- *root-maggot fly Anthomyia procellaris
- *greenbottle Lucilia sp.
no other flies seen.
Bugs:
- Red-legged Shieldbug Pentatoma rufipes
- Red-legged Shieldbug Pentatoma rufipes
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:
- 1 Common Grass-moth Agriphila tristella [was Common Grass-veneer]
- 1 Chevron Grass-moth Agriphila geniculea [was Elbow-stripe Grass-veneer]
three moths in flight only eluded identification
- 1 Common Grass-moth Agriphila tristella [was Common Grass-veneer]
- 1 Chevron Grass-moth Agriphila geniculea [was Elbow-stripe Grass-veneer]
three moths in flight only eluded identification
Flies:
- *1 female midge from the Chironomus group, perhaps C. plumosus
- 1 male Banded Mosquito Culiseta annulata
- 5 *possible flies Dryomyza anilis
- 2 unidentified midges of different species
- *unidentified flies
- *1 female midge from the Chironomus group, perhaps C. plumosus
- 1 male Banded Mosquito Culiseta annulata
- 5 *possible flies Dryomyza anilis
- 2 unidentified midges of different species
- *unidentified flies
Bees, wasps etc.:
- many Common Wasps Vespula vulgaris at every pole
- many Common Wasps Vespula vulgaris at every pole
Spiders, harvestmen etc.:
- 1 Bridge Orb-web Spider Larinioides sclopetarius [Bridge Orbweaver]
- 1 *male Missing Sector Orb-web Spider Zygiella x-notata [Silver-sided Sector Spider]
- 1 female harvestman Leiobunum blackwalli
- 2 harvestman Paroligolophus agrestis
A juvenile Grey Wagtail among the debris on the beach in front of the sailing club's locked container by the south-west grass. It is many weeks since I last saw this species here – before the breeding season.
A fly that is easy to identify with the very clean marking on the thorax. It is the root-maggot fly Anthomyia procellaris.
A female midge from the Chironomus group, perhaps C. plumosus. She would not have the plumed antennae of the male but does have a banded abdomen.
A handsome-looking fly on a street lamp pole pre-dawn. None of my apps is prepared to offer much in the way of positive identity.
Then from this angle both apps plumped for Missing Sector Orb-web Spider Zygiella x-notata also called Silver-sided Sector Spider.
(Ed Wilson)
In the Priorslee Avenue tunnel:
A new moth species for me although it is apparently common. It is an Australian Orange-tip Tachystola acroxantha. A small moth that is thought to have been accidentally imported from Australia. It was first recorded in South Devon is 1906. It has now spread throughout England at least.
(188th visit of the year)
Bird notes:
- only eight Mute Swans present when I arrived. A single and a duo later flew out.
- no Little Grebe seen. Probably does not mean much for this often elusive species.
- only one Great Crested Grebe seen and that at extreme range and impossible to age. I did hear what sounded like begging juvenile(s). I hope the family was going the other way around the island and I just failed to catch up with them.
- no Cormorants seen.
- *on my first view of the new beach to the island there were three standing Grey Herons. I did not see or hear any later.
- no Little Egret again.
Bird(s) noted flying over here:
- 1 Bridge Orb-web Spider Larinioides sclopetarius [Bridge Orbweaver]
- 1 *male Missing Sector Orb-web Spider Zygiella x-notata [Silver-sided Sector Spider]
- 1 female harvestman Leiobunum blackwalli
- 2 harvestman Paroligolophus agrestis
One of the thirty or so Barn Swallows that appeared during the short rain shower.
Another, apparently calling.
I struggle with these small red flies. There were at least five on the poles this morning and this was my only acceptable photo. I think that the very slight shading on the wing tip suggests they are Dryomyza anilis and not whatever I called them yesterday.
A greenbottle of the Lucilia group gets to work on the just-opening Ivy blossom.
Another fly that looks to be distinctive but...
My apps failed again! A male spider and from this angle with conspicuously long front legs.
(Ed Wilson)
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In the Priorslee Avenue tunnel:
Moths:
- 1 $ *Australian Orange-tip Tachystola acroxantha [was Ruddy Streak]
- 1 *Double-striped Pug Gymnoscelis rufifasciata
- 1 $ *Australian Orange-tip Tachystola acroxantha [was Ruddy Streak]
- 1 *Double-striped Pug Gymnoscelis rufifasciata
Flies:
- 6 midges
- 1 Dull Four-spined Legionnaire Chorisops tibialis
- 2 female and 1 male Banded Mosquito Culiseta annulata
- 18 moth fly Psychodidae sp. [Drain Fly or Owl Fly]
- 1 *cranefly Tipula lateralis
- 1 *unknown "winter cranefly?"
- 6 midges
- 1 Dull Four-spined Legionnaire Chorisops tibialis
- 2 female and 1 male Banded Mosquito Culiseta annulata
- 18 moth fly Psychodidae sp. [Drain Fly or Owl Fly]
- 1 *cranefly Tipula lateralis
- 1 *unknown "winter cranefly?"
Arthropods:
- 2 White-legged Snake Millipede Tachypodoiulus niger
- 2 White-legged Snake Millipede Tachypodoiulus niger
Spiders, harvestmen etc.:
- 6 Missing Sector Orb-web Spider Zygiella x-notata [Silver-sided Sector Spider]
- 6 Missing Sector Orb-web Spider Zygiella x-notata [Silver-sided Sector Spider]
Yet another Double-striped Pug moth Gymnoscelis rufifasciata I noted on the ceiling.
An easy one: the cranefly Tipula lateralis
A difficult one! Obsidentify was 100% sure it was the winter cranefly Trichocera annulata. The size and banded abdomen fit but the antennae on this individual are much longer than illustrations of that species. Also the flight time is noted as "from September onwards". Climate change? I can't come up with any other suggestion.
(Ed Wilson)
The Flash: 06:40 – 07:35
(Ed Wilson)
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The Flash: 06:40 – 07:35
(188th visit of the year)
Bird notes:
- only eight Mute Swans present when I arrived. A single and a duo later flew out.
- no Little Grebe seen. Probably does not mean much for this often elusive species.
- only one Great Crested Grebe seen and that at extreme range and impossible to age. I did hear what sounded like begging juvenile(s). I hope the family was going the other way around the island and I just failed to catch up with them.
- no Cormorants seen.
- *on my first view of the new beach to the island there were three standing Grey Herons. I did not see or hear any later.
- no Little Egret again.
Bird(s) noted flying over here:
None
Noted on / around the water:
- 6 Canada Geese yet again
- 1 Greylag Goose
- 8 Mute Swans: of these three departed
- 26 (?♂) Mallard again
- 10 Moorhens
- 34 Coot
- no Little Grebe
- 1? Great Crested Grebe: see notes
- 11 Black-headed Gulls
- no Cormorants
- 3 *Grey Herons: see notes
Warblers noted:
- 3 Chiffchaffs
- 1 Blackcap: in quiet song
Noted around the area:
Noted on / around the water:
- 6 Canada Geese yet again
- 1 Greylag Goose
- 8 Mute Swans: of these three departed
- 26 (?♂) Mallard again
- 10 Moorhens
- 34 Coot
- no Little Grebe
- 1? Great Crested Grebe: see notes
- 11 Black-headed Gulls
- no Cormorants
- 3 *Grey Herons: see notes
Warblers noted:
- 3 Chiffchaffs
- 1 Blackcap: in quiet song
Noted around the area:
Moths:
- 5 Common Grass-moth Agriphila tristella [was Common Grass-veneer]
- 1 Chevron Grass-moth Agriphila geniculea [was Elbow-stripe Grass-veneer]
- 5 Common Grass-moth Agriphila tristella [was Common Grass-veneer]
- 1 Chevron Grass-moth Agriphila geniculea [was Elbow-stripe Grass-veneer]
Bugs:
- 1 *Red-legged Shieldbug Pentatoma rufipes
A portrait of a first winter Black-headed Gull. Unusually it seems to have moulted some of the brown immature wing-feathers. This would not normally happen until next year's moult.
Just to prove there were three Grey Herons. One is on the left with a Coot and two Mute Swans behind it. The other two are one behind the other on the beach to the right of the trees. I did not see these when I next looked.
(Ed Wilson)
2013
Priorslee Lake
Yellow Wagtail
(Ed Wilson)
- 1 *Red-legged Shieldbug Pentatoma rufipes
For comparison and adult winter Black-headed Gull. The "ear muffs" are typically of variable intensity.
A Red-legged Shieldbug Pentatoma rufipes trying to climb in to the crack on a street lamp pole.
(Ed Wilson)
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2013
Priorslee Lake
Yellow Wagtail
(Ed Wilson)