October Invertebrates

A very wet start to the month following a very damp September meant ideal conditions for invertebrates along the riverside with temperatures still warm and no frosty nights. Birds of course benefit from the abundance of insects especially those feeding up on their migration routes south such as warblers, swallows, martins and pipits.  Birds have also been very quick this autumn to start feasting on berries and fruits, aware perhaps that winter migrants are on their way here and the feast will not last long!

A perfect combination of flowering Ivy and Blackberries.

Insects are attracted to the Ivy flowers and warblers are

attracted to the insects. The insects can be so numerous that

the warblers can happily feast all day before heading for the 

coast and the long flight to warmer climes.

Other birds will be attracted to the ripening berries.

A bird's eye view of berries on the Guelder Rose - focus on the surroundings,

watch out for predators, whilst the beak is plucking the attractive fruits!

A female Hoverfly feeding on Ivy - still have to identify this one.

Hoverflies are very important indicators of the healthy ecology of any location - few Hoverflies and few types present mean something is wrong.

Fortunately they are very numerous here along the river and environs and many different types are present. As with most invertebrates, they need plenty of shelter - dead wood left lying where it fell, fallen leaves, twigs, branches and rotting tree stumps.

Autumn Hazel and Ash tree against a rare clear blue sky.

So far this month the sky has been active with groups of barn swallows, house martins, linnets,

and on 6th October - a strange day with clouds indicatiing two wind directions, the higher layer indicating a south westerly wind and lower layer indicating  a north easterly wind, a buzzard was gliding over the river course and an OSPREY flying towards the south, over the river course. I had seen it enjoying a large fish at Warnham Local Nature Reserve on 2nd Oct.

On 9th October a flock of very beautiful but well camouflaged meadow pipits had flown in and were foraging for insects amongst the mud, together with many active pied wagtails.

Grey herons were seen flying low over the river on several evenings and on 14th October, after the first overnight frost of the autumn, many Red Admiral butterflies were still active, high flying amongst the trees or around and on the flowering Ivy. Robins were more visible now, with some singing loudly amongst the thickets. Rosa canina, Spindle, Hawthorn, Guelder Rose, Blackthorn and Brambles all held berries and fruits - and large numbers of blue and great tits foraging for insects. A green woodpecker jaffled and house sparrows chattered in the hedgerow and a 'charm' of goldfinch flew across the river. Black-headed gulls had taken over the grass areas whilst Herring gulls wheeled and circled in a 'stack' overhead.  

16th - 20th October,  chiffchaffs and Red Admirals several nuthatch, jays and large family groups of long-tailed tits have been seen on the riverside