12 Jul 22

Priorslee Lake and The Flash

19.0°C > 22.0°C: Mainly overcast at medium / high level. Spots of rain as I was arriving and again as I departed. Very light SSW winds. Humid. Very good visibility.

Sunrise: 05:00 BST

* = a photo from today

Priorslee Lake: 04:40 – 05:45 // 06:40 – 08:50

(159th visit of the year)

Bird notes:
- The cob Mute Swan left the geese that arrived alone unless they got too close.
- I was either wrong yesterday to think the Great Crested Grebe's nest platform was no more: or they have quickly rebuilt it.
- Strangely my first juvenile Black-headed Gull of the year flew over. All the others I saw were adults that visited the lake.

Birds noted flying over here:
- 76 Wood Pigeons
- 1 Collared Dove
- 1 Black-headed Gull: juvenile
- 2 Herring Gulls again
- 2 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 1 Sparrowhawk
- 41 Jackdaws
- 7 Rooks

Hirundines etc. noted:
- 4 Swifts: all singles at very different times
- 4 Barn Swallows: together – family party?
- >3 House Martins: bird(s) heard high overhead at 04:50 but not located; three, briefly, at 06:50

Warblers noted (figures in brackets relate to singing birds):
- 7 (6) Chiffchaffs
- 1 (0) Sedge Warbler
- 7 (4) Reed Warblers
- 6 (4) Blackcaps

Counts from the lake area:
- 3 Canada Geese: flew in together
- 1 Greylag Goose: also flew in
- 2 + 4 (1 brood) Mute Swans
- 17 (?♂) Mallard
- 3 Moorhens
- 51 adult and juvenile Coots
- 7 Great Crested Grebes again
- 1 Common Sandpiper
- 8 Black-headed Gulls: all adults again
- 8 Lesser Black-backed Gull: seven adults and one immature, all briefly
- 1 Kingfisher yet again

Noted on / around the street lamp poles pre-dawn:

Moths:
- *1 Orange Crest (Helcystogramma rufescens)
- *1 Blue-bordered Carpet (Plemyria rubiginata)
- *10 Round-winged Muslin (Thumatha senex)

and:
- 1 Bridge Orb-web Spider (Larinioides sclopetarius)

Noted later:

Another shorter than usual visit

New for this year:

Butterflies:
- *possible Essex Skipper (Thymelicus lineola)

Flies:
- *Tephritid fly, almost certainly Urophora jaceana

Amphibians:
- *Common Toad (Bufo bufo)

Plants:
- *Imperforate St John's-wort (Hypericum maculatum)
- *Wild Radish (Raphanus raphanistrum)

Repeat sightings:

Butterflies:
- Ringlet (Aphantopus hyperantus)
- Small Tortoiseshell (Aglais urticae)

Moths:
- Common Marble (Celypha lacunana)
- Garden Grass-veneer (Chrysoteuchia culmella): at least 50 grass moths; all those checked were this species
- *Shaded Broad-bar (Scotopteryx chenopodiata): at least 12

Bees, wasps etc.:
- Honey Bee (Apis mellifera)
- Common Carder Bee (Bombus pascuorum)

Hoverflies:
- *Marmalade Hoverfly (Episyrphus balteatus)
- Chequered Hoverfly (Melanostoma scalare)

Dragon/Damselflies
- Common Blue Damselfly (Enallagma cyathigerum)
- Blue-tailed Damselfly (Ischnura elegans)

Other flies:
- greenbottle Lucilia sp.
- Black Snipefly (Chrysopilus cristatus)

Beetles:
- Rough-haired Lagria Beetle (Lagria hirta)
- Common Red Soldier Beetle (Rhagonycha fulva)
- *the usual unidentified pollen beetles

Bugs:
- 7 Spot Ladybird (Coccinella 7-punctata)

Flowers:
- *Scentless Mayweed (Matricaria perforata)

Snails / Slugs etc.
- White-lipped Snail (Cepaea hortensis)

This is frustrating. It may be an Essex Skipper (Thymelicus lineola). This species is separated from the very similar Small Skipper (T. sylvestris) by having all-black tips to the antennae. It certainly looks good in this photo which was the only chance I had before the butterfly disappeared it to the far distance. I would have liked to have seen it 'head-on' to be sure of its identity.

Not a stunning photo of a micro moth at the top of the tallest lamp pole near the Teece Drive gate. It is my first Orange Crest (Helcystogramma rufescens) of 2022. You can at least see how it got that name.

A rather puzzling grass moth and the only one I saw today that was not obviously a Garden Grass-veneer (Chrysoteuchia culmella). This shows a faint chevron-shaped cross line in the middle of the wing as well as the one toward the wing tip (though this is only partially visible due to the damaged wing). These features are reminiscent of Barred Grass-veneer (Agriphila inquinatella) though that species is usually much more strongly marked with a noticeably darker area on the cross-line. One to pend.

Sitting at an awkward angle and positioned so that I was photographing it between vegetation this is a Blue-bordered Carpet moth (Plemyria rubiginata). I first recorded this species in 2020 and saw it again last year. It is not a common species though far from unusual.

A moth that 'got away' yesterday. Here is one of the dozen or so Shaded Broad-bar moths (Scotopteryx chenopodiata) I saw today. In flight these look much less interesting than they appear at rest.

And another specimen for good measure.

One of ten Round-winged Muslin moths (Thumatha senex) that were on the lamp poles along the West end footpath. Seven of them were on one lamp pole and two more on the adjacent pole. This was a new species for me in 2019 since when it has been annual and in some numbers.

A new species for me. This one of the Tephritid flies and almost certainly Urophora jaceana. The wing pattern in this group can be variable but this species lays its eggs in Knapweed – which is the flower involved here.

This fly caused me to pause. Does it really have long, thick and pink antennae? Actually no. It is drinking from one of the flowers in the umbel of a Common Hogweed (Heracleum sphondylium) and all the flowers have thick pink stamens (stigmata?). I don't know what species the fly is.

I think this is a small Common Toad (Bufo bufo). Most people seem to find it easy to separate frogs from toads: I have to say I don't, especially when they are small and not moving. I have no idea what is on the left of the photo. Did the toad just eat a beetle?

This is Imperforate St John's-wort (Hypericum maculatum).

It is easier to identify here where the leaves are more obvious. In Common (or Perforate) St. John's-wort (H. perforatum) the leaves are dotted pale ('perforated').

Tucking in to the nectar on offer is an unidentified pollen beetle and a Marmalade Hoverfly (Episyrphus balteatus).

This is a better example of Scentless Mayweed (Matricaria perforata) than I photographed a few weeks ago. The way the petals fold back is distinctive of mayweeds. Pinching the leaves is the easiest way to separate this from other mayweed and allied species. I found this on the disturbed verge of Castle Farm Way.

My PlantNet app. tells me this is Wild Radish (Raphanus raphanistrum). I am sure I have seen this flower previously. I wonder what I identified it as? I also found this on the disturbed verge of Castle Farm Way.

(Ed Wilson)

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The Flash: 05:50 – 06:35

(155th visit of the year)

Bird notes:
- Somebody seems to have silenced the Peacock. I haven't heard it for over a week.
- A sizeable group of Coots was jammed together on the edge of the island. In the relatively dull conditions it was impossible to count how many; still less separate adults and immatures. These apart a good number of juveniles were seen elsewhere.
- The Little Grebe was located again. It was diving beneath overhanging vegetation and I probably overlooked it yesterday.
- Now three Great Crested Grebes again.

Birds noted flying over here:
- 1 Lesser Black-backed Gull
- 1 Jackdaw once more

Hirundines etc. noted:
- 4 Swifts in the far distance over St Georges

Warblers noted (figures in brackets relate to singing birds):
- 2 (1) Chiffchaffs
- 3 (3) Blackcaps

Noted on / around the water:
- 203 Canada Geese
- 1 Canada x Greylag Goose
- 74 Greylag Geese
- 5 + 4 (1 brood) Mute Swans
- 7 (?♂) Mallard only: where were they hiding?
- 1 all-white duck (Aylesbury Duck)
- 22 (?♂) Tufted Duck
- 3 + 6 (? broods) Moorhens
- *? + >16 (? broods) Coots: see notes
- 1 Little Grebe
- 3 Great Crested Grebes
- 1 Grey Heron

Noted on / around the street lamp poles
- *1 red fly sp., possibly Tetanocera ferruginea
- *1 Dicranopalpus ramosus/caudatus harvestman

Not something I have noted previously. Two pairs of adult Coots were having a dispute (three only visible here) and six of the seven juveniles of one of the adult pairs seemed to want to join in. The photo is not very sharp I am afraid: the camera was on the wrong setting and I had to grab what I could.

The juveniles soon moved away and the adults carried on, mainly just posturing, before they backed off and went their separate ways.

It is not usual for flies to allow this close an approach.

This is what it looks like from a more normal perspective. It may be Tetanocera ferruginea. But then again with flies....

This is either a Dicranopalpus ramosus or a D. caudatus harvestman – only recently has it been discovered that there are two cryptic species involved. Separation requires genitalia examination (of the harvestman: not me). It is some ten days earlier than any previous record I have for these species.

(Ed Wilson)

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Between the lake and The Flash:

- Moorhen(s) heard only at the upper pool.
- One adult and one juvenile Moorhens at the lower pool.

(Ed Wilson)

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

In the Priorslee Avenue tunnel:

- *1 Garden Grass-veneer (Chrysoteuchia culmella).
- many midges of various sizes.

This Garden Grass-veneer moth (Chrysoteuchia culmella) was on the roof of the tunnel. I have inverted it for easier viewing. The single 'U-shaped' cross line toward the wing tip separates this species from all other grass moths.

(Ed Wilson)

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

On this day can be found via the yearly links in the right-hand column.

Sightings from previous years without links are below

2011

Priorslee Lake

Ruddy Duck

Common Sandpiper

(John Isherwood)

11 Jul 22

Priorslee Lake and The Flash

14.0°C > 19.0°C: Fine and clear with just a wisps of very high cloud. Almost calm. Very good visibility.

Sunrise: 04:59 BST

photos from three days are included today: * = a photo from today

Priorslee Lake: 04:45 – 05:40 // 06:35 – 07:55

(158th visit of the year)

An abbreviated visit to avoid the heat

Bird notes:
- The Great Crested Grebe nest in the NW area seems to be no more: two adults were close-by but I could not see the platform they built.
- A Common Whitethroat was heard scolding from their nesting area after having been quiet and unseen for some days. I did not see it, neither did I hear it again.

Birds noted flying over here:
- 1 Feral Pigeon
- 2 Stock Doves: together
- 33 Wood Pigeons
- 3 Black-headed Gulls
- 2 Herring Gulls
- 3 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 23 Jackdaws
- 27 Rooks

Hirundines etc. noted:
- 7 Swifts: at least
- >2 House Martins: adult(s) and begging juvenile(s) heard high overhead but not located

Warblers noted (figures in brackets relate to singing birds):
- 7 (7) Chiffchaffs
- *2 (1) Sedge Warblers still
- 8 (5) Reed Warblers
- 4 (3) Blackcaps
- 1 (0) Common Whitethroat

Counts from the lake area:
- 2 + 4 (1 brood) Mute Swans
- 15 (?♂) Mallard
- 2 Moorhens again
- 55 adult and juvenile Coots: another low count
- 7 Great Crested Grebes
- 8 Black-headed Gulls: all adults: none on the football field
- 1 Lesser Black-backed Gull: adult
- 1 Grey Heron
- 1 Kingfisher again

Noted on / around the street lamp poles pre-dawn:
- 1 ichneumon sp.
- 1 Bridge Orb-web Spider (Larinioides sclopetarius)
- a pair of Leiobunum rotundum harvestman

Noted later:

Another shorter than usual visit

New for this year:

Moths:
- Shaded Broad-bar (Scotopteryx chenopodiata); Flew off before I could photograph it.

and:

- *unidentified caterpillar

Repeat sightings:

Butterflies:
- Meadow Brown (Maniola jurtina)

Moths:
- Common Marble (Celypha lacunana)
- Garden Grass-veneer (Chrysoteuchia culmella)

Bees, wasps etc.:
- Honey Bee (Apis mellifera)

Hoverflies:
- Marmalade Hoverfly (Episyrphus balteatus)
- Tapered Dronefly (Eristalis pertinax)

Dragon/Damselflies
- Common Blue Damselfly (Enallagma cyathigerum)

Unusual flies:

None

Beetles:
-Common Red Soldier Beetle (Rhagonycha fulva)

Snails / Slugs etc.
- White-lipped Snail (Cepaea hortensis)

The best sunrise of all three days was this morning. Not exactly exciting.

Just two of the four Common Sandpipers that were present for a while on Sunday. I was looking in to the light. There was no possibility of repositioning to get better lighting.

It was not exactly singing with gusto but at least this Sedge Warbler was trying. Many warblers are now quiet.

There was just not enough light at 05:30 in Teece Drive to 'freeze' this Jay that was on the footpath. I hope it is a trick of the light but the feet look deformed to me.

Bathed in early morning light is a juvenile Starling moulting in to first year plumage. At this age the colour at the base of the bill cannot be used to sex the bird. On first year birds the spots tend, as here, to be heart-shaped. Adult birds have more V-shaped spots.

I mentioned a few days ago that House Sparrows are regular on the dam face and seem to be commuting from and to the colony in Teece Drive. Here is a male on just such an expedition. He seems to have collected two yet-to-emerge damselflies.

A Saturday photo from the boxing ring' on the dam of a Grey Wagtail. The black on the throat indicates it is either a male or, just possibly, an older female. These sometimes acquire male-type plumage. All rather faded here after a busy breeding season. It will soon start to moult in to a fresh plumage. I definitely get the impression I am being watched.

A magnificently fresh Comma butterfly (Polygonia c-album).

A different individual from a different perspective.

Suffering a bit from over-enlargement is what I believe to be a Bird-cherry Ermine moth (Yponomeuta evonymella). There are several similar species and the arrangement of the black spots is not a 100% reliable guide to the species. I found this on a lamp pole on Saturday.

There was something about cherries on Saturday. My find of the day was this, my first ever, Cherry-fruit Moth (Argyresthia pruniella). There are a number of cherry trees nearby which no doubt helps to explain these sightings. I would have liked a side-on photo as well but this tiny moth decided against it and flew off.

For those who are still of the opinion that all moths are brown here is something different. It was on a lamp pole, also on Saturday. It is a Common Emerald (Hemithea aestivaria). As that epithet implies it is a common moth though I have not seen one for several years.

And here is a view of the upper wing. A Garden Grass-veneer moth (Chrysoteuchia culmella) provides company.

A larvae of something or other. The very few prolegs visible suggest it a moth caterpillar rather than a sawfly larva. But which species?

A close-up of a Honey Bee (Apis mellifera).

With no visible means of support is this Bridge Orb-web Spider (Larinioides sclopetarius). If you look really hard two of the legs are certainly attached to a web.

A pair of Leiobunum rotundum harvestman. The female is the one with the black saddle. The shape of the dark marking distinguishes it from L blackwalli where the saddle widens towards the rear and ends abruptly. Unaccompanied males are harder to identify – the ring around the eye is crucial. We do not need to see that here.

Last Friday I photographed Mugwort (Artemisia vulgaris) at The Flash and remarked that I had never seen it at the lake. I have now! I located this in the hedge between the Holy Trinity Academy and the football field.

"Aircraft of the day" from Saturday. This is an old Airbus A300B4-622R freighter operated by ASL Airlines Ireland on behalf of DHL: hence the livery. It was flying from Dublin to the DHL air freight hub at Liege in Belgium, close to the German border. The airframe is 32 years old and was originally a passenger aircraft delivered to EgyptAir.

And this morning's "aircraft of the day". This a Jet2 Holidays Boeing 737 800 series flying from Edinburgh to Reus in the Catalonia region of Spain. Jet2 Holidays aircraft have the blue and orange livery seen here. This 12-year old aircraft was bought by the ill-fated Norwegian Air Shuttle. ON their demise Jet2 snapped it up to replace some of their older 300 series aircraft. I am always surprised that Boeing 737s have no fairing over the retracted main under carriage. I am sure the aerodynamicists have used their slide-rules to show this doesn't matter. Perhaps it is off-set by the weight-saving?

(Ed Wilson)

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The Flash: 05:45 – 06:30

(154th visit of the year)

Bird notes:
- One of the Tufted Ducks flew off East.
- No sign of yesterday's Little Grebe.

Birds noted flying over here:
- 1 Jackdaw yet again

Hirundines etc. noted:
- 2 Swifts in the far distance over St Georges

Warblers noted (figures in brackets relate to singing birds):
- 4 (2) Chiffchaffs
- 4 (3) Blackcaps

Noted on / around the water:
- 198 Canada Geese
- 1 Canada x Greylag Goose
- 65 Greylag Geese
- *5 + 4 (1 brood) Mute Swans
- 26 (?♂) Mallard only: no ducklings seen
- 1 all-white duck (Aylesbury Duck)
- 17 (?♂) Tufted Duck
- 6 + 4 (? broods) Moorhens
- 18 + 16 (? broods) Coots
- 1 Great Crested Grebe: only the bird on the nest noted.
- 1 Black-headed Gull: my first post-breeding record here.

Noted on / around the street lamp poles
- 1 black ant sp.!

The Mute Swan family.

One of the cygnets in close-up. It looks more furry than covered in feathers. It is rather soggy from upending to reach food.

Sunday's Little Grebe in distant silhouette only. When I moved around to the opposite side of the water it was even further away and hiding among the geese.

It is not often I get a chance for a side-on view of a Garden Grass-veneer moth (Chrysoteuchia culmella). This one was resting across a lamp pole and shooting directly upwards from against the pole gave this result. It is a reasonably fresh specimen with the diagnostic U-shaped cross-line toward the wing tip clearly visible. Also still mostly visible is the gold cilia (the extreme tip of the wing). This quickly wears off.

This beetle was on a lamp pole on Saturday morning. At the time I thought the shape reminiscent of a click beetle but I am not now quite so sure. All the photos I can find of this group of 69(!) species show the elytra (wing cases) to be stippled longitudinally whereas this looks more randomly patterned. I cannot see the antennae which might have provided a better clue.

(Ed Wilson)

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Between the lake and The Flash:

- One Mallard on the lower pool again.
- Moorhen(s) yet again heard only at the upper pool.
- One adult and two juvenile Moorhens at the lower pool.
- A Blackcap calling alongside the lower pool.

(Ed Wilson)

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

In the Priorslee Avenue tunnel:

- nothing of note

On Saturday I found this Small Fan-footed Wave moth (Idaea biselata) on the roof. You would think looking at the markings they would have named it a Single-dotted Wave but that name has already been applied to Idaea dimidiata which, confusingly, does not obviously have a single dot anywhere.

Sunday's moth in the tunnel, on the wall, was this Bee Moth (Aphonia sociella). A rather worn specimen with a bare head. Another common-enough moth that I have not seen for at least eight years.

(Ed Wilson)

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

On this day can be found via the yearly links in the right-hand column.

Sightings from previous years without links are below

2013

Nedge Hill

Redstart

(John Isherwood)

2008

Priorslee Lake

Sandwich Tern

Common Tern

(Ed Wilson)

2007

Priorslee Lake

5 Shelduck

(Ed Wilson)

10 Jul 22

Priorslee Lake and The Flash

14.0°C > 17.0°C: Low cloud gradually thinned out and faded away. Light NW breeze. Very good visibility, becoming rather hazy

Sunrise: 04:56 BST

Apologies: no time to sort the photos again. I'll do my best to catch up.

Priorslee Lake: 04:45 – 05:45 // 06:50 – 08:00

(157th visit of the year)

Highlight today, and bird of the year (so far), was a heavily moulting Black-tailed Godwit that flew off NW at 05:20. I was not sure whether it had been lurking around the lake somewhere and flew off or whether it had made a low-level fly-through. My previous records here were on 09 August 2008 and on the same day 2018. Bird species #92 for me here this year.

Otherwise it was very, very quiet. None of the usual Chiffchaff, Blackcap, Wren, Blackbird, Song Thrush or Robin were singing as I parked up; just two gently coo-ing Wood Pigeons. A Song Thrush did start up a few minutes later.

Other bird notes:
- Two of the Mallard seen today were full-grown juveniles. I have not separated them as it is quite likely that I failed to notice they were not adults when doing recent counts.
- Perhaps some of the Coots were still in the reeds: I did my count much earlier than usual. I cannot believe that there has been any departure overnight.
- Four Common Sandpipers appeared on one of the boat-launching platforms at 07:40. Two species of wader on the same day!
- A Garden Warbler was heard calling from the Ricoh hedge. I have heard very sporadic song and calls from here and they have possibly bred here.
- The Jackdaws and Rooks seem to have started using their roost site again with significant numbers passing overhead soon after dawn.

Birds noted flying over here:
- 29 Wood Pigeons
- 1 Common Buzzard again
- 3 Herring Gulls again
- 9 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 73 Jackdaws
- 42 Rooks

Hirundines etc. noted:
- 5 Swifts: one very high over 05:10 again; four raced through at 06:50

Warblers noted (figures in brackets relate to singing birds):
- 8 (8) Chiffchaffs
- 2 (1) Sedge Warblers again
- 7 (7) Reed Warblers
- 3 (1) Blackcap only
- 1 (0) Garden Warbler

Counts from the lake area:
- 2 + 4 (1 brood) Mute Swans
- 16 (?♂) Mallard: see notes
- 4 Moorhens again: all adults
- 51 adult and juvenile Coots only
- 5 Great Crested Grebes
- 4 Black-headed Gulls again: all adults: none on the football field
- 4 Common Sandpipers
- 1 Kingfisher

On / around the street lamp poles pre-dawn:
Nothing noted

Noted later:

On shorter than usual visit

New for this year:

Dragon/Damselflies

- 'blue'-toned dragonfly flying away fast!

Repeat sightings:

Butterflies:
- Large Skipper (Ochlodes sylvanus)
- Meadow Brown (Maniola jurtina)
- Comma (Polygonia c-album)

Moths:
- Garden Grass-veneer (Chrysoteuchia culmella)

Bees, wasps etc.:
- Honey Bee (Apis mellifera)
- Buff-tailed Bumblebee (Bombus terrestris)

Hoverflies:
- Bumblebee Cheilosia (Cheilosia illustrata)
- Marmalade Hoverfly (Episyrphus balteatus)

Dragon/Damselflies
- Common Blue Damselfly (Enallagma cyathigerum)
- Blue-tailed Damselfly (Ischnura elegans)

Other flies:
- greenbottle Lucilia sp.
- snipe fly sp.

Beetles:
- pollen beetles as usual.

Snails / Slugs etc.
- White-lipped Snail (Cepaea hortensis)

(Ed Wilson)

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The Flash: 05:50 – 06:45

(153rd visit of the year)

Highlight here was a Little Grebe happily consorting among the Tufted Ducks. A new species for my 2020 bird list here - #69

Other bird notes:
- A group of nine well-grown juvenile Coots were sitting with adults along the edge of the island with the morning sun highlighting their white belly and making it easy to identify them for a change.

Birds noted flying over here:
- 1 Black-headed Gull
- 1 Lesser Black-backed Gull
- 1 Jackdaw again

Hirundines etc. noted:
- 2 Swifts
- 1 House Martin

Warblers noted (figures in brackets relate to singing birds):
- 3 (2) Chiffchaffs
- 5 (4) Blackcaps

Noted on / around the water:
- 204 Canada Geese
- 1 Canada x Greylag Goose
- 75 Greylag Geese
- 5 + 4 (1 brood) Mute Swans
- 18 (?♂) Mallard only: no ducklings seen
- 1 all-white duck (Aylesbury Duck)
- 16 (?♂) Tufted Duck
- 7 + 5 (? broods) Moorhens
- 19 + 17 (? broods) Coots: see notes
- 1 Little Grebe
- 2 Great Crested Grebes

Noted on / around the street lamp poles or elsewhere
- 1 Garden Grass-veneer moth (Chrysoteuchia culmella)

(Ed Wilson)

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Between the lake and The Flash:

- One Mallard on the lower pool.
- Moorhen(s) yet again heard only at the upper pool.
- One adult and three juvenile Moorhens at the lower pool.
- A Blackcap took its turn to sing alongside the lower pool.
and
- 1 Grey Squirrel

(Ed Wilson)

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

In the Priorslee Avenue tunnel:

- 1 micro moth

(Ed Wilson)

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

On this day can be found via the yearly links in the right-hand column.

Sightings from previous years without links are below

2009

Priorslee Lake

12 Swifts

1 Lesser Whitethroat

(Ed Wilson)

The Flash

3 Great Crested Grebes

201 Canada Geese

4 Tufted Duck

(Ed Wilson)

2007

Priorslee Lake

After 29 days the 5 remaining Mute Swan Cygnets are still going strong. Last year, as you may recall, we had 9 but ended up with just 1, after a Mink devastated the family. This year it has been Mink clear and even though we lost 2 within the first two days, these guys I think will do really well.

(Martin Adlam)

9 Jul 22

Priorslee Lake and The Flash

15.0°C > 18.0°C: Another mixed bag. Clear to South otherwise a low overcast. This produced a spell of light drizzle c.06:00. After c.07:00 cloud began to lift and break with some sun after 08:30. Light NW breeze increasing somewhat. Very good visibility, less so in drizzle but excellent once the sun came out.

Sunrise: 04:57 BST

Apologies: no time to sort the photos at the moment. Watch this space.

Priorslee Lake: 04:40 – 05:50 // 06:50 – 09:35

(156th visit of the year)

I was shown pictures of a Great White Egret taken here by one of the fishermen on Friday 01 July.

Bird notes:
- A lone Greylag Goose flying over was my first since their moult.
- A Common Sandpiper was heard only when it was flushed by dog-walkers and I was not positioned to be able see the water. There may have been more.
- After yesterday's silence I heard two Blackbirds singing today.

Birds noted flying over here:
- 1 Greylag Goose: inbound
- 2 Feral Pigeons: together
- 1 Stock Dove
- 77 Wood Pigeons
- 1 Collared Dove
- 1 Common Buzzard
- 3 Herring Gulls
- 12 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 24 Jackdaws
- 1 Rook again

Hirundines etc. noted:
- 4 Swifts: one very high over 05:20; three high over 08:30
- 1 House Martin

Warblers noted (figures in brackets relate to singing birds):
- 10 (9) Chiffchaffs
- 2 (1) Sedge Warblers
- 9 (5) Reed Warblers
- 7 (6) Blackcaps

Counts from the lake area:
- 2 + 4 (1 brood) Mute Swans
- 17 (?♂) Mallard
- 4 Moorhens: all adults
- 67 adult and juvenile Coots
- 6 Great Crested Grebes
- 4 Black-headed Gulls again: all adults: none on the football field
- 1 Common Sandpiper: see notes

Noted on / around the street lamp poles pre-dawn:

Moths:
- 1 Bird-cherry Ermine (Yponomeuta evonymella)
- 1 Garden Grass-veneer (Chrysoteuchia culmella)
- 1 Common Emerald (Hemithea aestivaria)

also:
- 3 Bridge Orb-web Spiders (Larinioides sclopetarius)

Noted later:

New for this year:

Flowers:
- Mugwort (Artemisia vulgaris)

Repeat sightings:

Butterflies:
- Small Skipper (Thymelicus sylvestris)
- Large Skipper (Ochlodes sylvanus)
- Ringlet (Aphantopus hyperantus)
- Comma (Polygonia c-album)

Moths:
- as yet unidentified micro moth
- Common Marble (Celypha lacunana)
- Garden Grass-veneer (Chrysoteuchia culmella)

Bees, wasps etc.:
- Honey Bee (Apis mellifera)

Hoverflies:
- Marmalade Hoverfly (Episyrphus balteatus)
- Tapered Dronefly (Eristalis pertinax)
- Chequered Hoverfly (Melanostoma scalare)
- Pellucid Fly (Volucella pellucens) [Pied Plumehorn]

Dragon/Damselflies
- Common Blue Damselfly (Enallagma cyathigerum)
- Blue-tailed Damselfly (Ischnura elegans)

Other flies:
- greenbottle Lucilia sp.
- scorpion Fly Panorpa sp.
- semaphore fly Poecilobothrus nobilitatus

Beetles:
- Common Red Soldier Beetle (Rhagonycha fulva)
- darkling beetle Lagria hirta
- pollen beetles as usual.

Snails / Slugs etc.
- White-lipped Snail (Cepaea hortensis)

(Ed Wilson)

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The Flash: 05:55 – 06:45

(152nd visit of the year)

Bird notes:
- Several groups of geese of both species were flying strongly around the water and some may have departed – hence the slightly lower numbers?
- A Kingfisher was seen again both in the NW area and presumably the same bird later along the East side.

Birds noted flying over here:
- 2 Lesser Black-backed Gulls: singles
- 1 Jackdaw

Hirundines etc. noted:
- 3 Swifts

Warblers noted (figures in brackets relate to singing birds):
- 5 (2) Chiffchaffs
- 1 (1) Blackcap only

Noted on / around the water:
- 187 Canada Geese
- 1 Canada x Greylag Goose
- 70 Greylag Geese
- 5 + 4 (1 brood) Mute Swans
- 23 (?♂) + 2 (1 brood) Mallard
- 1 all-white duck (Aylesbury Duck)
- 15 (?♂) Tufted Duck
- 7 + 2 (? broods) Moorhens: so where were the youngsters?
- 19 + 9 (? broods) Coots
- 2 Great Crested Grebes
- 1 Kingfisher

Noted on / around the street lamp poles:
- 1 Garden Grass-veneer moth (Chrysoteuchia culmella)
- 1 click beetle sp.

(Ed Wilson)

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Between the lake and The Flash:

- Moorhen(s) heard only at the upper pool again.
- One juvenile Moorhen at the lower pool.
- A Chiffchaff decided to sing alongside the lower pool after several days of being quiet.

(Ed Wilson)

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

In the Priorslee Avenue tunnel:

- 1 Small Fan-footed Wave moth (Idaea biselata)

(Ed Wilson)

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

On this day can be found via the yearly links in the right-hand column.

Sightings from previous years without links are below

2012

Priorslee Lake

Grasshopper Warbler reeling

(Ed Wilson)

8 Jul 22

Priorslee Lake and The Flash

13.0°C > 16.0°C: Low overcast began to break after 08:15. A calm start with a very light NW breeze later. Moderate visibility and rather hazy.

Sunrise: 04:56 BST

* = a photo today

Priorslee Lake: 04:45 – 05:45 // 06:45 – 08:55

(155th visit of the year)

Bird notes:
- For the first day since 09 February I heard no Blackbird singing.
- House Sparrows are still regularly appearing on the dam-face. As far as I can tell they commute to here from around the houses alongside Teece Drive. There seems to be no nest site closer.

Birds noted flying over here:
- 2 Stock Doves: singles
- 41 Wood Pigeons
- 10 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 31 Jackdaws
- 1 Rook

Hirundines etc. noted:

None.

It is a very poor year for them after their late arrival. There seems to be roughly the usual number of Swifts around Newport with House Martin numbers much reduced.

Warblers noted (figures in brackets relate to singing birds):
- 12 (11) Chiffchaffs
- 3 (1) Sedge Warblers
- 10 (6) Reed Warblers
- 6 (4) Blackcaps only

Counts from the lake area:
- 2 + 4 (1 brood) Mute Swans
- 14 (?♂) Mallard
- 3 Moorhens: all adults
- 68 adult and juvenile Coots again
- 7 Great Crested Grebes
- 4 Black-headed Gulls: all adults: three other birds were on the football field at 05:35.
- 4 Lesser Black-backed Gulls: various ages
- 1 Grey Heron

Noted on / around the street lamp poles pre-dawn:
- *1 Leiobunum blackwalli harvestman

A very poor showing

Noted later:

It stayed cloudy and it was breezy except where sheltered from West wind:

New for this year:

Butterflies:
- *Small Skipper (Thymelicus sylvestris)

Beetles:
- *the darkling beetle Lagria hirta.

Repeat sightings:

Butterflies:
- *Ringlet (Aphantopus hyperantus)

'white' butterflies are unusually scarce at the moment.

Moths:
- Common Marble (Celypha lacunana)
- Garden Grass-veneer (Chrysoteuchia culmella)

Bees, wasps etc.:
- *Common Carder Bee (Bombus pascuorum)
- Buff-tailed Bumblebee (Bombus terrestris)
- Common Wasp (Paravespula vulgaris)

Hoverflies:
- Marmalade Hoverfly (Episyrphus balteatus)
- *Tapered Dronefly (Eristalis pertinax)

Dragon/Damselflies
- Common Blue Damselfly (Enallagma cyathigerum)
- Hawker sp. As usual it saw me first and shot off.

Other flies:
- Black Snipefly (Chrysopilus cristatus)

Beetles:
- *Common Red Soldier Beetle (Rhagonycha fulva)
- pollen beetles as usual.

Bugs:
- Common Flower Bug (Anthocoris nemorum)
- *Common Froghopper (Philaenus spumarius)

Snails / Slugs etc.
- White-lipped Snail (Cepaea hortensis)

My first Small Skipper butterfly (Thymelicus sylvestris) of the year. The trailing edge of the wing on Small Skipper is a dark line whereas the similar Large Skipper (Ochlodes sylvanus) has dark patterning along the trailing edge. (When fresh both species show pale fringes that soon wear off).

 A Ringlet butterfly (Aphantopus hyperantus) showing why it is so-named.

 A typically scruffy Common Carder Bee (Bombus pascuorum).

It is some while since I showed a 'real' Tapered Dronefly (Eristalis pertinax). It is male which is why it looks tapered. Had it been a female then the same pale legs would have identified it as this species rather than any of the other Eristalis drone flies.

This is the darkling beetle Lagria hirta, distinguished by its rather hairy appearance.

A Common Red Soldier Beetle (Rhagonycha fulva).

And here a pair (one assumes!) apparently of a little known Thistle Bonking Beetle form!

In this buttercup flower are four tiny pollen beetles. Note that on the lowest leaf there is an even smaller fly. I cannot identify any of them.

A close-up does not help much.

What look to be a different species of pollen beetle, here deep in a flower of Field Bindweed (Convolvulus arvensis).

A Common Froghopper (Philaenus spumarius). This species comes in a multitude of colours and patterns.

This seems to be the harvestman Leiobunum blackwalli. Separation of this species from L. rotundum is easiest by looking at the eye surround. Confusingly it is L. blackwalli that has the "white-wall tyre" eye surround, as here. (Does anyone know what white-wall tyres are these days? Or why so many people bought them in the 1950s?)

The aircraft of the day. A relative rarity these days is a four-engines passenger aircraft. This is an Airbus A340 300 series of Swiss International Airlines – you can see the white cross on the tail. It is en route from Chicago's O'Hare International Airport to Zurich Airport. Although these are not as economical to fly as more modern twin-engined jets you have to have the $300 million to buy a new one.

(Ed Wilson)

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The Flash: 05:50 – 06:40

(151st visit of the year)

Bird notes:
- Checking my records for last year (2021) there were up to 150 Canada Geese and about 45 Greylag Geese here during the time they were flightless. So there are more of both species this year.
- Many juvenile Moorhens and Coots are now independent and I cannot reliably ascribe these to any brood. It is apparent that later broods are having a much better survival rate than early broods.
- After several quiet days there were as many Blackcaps singing here as I heard around the balancing lake.

Birds noted flying over here:
- 1 Lesser Black-backed Gull

Hirundines etc. noted yet again:
None

Warblers noted (figures in brackets relate to singing birds):
- 5 (3) Chiffchaffs
- 4 (4) Blackcap

Noted on / around the water:
- 216 Canada Geese
- 1 Canada x Greylag Goose
- 84 Greylag Geese
- 5 + 4 (1 brood) Mute Swans
- 25 (?♂) Mallard: no ducklings seen
- 1 all-white duck (Aylesbury Duck)
- 13 (?♂) Tufted Duck
- 7 + 10 (? broods) Moorhens
- 19 + 15 (? broods) Coots
- 2 Great Crested Grebes

Noted on / around the street lamp poles or elsewhere

- 1 Garden Grass-veneer moth (Chrysoteuchia culmella)
- 1 Common Grey moth (Scoparia ambigualis)
- *1 Common European Earwig (Forficula auricularia): presumed dead after being in the jaws of a spider yesterday.
- 2 Opilio canestrinii harvestmen

Also noted elsewhere
- 1 Grey Squirrel

I assume this is an empty shell of a Common European Earwig (Forficula auricularia) as this was the individual I photographed in the jaws of a spider yesterday. It looks to be partially wrapped up in spider silk.

(Ed Wilson)

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Between the lake and The Flash:

- Moorhen(s) heard only at the upper pool.
- Two juvenile Moorhens glimpsed scampering off the grass at the lower pool: perhaps from different broods?

(Ed Wilson)

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

In the Priorslee Avenue tunnel:

- Nothing of note

(Ed Wilson)

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

On this day can be found via the yearly links in the right-hand column.

Sightings from previous years without links are below

2007

Priorslee Lake

A pair of Siskins close to the lake

(Martin Adlam)