9.0°C > 11.0°C: Initially overcast apart from clear-skies to the far south-east. By 06:30 mist began to roll in from the north-east. Lifted to low cloud only after 09:00. Initially calm; a light southerly breeze developing. Mostly poor visibility.
Sunrise: 07:01 GMT
* = a species photographed today
! = a first sighting of the species this year
$ = a new species for me in this area
Priorslee Balancing Lake: 05:45 – 08:50
(240th visit of the year)
Bird notes:
- the male Pheasant was strutting about the south-west grass: noisily too.
- no Mute Swans seen.
- only two Great Crested Grebes found and both these were adults. No begging calls heard. With the mist it is impossible to be certain these were the only birds present.
- at least 450 Black-headed Gulls were on the water by 06:45. More than 50 were noted leaving at the West. As I was approaching the football field at 07:05 about 150 were estimated to be flying off. With them were four large gulls, one of these identified as an adult Lesser Black-back. There were still 72 on the grass along with another adult Lesser Black-back. I checked the field again at 08:45: just 13.
- the large gulls were early arrivals today. By 06:35 there were at least 400 on the water (pic) with some still arriving and some already leaving. No Herring Gulls were noted at this time.
- later gull arrivals were eight Herring and 28 Lesser Black-backs. None was noted flying over!
- Redwing(s) calls were heard at three separate locations. Nothing seen overhead. Probably birds calling from trees?
- a Reed Bunting was calling along the South side.
Bird(s) noted flying over here:
very little was seen flying over: badly affected by the mist and low cloud
- 3 Wood Pigeons
- 152 Jackdaws
- 68 Rooks
- 3 Pied Wagtails
Counts from the lake area:
- 2 Canada Geese: visited briefly
- 7 (4♂) Mallard again
- 43 (23♂) Tufted Duck
- 5 Moorhens
- 19 Coots only: partial count?
- 2 Great Crested Grebes: see notes
- c.450 Black-headed Gulls
- 8 Herring Gulls
- c.425 *Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 3 Cormorants
- 1 Grey Heron
Birds seen leaving roosts around the lake:
None
Later on the Teece Drive fence:
Later on the Teece Drive fence:
Nothing found
Elsewhere:
Elsewhere:
Fungus:
- *Shaggy Inkcap or Lawyer's Wig Coprinus comatus
- *Weeping Widow Lacrymaria lacrymabunda
On the West end street lamp poles before dawn:
- *Shaggy Inkcap or Lawyer's Wig Coprinus comatus
- *Weeping Widow Lacrymaria lacrymabunda
On the West end street lamp poles before dawn:
Moths:
- 5 November Moth type Epirrita sp.
- 5 November Moth type Epirrita sp.
Four-winged flies
- 1 *Common Green Lacewing Chrysoperia carnea
- 1 *barkfly Ectopsocus briggsi agg.
- 1 *Common Green Lacewing Chrysoperia carnea
- 1 *barkfly Ectopsocus briggsi agg.
True flies:
- 1 small midges
- 2 *winter cranefly Trichocera sp.
- 1 small midges
- 2 *winter cranefly Trichocera sp.
Beetles:
- 3 Cabbage-stem Flea Beetle Psylliodes chrysocephala
- 3 Cabbage-stem Flea Beetle Psylliodes chrysocephala
Planthoppers:
- 1 *planthopper Eupteryx urticae
- 1 *planthopper Eupteryx urticae
Spiders, harvestmen etc.:
- 1 Bridge Orb-web Spider Larinioides sclopetarius [Bridge Orbweaver]
- 1 Bridge Orb-web Spider Larinioides sclopetarius [Bridge Orbweaver]
Seems a strange time of year for these planthoppers Eupteryx urticae to be active. My third in as many days.
(Ed Wilson)
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In the Priorslee Avenue tunnel:
A very poor showing but at least there was a moth!
Moths:
- 1 *Rusty-dot Pearl Udea ferrugalis
- 1 *Rusty-dot Pearl Udea ferrugalis
True flies:
none!
none!
Spiders, harvestmen etc.:
- 1! Missing Sector Orb-web Spider Zygiella x-notata [Silver-sided Sector Spider]
- 1! Missing Sector Orb-web Spider Zygiella x-notata [Silver-sided Sector Spider]
My seventh Rusty-dot Pearl moth Udea ferrugalis in the tunnel this year. I did not record any in 2024 or 2025.
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The Flash: 08:55 – 10:00
(238th visit of the year)
Visibility under the low cloud was acceptable but not great.
Bird notes:
very quiet with most species in lower than usual numbers.
- a single adult Mute Swan again.
- yesterday's trio of (Common) Teal not found.
- Coot numbers seem to be dwindling further. Last Winter gave very low counts. So far this Winter period is worse. I know that there is an outbreak of avian botulism affecting many waterbirds. I have seen none here exhibiting the classic symptoms of sick birds – being unable to hold their neck up.
- I only confirmed three of the erstwhile four juvenile Great Crested Grebe.
- a single Grey Heron only.
Bird(s) noted flying over here:
None
Noted on / around the water:
- 4 Canada Geese
- 1 Mute Swan
- 28 (20♂) Mallard
- no (Common) Teal
- 25 (15?♂) *Tufted Duck
- 7 Moorhens again
- 13 Coot only
- 2 + 3 (1 brood) Great Crested Grebe: see notes
- 22 *Black-headed Gulls
- 1 *Herring Gull: third-winter
- 3 *Cormorants
- 1 Grey Heron
Noted around the area:
Noted on / around the water:
- 4 Canada Geese
- 1 Mute Swan
- 28 (20♂) Mallard
- no (Common) Teal
- 25 (15?♂) *Tufted Duck
- 7 Moorhens again
- 13 Coot only
- 2 + 3 (1 brood) Great Crested Grebe: see notes
- 22 *Black-headed Gulls
- 1 *Herring Gull: third-winter
- 3 *Cormorants
- 1 Grey Heron
Noted around the area:
Dull and mild. Only wasps at the Ivy despite a prolonged search. Not even a fly!
Bees, wasps etc.:
- >30 wasp Vespula sp.
- >30 wasp Vespula sp.
Spiders, harvestmen etc.:
- 1 harvestman Opilio canestrinii: as yesterday
Of note:
- 1 harvestman Opilio canestrinii: as yesterday
Of note:
Nothing else
(Ed Wilson)
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2013
Priorslee Lake
7 Gadwall
1 Teal
1 Raven
(John Isherwood)
The Flash
Location
1 Pochard
1 Teal
(John Isherwood)
2012
Priorslee Lake
1 Yellow legged Gull
2 Gadwall
1 Shoveler
1 Wigeon
Chiffchaff
10+ Fieldfare
Siskin
Willow Tit
(John Isherwood)
The Flash
Location
3 Pochard
Sparrowhawk
(John Isherwood)
2010
Priorslee Lake
34 Pochard a high count
500+ Lesser Black-backed Gulls
432 Jackdaws
228 Rooks
171 Fieldfare
5 Redwings
2 Siskins
4 Linnets
(Ed Wilson)
2006
Priorslee Lake
115 Canada Geese
9 Pochard
52 Tufted Ducks
1 Kestrel
c.200 Golden Plover
23 Pied Wagtails
17 Robins
18 Blackbirds
12 Song Thrushes
70 Redwing
1 Mistle Thrush
9 Fieldfare
1 Chiffchaff
1 Blackcap
1 Willow Tit
195 Jackdaws
206 Rooks
31 Greenfinches
4 Redpoll
10 Reed Buntings
(Martin Adlam)
2005
Priorslee Lake
Buzzard feeding on earthworms, mobbed by Black-headed Gulls
1 Raven
7 Pied Wagtails
3 Grey Wagtail
11 Meadow Pipits
Kingfisher
1700+ Wood Pigeon
192 Redwing
111 Fieldfare
(Martin Adlam)