15.0°C > 18.0°C: Cloudy early. Clearing to good sunny spells after 08:00. An almost calm start with a light southerly breeze developing. Very good visibility.
Sunrise: 06:16 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 – 07:05 // 08:00 – 10:00
(195th visit of the year)
Bird notes:
- many more geese passed below tree-level from wherever I happened to be.
- just four Tufted Duck noted.
- Black-headed Gulls were the only gulls seen on the water. The first arrivals were at 05:50 and c.100 present by 06:10. 35, probably of these, were on the football field c.06:25.
- just 10 Lesser Black-backed Gulls were noted flying over at various times.
- only 32 Wood Pigeons responded to the burners of the hot-air balloons from the Telford Balloon Festival. They were not alone. A trio of Grey Herons flew over noisily with another a few minutes later. A group of 41 Feral Pigeons from the local estates went fly-about and 15 Starlings flew East.
- at least a dozen Barn Swallows were feeding over the water after 09:00 with a lone House Martin among them.
- a large party of tits and warblers were in trees between the West end path and Ricoh c.09:45. Among this party were at least two Willow Warblers, one singing; and three Chiffchaffs, two singing. There may well have been more as they were impossible to keep track of.
- a Reed Warbler was glimpsed in flight between patches of reeds along the South side and then two were noted working a patch of sedges nearby.
- a Mistle Thrush was heard calling and then seen "on territory" in trees alongside Teece Drive. I would not have expected the species to return to its breeding site until late October / November.
Bird(s) noted flying over here:
- >42 Canada Geese: >40 flew East together; a duo flew West later. Others heard.
- 12 Greylag Geese flew West; others heard
- 10 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 4 Grey Herons: see notes
- 2 Feral Pigeons [the birds from the local estates are not logged here]
- 63 Wood Pigeons
- 15 Starlings
- 85 Jackdaws
- 128 Rooks
- 1 Pied Wagtail
Counts from the lake area:
- 2 Mute Swans
- 38 (?♂) Mallard
- 4 (>1♂?) Tufted Duck
- 7 Moorhens
- 37 Coot yet again
- 14 Great Crested Grebes again
- c.100 Black-headed Gulls
- no Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 1 Grey Heron: departed
- 1 Kingfisher again
Hirundines etc. noted:
- c.12 *Barn Swallows
- 1 House Martin
Warblers noted:
- 2 Willow Warbler: one in song
- 11 *Chiffchaffs: two in song
- 2 Reed Warblers
- 4 Blackcaps
Also noted:
The sun tempted a few things out
Butterflies:
- 4 *Small White Pieris rapae
- 1 Green-veined White Pieris napi
- 1 Speckled Wood Pararge aegeria
- 4 *Small White Pieris rapae
- 1 Green-veined White Pieris napi
- 1 Speckled Wood Pararge aegeria
Moths:
none
none
Bees, wasps etc.:
- Buff-tailed Bumblebee Bombus terrestris
- Common Wasp Vespula vulgaris
including a nest site!
- Buff-tailed Bumblebee Bombus terrestris
- Common Wasp Vespula vulgaris
including a nest site!
Hoverflies:
singles of each species
- Tapered Dronefly Eristalis pertinax
- *Common Dronefly Eristalis tenax
- *Dead-head Hoverfly Myathropa florea [Common Batman Fly]
singles of each species
- Tapered Dronefly Eristalis pertinax
- *Common Dronefly Eristalis tenax
- *Dead-head Hoverfly Myathropa florea [Common Batman Fly]
Damsel / Dragon-flies:
- *Common Blue Damselfly Enallagma cyathigerum [Common Bluet]
- *Common Darter Sympetrum striolatum
- unidentified dragonfly in flight only
- *Common Blue Damselfly Enallagma cyathigerum [Common Bluet]
- *Common Darter Sympetrum striolatum
- unidentified dragonfly in flight only
True flies:
- *blow fly Calliphora sp.
- greenbottle Lucilia sp.
- *Flesh fly Sarcophaga sp.
a few other unidentified flies seen.
- *blow fly Calliphora sp.
- greenbottle Lucilia sp.
- *Flesh fly Sarcophaga sp.
a few other unidentified 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:
- 4 Common Grass-moth Agriphila tristella [was Common Grass-veneer]
- 1 *Square-spot Rustic Xestia xanthographa
- two others in flight only and unidentified
- 4 Common Grass-moth Agriphila tristella [was Common Grass-veneer]
- 1 *Square-spot Rustic Xestia xanthographa
- two others in flight only and unidentified
Flies:
- 1 *male Pond Olive mayfly Cloeon dipterum
- 1 *male Pond Olive mayfly Cloeon dipterum
Bees, wasps etc.:
- >5 Common Wasps Vespula vulgaris
- >5 Common Wasps Vespula vulgaris
Spiders, harvestmen etc.:
none
The Sturgeon Moon looking very slightly lopsided as it starts to wane. As a result a few cross-lit craters are evident.
A dozen or so Barn Swallows were hawking insects. This one looks to be a juvenile – the throat looks a very pale colour.
With the Long-tailed Tits was this Chiffchaff. The berries are not looking appetising as a result of the drought.
There were three moths flying around as I checked the West end street lamp poles. This one settled on the ground and I managed a quick photo before it crawled under the leaf to hide. It is a Square-spot Rustic Xestia xanthographa.
A dreadful photo of a small fly a long way up a tall street lamp pole. It is a male Pond Olive mayfly Cloeon dipterum. Note the "turbinate" eyes that allow males to spot females easily among a dancing melee of mayflies.
A male Common Blue Damselfly Enallagma cyathigerum. It is approaching my previous "last date" for this species. It was the only damselfly I noted today.
This Flesh fly from the genus Sarcophaga has a more tapered abdomen than I recall on other specimens. Does not seem to help with any further identification.
The looks to be a disassembled spider! Spiders periodically "shed their skin" as they grow leaving behind what is called an exuvia.
(Ed Wilson)
In the Priorslee Avenue tunnel:
Another Double-striped Pug moth Gymnoscelis rufifasciata I suppose. Both my apps say it is even though I can only see one stripe and it is resting with the wings slightly angled as opposed to held straight-out as they usually seem to.
A Noble or False Widow Spider Steatoda nobilis. I read their bite is painful. I must remember not to pick one up.
(192nd visit of the year)
A later visit as I stayed in the Balancing Lake area for the hot-air balloon lift.
Very quiet. I was told that two of the hot-air balloons had dipped a gondola in the water before lifting off, causing panic from which the water had not recovered. Should they do this at a Nature Reserve?
Bird notes:
- eight Mute Swans.
- *the family of Great Crested Grebes was on the open water with four juveniles clearly visible. The immature bird from the top end was not seen.
- two Grey Herons were sparring as they flew toward The Flash as I was approaching. I could not see where they went. Only one (of these?) was seen later on the island,
Bird(s) noted flying over here:
- 2 Grey Herons: see notes
Noted on / around the water:
- 3 Canada Geese
- no Greylag Goose
- 8 Mute Swans
- 14 (?♂) Mallard only
- 3 Moorhens
- 18 Coot only
- 2 + 4 (1 brood) *Great Crested Grebe: see notes
- 2 Black-headed Gulls
- 3 Cormorants
- 1 Grey Heron
Warblers noted:
G-BHDV is a Cameron V-77. It was registered back in 1980. It is the envelope that is registered not the gondola so it must be made of tough material. I can find no information on the "Dorm Ouse" legend.
G-CIDU is a Kubicek BB22E registered to a private owner in Evesham. I first noted this taking part in the 2019 festival.
G-CJXJ is a Cameron Z-105 from the Bristol University Hot Air Ballooning Society and a regular participant at Telford.
G-WYNT is a Cameron N-56 (another hard to read identity!). The inscription translates (thanks to Mr. Google) to "Winds over Wales". No other data is available.
(Ed Wilson)
2012
Priorslee Lake
Black Tern
(Arthur Harper)
2010
Priorslee Lake
Yellow Wagtail
Kingfisher
(Ed Wilson)
none
There was a big gaggle of Long-tailed Tits at the West end. This was one.
Another Chiffchaff looking sad. I suspect a juvenile still with a hint of a gape-line.
One of the four Small White butterflies Pieris rapae I noted.
A close-up of a Common Dronefly Eristalis tenax.
A Dead-head Hoverfly Myathropa florea on the Ivy. To my eyes this is the hoverfly that most closely resembles a wasp when in flight.
A well-camouflaged female Common Darter Sympetrum striolatum.
One of the blow fly species in the Calliphora genus. All are broad-bodied flies.
(Ed Wilson)
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
In the Priorslee Avenue tunnel:
An early visit again c.04:55
Moths:
- 1 *Orange Swift Triodia sylvina
- 1 *Double-striped Pug Gymnoscelis rufifasciata
- 1 *Orange Swift Triodia sylvina
- 1 *Double-striped Pug Gymnoscelis rufifasciata
Flies:
- 4 midges
- 5 moth fly Psychodidae sp. [Drain Fly or Owl Fly]
- 4 midges
- 5 moth fly Psychodidae sp. [Drain Fly or Owl Fly]
Arthropods:
-1 Common Rough Woodlouse Porcellio scaber
-1 Common Rough Woodlouse Porcellio scaber
Spiders, harvestmen etc.:
- 1 *Noble or False Widow Spider Steatoda nobilis
- 5 *Missing Sector Orb-web Spider Zygiella x-notata [Silver-sided Sector Spider]
- 1 *Noble or False Widow Spider Steatoda nobilis
- 5 *Missing Sector Orb-web Spider Zygiella x-notata [Silver-sided Sector Spider]
My third Orange Swift moth Triodia sylvina in the tunnel this year. Not a species I see every year.
This Missing Sector Orb-web Spider Zygiella x-notata has reduced my moth count here by one. I cannot ID what it has caught.
(Ed Wilson)
The Flash: 07:10 – 07:55
(Ed Wilson)
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Flash: 07:10 – 07:55
(192nd visit of the year)
A later visit as I stayed in the Balancing Lake area for the hot-air balloon lift.
Very quiet. I was told that two of the hot-air balloons had dipped a gondola in the water before lifting off, causing panic from which the water had not recovered. Should they do this at a Nature Reserve?
Bird notes:
- eight Mute Swans.
- *the family of Great Crested Grebes was on the open water with four juveniles clearly visible. The immature bird from the top end was not seen.
- two Grey Herons were sparring as they flew toward The Flash as I was approaching. I could not see where they went. Only one (of these?) was seen later on the island,
Bird(s) noted flying over here:
- 2 Grey Herons: see notes
Noted on / around the water:
- 3 Canada Geese
- no Greylag Goose
- 8 Mute Swans
- 14 (?♂) Mallard only
- 3 Moorhens
- 18 Coot only
- 2 + 4 (1 brood) *Great Crested Grebe: see notes
- 2 Black-headed Gulls
- 3 Cormorants
- 1 Grey Heron
Warblers noted:
None
Noted around the area:
Noted around the area:
Moths:
- 6 Common Grass-moth Agriphila tristella [was Common Grass-veneer]
- 3 *Chevron Grass-moth Agriphila geniculea [was Elbow-stripe Grass-veneer]
At last! The Great Crested Grebe family is on open water and it possible to see that there are four juveniles, here with one of the adults.
A surprised-looking Chevron Grass-moth Agriphila geniculea lurking among lichen growing on the Neighbourhood Watch sign near the academy.
(Ed Wilson)
Telford Balloon Festival
I noted 17 hot-air balloons in this morning's lift. Here are images of nine that launched this morning that I did not photograph yesterday. Apologies for providing limited data for some of them: the Government web site that provides up-to-date data is not working properly.
- 6 Common Grass-moth Agriphila tristella [was Common Grass-veneer]
- 3 *Chevron Grass-moth Agriphila geniculea [was Elbow-stripe Grass-veneer]
(Ed Wilson)
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Telford Balloon Festival
I noted 17 hot-air balloons in this morning's lift. Here are images of nine that launched this morning that I did not photograph yesterday. Apologies for providing limited data for some of them: the Government web site that provides up-to-date data is not working properly.
G-BVPV is a Lindstrand LBL 77B privately owned in Burton-on-Trent. A regular participant here.
G-BVUA is a hard to read Cameron O-105 of unknown provenance.
G-CMLH is a Diamond P-90L also of unknown provenance.
G-PAID is an Ultramagic M-65C not surprisingly operated on behalf of allpay Ltd. of Bath
an unusual view of it.
G-TVSK is an Ultramagic B-50. No other data available.
(Ed Wilson)
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2012
Priorslee Lake
Black Tern
(Arthur Harper)
2010
Priorslee Lake
Yellow Wagtail
Kingfisher
(Ed Wilson)