The Last Laugh of October

Today 31st October 2016, started cool and misty but became rapidly warmer as the sun rose.

Leaves are now falling fast, thickly carpeting the ground and causing confusion when attempting to glimpse wildlife activity on the riverside. There was no wind to stir the trees but leaves continued to fall - together with ripe acorns. Any falling 'leaves' which suddenly changed direction turned out to be small birds, blue tits or goldcrests or a lone chiffchaff foraging high in the canopy.

A larger bird flew directly overhead into an oak and suddenly loud laugh rang out shattering the tranquil scene.

It was a green woodpecker, announcing its arrival on home territory. 

Shorter Days and Longer Nights

At this time of the year the hours of daylight rapidly dwindle meaning less foraging time for most.

Yesterday morning, 28th October 2016 was mostly sunny and mild, with a nuthatch calling,  numerous blackbirds, almost certainly including some migrants from colder land, chasing each other through the dense Blackthorn and Hawthorn thickets, the most aggressive claiming the choicest berries and fruits. Below them the river was flowing clear but still as low as usual as no significant rainfall has occurred recently.

A great-spotted woodpecker flew over - they can be seen frequently here, most easily seen in flight, as are not yet drumming to advertise their presence.

The most common plants can produce the most brilliant autumn colours - here's a brilliant bramble. 

A mixed bramble, hawthorn and blackthorn thicket this morning was full of activity, with blackbirds, robins, blue tits, great tits, goldfinches, long-tailed tits and rapidly moving goldcrests. These tiny birds were busy catching insects amongst the twigs of the deciduous plants and trees, very well camouflaged with olive-green plumage and bright yellow or yellow-orange crests, their colours merging in with the yellowing leaves and light and shade. They seldom stop moving however. Being mostly resident birds, they are within the tree cover all year round - but as the leaves fall, become more easily seen. They are often found in conifers - but forage amongst deciduous trees as well - whichever hold the richest supply of insects and spiders at the time. 

Winter Migrants arrive….

Today, 29th October, it was dark and overcast all day, mild, with no wind. The afternoon was growing  dark at about 3pm (and still British Summer Time!) when, looking up at the leaden sky, I saw two groups of about ten fieldfare each fly across the river. These are the first fieldfare I've seen here this autumn apart from one or two very distant high-flying birds - Winter is coming…..watch out!

    

Autumn brings warm colours and a chill wind

Today, Sunday 23rd October 2016 was a fine clear day, starting cold and sunny with the remnants of frost in the shade. A very slight breeze touched the tops of the oaks and sent leaves flying. The river was low as rainfall has been slight, but was running clear. Various types of fungi decorated the grass and banks and the low sun intensified the autumnal colour of oak, ash, hazel, field maple, poplar and hornbeam leaves clinging to the riverbank trees, Willows had been losing their leaves fast over the past few days and some were almost bare.

Leaves on a young Hornbeam we planted on the riverside -

 it has grown at a fast rate 

this year, amongst other native trees planted at the same time.

The day was promising to be mild and quiet but the gentle breeze quickly turned into a very chill wind from the east north east and small fast-moving clouds started to shoot across the sky sending wildlife to hunker down in sheltered corners along the river banks.

Robins were singing today (17) but not in battle mode yet, as berries abound all the way along the river with several small Spindle bushes with fruit in new locations. These are especially guarded by robins as the fruits usually last into midwinter. Blue tits are now more numerous (40) and far more active, moving from branch to branch clinging upside-down from delicate hawthorn twigs, pecking at the berries or perhaps finding small insects amongst them. Woodpigeons (26) were mostly inactive, sitting high up in the tree tops to catch the early sun. Later they would be seen foraging on the ground below the trees.

Unusually, there were about 35 carrion crows in total this morning, some calling, in pairs high on the old oaks then, when the wind was increasing, about twenty appeared from nowhere, circling high in the air, some calling. They quickly drifted away, probably onto a bare harvested field. Later a group of rooks (22) were seen in the air heading out from their roost well out of sight and 7 jackdaws, most calling, took to the skies too. 

After the sun had warmed up the ground herring gulls appeared (35), heading for mounds of bare earth but only two black-headed gulls were seen;  they have not yet moved in onto the playing fields en masse - but these two were in their winter plumage, perhaps scouts for the rest which will follow soon.

Ripe Guelder Rose berries - there's a very good crop this autumn

  Blackbirds (9) were busy in the Blackthorn, foraging for dwindling numbers of sloes or chasing each other amongst the old Field Maples.   Great tits (12) were seen busy foraging, collecting nuts for storage in a safe place out of the reach of squirrels and jays. One or two were calling half-heartedly, whilst wrens (8) foraged low under the brambles and tree roots, giving alarm calls when  disturbed by larger birds. Just one dunnock was seen flying low across the river and heard when it perched unseen. .Magpies (5) were restlessly flying from tree to tree, calling, the harsh cries of jays adding to the noise (2). Food is abundant, there is more than enough for all, as was evident from the numbers of acorns still lying scattered under the old oaks. In hard times these would have quickly been snatched up  and either eaten or cached but this year the birds and squirrels are not bothered. They will soon go when the nights freeze over. 

Tiny birds have to spend every minute foraging in order to maintain their body-weight - 17 long-tailed-tits were discovered high in thickets in sheltered areas and in near-bare willows on the river. The Willows have lost most of their leaves already, allowing good views of birds moving amongst the branches. Other small birds remained well hidden, but given away by their rapid movements - two warblers - chiffchaffs  - were seen and their contact calls heard amongst the remaining leaves, and one goldcrest was seen after I heard its high call close by. Goldfinches (20) were heard amongst a thicket and seen flying together in a group with others coming and going, easily identified by their flight.

Bullfinches were also calling, a pair flying over the hawthorn,  two more amongst a thicket and another flying in to search for fruits - 5 in total today. They are attracted now to the riverside fruits and are becoming more visible as the leaves thin out. Nine linnets were seen in one group flying over between the trees and eventually, as the sun reached the low bramble bushes, house sparrows (45) started to sing, remaining hunkered down out of the cold wind, only flying out when pushed, preferring to keep their heads down today, with more well inside hedgerows. Nuthatches are becoming more vocal, two, probably a pair, were calling, one softly, from an oak and another much louder, in warning, directly above.

 A great-spotted woodpecker called out from its tree behind the thicket and a buzzard appeared, flying fast and low, then - chased by a carrion crow over the river,  turned and flew back, and was joined by another buzzard - then both flew quickly out of sight - the weather not suitable today for leisurely gliding.