16.0°C > 19.0°C: A few breaks in low cloud early. Then a short spell of light drizzle c.06:30 after which cloud gradually lifted and broke with some sun after c.09:00. Increasing south-westerly breeze. Very good visibility except during drizzle.
Sunrise: 06:23 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 – 09:15
(199th visit of the year)
Bird notes:
- for some while I could only see one Mute Swan. The other "appeared" later from?
- eight Tufted Duck noted: at least three drakes.
- the first 15 Black-headed Gulls had arrived by 05:45. c.105 were present by 06:00 when a large group of at least 350 arrived from the south-east (historically early arrivals tended to be from the West).
- 18 Lesser Black-backed Gulls visited early. None later.
- at c.06:45 I checked the football field finding c.350 Black-headed Gulls, an *adult Herring Gull and single *second year and *adult Lesser Black-backed Gulls. Strangely no Wood Pigeons were on the grass.
- a Little Egret was flying around the East end at 06:15. I did not see it arrive or depart.
- no Swifts were noted.
- with much low cloud still c.07:30 at least 50 Barn Swallows were low over the water. As the cloud lifted and the wind increased many of these were flying around over the dam as insects were blown up from the lake. It was hard to tell whether birds were moving on or just away and back again [I noted that the resident swallows had departed from Sleap Airfield since Monday]
- twelve House Martins were high overhead the football field at 06:45. A few minutes later there were more than 30 swirling around.
- a Willow Warblers noted in song.
- three of at least 14 Chiffchaffs were noted singing.
Bird(s) noted flying over here:
- 14 Canada Geese: a duo flew East; a sextet flew North and another sextet flew West.
- 14 Greylag Geese: a trio flew East; a single and a group of 10 flew West
- 12 Black-headed Gulls
- 19 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 1 Feral Pigeon
- 57 Wood Pigeons
- 83 Jackdaws
- 110 Rooks
Counts from the lake area:
- 10 *Canada Geese: arrived
- 1 *Canada x Greylag Goose: arrived
- 2 Mute Swans: see notes
- 41 (?♂) Mallard
- 3 (3♂?) Tufted Duck
- 8 Moorhens
- 25 Coot only
- 17 Great Crested Grebes
- c.450 *Black-headed Gulls
- 1 *Herring Gull [on the football field]
- 19 *Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 2 Grey Herons
- 1 Little Egret, briefly
Hirundines etc. noted:
- >50 Barn Swallows
- >30 House Martins
Warblers noted:
- 1 Willow Warbler
- 14 *Chiffchaffs: of these three in song
- 1 Blackcap
Also noted:
My new schedule limits the number of insects I am likely to see.
Butterflies:
none
none
Moths:
- 1 *Common Nettle-tap Anthophila fabriciana
- 1 *Common Nettle-tap Anthophila fabriciana
Bees, wasps etc.:
- Common Carder Bee Bombus pascuorum
- Common Wasp Vespula vulgaris
- Common Carder Bee Bombus pascuorum
- Common Wasp Vespula vulgaris
Hoverflies:
none
none
Damsel / Dragon-flies:
none
none
True flies:
- greenbottle Lucilia sp.
very few other unidentified flies seen.
- greenbottle Lucilia sp.
very 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:
- 1 Square-spot Rustic Xestia xanthographa
- 1 Square-spot Rustic Xestia xanthographa
Bees, wasps etc.:
- >10 *Common Wasps Vespula vulgaris
- 1 ! *European Hornet Vespa crabro
- >10 *Common Wasps Vespula vulgaris
- 1 ! *European Hornet Vespa crabro
Flies:
- 1 midge
- 1 midge
Springtails:
- 1 springtail Pogonognathellus longicornis-type
- 1 springtail Pogonognathellus longicornis-type
Slugs, snails etc.:
- 1 ! *Greenhouse Slug Ambigolimax valentianus
- 1 ! *Greenhouse Slug Ambigolimax valentianus
Spiders, harvestmen etc.:
- 1* Large House Spider-type from the Eratigena group
- 1* Large House Spider-type from the Eratigena group
Mammals:
- several pipistrelle-type bats were flying above the south-west grass c.05:30.
- a larger bat species (Noctule?) was flying Swift-like over the North side trees c.05:45
- several pipistrelle-type bats were flying above the south-west grass c.05:30.
- a larger bat species (Noctule?) was flying Swift-like over the North side trees c.05:45
Fungus:
- ! *Parasola species.
In the foreground a hybrid Canada x Greylag Goose. There have been a number of these around over the years, subtly different in markings. Last Winter they were strangely absent and then one turned up at The Flash on 31 May for just one day as the geese were beginning to assemble ahead of their annual wing-moult.
Among the c.350 Black-headed Gulls on the football field was this adult Herring Gull [I know it is not "crisp" but it was only c.06:40].
Also this second year Lesser Black-backed Gull (with a first-winter Black-headed Gull showing off behind it).
A warbler with an obvious supercilium that I thought at the time might be a Willow Warbler. Not so: the dark bill and especially the all-dark legs identify it as a Chiffchaff.
This tiny moth on an Ivy leaf is a Common Nettle-tap Anthophila fabriciana. Last year I recorded over 40 of this species. This is only my sixth this year.
A delicate fungus that probably will not last the day before it collapses. It is one of the Parasola species that are almost impossible to specifically identify from photos even if you are an expert.
(Ed Wilson)
In the Priorslee Avenue tunnel:
(196th visit of the year)
Bird notes:
- the Canada Goose count was boosted by the arrival of a group of 61.
- seven Mute Swans: six keeping together with Billy-no-mates at the top end.
- a duck Tufted Duck flew in.
- a brownhead Goosander was by the island again
- one adult Great Crested Grebes was seen carrying fish on two separate occasions. *A different immature (still with head stripes) was at the bottom end.
- a trio of Cormorants arrived and went directly to the task of finding breakfast.
Bird(s) noted flying over here:
- 1 Lesser Black-backed Gull
Noted on / around the water:
- 72 Canada Geese
- 6 Greylag Geese:
- 7 Mute Swans
- 31 (?♂) Mallard
- 1 (0♂) Tufted Duck: arrived
- 1 (0♂) Goosander
- 8 Moorhens
- 20 Coot
- 2 *Great Crested Grebe: see notes
- 21 Black-headed Gulls
- 3 Cormorants
- 2 Grey Herons
Warblers noted:
- ! *Parasola species.
Through a gap in the cloud this is the best I could manage of the almost half-moon.
Not a sunrise to get out of bed for.
And an adult Lesser Black-backed Gull.
This may, or may not, be the same bird – there were a number of Chiffchaffs travelling with a party of...
...Long-tailed Tits. I am sure AI would be able to erase the annoying out of focus twig in the foreground.
"Come in number three"; a Square-spot Rustic moth Xestia xanthographa.
How to stop Common Wasps Vespula vulgaris annoying you – when you are a European Hornet Vespa crabro!
Take that!!
Distinctively marked: a Greenhouse Slug Ambigolimax valentianus.
A Large House Spider-type from the Eratigena group running away.
(Ed Wilson)
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In the Priorslee Avenue tunnel:
An early visit again c.05:00
Moths:
- 1 *Flounced Rustic Luperina testacea
- 1 Square-spot Rustic Xestia xanthographa
- 1 *Flounced Rustic Luperina testacea
- 1 Square-spot Rustic Xestia xanthographa
Bees, wasps etc.:
- 2 Common Wasp Vespula vulgaris
- 2 Common Wasp Vespula vulgaris
Flies:
- 4 midges
- no moth fly Psychodidae sp. [Drain Fly or Owl Fly]
- 4 midges
- no moth fly Psychodidae sp. [Drain Fly or Owl Fly]
Arthropods:
- 4 Common Rough Woodlouse Porcellio scaber
- 4 Common Rough Woodlouse Porcellio scaber
Spiders, harvestmen etc.:
- 4 Missing Sector Orb-web Spider Zygiella x-notata [Silver-sided Sector Spider]
- 1 harvestman Opilio canestrinii
- 1 harvestman Paroligolophus agrestis
- 4 Missing Sector Orb-web Spider Zygiella x-notata [Silver-sided Sector Spider]
- 1 harvestman Opilio canestrinii
- 1 harvestman Paroligolophus agrestis
A dark specimen of a Flounced Rustic moth Luperina testacea. I separate this species from other moths with this shape at rest by the dark area where the inner edges of the wings join. My 42nd species of moth found in the tunnel this year.
(Ed Wilson)
The Flash: 09:20 – 10:15
(Ed Wilson)
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Flash: 09:20 – 10:15
(196th visit of the year)
Bird notes:
- the Canada Goose count was boosted by the arrival of a group of 61.
- seven Mute Swans: six keeping together with Billy-no-mates at the top end.
- a duck Tufted Duck flew in.
- a brownhead Goosander was by the island again
- one adult Great Crested Grebes was seen carrying fish on two separate occasions. *A different immature (still with head stripes) was at the bottom end.
- a trio of Cormorants arrived and went directly to the task of finding breakfast.
Bird(s) noted flying over here:
- 1 Lesser Black-backed Gull
Noted on / around the water:
- 72 Canada Geese
- 6 Greylag Geese:
- 7 Mute Swans
- 31 (?♂) Mallard
- 1 (0♂) Tufted Duck: arrived
- 1 (0♂) Goosander
- 8 Moorhens
- 20 Coot
- 2 *Great Crested Grebe: see notes
- 21 Black-headed Gulls
- 3 Cormorants
- 2 Grey Herons
Warblers noted:
None
Noted around the area:
Noted around the area:
A later visit means more insects (but fewer moths)
Butterflies:
- 1 Small White Pieris rapae
- 2 Speckled Wood Pararge aegeria
- 1 *Comma Polygonia c-album
- 1 Small White Pieris rapae
- 2 Speckled Wood Pararge aegeria
- 1 *Comma Polygonia c-album
Moths:
none
none
Bees, wasps etc.:
- >5 Honey Bee Apis mellifera
- 3 Common Wasps Vespula vulgaris
- >5 Honey Bee Apis mellifera
- 3 Common Wasps Vespula vulgaris
Hoverflies:
- 1 *Compost Hoverfly Syritta pipiens [Common Compost Fly; Thick-legged Hoverfly]
- 1 *Compost Hoverfly Syritta pipiens [Common Compost Fly; Thick-legged Hoverfly]
True flies:
- greenbottle Lucilia sp.
very few other unidentified flies seen.
- greenbottle Lucilia sp.
very few other unidentified flies seen.
Bugs:
- 1 ! *Hairy Shieldbug Dolycoris baccarum [Sloe Bug]
- 1 *Common Green Shieldbug Palomena prasina: instar
- 1 ! *Hairy Shieldbug Dolycoris baccarum [Sloe Bug]
- 1 *Common Green Shieldbug Palomena prasina: instar
Beetles:
- 1 7 Spot Ladybird Coccinella 7-punctata
The immature Great Crested Grebe still with head stripes. Possibly from one of the early broods at the Balancing Lake where some have departed.
This is a Compost Hoverfly Syritta pipiens. One of this species' other names of Thick-legged Hoverfly is pertinent here though there are other hoverflies to which that epithet could equally well apply. My logs suggest that I have not previously seen this species around The Flash.
This is a Hairy Shieldbug Dolycoris baccarum also known as a Sloe Bug. The photo is somewhat over-blown as I had to use full zoom to avoid the camera focussing on vegetation around the insect. My first of the year.
(Ed Wilson)
2013
Nedge Hill
2 Yellow Wagtails
(John Isherwood)
2011
Priorslee Lake
Kingfisher
(Ed Wilson)
2009
Priorslee Lake
Kingfisher
(Ed Wilson)
2006
Priorslee Lake
Kingfisher
(Ed Wilson)
- 1 7 Spot Ladybird Coccinella 7-punctata
Very smart: a Comma butterfly Polygonia c-album.
An early instar of a Common Green Shieldbug Palomena prasina.
(Ed Wilson)
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2013
Nedge Hill
2 Yellow Wagtails
(John Isherwood)
2011
Priorslee Lake
Kingfisher
(Ed Wilson)
2009
Priorslee Lake
Kingfisher
(Ed Wilson)
2006
Priorslee Lake
Kingfisher
(Ed Wilson)