9.0°C > 12.0°C: Sunny intervals. Moderate westerly wind. Very good visibility.
[Sunrise: 07:23 BST]
Another "bad weather circuit" due to slightly adverse reactions to yesterday's flu and Covid jabs.
* = a species photographed today.
! = a first sighting of the species this year
$ = a new species for me in this area
Priorslee Balancing Lake: 10:45 – 12:00
(229th visit of the year)
A complete circuit with very little reward. As quiet as I can recall.
Bird notes:
- a pair of Mute Swans new in.- a Chiffchaff calling
- the first Siskin of the season heard overhead.
Bird(s) noted flying over here:
- 1 Lesser Black-backed Gull
- 1 Wood Pigeon
- 1 Siskin
Counts from the lake area:
- 2 *Mute Swans
- 11 (6♂) Mallard
- 3 (1♂) Tufted Duck
- 6 Moorhens
- 29 Coot
- 7 Great Crested Grebes
- 16 Black-headed Gulls: of these 15 flew in
- 1 Lesser Black-backed Gull, briefly
- 2 Cormorants
- no Grey Heron
Of note:
Nothing else - the wasps' nest alongside the West end path appeared inactive.
Not only that but I was able to read the BTO metal ring as well - 'XY4641'. Details to follow when I hear from Martin Grant who knows about such things.
(Ed Wilson)
The Flash: 09:25 – 10:35
(224th visit of the year)
Bird notes:
- bumper number of *Greylag Geese with possibly more inside the island.
- now *two all-white feral geese with them.
- the six Mute Swans remain.
- a small arrival of Tufted Duck.
- at least two drake Goosander and at least 72 brownheads. Possibly another drake and as many as 77 brownheads.
- *two Little Grebes were seen lurking under overhanging vegetation at the North end of the island. When I was apart to depart I noted three together at the bottom end despite the close proximity of a fisherman. Could there really be five?
- two full adults Great Crested Grebes were with three juveniles.
- six Grey Herons noted.
- one Great (White) Egret seen departing to the North.
- four Little Egrets noted with only two on the island, the others fishing along the East side.
- a Chiffchaff was heard calling again.
Bird(s) noted flying over here:
- 3 Jackdaws: singles
Noted on / around the water:
- 6 Canada Geese
- 59 *Greylag Geese: see notes
- 2 *all-white feral geese
- 6 Mute Swans
- 29 (18♂) Mallard
- 6 (2♂?) Tufted Duck
- 74+ (2♂) *Goosander: see notes
- 3 Moorhens again
- 18 Coot
- 3 (5?) *Little Grebe: see notes
- 2 + 3 (1 brood) Great Crested Grebe
- 27 Black-headed Gulls
- 6 Cormorants
- 6 Grey Herons
- 1 Great (White) Egret: departed
- 4 *Little Egrets
Warblers noted:
- 1 Chiffchaff calling
Noted around the area:
A brownhead Goosander takes off. Some field guides suggest that immature drakes - that have a brownhead - have the white panel in the wing extending the full width though not necessarily as pale all way across. That means this is a duck. With some pale between the base of her bill and they eye it would indicate an immature.
A naff photo of a moth from the Epirrita group, comprising Autumnal, November and Pale November Moths. This group requires genitalia examination to ascribe to species. Some books suggest flight-period may be a guide. I investigated the West Midlands Moths web site and their "flying tonight" tab [this tabulates records over the years for seven days each side of today]. The result was 1044 records not ascribed to species-level, 252 November Moths, 25 Autumnal Moths; and 13 Pale November Moths. Make what you will of that! Whatever species it is it is #52 for me here this year.
A slim hoverfly with split yellow "bands" that wrap around the side of the abdomen. Thus it is what Steven Falk calls Lunuled Broadtail Eupeodes luniger and Obsidentify names Lunuled Aphideater.
Syrphus sp. are altogether more robust with the yellow bands not divided. On this individual the hind leg shows as mostly yellow so this is a Humming Syrphus Syrphus ribesii or, as Obsidentify calls it, Common Flower Fly.
Not too much exciting bird-wise so a not very exciting plane of the day. This is a 47 year-old Cessna A152 Aerobat which is a recent addition to the fleet of Tatenhill Aviation that unsurprisingly flies out of Tatenhill Airfield near Burton-on-Trent. The Aerobat model of the basic Cessna 152 is designed for aerobatic training and strengthened to withstand +6g and -3g forces. I am unaware of any flying clubs that use this capability.
And another! This Piper PA-28-181 Archer II is only 46 years old. It is currently owned by a group of individuals from the Sunderland area. It was on a day trip from Fishburn Airfield near Sedgefield in County Durham to Wolverhampton's Halfpenny Green Airfield at Bobbington [excellent cafe!]. Flying time: about 90 minutes.
(Ed Wilson)
2013
Priorslee Lake
2 Wigeon
2 Kingfisher
5 Redwing (Celestica Site)
(John Isherwood)
2006
Priorslee Lake
51 Golden Plover
2 Siskins
8 Reed Buntings
(Ed Wilson)
2005
Priorslee Lake
45 Golden Plover
42 Lapwings
2 Wigeon
7 Pochard
6 Song Thrush
6 Redwings
3 Chiffchaffs
Kingfisher
(Ed Wilson)
Two Mute Swans here today. One was happy to show me its blue Darvic ring '7JXV'.
From the wooded area across Castle Farm Way a Common Buzzard checks on the traffic.
(Ed Wilson)
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Flash: 09:25 – 10:35
(224th visit of the year)
Bird notes:
- bumper number of *Greylag Geese with possibly more inside the island.
- now *two all-white feral geese with them.
- the six Mute Swans remain.
- a small arrival of Tufted Duck.
- at least two drake Goosander and at least 72 brownheads. Possibly another drake and as many as 77 brownheads.
- *two Little Grebes were seen lurking under overhanging vegetation at the North end of the island. When I was apart to depart I noted three together at the bottom end despite the close proximity of a fisherman. Could there really be five?
- two full adults Great Crested Grebes were with three juveniles.
- six Grey Herons noted.
- one Great (White) Egret seen departing to the North.
- four Little Egrets noted with only two on the island, the others fishing along the East side.
- a Chiffchaff was heard calling again.
Bird(s) noted flying over here:
- 3 Jackdaws: singles
Noted on / around the water:
- 6 Canada Geese
- 59 *Greylag Geese: see notes
- 2 *all-white feral geese
- 6 Mute Swans
- 29 (18♂) Mallard
- 6 (2♂?) Tufted Duck
- 74+ (2♂) *Goosander: see notes
- 3 Moorhens again
- 18 Coot
- 3 (5?) *Little Grebe: see notes
- 2 + 3 (1 brood) Great Crested Grebe
- 27 Black-headed Gulls
- 6 Cormorants
- 6 Grey Herons
- 1 Great (White) Egret: departed
- 4 *Little Egrets
Warblers noted:
- 1 Chiffchaff calling
Noted around the area:
Moths:
- 1 *! Epirrita sp. [from Autumnal, November, Pale November Moths]
- 1 *! Epirrita sp. [from Autumnal, November, Pale November Moths]
Bees, wasps etc.:
- >20 Common Wasp Vespula vulgaris
- >20 Common Wasp Vespula vulgaris
Hoverflies:
- 4 *Marmalade Hoverfly Episyrphus balteatus
- 1 Tapered Dronefly Eristalis pertinax [Tapered Drone Fly]
- 2 *Common Dronefly Eristalis tenax [Common Drone Fly]
- 1 *Lunuled Broadtail Eupeodes luniger [Common Spotted Field Syrph; Lunuled Aphideater]
- 1 *Humming Syrphus Syrphus ribesii [Common Flower Fly]
There were two all-white feral geese among the eleven Greylag Geese at the edge of the island. On the far left is one of the four Little Egrets. A Magpie has got in on the action as well.
- 4 *Marmalade Hoverfly Episyrphus balteatus
- 1 Tapered Dronefly Eristalis pertinax [Tapered Drone Fly]
- 2 *Common Dronefly Eristalis tenax [Common Drone Fly]
- 1 *Lunuled Broadtail Eupeodes luniger [Common Spotted Field Syrph; Lunuled Aphideater]
- 1 *Humming Syrphus Syrphus ribesii [Common Flower Fly]
Two Little Grebes lurking beneath overhanging vegetation at the North end of the island.
And, later, a trio of Little Grebes at the bottom end.
One of four Marmalade Hoverflies Episyrphus balteatus I logged today.
A Common Dronefly Eristalis tenax.
(Ed Wilson)
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2013
Priorslee Lake
2 Wigeon
2 Kingfisher
5 Redwing (Celestica Site)
(John Isherwood)
2006
Priorslee Lake
51 Golden Plover
2 Siskins
8 Reed Buntings
(Ed Wilson)
2005
Priorslee Lake
45 Golden Plover
42 Lapwings
2 Wigeon
7 Pochard
6 Song Thrush
6 Redwings
3 Chiffchaffs
Kingfisher
(Ed Wilson)