A frosty start but sunny, cold in the shade, hot in the sun. A very quick walk along the river, with singing birds and little background noise. The chiffchaffs have definitely taken over now although chaffinches, great and blue tits, robins and wrens are all singing.
The river banks are still bare enough to enable frequent glimpses of very busy wrens, nest building and singing from prominent perches.
A still unfamiliar and out-of-place call - a Buzzard hunting low along the huge earth heaps, quite close up, then returning to its nest tree to rest, or feed, then off again over the bare earth. The clear blue sky held two more buzzards immediately above the river, flying in close display mode. A kestrel flew swiftly across, no hovering today, it does this best against a stiff wind.
Three song thrushes and a robin could be seen entering the base of a fine Blackthorn hedge - an indication of how important hedge bases are for foraging and nesting as well as sheltering.
Further along in a clear shallow stretch of the river many small fish were enjoying the perfect habitat - up to 100 in a 'shoal', feeding, turning and returning to the same spot, their shadows playing on the river bed. The river is still flowing well in spite of the drought and the river bank vegetation is flourishing green with new growth rapidly appearing out of last years dead stalks.
Every stretch of the river bank was graced with a singing chiffchaff in the willows, oaks and thickets but greenfinches, goldfinches and house sparrows were singing strongly too, as soon as the sun's warmth could be felt. Male greenfinches in particular seem to pose high up with the sun illuminating their bright green plumage. If its cloudy they are more likely to hide away in thickets. There seem to be more greenfinches than usual singing today.
12 Herring gulls flew across from a distant freshly ploughed field and woodpigeons followed with loudly flapping wings. Blackbirds flew very low and very quietly across the banks and a fine pair of blackcaps were foraging amongst the brambles close to the river - are they new arrivals or have they been here all winter? Most are new arrivals from Northern Europe whilst the birds seen here in winter are thought to migrate south as soon as spring arrives.
A treecreeper was flying across from one tree to another with a bunch of moss in its beak, obviously its chosen nesting tree did not have the best moss lining material.
Butterflies emerged once it became warmer, Orange Tips the most numerous today.
The river Arun on 30th March 2012
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