5.0°C > 13.0°C: Clear skies. Light north-westerly wind. Very good visibility.
Sunrise: 07:38 BST
* = a species photographed today
! = a first sighting of the species this year
$ = a new species for me in this area
Priorslee Balancing Lake: 06:10 – 09:15
(232nd visit of the year)
Bird notes:
- seven Canada Geese departed at 06:55. Later 32 arrived.
- no Mute Swans "appeared" today.
- now 18 Tufted Duck [an increase at The Flash also].
- two Goosander flew West 07:30: sexes not determined.
- a Little Grebe was heard calling.
- c.250 Black-headed Gulls by 07:15. Many of these departed to the East, unusually.
- >450 Lesser Black-backed Gulls by 07:20 with at least five Herring Gulls with them.
- later I logged seven Herring and 46 Lesser Black-backed Gulls arriving (back?) from the East.
- a small number of gulls were noted over-flying.
- a good passage of Wood Pigeons between 07:30 and 07:50 with a break before a few more groups after 08:10. At least 1015 birds in 17 flocks. Again. I likely missed some flocks against the clear sky.
- a large number of Jackdaws and Rooks flying South on roost dispersal. I am confident about the overall number but one large mixed flock made it difficult all birds were ascribed to the correct species.
- no Redwings seen or heard.
Bird(s) noted flying over here:
- 2 Canada Geese: a duo West
- 23 *Greylag Geese: a duo flew East; a single and 20 flew West, some of these with...
- 1 *all-white feral goose
- 2 Goosanders
- 21 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 1 Stock Dove
- 1045 Wood Pigeons: of these 1015 flew South in 17 migrant groups
- 2 Sklarks
- 509 Jackdaws
- 281 Rooks
- 2 Siskins yet again
Counts from the lake area:
- 39 Canada Geese: seven departed; 32 arrived together
- 14 (10♂) Mallard
- 18 (>4♂) Tufted Duck
- 4 Moorhens
- 26 Coots
- 1 Little Grebe: heard only
- 6 Great Crested Grebes
- >250 Black-headed Gulls
- >12 Herring Gulls
- c.500 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 2 *Cormorants: arrived and departed separately
- 1 Grey Heron
Warblers noted:
None
Also noted:
Also noted:
Bees, wasps etc.:
- 1 Common Wasp Vespula vulgaris
On the West end street lamp poles before dawn:
The poles were still wet after the overnight rain.
- 1 Common Wasp Vespula vulgaris
On the West end street lamp poles before dawn:
The poles were still wet after the overnight rain.
Moths:
- 3 *November Moth type Epirrita sp. [all on different posts to those seen yesterday]
- 3 *November Moth type Epirrita sp. [all on different posts to those seen yesterday]
True flies:
- 1 winter cranefly Trichocera sp.
- 1 winter cranefly Trichocera sp.
Spiders, harvestmen etc.:
- 1 Bridge Orb-web Spider Larinioides sclopetarius [Bridge Orbweaver]
- 1 harvestman Paroligolophus agrestis
- 1 Bridge Orb-web Spider Larinioides sclopetarius [Bridge Orbweaver]
- 1 harvestman Paroligolophus agrestis
Today's unspectacular sunrise. Part of the gull arrival visible on the water.
One of two visiting Cormorants. This one an immature.
As always it is the tail that touches the water before the feet.
One of the three November Moth types Epirrita sp.
Plane of the day: it is a Cessna 310, a type easily recognised by the wing-tip fuel tanks to give extra range. Not easy to see the registration N850KF. It was on a day-trip from Full Sutton Airfield just East of York to Perranporth in Cornwall which took almost exactly two hours. The registered owner is an American trustee company. The US aircraft database does not give a date of manufacture but this particular model was in production from 1972 to 1974.
(Ed Wilson)
In the Priorslee Avenue tunnel:
(Ed Wilson)
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In the Priorslee Avenue tunnel:
Moths:
- 1 *Red-line Quaker Agrochola lota
True flies:
- 7 midges of several species
- 2 *cranefly Limonia nubeculosa
- 5 moth fly Psychodidae sp. [Drain Fly or Owl Fly]
- 1 cranefly Tipula lateralis
- 7 midges of several species
- 2 *cranefly Limonia nubeculosa
- 5 moth fly Psychodidae sp. [Drain Fly or Owl Fly]
- 1 cranefly Tipula lateralis
Arthropods:
- 2 Common Rough Woodlouse Porcellio scaber
- 1 White-legged Snake Millipede Tachypodoiulus niger
- 2 Common Rough Woodlouse Porcellio scaber
- 1 White-legged Snake Millipede Tachypodoiulus niger
Spiders, harvestmen etc.:
- 3 Missing Sector Orb-web Spiders Zygiella x-notata [Silver-sided Sector Spider]
- 3 Missing Sector Orb-web Spiders Zygiella x-notata [Silver-sided Sector Spider]
The cranefly Limonia nubeculosa. Like all members of the family they rest with wings folded over their back. Only this species with strongly-patterned wings is readily identifiable.
(Ed Wilson)
The Flash: 09:20 – 10:35
(Ed Wilson)
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The Flash: 09:20 – 10:35
(231st visit of the year)
Bird notes:
- 16 of the Canada Geese flew in, most unusually, from the West.
- not all sure how many Greylag Geese were here. There were 21 when I arrived. Much later when I was in squirrel alley and my view was obscured two large groups that I estimated at c.40 and c.65 arrived from the south-east making much noise as they circled, I assumed checking the wind before splashing down. The noise went on too long and then at least 40 were seen to be leaving to the East. When I could see the water again there seemed to be very few additions.
- eight adult Mute Swans and a first-winter cygnet remain.
- 22 Tufted Duck counted: at least seven drakes.
- a further decrease in the number of Goosander present and some of these flew off. I assume they have made inroads in to the fish fry here and are moving on.
- one full adult Great Crested Grebe was seen feeding two juveniles. No others seen.
- I noted four Grey Herons today.
- there seemed to be just one Little Egret.
- the Great (White) Egret still present.
Bird(s) noted flying over here:
- 1 Herring Gull
- 3 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 47 Jackdaws, including a group of 32
- 1 Skylark again
Noted on / around the water:
- 26 Canada Geese
- >125? Greylag Geese: but see notes
- 1 all/mainly white feral geese
- 9 Mute Swans
- 42 (25♂) Mallard
- 22 (>7♂) Tufted Duck
- 13 (0♂) Goosander: at least five of these departed
- 3 Moorhens again
- 23 Coot
- 1 + 2 (1 brood) Great Crested Grebe: see notes
- 31 Black-headed Gulls
- 1 Herring Gull: (near?) adult, briefly
- 9 Cormorants: see notes
- 4 *Grey Herons
- 1 *Great (White) Egret
- 1 *Little Egret
Warblers noted:
None
Noted around the area:
Sunny but cool.
Noted around the area:
Sunny but cool.
Butterflies and moths:
none
none
Bees, wasps etc.:
- no Honey Bee Apis mellifera
- 4 Common Wasp Vespula vulgaris
- >45 wasp Vespula sp. [after Wednesday's German Wasp I better be careful! Most not specifically ID'd]
- no Honey Bee Apis mellifera
- 4 Common Wasp Vespula vulgaris
- >45 wasp Vespula sp. [after Wednesday's German Wasp I better be careful! Most not specifically ID'd]
Hoverflies:
- 1 *Stripe-faced Dronefly Eristalis nemorum [Stripe-faced Drone Fly]
- 1 *Tapered Dronefly Eristalis pertinax
- 2 Common Dronefly Eristalis tenax [Common Drone Fly]
- 1 *Dead-head Hoverfly Myathropa florea [Common Batman Fly]
- 1 *Stripe-faced Dronefly Eristalis nemorum [Stripe-faced Drone Fly]
- 1 *Tapered Dronefly Eristalis pertinax
- 2 Common Dronefly Eristalis tenax [Common Drone Fly]
- 1 *Dead-head Hoverfly Myathropa florea [Common Batman Fly]
Other true flies:
- 1 greenbottle sp.
Several other species of fly not identified
I wish I had paid more attention to this duck. It was a long way away. It looked "odd" so I took its photo. When I reviewed the photo I dismissed it as an odd-looking Tufted Duck - which is what the body looks like. But looking at the edited photo on the computer then... why does it have a pale tip to the bill? why does it appear to have an orange neck-band? why is the head brown and why does it have two pale streaks from the throat? Obsidentify suggested Smew but it isn't. I have no idea.
- 1 greenbottle sp.
Several other species of fly not identified
There was much sparring between three of the four Grey Herons. One being chased away.
"I'm coming to get you".
One making for the safety(?) of the trees.
As the other two battle it out.
The Great (White) Egret deciding whether its photo would be better this way...
...or that.
I look better in flight.
I could only find one Little Egret today. At least it came close for a change.
A Dead-head Hoverfly Myathropa florea [Common Batman Fly]
(Ed Wilson)
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2012
Priorslee Lake
1 Shoveler
3 Wigeon
12 Pochard
1 Little Grebe
(John Isherwood)
2008
Priorslee Lake
182 Wood Pigeons
10 Skylarks
(Ed Wilson)
2006
Priorslee Lake
16 Pochard
84 Tufted Ducks
1 Ruddy Duck
1 Kingfisher
21 Wrens
11 Dunnocks
38 Robins
22 Blackbirds
9 Song Thrushes
139 Redwings
30 Starlings
3 Redpolls
(Ed Wilson)