Autumn Approaches

The last day of August and a chill to the air after a cold night but clear and sunny. Robins were singing in the hawthorn, Blue Tits bickering in the hedgerow and a squirrel made a huge leap across the river from Oak to Hazel tree where it scrambled amongst the leaves in search of green, unripe hazelnuts.

Chiffchaffs were calling whilst searching for insects where the sun had reached the treetops. A group of house sparrows were chasing very low over the river to join others under overhanging brambles from where they dropped down to bathe in the river then back up into the sunshine to dry off and preen.

A woodpigeon entered a dense oak where a large nest was just visible - they nest late into the year, being such large birds, they can easily keep their eggs and young warm over cold nights.

An autumn scene - Speckled Wood butterfly basking on brambles

Speckled Woods were by far the most numerous butterflies along the river in the dappled shade of the morning, as it was still early. Tapping noises and faint calls gave away a nuthatch in an oak, soon they will be making louder calls as the young search for their own territories. A soft call from a Bullfinch came from the far side of a thicket and an blackcap gave an alarm call from dense ivy about to flower - insects will be attracted to the ivy in even larger numbers - a good place for birds to forage. Wrens were present too, but silent apart from occasional alarm calls.

A puzzling 'ch ch ch' sound out of sight low down on the river became louder and looking down onto a small bank I saw that it was a juvenile moorhen which had chosen a sunny sheltered spot warm up and preen, flicking its tail. Suddenly it was surrounded by Banded Demoiselle damselflies - all males chasing, the warmth of the sun had brought them out.

On a stoney path along the riverside a Common Darter dragonfly was also warming up and starting to dart off after the small flies which were also gathering over the path.

Common Darter dragonfly waiting to ambush insects on the path

Dragonflies perch with their wings open whereas the most damselflies perch with their wings folded back.

Down on the steep banks of the Arun two demoiselles chased, Emerald Damselflies, which are still to be seen in August but here only in small areas, in small numbers. More Banded Demoiselle damselflies were seen warming up on the high bank of nettles and yet more in another sunny nettle bed where spiders webs flung across the stalks glistened in the sun. A treecreeper called up in an oak and two more nuthatch were also calling, certainly juveniles, chasing each other off the oak and onto the river bank willow. Great Tits were busy flying around in circles, flycatching, an easy task today with mists of insects over the river. 

A Red Admiral butterfly glided along to perch on an oak leaf but then, its wings battered by the wind, it flew down onto a leaf in the shelter of the river bank. Near the area where the caterpillars were seen previously, a fine Small Tortoiseshell butterfly was perching on the nettles - obviously a favourite patch for them, dense, with a large variety of young and old nettle leaves to choose from to lay eggs, probably the last of the season.