5 Sep 24

Priorslee Balancing Lake and The Flash

9.0°C > 15.0°C: Low cloud. Moderate northerly wind. Very good visibility.

Sunrise: 06:28 BST

* = a species photographed today
! = a new species for me here this year
!! = a new species for me in Shropshire

Priorslee Balancing Lake: 05:15 – 09:10

(191st visit of the year)

Yesterday it was all about warblers: it was the turn of ducks to take centre-stage.

Bird notes:
- the "are they here or are they not" trio of Gadwall decided to put in an appearance today.
- at 06:10 a party of nine Eurasian Wigeon circled overhead heading towards the water. At least four were drakes. From my position I could not see whether they did splash down. Later I could find only one drake bird on the water.
- at least two Tufted Duck flew in from the East at 06:05. Later I could only find a single duck bird.
- no gulls seen on the football field, perhaps because the grass was cut yesterday? Did not stop seven Starlings and 18 Pied Wagtails feeding there c..09:00.
- a / the Cetti's Warbler sang once in the north-east corner at 06:15. What, at the time, I assumed was the same bird staged westward, flying between the patches of reeds and calling c.06:45. But a bird again sang once from the north-east corner at 08:00. So? Two birds?
- two parties of Barn Swallows were no doubt on migration though I am not sure I would head West if I were going to Africa. I am sure they know what they are doing.

Counts of birds noted flying over:
- 47 Canada Geese: a trio outbound; a duo inbound; a group of 42 flew south-west to the south-east at 06:10
- 62 Wood Pigeons
- 2 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 1 Common Buzzard
- 113 Jackdaws
- 58 Rooks

Hirundines etc. noted:
- 22 Barn Swallows: 18 West at 08:10; four more at 08:45
- 1 House Martin

Warblers noted (the figure in brackets relates to birds heard singing):
- 1 (1) Cetti's Warbler
- 12 (2) Chiffchaffs
''nominal' warbler:
- 2 (1) Goldcrests

Counts from the lake area:
- 27 Canada Geese: a duo arrived early and departed; 25 arrived in four groups
- 3 Mute Swans: a sub-adult visited for a short while
- *3 (1♂) Gadwall
- *9 (>4♂?) Wigeon: see notes
- *17 (>6♂) Mallard
- >1 (?♂) Tufted Duck: see notes
- 9 Moorhens
- 107 Coots
- *5 Great Crested Grebes
- 27 Black-headed Gulls: none on the football field
- *14 Herring Gulls
- *193 Lesser Black-backed Gulls

Noted on the street lamps poles pre-dawn:

Moths:
- *1 presumed Square-spot Rustic Xestia xanthographa

Flies:
- *1 Pond Olive mayfly Cloeon dipterum
- *winter cranefly Trichocera species
- *unidentified flies

Springtails
- *1 springtail Pogonognathellus longicornis
- *1 springtail Tomocerus vulgaris

Spiders, harvestmen etc.
- *1 Bridge Orb-web Spider Larinioides sclopetarius
- 2 harvestmen Dicranopalpus ramosus/caudatus

Sailing Club HQ
Around the outside of the sailing club HQ pre-dawn:
Less activity in cool and breezy conditions:

Spiders:
- 6 spiders: none specifically identified

Noted later:
In the dull and breezy conditions I saw nothing apart from:

Mammals:
- 2 pipistrelle-type bats

"Strangers not welcome". The resident con Mute Swan on the chase.

The smart drake Eurasian Wigeon.

And seen here on the right with a duck Gadwall on the left, identifiable by the orange edge to her bill.

Four of the semi-resident Mallard that commute to the storm overflow pools by the new houses across Castle Farm Way. Three ducks lead a drake. One of these, I am not sure which, showed a mainly white front part of both wings as it flew in.

The only Great Crested Grebe to have been raised here this year is now fully independent. The stripes on its head will take all winter, at least, to fade.

There were over 200 large gulls stopping off for a wash and drink. They arrived from all directions. Two (near) adult Herring Gulls are at the back here with two immature and one adult (on the right) Lesser Black-backed Gulls. The left-hand Herring Gull has started to acquire the winter head-streaking.

This adult Herring Gull is in heavy wing moult with only the outer two to be dropped and the adjacent few yet to grow enough to show their black endings. Makes the bird unusually pale. Another with winter head-streaking.

Not too much detail on this fly-over Common Buzzard on a dull day.

I presumed this is a Square-spot Rustic moth Xestia xanthographa with all the features hidden by dew. This species is by far the most common moth of this general shape on the wing at the moment.

This seems to be the Pond Olive mayfly Cloeon dipterum.

Perhaps the start of the winter cranefly season. This looks to be one of the Trichocera species, not usually separable from photos.

Another fly puzzle. The hairy abdomen suggests the Tachinid family. The tooth-like marks at the leading edge of the thorax suggest a Muscid fly, most of which also have pale markings on the abdomen.

One of two springtails on the same street lamp pole. This seems a good candidate for the springtail Pogonognathellus longicornis.

Whereas this with shorter and thicker antennae is probably Tomocerus vulgaris.

Yes I know: yet another Bridge Orb-web Spider Larinioides sclopetarius. This one was, unusually, at eye-level for a real close-up.

And (a different individual) from the underside.

(Ed Wilson)

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In the Priorslee Avenue tunnel:

Moths:
- 1 Common Marbled Carpet Chloroclysta truncata: presumed same: moved slightly

Centipedes & Millipedes:
- 13 White-legged Snake Millipedes Tachypodoiulus niger

Spiders:
- 5 spiders: none specifically identified

(Ed Wilson)

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The Flash: 09:15 – 10:25

(194th visit of the year)

Bird notes:
- another bumper total of Coots today many were in the same area as most of the Tufted Duck making counting a challenge. One of the parents from the latest and still dependent brood was enthusiastically adding yet more material to its already over-sized nest.
- a trio of Common Teal were alongside the island. These small ducks are easy to overlook here.
- the drake Shoveler was still present.
- also still present were two Little Grebes, today behaving more typically and hiding under overhanging vegetation around the island.

Bird(s) noted flying over here:
- 1 Herring Gull
- 1 Lesser Black-backed Gull

Hirundines etc. noted:
- 2 House Martins

Warblers noted (the figure in brackets relates to birds heard singing):
- 8 (1) Chiffchaffs
'nominal' warbler:
- no Goldcrests

Noted on / around the water:
- 37 Canada Geese
- 5 Greylag Geese
- 4 _ 3 (1 brood) Mute Swan
- *1 (1♂) Shoveler
- 19 (?♂) Mallard
- *3 (?♂) Common Teal
- 76 (?♂) Tufted Duck
- 7 + 2 (1 brood) Moorhens
- *123 + 9 (3 dependent broods) Coots
- 2 Little Grebes
- 4 Great Crested Grebes
- *36 Black-headed Gulls
- 4 Cormorants
- 1 Grey Heron

Noted elsewhere around The Flash:

Moths:
- none

Flies:
- *1 European Cranefly Tipula paludosa

Beetles:
- 1 Alder Leaf Beetle Agelastica alni: adult

Bugs:
- *1 Common Green Shieldbug Palomena prasina: second instar

Spiders, harvestmen etc.
-- 1 Bridge Orb-web Spider Larinioides sclopetarius
2 harvestmen Dicranopalpus ramosus/caudatus

The best the camera, the photo editor and I could achieve of two of the Common Teal tucked against the island. Just about visible on the left hand bird is the green flash of the speculum.

And the third with two Canada Geese and Black-headed Gull for scale. I would not like to commit to which sex any of these three teal might be.

The best of over twenty attempts to photograph the drake Shoveler with its head out of the water. We have to put up with the Coot photo-bombing.

Just about visible behind the increasing nest mound a Coot adds more material. Surely not thinking of another brood? The other 100+ Coots here do not seem interested.

For some reason the Black-headed Gulls seem to like sitting on the hand-rail despite regularly having to move for pedestrians.

An European Cranefly Tipula paludosa.

An adult Alder Leaf Beetle Agelastica alni. This is not an alder leaf – adults wander widely, liking fences, street lamp poles etc. as well as leaves. All the larvae seem to have disappeared now.

It doesn't look very 'green' but the pattern matches a second instar of Common Green Shieldbug Palomena prasina – quite different to the later instar I photographed yesterday.

(Ed Wilson)

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Sightings from previous years

2013
Priorslee Lake
Green Sandpiper
Kingfisher
(Ed Wilson)

2012
Priorslee Lake
Yellow-legged Gull
(John Isherwood)

2011
Priorslee Lake
Common Sandpiper
(Ed Wilson))

2006
Priorslee Lake
Kingfisher
(Ed Wilson)

2005
Priorslee Lake
Kingfisher
(Ed Wilson)

4 Sep 24

Priorslee Balancing Lake and The Flash

11.0°C > 14.0°C: Mainly cloudy with a few sunny periods, mainly later. Calm early with light / moderate north-westerly breeze developing. Very good visibility.

Sunrise: 06:26 BST

On winter regime now. I can no longer complete a lap of the Balancing Lake and walk to and from and around The Flash without getting embroiled in the school run so I stay at the lake until it all quietens down and then complete The Flash. The daily totals will be somewhat changed by the re-timing.

* = a species photographed today
! = a new species for me here this year
!! = a new species for me in Shropshire

Priorslee Balancing Lake: 05:15 – 09:05

(190th visit of the year)

Bird Notes
Highlights today were warblers in the Ricoh hedge, likely mainly passage birds. As well as the expected Chiffchaffs and Blackcaps a Lesser Whitethroat was a welcome addition. I noted the Hawthorn bushes here (and later at The Flash) have very few berries. I can't believe the Grey Squirrels have eaten them all so soon: there will be none remaining for the Redwings when they arrive. There was plenty of blossom. Perhaps the paucity of insects prevented much in the way of pollination?

Frustration of the day was what appeared to be a tern flying in from the East at 06:10 when it was still quite dark. The buoyant flight seemed to rule out any gull species yet it seemed too large for, say, a Common Tern. I did not hear any calls. A few minutes later a Lesser Black-backed Gull was noted sitting on a buoy at the far end. It could not have been the possible tern. I saw nothing more.

Other bird notes:
- very few geese today.

Counts of birds noted flying over:
- 13 Canada Geese: see flying South to the East
- 48 Wood Pigeons
- 2 Black-headed Gulls
- 1 Herring Gull
- 9 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 112 Jackdaws
- 107 Rooks

Hirundines etc. noted:
- 2 House Martins

Warblers noted (the figure in brackets relates to birds heard singing):
More like Spring for variety if not song!
- 10 (2) Chiffchaffs
- 1 (0) Reed Warbler
- *3 (0) Blackcaps
- *1 (0) Lesser Whitethroat
- 1 (0) Common Whitethroat
''nominal' warbler:
- 1 (1) Goldcrest

Counts from the lake area:
- 9 Canada Geese: arrived together
- 2 Mute Swans
- 11 (?♂) Mallard
- 8 Moorhens
- 82 Coots
- 5 Great Crested Grebes
- 11 Black-headed Gulls: also 49 on the football field 06:45
- 16 Herring Gulls
- 55 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 1 Grey Heron: arrived
- 1 Kingfisher

Noted on the street lamps poles pre-dawn:

Moths:
- *1 Common Nettle-tap Anthophila fabriciana
- *2 Square-spot Rustics Xestia xanthographa

Bees, wasps etc.:
- *1 Common Wasp Paravespula vulgaris

Hoverflies:
- *1 Short Melanostoma Melanostoma mellinum [Variable Duskyface]

Spiders, harvestmen etc.
- 1 Bridge Orb-web Spider Larinioides sclopetarius
- 1 harvestman Dicranopalpus ramosus/caudatus

Sailing Club HQ
Around the outside of the sailing club HQ pre-dawn:

Flies
- 1 plumed midge

Spiders:
- 16 spiders: including but not exhaustively
*Walnut Orb Weaver Nuctenea umbratica
Missing Sector Orb-web Spider Zygiella x-notata [Silver-sided Sector Spider]

Noted later:
With my earlier departure and a later sunrise I will be recording many fewer insects here from now on.

Bees, wasps etc.:
- Honey Bee Apis mellifera
- Common Carder Bee Bombus pascuorum
- Common Wasp Paravespula vulgaris

Hoverflies:
- *Common Dronefly Eristalis tenax

Other flies:
- *a flesh fly, possibly Brachicoma devia

Molluscs:
- White-lipped Snail Cepaea hortensis

A male Blackcap looking pensive.

This seems to be a young male Blackcap. Some of the dark on the crown maybe shadow from a twig. There is enough dark to show the juvenile brown cap of both sexes is being moulted out as this male acquires its first adult plumage.

Another "wont win prizes". It shows the overall tones of Lesser Whitethroat with a grey head, slightly darker than the back and a darker area around and beneath the eye.

By the time I had persuaded the camera to focus on the bird it was headed for cover. Note the blue-grey legs and dark eye.

Streaky and still fluffy. A juvenile Greenfinch.

Too much cloud for a decent sunrise. This later view will have to do.

This is a Common Nettle-tap Anthophila fabriciana taken with a combination of camera flash and LED torch pre-dawn.

And I think the same moth beginning to wake up and move, taken by natural light. The banded antennae showed better in the previous view.

One of two moths from the Noctuid group that were on street lamp poles pre-dawn. I am not 100% sure of the identity of this one. I am 100% sure that it is not a Large Yellow Underwing Noctua pronuba as suggested by Obsidentify: that is a longer moth and always shows a dark mark on the outer edge of the wing toward the tip. I am inclined to think it is a worn Square-spot Rustic Xestia xanthographa sitting amongst all the debris from the spiders' meals.

I am sure this IS a Square-spot Rustic moth. A very variably-toned species not always 'rustic'.

One of the best ways to see a Common Wasp Paravespula vulgaris - strung up in spider's web. I am rather surprised by this as normally wasps (and bees) are strong-enough fliers to break out of webs unless they are bitten by the spider. Also of course we must love wasps for the good things they do pollinating plants and killing pests. They rarely sting unless provoked.

The only hoverfly I noted "out and about" was this Common Dronefly Eristalis tenax.

Asleep on a street lamp pole was this Short Melanostoma Melanostoma mellinum.

For all their dramatic appearance flesh flies are difficult identify. This one most closely resembles the photo of Brachicoma devia on the NatureSpot web site. It comes with the general warning that specific identification requires a microscope and an identification key. I have neither! It is a stunning insect though.

A good view of a Walnut Orb Weaver spider Nuctenea umbratica on the wall of the sailing club HQ.

(Ed Wilson)

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In the Priorslee Avenue tunnel:

Moths:
- *1 Common Marbled Carpet Chloroclysta truncata

Centipedes & Millipedes:
- 6 White-legged Snake Millipedes Tachypodoiulus niger

Spiders:
- 2 Missing Sector Orb-web Spider Zygiella x-notata [Silver-sided Sector Spider]

I found this Common Marbled Carpet moth Chloroclysta truncata on the ceiling of the tunnel. This species of moth has two generations per year in our area: this is one from the second generation. It is a species that is very variable in colour and tone: the paler central area and the lozenge marks toward the rear of the wing are consistent features in all but the most faded specimens.

(Ed Wilson)

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The Flash: 09:10 – 10:10

(193rd visit of the year)

Bird notes:
- I did not locate the Mute Swan cygnets. I presume they were resting inside the island, perhaps along with all the missing Mallard.
- bumper total of Coots: probably my highest total here. Perhaps some from the Balancing Lake. More likely because by the time of my visit they had all dispersed from their roost along the edge of the island I was able to see birds that had previously been hidden in the second and third rows of the throng.
- *a drake Shoveler was new.
- *also new were two Little Grebes sitting in the open water until several Black-headed Gulls started checking whether they had any food they could steal. As far as I can tell this is my first record from here of more than one bird.

Bird(s) noted flying over here:
None

Hirundines etc. noted:
- 6 House Martins

Warblers noted (the figure in brackets relates to birds heard singing):
- 5 (1) Chiffchaffs
'nominal' warbler:
- no Goldcrests

Noted on / around the water:
- 5 Canada Geese
- 5 Greylag Geese
- 4 Mute Swan: see notes
- *1 (1♂) Shoveler
- 20 (?♂) Mallard: see notes
- 75 (?♂) Tufted Duck
- 6 Moorhens
- 119 Coots
- *2 Little Grebes
- 6 Great Crested Grebes
- *66 Black-headed Gulls
- *1 Lesser Black-backed Gull: immature/first winter
- 4 Cormorants
- 1 Grey Heron

Noted elsewhere around The Flash:

Moths:
- none

Bees, wasps etc.
- 1 Honey Bee Apis mellifera
- *1 Common Wasp Paravespula vulgaris

Flies:
- 1 owl midge Psychodidae sp. [Drain Fly, Moth Fly or Owl Fly]

Beetles:
- 1 Alder Leaf Beetle Agelastica alni: adult

Bugs:
- *1 Common Green Shieldbug Palomena prasina

Spiders, harvestmen etc.
- 1 harvestman Dicranopalpus ramosus/caudatus

I struggled. This drake Shoveler, not yet moulted in to breeding plumage, was a some distance and as usual feeding with its head underwater for 90% of the time as it used its bill to filter food. The bill shape and pattern of the feathering along the flanks are both just about visible.

Another long-range shot: the two Little Grebes. I suspect a juvenile on the left with the paler neck though both seem warm-toned along the flanks suggesting adults. So..?

A bit of a kerfuffle between two Black-headed Gulls and an immature / first winter Lesser Black-backed Gull. I have no idea what the Black-headed Gull has found: it doesn't seem to be a fish and I doubt it is edible.

You should probably not mess with an angry Lesser Black-backed Gull though in truth it is probably more noise than action.

I am not saying butter wouldn't melt in its mouth. A fine study.

Common Wasps Paravespula vulgaris seem suddenly to be around in some number.

 This late-instar Common Green Shieldbug Palomena prasina has chosen the leaf to sit on well – just the right shade to avoid being seen.

(Ed Wilson)

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Sightings from previous years

2012
Priorslee Lake
Kingfisher
(Ed Wilson)

2011
Priorslee Lake
Common Sandpiper
(Ed Wilson/ John Isherwood)

Nedge Hill
2 Hobby's chasing Swallows and martins
1 Common Redstart
2 Meadow Pipits - first autumn birds
(Ed Wilson/John Isherwood)

2010
Priorslee Lake
Teal
14 Cormorants
(John Isherwood)

Nedge Hill
Hobby chasing Swallows
1 Wheatear
2 Raven
(John Isherwood)

2009
Priorslee Lake
Little Egret
Kingfisher
(Ed Wilson)

2006
Priorslee Lake
Kingfisher
2 Swifts
1 Meadow Pipit - first autumn bird
(Ed Wilson)

3 Sep 24

No sightings in today

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Sightings from previous years

2013
Nedge Hill
2 Yellow Wagtails
(John Isherwood)

2011
Priorslee Lake
Kingfisher
(Ed Wilson)

2009
Priorslee Lake
Kingfisher
(Ed Wilson)

2006
Priorslee Lake
Kingfisher
(Ed Wilson)

2 Sep 24

No sightings in today

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Sightings from previous years

2011
Priorslee Lake
Common Sandpiper
c.65 House Martins
(Ed Wilson)

2006
Priorslee Lake
Kingfisher
Swifts
(Ed Wilson)

1 Sep 24

Priorslee Balancing Lake and The Flash

14.0°C > 17.0°C: Low overcast; early light drizzle; threatened to break c.08:45: didn't. Light easterly breeze. Moderate visibility.

Sunrise: 06:21 BST

* = a species photographed today
! = a new species for me here this year
!! = a new species for me in Shropshire

Priorslee Balancing Lake: 05:05 – 06:50 // 07:55 – 09:15

(189th visit of the year)

Bird Notes

New Bird Species
Highlights today on an otherwise very quiet morning was a drake (Eurasian) Wigeon, a species that unusually I did not record here in the first part of the year. It takes my 2024 bird list here to #99.

Other bird notes:
- a Common Sandpiper was flying around calling in the dark at 05:25. I did not see it later. Apart from an unusual record of a possible over-wintering bird on 18 October last year this is my latest record for a bird on Autumn passage.
- I noted but a single Black-headed Gull. Where are they all?
- two Grey Herons were sparring c.05:45 with one presumed chased away. It, or another, was being chased away c.08:20.

Counts of birds noted flying over:
- no geese
- 11 Wood Pigeons only
- 22 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 70 Jackdaws
- 93 Rooks

Hirundines etc. noted:
- 2 House Martins

Warblers noted (the figure in brackets relates to birds heard singing):
- 8 (1) Chiffchaffs
''nominal' warbler:
- 2 (0) Goldcrests

Counts from the lake area:
- 15 Canada Geese: arrived in four groups
- 2 Mute Swans
- 1 (1♂) (Eurasian) Wigeon
- 27 (?♂) Mallard
- 1 Moorhen
- 107 Coots
- 6 Great Crested Grebes
- 1 Common Sandpiper
- 1 Black-headed Gull
- 13 Herring Gulls
- 104 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 2, perhaps 3, Grey Herons

Noted on the street lamps poles pre-dawn:

Moths:
none

Spiders, harvestmen etc.
- 1 Bridge Orb-web Spider Larinioides sclopetarius
- 1 harvestman Dicranopalpus ramosus/caudatus

Sailing Club HQ
Around the outside of the sailing club HQ pre-dawn:

Flies
- 1 plumed midge

Spiders:
- 15 spiders: including but not exhaustively
- *Bridge Orb-web Spiders Larinioides sclopetarius
Missing Sector Orb-web Spider Zygiella x-notata [Silver-sided Sector Spider]

Noted later:
Not much in cloudy conditions.

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

Hoverflies:
The first name is that used by Stephen Falk. The name in square brackets is that given by Obsidentify or other sources if different. Scientific names are normally common. The species are presented in alphabetic order of those scientific names.
- Marmalade Hoverfly Episyrphus balteatus

Dragon-/Damselflies
- unidentified dragonfly

Other flies:
- only unidentified flies

Molluscs:
- White-lipped Snail Cepaea hortensis

Mammals:
- pipistrelle-type bats

The orange tones on this duck immediately identify it as a drake (Eurasian) Wigeon. Always an attractive duck to see, this one more so as it is my first here this year.

The only hoverfly of the morning was this Marmalade Hoverfly Episyrphus balteatus

One of the many Missing Sector Orb-web Spiders Zygiella x-notata on the wall of the sailing club HQ pre-dawn. Later all the spiders will have crawled away to hide. I doubt many of the sailing club members know who is sharing their HQ.

(Ed Wilson)

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In the Priorslee Avenue tunnel:

Moths:
- 1 Small Dusty Wave Idaea seriata

Flies:
- 3 craneflies Tipula lateralis

Centipedes & Millipedes:
- 2 White-legged Snake Millipedes Tachypodoiulus niger

Spiders:
- 3 Missing Sector Orb-web Spider Zygiella x-notata [Silver-sided Sector Spider]

This moth is a Small Dusty Wave Idaea seriata.

Recognise this cranefly as Tipula lateralis by the combination of pale line down the abdomen and the pattern of light and dark veins in the wing.

(Ed Wilson)

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The Flash: 06:55 – 07:50

(192nd visit of the year)

Bird notes:

Bird(s) noted flying over here:
- 1 Jackdaw

Hirundines etc. noted:
None

Warblers noted (the figure in brackets relates to birds heard singing):
- 5 (2) Chiffchaffs
- 1 (1) Blackcap
'nominal' warbler:
- 1 (0) Goldcrest

Noted on / around the water:
- 3 Canada Geese
- 1 Greylag Goose
- 4 + 3 (1 brood) Mute Swan
- 35 (?♂) Mallard
- 69 (?♂) Tufted Duck
- 4 + 7 (4 broods) Moorhens
- 81 + 7 (3 dependent brood) Coots
- 4 Great Crested Grebes
- 25 Black-headed Gulls
- 2 Cormorants
- 1 Grey Heron

Noted elsewhere around The Flash:

Moths:
- none

Beetles:
- 1 Alder Leaf Beetle Agelastica alni: adult

Isopods:
- 1 Common Rough Woodlouse Porcellio scaber

Spiders, harvestmen etc.
- 1 harvestman Dicranopalpus ramosus/caudatus

A Feral Pigeon of the checkered form. Feral Pigeons here are usually seen flying around in a gang (what is the correct collective noun for Feral Pigeons?). I cannot remember when I last saw one wandering around on the ground and when seen they are usually lost Racing Pigeons. This is not one such as it has no leg rings. It is clearly used to being around people as it took very little notice of me.

This Common Rough Woodlouse Porcellio scaber was clambering down one of the street lamp poles.

(Ed Wilson)

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Sightings from previous years

2012
Nedge Hill
1 Hobby
1 Wheatear
(John Isherwood)

2010
Priorslee Lake
Tawny Owl
5 Swifts
(Ed Wilson)

2006
Priorslee Lake
Common Tern
2 Swifts
(Ed Wilson)