26 Mar 22

Priorslee Lake and The Flash

5.0°C > 12.0°C again: Clear. Calm. Good visibility.

Sunrise: 06:00 GMT

No photos with today's log. A selection will appear tomorrow.

Priorslee Lake: 05:15 – 06:30 // 07:35 – 09:45

(72nd visit of the year)

Bird notes:
- A pair of Canada Geese flew in from he E at 08:45. None was seen around the lake earlier.
- An unringed first year Mute Swan was present for over 30 minutes before taking the hint and leaving to the W.
- Of the 43 Wood Pigeons seen flying over 22 of them were flying high N, including one loose group of 17.
- A Collared Dove seems to have taken up residence on the new estate to the N of the lake.
- Perhaps the same three Great Crested Grebes: one pair displaying close to a third.
- All gulls seen here were flying straight over.
- The Cetti's Warbler was vocal again, back in the NW area.
- My first singing Blackcaps of the year here. Just two so far.

Birds noted flying over here:
- 9 Canada Geese: single and four pairs outbound
- 3 Greylag Geese: trio inbound
- 43 Wood Pigeons
- 1 Black-headed Gull again
- 3 Herring Gulls: all immatures yet again
- 1 Lesser Black-backed Gull: (near) adult
- 2 Cormorants: singles
- 1 Sparrowhawk
- 7 Jackdaws only
- 2 Rooks
- 4 Meadow Pipits: together

Hirundines etc. noted:

None

Warblers noted (figures in brackets relate to singing birds):
- 1 (1) Cetti's Warbler: back in NW area
- 14 (14) Chiffchaffs
- 2 (2) Blackcaps

Counts from the lake area:
- 2 Canada Geese: a pair arrived at 08:50
- 3 Mute Swans: a first-year bird for a while
- 5 (4♂) Mallard
- 6 (4♂) Tufted Duck: arrived together
- 7 Moorhens
- 33 Coots
- 1 Little Grebe seen: another(?) heard
- 3 Great Crested Grebes again

On / around the street lamp poles pre-dawn
- several small midges
- 1 presumed Common Green Lacewing (Chrysoperia carnea)

Noted later:
- Small Tortoiseshell butterfly (Aglais urticae)
- Buff-tailed Bumblebees (Bombus terrestris)
- many other unidentified bumblebees in flight only
- Common Wasp (Paravespula vulgaris): first of year
- Dark-edged Bee-flies (Bombilius major)
- Common Dronefly (Eristalis tenax)
- flowering Wild Cherry (Prunus avium)

The none too inspiring dawn.

The actual sunrise. Managed to find some trees as foreground.

The cob Mute Swan on the warpath and looking mean.

He really does not want this 2021 bird on his territory.

And puts it to flight.

The immature makes a perfect touchdown as it settles back for a while until....

...junior finally gets the message and leaves.

My first Common Wasp (Paravespula vulgaris) of the year. In 2021 they seemed to be in very low numbers until late in the season.

Camera wins over mark one eye-ball #1. I logged this as a Common Dronefly (Eristalis tenax) but it has pale legs so it is a Tapered Dronefly (Eristalis pertinax). Females of the species are not obviously tapered.

I have recorded this as a flowering Wild Cherry (Prunus avium) though I am not sure how 'wild' any of the trees and shrubs around the lake are.

They may be very common but they make a splash of colour on a sunny Spring morning. They are Dandelions of course, possibly Taraxacum officinale, though the taxonomy of this plant is open to much intellectual debate (though not by me!)

Another common flower – Daisy (Bellis perennis)

(Ed Wilson)

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The Flash: : 06:35 – 07:30

(67th visit of the year)

Bird notes:
- A dearth of duck Mallard today.
- Perhaps as well I photographed the Teal yesterday. I could not find them today.
- The Tufted Ducks were very mobile and a later sweep count gave me only 36 birds though not all the water can be seen from any one place.
- A strange date to find Herring Gulls here. Two adults flew in and were soon joined by a third year bird. Then two second year birds arrived separately.
- Great Spotted Woodpecker(s) seen in the copse by the medical centre; flying both up and down over the water; and heard calling along the E side.
- Two singing Blackcaps located.
- The colour-ringed male Grey Wagtail was seen at the top end.

Birds noted flying over here:
- 5 Wood Pigeons: high N
- 1 Jackdaw

Warblers noted (figures in brackets relate to singing birds):
- 6 (6) Chiffchaffs yet again
- 2 (2) Blackcaps

On /around the water:
- 46 Canada Geese: of these a pair flew off and a pair arrived
- 4 Greylag Geese: of these a pair arrived
- 3 + 2 (1 brood) Mute Swans: the number of eggs could not be determined again
- 24 (22♂) Mallard
- 1 (1♂) all-white duck (Aylesbury Duck)
- no Teal
- 45 (29♂) Tufted Duck: see notes
- 16 Moorhens
- 30 Coots again
- 2 Great Crested Grebes again
- 5 Herring Gulls: see notes

Noted on / around the street lamp poles:

- 1 Early Thorn moth (Selenia dentaria). On a pole at the other end of the water to that seen yesterday
- several plumed midges with plain wings, likely Chironomus plumosus.
- 1 owl-midge sp.

Elsewhere:

Nothing of note

Camera wins over mark one eye-ball #2. I thought these were two adult Herring Gulls and indeed from the markings one their bills they appear to be just that. In the photo the back bird shows faded brown immature feathers in the folded wing and is probably a fourth year bird.

This one is a third year Herring Gull.

 This looks to be a second year bird. Note the pale tip on this rather fuzzy photo.

While this a first year bird. Not sure why all these five Herring Gulls decided to drop in. An unusual date for this species here.

A shouting Nuthatch. They can make a loud ringing call that sounds not unlike some parts of a Song Thrush's repertoire.

This photo looks fuzzy because owl-midges are fuzzy! Tiny too.

(Ed Wilson)

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Between the lake and The Flash:

- no Mallard or Moorhens seen or heard.
- 1 (1) Chiffchaff beside the lower pool
- 1 Starling

(Ed Wilson)

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

Sightings from previous years without links are below

2014

Priorslee Lake

3 Great Crested Grebes

13 Cormorants

4 Greylag Geese

22 Tufted Duck

5 Sand Martins

6 Redwings

8 Chiffchaffs

>500 Jackdaws

(Ed Wilson)

The Flash

50 Tufted Ducks

4 Chiffchaffs

4 Siskins

(Ed Wilson)

2013

Priorslee Lake

1 Little Grebe

6 Great Crested Grebes

1 Cormorant

7 Wigeon 

2 Gadwall 

1 Pochard 

42 Tufted Ducks 

1 Great Black-backed Gull

Mediterranean Gull.

Ring-billed x Lesser Black-backed Gull.

>1500 Black-headed Gulls

2 Redwings

65 Magpies

25 Siskins

2 Reed Buntings

(Ed Wilson)

The Flash

2 Great Crested Grebes 

6 Swans

2 Pochard 

85 Tufted Duck 

(Ed Wilson)

2010

Priorslee Lake

3 Buzzards

1 Little Grebe 

5 Great Crested Grebe

4 Gadwall

36 Tufted Duck

c.160 Jackdaws

(Ed Wilson)

The Flash

4 Great Crested Grebe 

3 Greylag Geese 

32 Tufted Duck

Trench

1 Cormorant

43 Tufted Ducks

(Ed Wilson)

2007

Priorslee Lake

Little Ringed Plover

1 Cormorant

1 Mallard x Pintail

18 Tufted Duck

1 Ruddy Duck

1 Little Ringed Plover

1 Kittiwake

33 Wren

29 Robin

24 Blackbird

3 Chiffchaff

39 Magpie

3 Greenfinch

6 Reed Bunting

(Ed Wilson)

The Flash

8 Great Crested Grebe

2 Pochard

27 Tufted Duck

1 Snipe

3 Chiffchaff

2 Reed Bunting

(Ed Wilson)

2006

Priorslee Lake

1 Barn Owl

1 Little Grebe

5 Great Crested Grebes

1 Shoveler

30 Tufted Ducks

2 Water Rails

321 Wood Pigeons

2 Sky Larks

5 Meadow Pipits

33 Wrens

21 Robins

21 Blackbirds

1 Fieldfare

3 Redwings

1 Chiffchaff

1 Willow Tit

18 Greenfinches

8 Siskins

1 Linnet

6 Reed Buntings

1 Yellowhammer.

(Ed Wilson) 

25 Mar 22

Priorslee Lake and The Flash

5.0°C > 12.0°C: Clear again. Somewhat less hazy. Calm. Good visibility.

Sunrise: 06:02 GMT

* = a photo today

Priorslee Lake: 05:15 – 06:25 // 07:35 – 09:30

(71st visit of the year)

Two additions to my 2022 bird list for here:
- at 06:20 I managed to add Meadow Pipit to the log when two birds flew, unexpectedly, E. They normally go N in Spring and S in Autumn.
- then just as I was about to give up I located a non-singing male Blackcap at the W end. Given that I had heard at least three singing around The Flash I had assumed it would be easy to find one or more here. Not so!
Species #73 and 74 respectively for my 2022 list here.

Other bird notes:
- I did not see any Canada Geese as I completed my first walk around. As I was walking away up Teece Drive at 06:25 birds were calling from the lake. Whether they had just arrived or whether the Mute Swans had dislodged them from last year's nest site in the reeds is hard to say.
- Back to three Great Crested Grebes with one pair displaying close to the third as if to warn it off.
- Two Black-headed Gulls appeared over the lake at 05:25 and circled for a few minutes before leaving. A lone bird flew N at 06:20.
- The Cetti's Warbler was typically vocal at c.05:20 in the NW area but soon quietened down. It has been in this area for some days but today what I assume was the same bird was heard singing and then seen along the S side at c.08:45.
- There were two Starlings on house roofs along Teece Drive with a third arriving carrying food. Nesting already.

Birds noted flying over here:
- 9 Canada Geese: pair outbound; septet inbound
- 2 Greylag Geese: pair outbound
- 10 Wood Pigeons only
- 1 Black-headed Gull
- 3 Herring Gulls: all immatures again
- 38 Jackdaws
- 6 Redwings: a duo and quartet heading NW
- 2 Meadow Pipits

Hirundines etc. noted:

None

Warblers noted (figures in brackets relate to singing birds):
- 1 (1) Cetti's Warbler: see notes
- 12 (12) Chiffchaffs
- 1 (0) Blackcap: as highlighted

Counts from the lake area:
- 2 Canada Geese: a pair arrived 06:25?: see notes
- 2 Mute Swans
- 9 (8♂) Mallard
- 5 Moorhens
- 35 Coots
- no Little Grebe(s) seen or heard
- 3 Great Crested Grebes: see notes
- 2 Black-headed Gulls: see notes
- no Grey Herons

On / around the street lamp poles pre-dawn
- *1 Red-letter Flat-body moth again (Agonopterix ocellana)
- several small midges
- *1 presumed Common Green Lacewing (Chrysoperia carnea)

Noted later:
- 1 Small Tortoiseshell (Aglais urticae)
- *Buff-tailed Bumblebees (Bombus terrestris)
- many other unidentified bumblebees in flight only
- *several Dark-edged Bee-flies (Bombilius major)

Even if the weather stays clear this is likely to be the last chance I get to photo the moon this month – the remaining lit area will not give enough light for my hand-held camera.

Another red ball sunrise.

A few more clouds enabled a sunrise with a bit more character to it. At the very bottom of the view are two of the earth moving machines where once were open fields and Skylarks singing....

This Robin almost looks wistful but I think it is eyeing me suspiciously.

I am not having much luck photographing this species of moth. The red spot in middle of the forewings shows more clearly when I look through the camera's viewfinder than it does whatever setting I use for the photo. Probably a different Red-letter Flat-body moth (Agonopterix ocellana) from the one I logged yesterday as it was several lamp poles away.

Resting in a dandelion flower is a Buff-tailed Bumblebees (Bombus terrestris). Most bumblebees were only seen in flight and remained unidentified.

Definite highlight for me was finding this Dark-edged Bee-fly (Bombilius major). Lovely round furry insects. The proboscis is used for drinking nectar from deep within flowers. It could not penetrate skin even if these engaging insects ever wished to get angry. This is my earliest-ever record of this species – 27th March 2019 was my only other March sighting.

Looking at the wing-pattern of this presumed Common Green Lacewing (Chrysoperia carnea) makes my eyes go funny. Still in winter colours. The brown lacewing group do not have transparent wings.

(Ed Wilson)

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The Flash: 06:30 – 07:30

(66th visit of the year)

Bird notes:
- There has been a significant reduction in Tufted Duck numbers over the past few days.
- It is strange that during the winter I saw Collard Doves very rarely. Now they are present in numbers - three singing birds and another non-singing bird. They are not a 'traditional migrant' species so where do they go?
- Two Great Crested Grebes escorted me around the edge of the water as if inspecting their new abode.
- Three singing Blackcaps with just perhaps a fourth though the territories are not yet defined.
- Nuthatches seen collecting nesting material and seeing off any tits that looked to be interested in their nest-hole.
- A Mistle Thrush was singing from trees at the bottom of squirrel alley by the academy.

Birds noted flying over here:
- 6 Wood Pigeons: high NE
- 4 Jackdaws

Warblers noted (figures in brackets relate to singing birds):
- 6 (6) Chiffchaffs again
- *3 (3) Blackcaps: perhaps 4 (4)

On /around the water:
- 37 Canada Geese: of these a pair flew off
- 7 Greylag Geese: of these two pairs flew off and a pair arrived
- 3 + 2 (1 brood) Mute Swans: the number of eggs could not be determined
- *30 (26♂) Mallard
- 1 (1♂) all-white duck (Aylesbury Duck)
- *2 (1♂) Teal
- 44 (27♂) Tufted Duck
- 12 Moorhens
- 30 Coots
- 2 Great Crested Grebes

Noted on / around the street lamp poles: a bumper bundle:
- *1 Early Thorn moth (Selenia dentaria). Moth species #3 for me here this year
- *1 plumed midge with patterned wings, probably Psectrotanypus varius.
- several plumed midges without plain wings, likely Chironomus plumosus.

Noted elsewhere:
- *1 Common Carp (Cyprinus carpio) swimming in the water
- 1 Grey Squirrel

Not too sure how long the pair of Teal will stay around – I am amazed they have stayed so long. Today the drake was out on the open water so I decided to take his photo one more time.

A bi-plane bi-sexual Mallard?

Somewhat easier to see there are two birds in this shot.

And so there are. I have never noticed that the blue speculum is more broadly white on its inner edge in the duck than in the drake. Photos elsewhere confirm this as a consistent difference but I cannot find this fact noted in any plumage descriptions for this species.

Well that's not very nice behaviour!

Nuthatches are masters (and mistresses) of hanging at bizarre angles to reach food.

As well as just sitting about.

I am sure I will do better.. This Blackcap was typically skulking in vegetation while it sang. Suddenly it flew out and landed on top of a 30 foot tree.

An Early Thorn moth (Selenia dentaria) resting, as do most 'thorn' moths, with its wings held vertically over its back. This species of moth is double-brooded and I have only previously recorded the second brood here. This latter brood flies in August when the epithet 'early' is hardly appropriate.

This plumed midge with patterned wings is almost certainly Psectrotanypus varius. Not a species I see very often: normally I see Chironomus plumosus with plain wings.

One of the Common Carp cruising just under the surface.

(Ed Wilson)

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Between the lake and The Flash:

- 2 (1♂) Mallard in the lower pool.
- 1 Moorhen heard in the upper pool only.
- 1 (1) Chiffchaff beside the upper pool
- no Starlings
- *1 male Grey Wagtail by the lower pool

It is easy to see why people assume they have seen a Yellow Wagtail when they see this. This a male Grey Wagtail almost in full summer plumage – the throat area will become jet black apart from a white malar stripe. Only older females have a hint of black on the throat and all are not such a bright yellow.

This is why it is called a Grey Wagtail – it has a grey back. Yellow Wagtails have yellow, or olive-green, backs and heads. This is the bird I first noted in November 2020 wearing rings that had been placed on it at Heysham in Lancashire when it was a juvenile that year.

(Ed Wilson)

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Priorslee Avenue tunnel:

Nothing of note

(Ed Wilson)

Also noted this morning:

Two aircraft today. This is a Comco-Ikarus C42 FB100 Charlie which flies from Sleap Airfield near Wem. This two-seat microlight aircraft is manufactured as a kit in Germany. It can be self-assembled: or, as with this example, you can have it built for you by specialists in the UK. Flight Radar 24 showed this aircraft on a day-trip to a private airstrip near Abingdon.

This aircraft was travelling in parallel. It is a Evektor-Aerotechnik EV-97 Eurostar with a Stafford owner. Another two seat microlight but designed in the Czech Republic. It is also available fully assembled or as a (big) box of parts. This one was built from a kit by an enthusiast.

(Ed Wilson)

Note:

Ed Wilson visited Upton Warren on 23 Mar. His photos can be found Here.

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

Sightings from previous years without links are below

2014

Priorslee Lake

1 Little Grebe

7 Cormorants

2 Gadwall

18 Tufted Duck

1 Kittiwake

1 Sand Martin

7 Chiffchaffs

158 Jackdaws

(Ed Wilson)

The Flash

1 Kittiwake

(John Isherwood)

Trench Lock Pool

2 Little Grebes

4 Great Crested Grebes

15 Tufted Ducks

2 Chiffchaffs

(Ed Wilson)

Trench Middle Pool

2 Tufted Duck

2 Chiffchaffs

1 Willow Warbler

(Ed Wilson)

2013

Priorslee Lake

2 Little Grebes 

3 Great Crested Grebe 

7 Wigeon 

2 Gadwall 

34 Tufted Ducks 

c.450 Black-headed Gulls

c.350 Lesser Black-backed Gulls

c.50 Herring Gulls

1 Great Black-backed Gull.

(Ed Wilson)

The Flash

3 Great Crested Grebes 

7 Swans 

2 Pochard 

73 Tufted Duck 

(Ed Wilson)

2011

Nedge Hill

2 Wheatear

(John Isherwood)

2010

Priorslee Lake

1 Little Grebe 

4 Great Crested Grebe 

4 Gadwall

27 Tufted Duck

c.210 Jackdaws

(Ed Wilson)

The Flash

3 Great Crested Grebe 

36 Tufted Duck

2 Siskins

1 Reed Bunting

(Ed Wilson)

2007

Priorslee Lake

3 Cormorant

2 Shoveler

27 Tufted Duck

1 Green Woodpecker

29 Wren

22 Robin

21 Blackbird

5 Fieldfare

9 Redwing

6 Chiffchaff

36 Magpie

99 Jackdaw

8 Greenfinch

7 Reed Bunting

(Ed Wilson)

The Flash

4 Great Crested Grebe

1 Mallard x Pintail

2 Pochard

17 Tufted Duck

3 Chiffchaff

1 Reed Bunting

(Ed Wilson)

2006

Priorslee Lake

1 Barn Ow

1 Little Grebe

6 Great Crested Grebes

1 Shoveler

26 Tufted Ducks

2 Water Rail

532 Wood Pigeon

2 Great Spotted Woodpeckers

2 Sky Larks

15 Pied Wagtails

26 Wrens

34 Blackbirds

6 Redwings

1 Willow Warbler

1 Chiffchaff

17 Magpies

4 Jays

1 Brambling

13 Greenfinches

4 Siskins

1 Linnets

5 Reed Buntings

(Ed Wilson)

The Flash

6 Great Crested Grebe

2 Pochard

22 Tufted Duck

2 Chiffchaff 

1 Reed Bunting

(Ed Wilson)

24 Mar 22

Priorslee Lake and The Flash

6.0°C > 12.0°C: Clear and hazy again. Calm. Good visibility.

Sunrise: 06:04 GMT

* = a photo today

Priorslee Lake: 05:10 – 06:20 // 07:25 – 09:30

(70th visit of the year)

Bird notes:
- Now five Great Crested Grebes. The presence of the fifth seemed to inspire the other two pairs out in to the open to display.
- Two adult and one first year Black-headed Gulls appeared over the lake at 05:50 and circled low for about 10 minutes before leaving.

Birds noted flying over here:
- 2 Canada Geese: pair outbound again
- 7 Greylag Geese: two pairs outbound; single and pair inbound
- 1 Feral Pigeon
- 3 Stock Doves: single and pair
- 21 Wood Pigeons again
- 4 Herring Gulls: again and all immatures again
- 2 Lesser Black-backed Gulls: both immatures
- 1 Common Buzzard again
- 48 Jackdaws

We are missing the passage of Meadow Pipits that has been reported elsewhere over the last flew days. These normally fly low-enough that I should see or at least hear them even in the hazy conditions.

Hirundines etc. noted:

None

Warblers noted (figures in brackets relate to singing birds):
- 1 (1) Cetti's Warbler
- 13 (13) Chiffchaffs

Counts from the lake area:
- 3 Canada Geese: one flew off 05:50; a pair throughout
- 2 Mute Swans
- 6 (4♂) Mallard
- no Tufted Duck
- 7 Moorhens
- 31 Coots
- Little Grebe(s) heard only again
- 5 Great Crested Grebes: see notes
- 3 Black-headed Gulls: see notes
- 2 Grey Herons: both departed, but separately

On / around the street lamp poles pre-dawn
- *1 Red-letter Flat-body moth (Agonopterix ocellana)
- *1 spider sp. (same species as yesterday?)

Notes later:
- 1 Peacock butterfly (Aglais io)
- 1 Red-tailed Bumblebee (Bombus lapidarius)
- >4 Buff-tailed Bumblebee (Bombus terrestris)
- many other unidentified bumblebees in flight only – there are not many flowers for them to visit

Also: the overnight fishermen reported many bats of at least two species were flying last evening.

Just about half moon this morning. The moon was surprising low to the SSW this morning. I guess we would have heard if it was off course!

Another hazy start to the day. "Poor air quality" the met man said last night. It seems that the temperatures are too low to lift the pollution through the 'lid' of the high pressure.

I found this feather in the grass this morning. I assumed it was from a Common Buzzard until I checked with my "Tracks & Signs" book. The way the pale mark on the bottom left of the photo veers along almost parallel with the shaft suggests it is more likely a primary feather from a Common Pheasant. Not all primaries of both species are illustrated so I cannot be definite.

A not very inspiring photo of a not very inspiring moth. It is a Red-letter Flat-body (Agonopterix ocellana). The red on the inner edge of the black mark in the forewings is not as obvious as it was when I was peering through the viewfinder. It is the red that gives it the vernacular name though being a micro moth 'real moth men' only use the scientific names.

 Possibly a better photo than yesterday of this unusual-looking spider. I do not have an identity for it as yet.

I would like to think that the lout or louts who kicked out the side walls of the sailing club's shelter are feeling remorse this morning. I doubt it. What is wrong with these people?

(Ed Wilson)

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The Flash: 06:25 – 07:20

(66th visit of the year)

Best record today was a singing Blackcap in the bushes between Priorslee Avenue and the car parks outside the medical centre. My first of the year and bird species #55 here in 2022 for me. Last year I noted the first bird on March 25th so it is about on cue. While I was unsuccessfully trying to see the bird a trio of Redwings perched briefly in the tops of trees here – Summer and Winter visitors together.

Other bird notes:
- A lone Greylag Goose still seems to be making overtures to one of a pair of Canada Geese.
- Still four eggs in the Mute Swans' nest.
- One of the groups of Tufted Ducks (comprising 11 drakes and three ducks) was doing much chasing around.
- A Great Spotted Woodpecker was flying around the E side trees making a lot of noise.
- *A Long-tailed Tits' nest located.

Birds noted flying over here:
- 2 Canada Geese: a pair flew N
- 12 Wood Pigeons: high NE together
- 1 Jackdaw

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

On /around the water:
- 31 Canada Geese: of these two pairs flew off
- 3 Greylag Geese: of these a pair arrived
- 3 + 2 (1 brood) Mute Swans: 4 eggs still
- 26 (22♂) Mallard
- 1 (1♂) all-white duck (Aylesbury Duck)
- 2 (1♂) Teal still here
- 58 (39♂) Tufted Duck
- 14 Moorhens again
- 26 Coots
- 1 Great Crested Grebe again

Noted on / around the street lamp poles: a bumper bundle:
- 2 Plumed midges (Chironomus plumosus)
- *1 owl-midge (also known as drain fly, moth fly or owl fly) Psychodidae sp.
- 1 lacewing, probably Common Green Lacewing (Chrysoperla carnea)
- *1 midge sp.
- *1 spider, likely a Noble False Widow (Steatoda nobilis)

Elsewhere:

Nothing of note

Chest puffed out as it emits its three-note song is this Collared Dove. With particular emphasis given to two of the notes this species is sometimes claimed as 'the first Cuckoo in Spring'. When you hear a real Cuckoo there is no confusion.

 A Long-tailed Tit.

And here is its home for the next weeks. An amazingly intricate structure of disguised spiders' webs allowing flexibility to accommodate as many as a dozen long tails as the brood develops. I was not about to move any of the foreground twigs to get a better view and expose the nest further.

This looks to me like a midge though it is rather short and unusual in have a dark mark in the wings.

My photo is even more fuzzy than this fly was in real life. A tiny owl-midge many feet up a lamp pole is not easy to photograph. Until last year I had seen (noticed?) very few. Last Autumn I noted them almost daily. None of my references say whether they can or do over-winter as adults. And none of the 99 species known in the UK can be specifically identified from even good quality photos.

I think this spider is most likely a Noble False Widow (Steatoda nobilis). As usual there are similar species that require detailed examination (10 foot up a lamp pole?) to be certain.

(Ed Wilson)

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Between the Lake and The Flash:

- 2 (2♂) Mallard in the lower pool.
- 1 Moorhen heard in the upper pool only.
- 1 (1) Chiffchaff beside the lower pool
- 8 Starlings in trees

(Ed Wilson)

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Priorslee Avenue tunnel:

Nothing of note

(Ed Wilson)

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

Sightings from previous years without links are below

2014

Priorslee Lake

7 Chiffchaffs

1 Little Grebe

4 Great Crested Grebes

5 Cormorants

1 Grey Heron

19 Tufted Duck

3 Buzzard

30 Fieldfares

5 Redwings

7 Chiffchaffs

>700 Jackdaws

1 Raven

1 Marsh Tit

(Ed Wilson, Martin Grant)

The Flash

2 Great Crested Grebes

2 Common Teal

50 Tufted Ducks

(Ed Wilson)

2013

Priorslee Lake

1 Little Grebe 

3 Great Crested Grebe 

7 Wigeon 

2 Gadwall 

37 Tufted Ducks 

c.180 Lesser Black-backed Gulls

c.50 Herring Gulls

2 Chiffchaffs

(Ed Wilson)

2010

Priorslee Lake

Oystercatcher 

11 Pied Wagtail

2 Redwings

Willow Warbler

4 Chiffchaffs singing

12 Linnets

1 Siskin

4 Great Crested Grebe 

2 Gadwall

28 Tufted Duck

c.225 Jackdaws

(Ed Wilson)

Nedge Hill

3 Wheatears

(Ian Grant)

The Flash

4 Great Crested Grebes

46 Tufted Duck

2 Chiffchaffs

(Ed Wilson)

2007

Priorslee Lake

4 Great Crested Grebe

25 Tufted Duck

1 Ruddy Duck

1 Sky Lark

1 Sand Martin

28 Wren

20 Robin

33 Blackbird

1 Redwing

3 Chiffchaff

32 Magpie

117 Jackdaw

4 Greenfinch

6 Reed Bunting

(Ed Wilson)

Priorslee Village

Raven

Blackcap

(Martin Adlam)

Nedge Hill

3 Sky Lark

1 Chiffchaff

3 Greenfinch

6 Yellowhammer

(Ed Wilson)

The Flash

6 Great Crested Grebe

2 Pochard

22 Tufted Duck

2 Chiffchaff 

1 Reed Bunting

(Ed Wilson)