11.0°C: Clear apart from overnight cloud still clearing away to the East. Fresh, gusting strong, south-westerly wind. Very good visibility.
Sunrise: 06:57 GMT
* = a species photographed today
! = a first sighting of the species this year
$ = a new species for me in this area
Priorslee Balancing Lake: 05:25 – 08:40
(238th visit of the year)
Best today was a Water Rail heard calling at the West end at 06:20. My first of this season.
Bird notes:
- the male Pheasant was on the south-west grass again.
- some Mute Swan confusion. A party of five adults arrived from the North at 07:05. Some minutes later two more "appeared" and chased the visitors in to the north-east corner. The chasing pair(?) then paused alongside the nest site used earlier this year and peace broke-out. One of this pair was the previously seen blue '7JXV'. Of the five visitors two were confirmed as unringed and one appeared to have a metal BTO ring only. Later the two groups were moving freely, but always separately, around the water.
- 47 Tufted Duck counted.
- I saw no more than c.50 Black-headed Gulls, the first at 06:35.
- the first Lesser Black-backed Gulls started arriving at 06:20. Unusually birds were arriving from the West, the East and the North concurrently. About 200 were involved.
- later I noted 12 Herring Gulls and 48 Lesser Black-backs visiting with a smaller number passing over.
- there was no passage of Wood Pigeons today.
- a big number of Jackdaws and Rooks flying South on roost dispersal again.
- just 22 Starlings left the West end reeds and sedges at 06:45. No others seen.
- four Redwings were seen together overhead.
- at least six Siskins were noted flying over.
- a Reed Bunting was calling along the South side c.07:30.
Bird(s) noted flying over here:
- 2 Canada Goose: flew West together (at 05:55!)
- 1 Herring Gull
- 29 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 1 Cormorant
- 1 Stock Dove
- 55 Wood Pigeons
- 597 Jackdaws
- 196 Rooks
- 4 Redwings
- 1 Pied Wagtail
- 6 Siskins
Counts from the lake area:
- 2 Canada Geese: arrived
- 7 *Mute Swans: see notes
- 12 (8♂) Mallard only
- 48 (?♂) Tufted Duck
- 6 Moorhens
- 29 Coots
- 5 Great Crested Grebes again
- c.50 Black-headed Gulls
- 12 Herring Gulls
- c.250 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 3 Cormorants: arrived separately
- 1 Grey Heron
Birds seen leaving roosts around the lake:
- 22 Starlings
Noted later on the Teece Drive fence:
Slugs, snails etc.:
- 1 *Girdled Snail Hygromia cinctella
- 1 *Girdled Snail Hygromia cinctella
Spiders, harvestmen etc.:
- 1 *Garden Spider Araneus diadematus [Garden Cross Spider]
- 1 *harvestman from the species pair Dicranopalpus ramosus / D. caudatus
On the West end street lamp poles before dawn:
Almost all the records came from a single pole.
- 1 *Garden Spider Araneus diadematus [Garden Cross Spider]
- 1 *harvestman from the species pair Dicranopalpus ramosus / D. caudatus
On the West end street lamp poles before dawn:
Almost all the records came from a single pole.
True flies:
- 1 *caddisfly Chaetopteryx villosa
- 1 cranefly Tipula sp.
- 2 species of unidentified flies
- 1 *caddisfly Chaetopteryx villosa
- 1 cranefly Tipula sp.
- 2 species of unidentified flies
Planthoppers:
- 1 planthopper Eupteryx urticae
- 1 planthopper Eupteryx urticae
Springtails:
- 1 globular springtail sp., probably Dicyrtomina saundersi
- 5+ other smaller globular springtails
- 1 springtail Orchesella cincta
- 1 globular springtail sp., probably Dicyrtomina saundersi
- 5+ other smaller globular springtails
- 1 springtail Orchesella cincta
Beetles:
- 1 *possible Round fungus beetle Leiodes calcarata
- 3 *Cabbage-stem Flea Beetle Psylliodes chrysocephala
- 1 *possible Round fungus beetle Leiodes calcarata
- 3 *Cabbage-stem Flea Beetle Psylliodes chrysocephala
Spiders, harvestmen etc.:
- 2 *Nursery Web Spider Pisaura mirabilis
- 1 *harvestman Paroligolophus agrestis
- 2 *Nursery Web Spider Pisaura mirabilis
- 1 *harvestman Paroligolophus agrestis
The five Mute Swans that arrived together.
These are the other two. The right hand bird is ringed and...
...to some extent because I know what it might be I can read '7JXV'.
The caddisfly Chaetopteryx villosa. An unusually bright-coloured species.
A Girdled Snail Hygromia cinctella on the Teece Drive fence.
Spiders, harvestmen etc.:
One of two Nursery Web Spiders Pisaura mirabilis.
The other one. This species often holds the two front pairs of legs together, as here.
A harvestman Paroligolophus agrestis
(Ed Wilson)
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In the Priorslee Avenue tunnel:
Moths:
none
none
True flies:
- no midges
- 1 moth fly Psychodidae sp. [Drain Fly or Owl Fly]
- no midges
- 1 moth fly Psychodidae sp. [Drain Fly or Owl Fly]
Arthropods:
- 2 White-legged Snake Millipede Tachypodoiulus niger
- 4 Common Rough Woodlouse Porcellio scaber
- 2 White-legged Snake Millipede Tachypodoiulus niger
- 4 Common Rough Woodlouse Porcellio scaber
Spiders, harvestmen etc.:
- 11 Missing Sector Orb-web Spiders Zygiella x-notata [Silver-sided Sector Spider]
seems they had eaten all the midges!
- 11 Missing Sector Orb-web Spiders Zygiella x-notata [Silver-sided Sector Spider]
seems they had eaten all the midges!
(Ed Wilson)
The Flash: 08:45 – 09:50
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The Flash: 08:45 – 09:50
(236th visit of the year)
Bird notes:
- only four adult Mute Swans.
- fewer Tufted Duck: perhaps some the additional birds at the Balancing Lake today.
- just one brownhead Goosander confirmed. Presumably the same one seen at various locations.
- no Little Grebe found
- six Great Crested Grebe seen. The low sun made ageing them all impossible: I assume the two adults and four juveniles.
- two Grey Herons today.
- no egrets.
- my first Siskin of the Autumn for this site was heard calling.
Bird(s) noted flying over here:
- 1 Lesser Black-backed Gull
Noted on / around the water:
- 36 Canada Geese: of these 28 arrived in two groups
- 1 Greylag Goose
- 4 *Mute Swans
- 29 (20♂) Mallard
- 43 (20?♂) Tufted Duck
- 1 (0♂) Goosander
- 1 Moorhens only
- 18 Coot only
- 2 + 4 (1 brood) *Great Crested Grebe: see notes
- 35 Black-headed Gulls
- 1 Lesser Black-backed Gull: adult visited briefly
- 4 Cormorants
- 2 Grey Herons
Noted around the area:
A very high level of activity around the Ivy bank. I had to get away otherwise I am sure I could have found other things many of which would normally be unusual in late October.
Bird notes:
- only four adult Mute Swans.
- fewer Tufted Duck: perhaps some the additional birds at the Balancing Lake today.
- just one brownhead Goosander confirmed. Presumably the same one seen at various locations.
- no Little Grebe found
- six Great Crested Grebe seen. The low sun made ageing them all impossible: I assume the two adults and four juveniles.
- two Grey Herons today.
- no egrets.
- my first Siskin of the Autumn for this site was heard calling.
Bird(s) noted flying over here:
- 1 Lesser Black-backed Gull
Noted on / around the water:
- 36 Canada Geese: of these 28 arrived in two groups
- 1 Greylag Goose
- 4 *Mute Swans
- 29 (20♂) Mallard
- 43 (20?♂) Tufted Duck
- 1 (0♂) Goosander
- 1 Moorhens only
- 18 Coot only
- 2 + 4 (1 brood) *Great Crested Grebe: see notes
- 35 Black-headed Gulls
- 1 Lesser Black-backed Gull: adult visited briefly
- 4 Cormorants
- 2 Grey Herons
Noted around the area:
A very high level of activity around the Ivy bank. I had to get away otherwise I am sure I could have found other things many of which would normally be unusual in late October.
Butterflies:
- 1 *Red Admiral Vanessa atalanta
- 1 *Red Admiral Vanessa atalanta
Moths:
- 1 *November Moth type Epirrita sp.
- 1 *November Moth type Epirrita sp.
Bees, wasps etc.:
- 1 *Common Carder Bee Bombus pascuorum
- >5 *Common Wasp Vespula vulgaris
- c.100 wasp Vespula sp.
- 1 European Hornet Vespa crabro: my first at this site flew through
- 1 *Common Carder Bee Bombus pascuorum
- >5 *Common Wasp Vespula vulgaris
- c.100 wasp Vespula sp.
- 1 European Hornet Vespa crabro: my first at this site flew through
Hoverflies:
- 1 *Marmalade Hoverfly Episyrphus balteatus
- 2 *Tapered Dronefly Eristalis pertinax [Tapered Drone Fly]
- 3 *Common Dronefly Eristalis tenax [Common Drone Fly]
- 1 *Migrant Field Syrph Eupeodes corollae [Migrant Hoverfly; Migrant Aphideater]
- 1 *Humming Syrphus Syrphus ribesii [Common Flower Fly]
- 1 *Glass-winged Syrphus Syrphus vitripennis [Black-thighed Flower Fly]
- >2 unidentified Syrphus sp.
- 1 *Marmalade Hoverfly Episyrphus balteatus
- 2 *Tapered Dronefly Eristalis pertinax [Tapered Drone Fly]
- 3 *Common Dronefly Eristalis tenax [Common Drone Fly]
- 1 *Migrant Field Syrph Eupeodes corollae [Migrant Hoverfly; Migrant Aphideater]
- 1 *Humming Syrphus Syrphus ribesii [Common Flower Fly]
- 1 *Glass-winged Syrphus Syrphus vitripennis [Black-thighed Flower Fly]
- >2 unidentified Syrphus sp.
True flies:
- 1 *Tachinid fly Tachina fera
very many other flies of at least six species I did not have time (or inclination!) to ID
- 1 *Tachinid fly Tachina fera
very many other flies of at least six species I did not have time (or inclination!) to ID
Beetles:
- 2 7 Spot Ladybird Coccinella 7-punctata
- 2 7 Spot Ladybird Coccinella 7-punctata
Fungus:
- *unidentified fungus.
Another Mute Swan for which Martin Grant can possibly provide some information. Perhaps I am misreading it: it looks like '7VAN' or '7YAN'. Both these identifies seem well out of range from any previously seen in the area.
- *unidentified fungus.
One of the pesky November Moth types Epirrita sp., never easy to spot when high up on a street lamp pole.
It strikes me as a very late date to see a Common Carder Bee Bombus pascuorum out and about.
A Common Wasp Vespula vulgaris at ease!
A Marmalade Hoverfly Episyrphus balteatus
A two-fer. A male Tapered Dronefly Eristalis pertinax. Not sure about the wasp: leave it as Vespula sp.
Another two-fer. Another male Tapered Dronefly and with it for sure a Common Wasp Vespula vulgaris.
A female Common Dronefly Eristalis tenax.
A female Humming Syrphus Syrphus ribesii showing the hind legs is all yellow.
It then took off showing the leg even more clearly (though on this view alone it is not possible to sex it).
How could I resist my favourite fly! The Tachinid fly Tachina fera.
Unidentified fungus. Obsidentify said Roman Snail Helix pomatia!
(Ed Wilson)
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Priorslee Lake
1 Adult Great Black-backed Gull
1000+ large gulls
(John Isherwood)
2010
Priorslee Lake
Great Black-backed Gull
11 Golden Plover
2 Kingfishers
16 Reed Buntings
5 Skylarks
8 Meadow Pipits
71 Redwings
457 Fieldfare
31 Siskins
1 Linnet
4 Redpolls
(Ed Wilson)
2005
Priorslee Lake
40 Tufted Duck
16 Pochard
2 Ruddy Duck
Common Buzzard
Sparrowhawk
c.2500 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
1 Kingfisher
2 Goldcrest
42 Fieldfare
Willow Tit
14 Long-tailed Tits
(Martin Adlam)