28 Jul 24

Priorslee Balancing Lake and The Flash

11.0°C > 19.0°C: Clear and calm start. A few puffy clouds and a light southerly breeze developed. Very good visibility.

Sunrise: 05:24 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 – 06:00 // 07:05 – 09:55

(163rd visit of the year)

Bird notes:
- all four Mute Swans remain with no chasing today.

Counts of birds noted flying over:
- 30 Canada Geese: 27 outbound in three groups; a trio inbound
- 25 Greylag Geese: 21 outbound in two groups; a quartet inbound
- 116 Wood Pigeons
- 32 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 93 Jackdaws
- 20 Rooks

Hirundines etc. noted:
- 1 Barn Swallow
- House Martins heard only

Warblers noted (the figure in brackets relates to birds heard singing):
- *10 (1) Chiffchaffs
- 6 (0) Reed Warblers
- 3 (1) Blackcaps
- 1 (1) Common Whitethroat
'nominal' warbler:
- 1 (0) Goldcrest

Counts from the lake area:
- 29 Canada Geese: six remained from yesterday; 23 arrived in three groups
- 3 Greylag Geese: one remained from yesterday; a pair arrived
- 4 Mute Swans
- 18 (?♂) Mallard
- 8 adult and juvenile Moorhens
- 62 adult and juvenile Coots including a very new brood of three juveniles
- 4 + 1 (1 brood) Great Crested Grebes
- 17 Black-headed Gulls at most on the lake. 64 (no juveniles) were on the football field at 05:50
- 1 Lesser Black-backed Gulls on the lake: none on the football field at 05:50
- 1 Grey Heron: departed

Noted on the street lamps poles pre-dawn:

Moths:
- *1 Ghost Moth Hepialus humuli: a female of the humuli form
- *1 Flame Carpet Xanthorhoe designata

Flies:
- *1 female Black Snipefly Chrysopilus cristatus

Spiders etc.:
- *1 harvestman Dicranopalpus ramosus/caudatus

Noted later:

Butterflies:
- *Large White Pieris brassicae
- *Green-veined White Pieris napi
- Ringlet Aphantopus hyperantus
- Meadow Brown Maniola jurtina
- *Gatekeeper Pyronia tithonus

Moths:
- Straw Grass-moth Agriphila straminella [was Straw Grass-veneer]

Bees, wasps etc.:
- *Honey Bee Apis mellifera
- Garden Bumblebee Bombus hortorum
- *Tree Bumblebee Bombus hypnorum
- Common Carder Bee Bombus pascuorum
- *!!ichneumon-type just possibly a Slender Wood Borer Wasp Trypoxylon attenuatum

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.
- Chequered Hoverfly Melanostoma scalare [Long-winged Duskyface]
- Tiger Hoverfly Helophilus pendulus
- Pellucid Fly Volucella pellucens [Pied Plumehorn]

Damsel-/dragon-flies:
- Brown Hawker Aeshna grandis
- Common Blue Damselfly Enallagma cyathigerum

Other flies:
- Black Snipefly Chrysopilus cristatus
- *!!Thick-headed fly Conops quadrifasciatus
- *flesh fly Sarcophaga sp.
**otherwise only unidentified flies noted

Bugs etc.:
- none

Beetles:
- Common Red Soldier Beetle Rhagonycha fulva

Molluscs:
- White-lipped Snail Cepaea hortensis

A young Chiffchaff still with some fluffy juvenile feathers.

Juveniles often show a yellow wash, not so brightly as young Willow Warblers that can be very yellow.

Calling to fed no doubt though with no gape line this one would be too old to get any attention from its parents.

A Large White butterfly Pieris brassicae from underneath showing none of the markings that characterise...

 ...the underwing of Green-veined White Pieris napi.

A Gatekeeper butterfly Pyronia tithonus tucks in to nectar.

We should have more Gatekeeper butterflies next year!

Another Ghost Moth Hepialus humuli also a female of the humuli form.

Looking rather surprised is a second brood Flame Carpet moth Xanthorhoe designata.

A Honey Bee Apis mellifera tucks in. I had a few sightings of this species in April and then nothing until very recently. They now seem to be in good numbers.

An unusual Tree Bumblebee Bombus hypnorum. Most have an orange 'pile' on their thorax but some, like this one, are dark. The white tail is a clue.

A find today was this ichneumon that spent as much time running around the leaves as it did flying. A small and slender wasp-type. The best I can suggest from scouring the internet with suggestions from Obsidentify and Google Lens is may just possibly be a Slender Wood Borer Wasp Trypoxylon attenuatum.

 Unusual on a street lamp pole pre-sunrise: a female Black Snipefly Chrysopilus cristatus.

 The other "find of the day" was this Thick-headed fly Conops quadrifasciatus. A new species for me.

A flesh fly Sarcophaga sp.

The working part of a harvestman Dicranopalpus ramosus/caudatus. The long and forked pedipalps identify this species pair which are also unique in the way all four pairs of legs are almost at right angles to the body.

(Ed Wilson)

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In the Priorslee Avenue tunnel:

Moths:
- *3 Single-dotted Wave Idaea dimidiata

Flies:
- *1 female Banded Mosquito Culiseta annulata
- *1 Spotted Cranefly Nephrotoma appendiculata
- *1 crane fly Rhipidia maculata

Other things:
- *1 unknown bug
- 7 White-legged Snake Millipedes Tachypodoiulus niger

Spiders etc.:
- *1 possible Garden (Cross) Spider Araneus diadematus

One of three Single-dotted Wave moths Idaea dimidiata on the wall or ceiling of the tunnel.

The proboscis (all the better to sting you with) indicates this is a female Banded Mosquito Culiseta annulata.

A Spotted Cranefly Nephrotoma appendiculata that has been in the wars with just two legs remaining. I can get nothing on the bug (?) alongside it.

The crane fly Rhipidia maculata

Obsidentify was certain this is a Garden (Cross) Spider Araneus diadematus. The legs look proportionately too long to me. Perhaps the angle?

(Ed Wilson)

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The Flash: 06:05 – 07:00

(166th visit of the year)

Bird notes:
- the Mallard were again having a hiding day.

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

Hirundines etc. noted:
- 6 House Martins

Warblers noted (the figure in brackets relates to birds heard singing):
- 4 (0) Chiffchaffs
- 1 (0) Blackcap
'nominal' warbler:
- no Goldcrest

Noted on / around the water:
- 48 Canada Geese
- 5 Greylag Geese
- 2 + 3 (1 brood) Mute Swan
- 8 (?♂) Mallard
- 25 (?♂) Tufted Duck
- 6 + 5 (3 broods) Moorhens
- 53 + 4 (3 broods) Coots
- 3 Great Crested Grebes
- 4 Black-headed Gulls
- 1 Grey Heron: departed

Noted elsewhere around The Flash:

Moths:
- 1 Riband Wave Idaea aversata : same as yesterday

Beetles:
- 1 Alder Leaf Beetle Agelastica alni larva

(Ed Wilson)

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Sightings from previous years

2012
Priorslee Lake
Grasshopper Warbler
(John Isherwood)

Nedge Hill
17 Mistle Thrush including several juveniles
(John Isherwood)

2006
Priorslee Lake
2 Common Terns
(Ed Wilson)

27 Jul 24

Priorslee Balancing Lake and The Flash

11.0°C > 15.0°C: Mainly broken medium / high cloud with only a few sunny periods. A calm start with a light westerly breeze developing. Very good visibility.

Sunrise: 05:21 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 – 06:10 // 07:10 – 09:55

(162nd visit of the year)

Bird notes:
- all four Mute Swans remain.
- another increase in Coot numbers. Has the Winter build-up started? Or is it that they have all now emerged from their nest sites?
- 49 Jackdaws were counted outbound from wherever they roost c.05:40. The at c.08:10 two groups totalling 59 birds were circling over the dam area. My view was blocked and I could not determine which way they were going.
- only three House Martins noted: one of these was a begging juvenile.

Counts of birds noted flying over:
- 29 Canada Geese: 20 outbound in three groups; nine inbound together
- 73 Greylag Geese: 29 outbound in two groups; 44 inbound in two groups
- c.80 Racing Pigeons: together
- 198 Wood Pigeons
- 21 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 1 Cormorant: circled over checking the lake out but continued
- 108 Jackdaws
- 29 Rooks
- 1 Greenfinch

Hirundines etc. noted:
- 1 Barn Swallow
- 3 House Martins

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

Counts from the lake area:
- 33 Canada Geese: eight remained from yesterday; four arrived and departed; another (?) four arrived; then 17 arrived
- 10 Greylag Geese: one remained from yesterday; a single arrived and then eight more
- 4 Mute Swans
- 22 (?♂) Mallard
- 7 adult and juvenile Moorhens
- 56 adult and juvenile Coots
- 7 + 1 (1 brood) Great Crested Grebes
- 25 Black-headed Gulls at most on the lake. 109 (1 juvenile) were on the football field at 05:55
- *1 Herring Gull
- 8 Lesser Black-backed Gulls on the lake, at various times: also two on the football field at 05:55
- 1 Grey Heron
- 1 Kingfisher

Noted on the street lamps poles pre-dawn:

Moths:
- *1 !Large Emerald Geometra papilionaria
- *1 Black Arches Lymantria monacha

Spiders etc.:
- 1 harvestman Dicranopalpus ramosus/caudatus

Noted later:

Butterflies:
- Ringlet Aphantopus hyperantus
- Gatekeeper Pyronia tithonus

Moths:
- Straw Grass-moth Agriphila straminella [was Straw Grass-veneer]
- Shaded Broad-bar Scotopteryx chenopodiata

Bees, wasps etc.:
- *Honey Bee Apis mellifera [European Dark Bee A. mellifera mellifera]
- Garden Bumblebee Bombus hortorum
- *Red-tailed Bumblebee Bombus lapidarius
- Common Carder Bee Bombus pascuorum
- *ichneumon probably a male Ichneumon stramentor

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.
- *Parsley Blacklet Cheilosia pagana
- *unidentified Cheilosia sp., just perhaps Yarrow Blacklet C. vulpina
- Marmalade Hoverfly Episyrphus balteatus
- Common Dronefly Eristalis tenax
- *Short Melanostoma Melanostoma mellinum [Variable Duskyface]
- *Chequered Hoverfly Melanostoma scalare [Long-winged Duskyface]
- *Dead-head Hoverfly Myathropa florea [Common Batman Fly]

Damsel-/dragon-flies:
- Brown Hawker Aeshna grandis
- Common Blue Damselfly Enallagma cyathigerum

Other flies:
- *Black Snipefly Chrysopilus cristatus
- *probable Common Green Bottle Fly Lucilia sericata
- *Grouse Wing caddis fly Mystacides longicornis
- *cluster fly Pollenia rudis
- *flesh fly Sarcophaga carnaria or similar
**otherwise only unidentified flies noted

Bugs etc.:
- *Red Bug Deraeocoris ruber
- *Mirid bug Lygus pratensis or similar

Beetles:
- Common Red Soldier Beetle Rhagonycha fulva

Molluscs:
- *White-lipped Snail Cepaea hortensis

Fungus:
- *possible Stubble Rosegill Volvariella gloiocephala

This morning's sunrise. A touch of mist. More cloud later.

I am going with Herring Gull for this juvenile gull. The inner primaries are paler and the area above the tail band is dappled. I cannot entirely rule out Yellow-legged Gull.

This does not help much. I think Yellow-legged Gull would show a paler head.

 One of the local Common Buzzards flies to a perch in the Ricoh area...

...announcing its presence as it does so. The individual with the missing wing feathers I also photographed last week.

A new moth for the year. It is a Large Emerald Geometra papilionaria. I record one most years: this is my latest date for doing so.

A stunning moth: a different individual from that seen yesterday. A Black Arches Lymantria monacha.

A Honey Bee Apis mellifera. I cannot say I have noticed the thick rear leg on this species, perhaps because it is often covered by the pollen in the pollen sac. It seems this is also called the European Dark Bee with the scientific trinomial A. mellifera mellifera.

A Red-tailed Bumblebee Bombus lapidarius sleeping in the Ragwort.

This ichneumon is probably a male Ichneumon stramentor. There are several similar species.

A Parsley Blacklet hoverfly Cheilosia pagana. One of this mostly black group that is relatively easy to identify.

Whereas this Cheilosia hoverfly is more of a problem. It might have helped had the leg colouration been more visible. It is perhaps Yarrow Blacklet C. vulpina. A shame: it would have been a new species for me.

A Short Melanostoma hoverfly Melanostoma mellinum.

This Chequered Hoverfly Melanostoma scalare was a struggle for the ID apps. The preferred suggestion was Gossamer Hoverfly Baccha elongata (or Common Dainty) but that has a much thinner abdomen.

The thoracic markings on this Dead-head Hoverfly Myathropa florea are rather indistinct.

A female Black Snipefly Chrysopilus cristatus. The species name is not appropriate for the female.

Probably the Common Green Bottle Fly Lucilia sericata.

A Grouse Wing caddis fly Mystacides longicornis. Just about visible is the long, banded antennae.

This fly was making forays from the buttercup petal. I tried a new ID app – Google Lens – to give me the identity as the cluster fly Pollenia rudis. Obsidentify agreed it was a cluster fly but went no further.

A flesh fly Sarcophaga carnaria or one of several similar species.

A Red Bug Deraeocoris ruber. Seems a good name.

A bug in the hand is worth....

Photographed as it was about to fly off from my finger. This is a Mirid bug Lygus pratensis or similar. Separation requires use of a hand lens and the knowledge of the features to look for. I have neither.

A White-lipped Snail Cepaea hortensis. I see many most days. I rarely bother to photograph any. The shell marking are very variable.

Obsidentify thought this fungus most likely a Stubble Rosegill Volvariella gloiocephala. I am in no position to argue!

(Ed Wilson)

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In the Priorslee Avenue tunnel:

Flies:
- *1 cranefly possibly Tipula lateralis

Other things:
- 6 White-legged Snake Millipede Tachypodoiulus niger

This cranefly is possibly Tipula lateralis. I could not get angle to see the wing pattern to clinch the identification.

(Ed Wilson)

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The Flash: 06:15 – 07:05

(165th visit of the year)

Bird notes:
- the Mallard were having another hiding day.

Bird(s) noted flying over here:
- 1 Herring Gull
- 4 Jackdaws

Hirundines etc. noted:
- 6 House Martins

Warblers noted (the figure in brackets relates to birds heard singing):
- 6 (1) Chiffchaffs
- no Blackcaps
'nominal' warbler:
- 1 (0) Goldcrest

Noted on / around the water:
- 49 Canada Geese
- 9 Greylag Geese
- 2 + 3 (1 brood) Mute Swan
- 13 (?♂) Mallard
- 30 (?♂) Tufted Duck
- 9 + 1 (1 brood) Moorhens
- 47 + 5 (3 broods) Coots
- 6 Great Crested Grebes
- 2 Black-headed Gulls

Noted elsewhere around The Flash:

Moths:
- 1 Straw Grass-moth Agriphila straminella [was Straw Grass-veneer]
- *1 Riband Wave Idaea aversata

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

Beetles:
- *1 Orange Ladybird Halyzia sedecimguttata

By far the best specimen of a Riband Wave Idaea aversata I have seen this year. Again of the form remutata where the area between the outer cross lines is not solid colour.

Tucked up in the crease of a street lamp pole I found this Orange Ladybird Halyzia sedecimguttata.

(Ed Wilson)

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Sightings from previous years

2006
Priorslee Lake
Redshank
(Ed Wilson)

26 Jul 24

Priorslee Balancing Lake and The Flash

13.0°C > 18.0°C: Early broken cloud soon gave way to clear skies for a while with puffy clouds intruding after 07:30. Light south-westerly breeze. Very good visibility.

Sunrise: 05:20 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 – 06:10 // 07:20 – 09:55

(161st visit of the year)

Bird notes:
- all four Mute Swans remain.
- a tight party 22 apparent Feral Pigeons flew West at 05:55. While these were on the usual trajectory it seems remarkably early for such a group. Also just a few minutes later five more were on the same line, though these then circled and seem likely to have been local birds.
- I have no idea why there were many more Coots on the water this morning.

Counts of birds noted flying over:
- 59 Canada Geese: outbound in nine groups
- 25 Greylag Geese: 13 outbound in two groups; 12 inbound together
- 1 Feral Pigeon
- c.22 Racing Pigeons: see notes
- 181 Wood Pigeons
- 1 Herring Gull
- 5 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 2 Cormorants: together
- 1 Grey Heron
- 84 Jackdaws
- 5 Rooks
- 2 Greenfinches

Hirundines etc. noted:
- 3 House Martins

Warblers noted (the figure in brackets relates to birds heard singing):
- 12 (0) Chiffchaffs
- 10 (2) Reed Warblers
- 4 (0) Blackcaps
- 1 (1) Common Whitethroat
'nominal' warbler:
- 1 (1) Goldcrest

Counts from the lake area:
- 8 Canada Geese: arrived as a sextet and duo
- 6 Greylag Geese: arrived together; two of these departed
- 4 Mute Swans
- 15 (?♂) Mallard
- 9 adult and juvenile Moorhens
- 39 adult and juvenile Coots
- 6 + 1 (1 brood) Great Crested Grebes
- 21 Black-headed Gulls at most on the lake. 108 (4 juveniles) were on the football field at 05:55
- 1 Lesser Black-backed Gull on the lake, briefly: none on the football field
- 1 Grey Heron

Noted on the street lamps poles pre-dawn:

Moths:
- *1 Blue-bordered Carpet Plemyria rubiginata
- *!1 Black Arches Lymantria monacha

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

Noted later:

Butterflies:
- - *!Large White Pieris brassicae
- Green-veined White Pieris napi
- Ringlet Aphantopus hyperantus
- Meadow Brown Maniola jurtina
- *Gatekeeper Pyronia tithonus
- Comma Polygonia c-album

Moths:
- Garden Grass-moth Chrysoteuchia culmella [was Garden Grass-veneer]
- Straw Grass-moth Agriphila straminella [was Straw Grass-veneer]
- *Pale Straw Pearl Udea lutealis
- Shaded Broad-bar Scotopteryx chenopodiata

Bees, wasps etc.:
- *Honey Bee Apis mellifera
- Garden Bumblebee Bombus hortorum
- Common / German Wasp Vespula sp.
- *ichneumon, likely a Diplazon species
- *unknown ichneumon
- *unknown sawfly

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.
- *Plain-faced Dronefly Eristalis arbustorum
- *Stripe-faced Dronefly Eristalis nemorum [Stripe-faced Drone Fly]
- Tapered Dronefly Eristalis pertinax
- *Common Dronefly Eristalis tenax
- Chequered Hoverfly Melanostoma scalare [Long-winged Duskyface]
- *Tiger Hoverfly Helophilus pendulus
- *!!Orange-belted Plumehorn Volucella inflata
- *Pellucid Fly Volucella pellucens [Pied Plumehorn]

Damsel-/dragon-flies:
- Southern Hawker Aeshna cyanea
- Brown Hawker Aeshna grandis
- *Common Blue Damselfly Enallagma cyathigerum

Other flies:
- Black Snipefly Chrysopilus cristatus
**otherwise only unidentified flies noted

Bugs etc.:
- Common Froghopper Philaenus spumarius

Beetles:
- none

Molluscs:
- White-lipped Snail Cepaea hortensis

Pushed for time today: just the pix and names of species where known. Not much time to do research. Sunrise.

 Scruffy Blue Tit after hard breeding season.

My first Large White butterfly Pieris brassicae this year.

Mating Gatekeeper butterflies Pyronia tithonus.

Pale Straw Pearl moth Udea lutealis.

Blue-bordered Carpet moth Plemyria rubiginata.

Black Arches moth Lymantria monacha. One of the best.

Honey Bee Apis mellifera.

Ichneumon, likely a Diplazon species.

Another ichneumon sp.

Sawfly sp.

Common Dronefly Eristalis tenax.

 Plain-faced Dronefly Eristalis arbustorum.

Stripe-faced Dronefly Eristalis nemorum [Stripe-faced Drone Fly].

Tiger Hoverfly Helophilus pendulus.

Pellucid Fly Volucella pellucens [Pied Plumehorn].

Like a Pellucid Fly but actually my first-ever Orange-belted Plumehorn Volucella inflata

Male Common Blue Damselfly Enallagma cyathigerum.

Mating pair of Common Blue Damselflies Enallagma cyathigerum

Long-legged fly sp.

Fly sp. with bright red eyes.

Another fly sp.

Midge sp. from an unusual angle.

(Ed Wilson)

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In the Priorslee Avenue tunnel:

Moths:
- 1 Single-dotted Wave Idaea dimidiata

Other things:
- 6 White-legged Snake Millipede Tachypodoiulus niger

(Ed Wilson)

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The Flash: 06:15 – 07:15

(164th visit of the year)

Bird notes:
- the most recent brood of Coots seems to have been lost already and the parents were frantically building another nest!

Bird(s) noted flying over here:

None

Hirundines etc. noted:
- 2 House Martins

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

Noted on / around the water:
- 52 Canada Geese
- 17 Greylag Geese
- 2 + 3 (1 brood) Mute Swan
- 22 (?♂) Mallard
- 27 (?♂) Tufted Duck
- 6 + 4 (3 broods) Moorhens
- 55 + 2 (2 broods) Coots
- 3 Great Crested Grebes
- 2 Black-headed Gulls
- 1 Grey Heron

Noted elsewhere around The Flash:

Moths:
- *1 Mother of Pearl Patania ruralis
- 1 !Black Arches Lymantria monacha

Beetles:
- 3 Alder Leaf Beetle Agelastica alni: larvae

Mother of Pearl moth Patania ruralis

(Ed Wilson)

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Sightings from previous years

2013
Priorslee Lake
Willow Tit
(Ed Wilson)

2006
Priorslee Lake
Common Sandpiper
(Ed Wilson)