Now Dragonflies range the riverside

The hot weather has brought out the dragonflies along the river - this is the time of year when they are most visible, often traversing quite a distance away from the river where they emerged, hunting high and low. Each type has it's own characteristics - but all are hunters, killers of insects small and large.

A Southern Hawker dragonfly (Aeshna cyanea) resting on the

Nettles. Its wings are almost invisible but in flight can sometimes

be heard whirring.

A Common Darter dragonfly (Sympetrum striolatum) female,

 teneral ('adolescent') stage.

As its name implies, it darts out from its chosen perch to

catch passing insects. Here it's perched on flower heads of a

 Dock and is quite well camouflaged. 

A full record for Friday 25th July 2014:

It was very humid with thin cloud, casting no shadows - but there had been no rain for a few days, only extreme heat. The river was flowing clear and fairly low.

At this time of the year most birds are in hiding.  With plentiful food supplies, moulting can take place in the safety of abundant undergrowth or in the midst of thickets in full leaf. Others are quiet as are still raising young. 

It was very quiet, with only the scuffling and cooing of woodpigeons (22) heard at first. Two were sitting half-immersed in the river shallows, cooling off, allowing the water to run through their feathers. One collared dove was doing likewise. Fewer blue tits and great tits were seen (27 and 12) just one or two calling and some bickering from the oaks. Ten blackbirds were seen, several low down at the waters edge, some scuffling from the opposite bank and one giving an alarm call but otherwise silent. A robin flew up from the water and another started a short song in the holly but these were the only two seen today. Song thrushes have done exceptionally well this year and adults were seen still carrying food to young (3).  Six wrens were seen, all silent - only noticed when flying across the river low down from cover to cover. A sudden splash revealed an adult moorhen paddling downstream and a juvenile was seen some distance away - Moorhens have also done well this year raising young early on and having new broods, with tiny young just taking to the water.

House sparrows were bathing in the river or gathering in their hedgerows and ivy patches, whilst others were singing to themselves inside brambles (36) and just one chaffinch was seen - which was almost impossible to identify at first as was soaking wet, perched on a branch in the sun, drying off.  Two crows and three magpies were seen and heard and a sparrowhawk on a mission whizzed across the river.

Warblers were still present, with uncharacteristically silent chiffchaffs (4) busy foraging, with a good view of one perched on a Blackthorn branch flitting out to catch insects over the river and back. Two garden warblers were seen, with one singing! In the willows, three blackcaps were also collecting insects, with one singing too. A green woodpecker was busy amongst the wild grasses, selecting ants - and a great spotted woodpecker was seen flying silently into an oak. At least the nuthatches have started calling again! Three were seen in different places, with two calling - they are probably establishing their territories early this year. Goldfinches are now setting out in groups to survey the land for seeding plants which are early and plentiful this summer, with some heard taking a rest in the Blackthorn, singing (15). Tiny thin calls gave away the presence of goldcrests near some conifers (2). 

The highlight today was the sight of a kingfisher over flowing water and reeds where it appeared to almost hover, dip, and fly up perhaps with a small fish. It flew quickly upstream and out of sight,

keeping low over the water.

Undercover birds - but high visibility butterflies:

Gatekeepers were now out in force, I counted over 100 all along the river, some of them acting aggressively towards others, chasing over brambles and thistles. Meadow Browns were still around, mainly amongst the wild dry grasses, they like warm sunny areas and colonies have done very well this year on the wild meadow and verges. One was seen chasing a Small Tortoiseshell butterfly. Small White and Large White butterflies were seen in various locations. Green-veined White butterflies were emerging, the second brood this year - in contrast to the Meadow Browns, they like damp wild areas like the shady parts of the wild meadows and river banks. One which I saw was very well camouflaged as an upturned leaf on an oak.

A few Brimstone butterflies flew strongly along the banks whilst the nettle-lovers, the Red Admirals were soaking up the sun on - the nettles. More will be seen next month and then well into autumn.

Skippers, Small,  Essex and Large skippers were very numerous, mainly Small, enjoying the dry grasses and wild flowers. The aggressive Gatekeepers were seen in the same area taking on Peacock butterflies, much larger than themselves. Comma butterflies brought flashes of colour to the green nettles and wooded parts of the riverside.

  

Last but not least, the dragonflies:

As before, Banded Demoiselle Damselflies were the most numerous, in several areas - with well camouflaged females and shining males - warming up on bramble leaves or nettle leaves, patiently waiting for insect prey to fly past. One female was seen chasing a Red Admiral butterfly!

I counted about 100 in total in various locations. There were some Beautiful Demoiselle Damselflies as well, enjoying the same conditions.

Much larger and more spectacular - the dragonflies are far less numerous:

One fast-moving Emperor dragonfly was seen in a shady area over the river close to a still body of water across the opposite bank. One colourful but well camouflaged Southern Hawker was seen on the nettles, resting and waiting - and a Brown Hawker was seen in a sheltered area  over the river fast moving but methodically ranging over its chosen hunting ground.

Insects of many types were numerous along the river and where wild flowers are doing well, bees have been numerous too, both honeybees, Bumble bees, other bees and hoverflies to mention just a few.

A Many-Skippered Summer

Essex Skipper in Sussex

Notes for July - from 2nd to 24th 2014

Skipper numbers have continuously increased from the 2nd of July, most notably frequenting the dry subsoil area on the river bank where native wild flower and wild grass seed was planted. Most were Small Skippers, ceaselessly skipping from plant to plant, the flowering Ribwort Plantain being their favourite but there were Large Skippers and Essex Skippers amongst them. Meadow Brown butterflies, Commas and Small Tortoiseshell butterflies continued to roam the bank side grasses and nettles.
 On Thursday 3rd July - another warm day, two Gatekeeper butterflies were seen here for the first time this year accompanied by Small Tortoiseshell and Comma butterflies along the banks, with good numbers of Small Skippers and Meadow Browns on the wild flowers and grasses.
Friday 4th July - yet another warm day, the same species were active, with several Commas flying very strongly over the bank nettles. In addition Brimstone, Large White, Small White and Green-veined White butterflies were active over the banks.
Many Azure Damselflies were drifting over the nettles, with two Beautiful Demoiselle and several Banded Demoiselle damselflies were ranging the banks. These were just noted in passing together with birds - the most welcome sight was of a juvenile Green Woodpecker flying up from the river bank - heard as well - giving rather high-pitched jaffles. Another juvenile was seen in a group of blackbirds and sparrows feeding on the grass and an adult jaffle was heard briefly.
Several Blackcaps were singing at different locations, together with Chiffchaffs and Song thrush. 

On Sunday 6th July the damp warm air brought out the insects and the Swifts followed, feeding over the river. The following day, 7th July, was cooler but sunny, with red and white Clovers increasing with Bird's Foot Trefoil flowering well, attracting the Skippers - and Ringlets were active too, probably brought out by the damp conditions of previous days.  Swifts were again foraging in the air, with a few Black-headed Gulls. A whitethroat sang on the Reptile field (nesting in brambles), with goldfinches singing in the Blackthorn thicket. An song thrush was seen with several juveniles exploring the river bank and another song thrush was seen further down carrying food.

Essex Skipper on Ribwort Plantain

On July 8th, as the clouds moved in, the swifts appeared low over the river displaying  their acrobatic flight,  finding plenty of insects under the low cloud - whilst a buzzard soared high.

A grey heron suddenly flew up from its hiding place on the river and flew north upstream.

Sunday 13th July was very warm and the Gatekeeper butterflies were now out in force, all along the river banks, mixing with Skippers and Meadow Browns and Banded Demoiselle damselflies all on the same patch where the unexpected Musk Mellow was also flowering well amongst the Clovers and Trefoil.

A quick look at the river on Tuesday 15th July revealed much activity again in the heat.

6 Mallard ducklings were progressing downstream and several groups of Banded Demoiselle damselflies and a few Beautiful Demoiselles, both male and female, were seen in various sheltered and sunny locations. Today the heavier dragonflies were about, flying high and low, in sun and shade with rapid wing movements and sudden changes in direction making it difficult to observe colour and pattern but those seen today were probably Brown Hawkers. 

Gatekeeper butterflies were again out in large numbers, great to see them as their main flightpaths in previous years were along the verges of a path now closed and 'weed free'. Red Admirals, Commas, Meadow Browns, Ringlets, large numbers of Skippers together with Red-tailed, White-tailed and Buff-tailed bumble bees were foraging on the wild patch and extending along the river bank either side.

Directly overhead, a kestrel was gliding, carrying a fat vole with ease in its claws, flying for some time before selecting a place to land and consume its prey. Swifts were hunting and blackcaps and willow warblers still singing strongly, with Chiffchaffs making contact whistle calls and robins seen but quiet.

Swifts were seen hunting every day over the river course, on some days joined by House Martins.

On 16th July the first fresh Peacock butterfly was seen - the caterpillars had been seen on nettles indicating that good numbers of fresh Peacocks could be expected. On the night of 17th/18th July we had and electric storm with some spectacular and continuous lightning.  On 18th, three juvenile green woodpeckers were seen moving around in an oak, silently. After a while they flew across the river into the grasses, in search of ants on the Wild  Meadow.

On Tuesday 22nd July - morning - a field survey of butterflies on the Wild Meadow. Record to come.

On 23rd a Fritillary butterfly was seen gliding along through the trees sometimes quite high and then descending along the banks - almost certainly a Silver-washed Fritillary male.

Common Blue nectaring - note the long tongue

Male Gatekeeper basking on fresh Bramble leaves on the river bank

July Butterflies - ranging along the River

The first day of July and the sun has returned after an overcast end to June.

A Comma butterfly - one of several independent fliers exploring the riverbank today.

Comma butterflies that hibernated over the winter are usually seen in ones and twos on warm and sheltered river banks here in March, or even earlier on a warm day. When they have established territories, after chasing others away, in warm areas where nettles grow, the female will choose fresh new nettle leaves to deposit her eggs singly.  When hatched, the caterpillar feeds on the leaves mostly unseen. In the chrysalis stage, it hangs up under deep vegetation, unseen until it emerges as this beautiful and unique butterfly.  

The river bank was today alive with other butterflies too - Small Skippers chasing, Large Skippers, Green-veined White, Meadow Browns and Ringlets.  On the river, both Banded and Beautiful Demoiselle Damselflies were chasing, foraging and basking, occasionally flying up and out over the banks to explore. 

This Comma was not just basking, its alert stance shows that it is on the lookout for any other butterfly which might fly over its territory; it had just seen off two Small Skippers.

Native wild flowers and grasses - Bird's Foot Trefoil, Red and White Clovers, Ribwort Plantain, Mallow, Hedge Woundwort and Common Figwort - all in flower.

This raised, dry patch of subsoil, now flourishing with native wild flowers and grasses has become a favourite foraging area for butterflies. Today, the first day of July, the Small Skippers with one or two Large Skippers were 'quartering' the site, stopping now and then on a choice plant, with Ringlet butterflies chasing each other around and single Commas and Meadow Browns exploring. Small Tortoiseshell butterflies were still present too, all along the bank, especially where nettles are growing.