At last, on 29th December 2015 the morning started with a blue sky, much brighter than usual but it was not long before the rain-bearing clouds sped in and it was a case of dodging showers.
A rare sight - the landscape with a sunlit oak, just seconds before it was plunged into semi-darkness!
Only 22mm of rain fell last night (28th December 2015) and the river was flowing fast and muddy but quite low. As usual over the past few days, it was not cold, but windy and overcast, with some blue sky just visible in the gaps. Hazel catkins were appearing on every Hazel tree and sapling and fresh green growth - young nettle leaves and cow parsley was sprouting amongst the deep 'compost' of fallen
leaves.
I had been walking for about 20minutes without seeing or hearing much activity along the river, except for a very welcome sound - two green woodpeckers calling every few minutes, the 'yaffles' sounding louder as I got closer. It had quickly and steadily become darker….'False Roosting Time', dusk at 10.30am. The rain clouds closed in and I waited, sheltering amongst some bramble branches still with leaves in a hedge, close to the river bank.
After a while the rain gave up and the sun suddenly appeared, lighting up the dripping branches. Moving under some ivy I stood still and watched. It was hard to believe that so many birds had been under cover, out of sight and mostly silent during the rain. Robins and blue tits and great tits were the first to appear amongst the branches of oaks and ash over the river, then several fieldfare moved in, clumsily climbing around to reach remaining berries and fruits whilst more agile blackbirds sped low across the banks. High up a carrion crow called and two goldcrests began to forage in the sunlit branches above me.
Several redwings arrived, following each other behind the thickets and house sparrows started chatting in the dense hawthorn hedge where they had been sheltering. Suddenly a great spotted woodpecker called out from somewhere very close - showing well when it moved around an oak tree trunk towards me, in the sun. Then another appeared next to it - possibly a pair. A bullfinch male flew low across to the opposite bank, then a nuthatch called noisily, flying from oak to oak then move down into the sun onto an old wooden fence where it pecked at a wooden post joint - a very close view - it may have wedged an acorn into the joint in order to eat it. Just behind it in the grass a green woodpecker called again and another was heard answering further away.
This was all happening in the same place, within a few minutes, triggered by the sunlight after the rain, I had not moved at all but had observed the activity from under the ivy-clad branches.
Taking advantage of the short spell of sunlight, I then continued along the river. Woodpigeons (30) were visible in the trees or flying up from the field to forage in the ivy for berries.
House sparrows were heard and seen in their usual hedgerows (43) and a total of 27 robins were recorded most in full song at quite close intervals. They do continue to sing during the rain if they have found good shelter such as a Holly bush. Evergreens are an essential part of the ecology of the river bank. Blackbirds were numerous too (32) many foraging under leaves but not yet singing, only alarm calls. Large numbers of blue tits (60) and great tits (22) some now calling were working their way along the banks, frequenting blackthorn where the twigs and branches are covered with lichen where they find insects under the layers. Clouds of insects (midges) had appeared after the rain over the water too, surviving in the warm climate.
In the air, herring gulls (14), jackdaws (2), carrion crows (5) a rook and 4 magpies were seen flying across but no raptors were seen today. The winter black-headed gulls (14) were seen foraging on the grass and seem to spend very little time in the air and 2 collared doves were looking out from the ivy. Song thrushes (3) were seen amongst leaves on the bank but those singing remained unseen in the under storey. Chaffinches (4) were now calling but only 2 greenfinches were seen, they probably prefer dry habitats rather than wetlands.
A group of linnets (20) were seen flying together into a dense species-rich hedgerow which held several fieldfare (total 8 seen today). The redwing (6) were all seen in the first group of birds observed after the rain on the riverside as were the 2 great-spotted woodpeckers. Starlings were moving around in small groups (20) but not in their usual day roost as this was very exposed to the wind and rain today. Goldfinches (40) were also seen and heard in groups, moving round to find the best sunlit
locations whilst long-tailed tits (16) were very active and easy to see - one family group in a bare polar tree and others heard first then seen directly overhead in the dense bare branches of the tree canopy. Goldcrests (4) had abandoned their usual conifers in favour of the outer branches of oaks giving very good views - and taking their place in the conifers were at least 2 very vocal coal tits. A single dunnock was perched in a small bare tree, commanding a silent vantage point whilst most wrens (8) remained hidden but singing. A very quiet call from a bullfinch revealed one on the bank near the dunnock (total 2), then a fine treecreeper flew up onto an oak tree trunk right in front of me, soon moving round to get to the sunny side out of view.
Green woodpeckers had started the morning's observations and loud calls were heard again as even darker rain clouds raced across towards us at the finish. (total 2)
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