8 Sep 26

The Flash and Priorslee Balancing Lake

14.0°C> 15.0°C: Cloudy after earlier rain. A clearance in the north-west making very slow progress. Very light westerly breeze. Very good visibility.

[Sunrise: 06:32 BST]

* = a species photographed today
! = a first sighting of the species this year
$ = a new species for me in this area

I avoided the earlier rain and made short visits after the school-run, starting with The Flash.

Priorslee Balancing Lake: 09:20 – 10:20

(202nd visit of the year)

Bird notes:
- the Mute Swan puzzle continues. I am sure there were two when I arrived. Later only one was visible lurking around the north-west reeds. Was I mistaken earlier.
- very few Black-headed Gulls.
- the only two Lesser Black-backed Gulls present when I arrived flew off.
- at least three Swifts were hawking over the trees on the East side of Castle Farm Way, appearing and disappearing. There could have been more.
- at least 100 Barn Swallows were over the water when I arrived. As the cloud lifted the numbers diminished though there were still c.50 present an hour later.
- two of at least 12 Chiffchaffs were heard singing as was one of the two Blackcaps. Strangely none of these was noted in the usual busy Ricoh (West end) hedge.

Bird(s) noted flying over here:
- 7 Wood Pigeons

Counts from the lake area:
- 2? Mute Swans: see notes
- 51 (?♂) Mallard
- 2 (0♂) Tufted Duck
- 2 Moorhens
- 38 Coot
- 24? Great Crested Grebes
- 16 Black-headed Gulls
- no Herring Gulls
- 2 Lesser Black-backed Gulls: departed
- no Grey Heron

Hirundines etc. noted:
- 3+ *Swifts: see notes
- >100 Barn Swallows

Warblers noted:
- 12 Chiffchaffs: of these two in song
- 2 Blackcaps: of these one in quiet song

Also noted:
Very little in largely cloud conditions with still-wet vegetation.

Bees, wasps etc.:
- Common Wasp Vespula vulgaris

Fungus:
- [I forgot to look!]

On the West end street lamp poles:

Moths:
- 1 *Common Grass-moth Agriphila tristella [was Common Grass-veneer]

Spiders, harvestmen etc.:
- 1 *harvestman from the species pair Dicranopalpus ramosus / D. caudatus

An adult Great Crested Grebe brings a fish to feed one of its brood.

Two of the brood of three are just about visible in front of the drowning(?) Mute Swan.

One of at least three Swifts that were hawking insects blown off the lake and over to the trees alongside Castle Farm Way. My "latest date" for this species in this area, most Swifts having departed in late July / early August.

A Common Grass-moth Agriphila tristella still on one of the West end street lamp poles at 11:00.

Also on one of the poles was this harvestman from the species pair Dicranopalpus ramosus / D. caudatus. These species typically rest with their long legs bunched at right-angles to the body. The long pedipalps are also a feature.

(Ed Wilson)

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The Flash: 10:30 – 11:25

(199th visit of the year)

Bird notes:
- now six Mute Swans.
- yesterday's Tufted Duck gone.
- now six brownhead Goosander.
- two adult, one immature and *all four juvenile Great Crested Grebe seen. Only one of the adults seemed to be feeding the juveniles, the other consorting with the immature.

Bird(s) noted flying over here:
- 1 Jackdaw

Noted on / around the water:
- 6 Canada Geese
- 2 Greylag Geese:
- 6 Mute Swans
- 35 (?♂) *Mallard
- no Tufted Duck
- 6 (0♂) *Goosander
- 8 *Moorhens
- 26 Coot again
- 3 + 4 (1 brood) *Great Crested Grebe
- 23 Black-headed Gulls
- 2 Cormorants
- 2 Grey Herons

Warblers noted:
- 1 Chiffchaff

Noted around the area:
Cloudy and still wet from the earlier rain

Bees, wasps etc.:
- 2 Common Wasps Vespula vulgaris

True Flies:
- 1 $* flesh fly, perhaps Miltogramma punctata aka Spotted Bee-burglar

Are we confused? The four juvenile Great Crested Grebes seem to think they should join the flotilla of brownhead Goosanders. Perhaps they have mistaken the brown heads for their parents with their brownish plumes? [Apologies for the reflection in the water of a lamp post]

Unusual bed-fellows? A trio of Mallard (with one moulting drake), an adult and juvenile Moorhen share space with a Carrion Crow.

This Carrion Crow. Seen well they are far from "all black" with various grey and blue-black feathers.

I found this distinctive fly on one of the street lamp poles. It is certainly one of the flesh fly group and seem a good match to Miltogramma punctata which is sometimes known as a Spotted Bee-burglar because the larvae are found in underground bee nests.

(Ed Wilson)

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2013
Priorslee Lake
Adult winter Mediterranean Gull
(J Reeves)

2011
Priorslee Lake
Common Sandpiper
(Ed Wilson)

2007
Priorslee Lake
Kingfisher
(Ed Wilson)

2006
Priorslee Lake
2 juvenile Ruddy Ducks
(Ed Wilson)