Monday 24th April 2017 - was
a day to remember, marking the earliest emergence of a Beautiful Demoiselle Damselfly to be recorded here on the river - at least for the past six years.
The first Beautiful Demoiselle Damselfly male observed to have emerged this year 2017 on 'our' stretch of the river Arun. It remained motionless, perched on a fresh nettle leaf on the river bank, warming up. The eyes will become less opaque as it matures and it will be ambushing insect prey for a few days.
This is not just a few days early - as looking back the recorded first observations here were:
2012 - 21st May
2013 - 31st May
2014 - 18th May
2015 - 25th May
2016 - 13th May
2017 - 24th April
These dates, being observations, could be a few days late but not several weeks late.
Here is the full record for Monday 24th April 2017:
Conditions were good, with hazy sunshine, cool but no wind. Hawthorn was now in full blossom, the Blackthorn blossom mostly gone except in shady patches late to blossom with Hawthorn only just in leaf. Flowering Cow Parsley is now flowering well, dominating the river bank flora, growing up through young nettles. The young oaks are bare, having now lost last years dried brown leaves but with plenty of new small leaf buds. The old oaks have very fresh green leaves, with some trees burdened with an abundance of catkins.
Here oak catkins outnumber fresh leaves hanging over the
flowering Wild Garlic on the river bank.
After recent strong winds bunches of these fragile twigs can be found on the ground - just self pruning.
Ground Ivy, Dead Nettle, Meadow Buttercup and dandelions add to the flora on the banks, with clumps of Cuckooflower still flowering in places.
Very dark clouds first seen in the distance were now fast approaching, bringing with them clouds of insects, small midges moving in swarms in the air over the river and fields - welcomed by damselflies and birds. The day grew dark for a while but the clouds brought no rain and it soon brightened up. As I was looking at the clouds, a kestrel flew to a standstill against the strengthening breeze and hovered for a while. Below a nuthatch called a 'spring' nesting' call from an old oak.
House sparrows started to sing amongst the Hawthorn hedges (60+) and many ventured down to bathe in the now shallow parts of the river, flying up completely soaked to shake and preen on branches in the hazy sun. Others were feeding on the remaining Dock seed, popular too with goldfinches (40+) chaffinches (7), and greenfinches (3) whilst other birds, robins and blackbirds, foraged for insects in the still-damp earth underneath the Dock leaves and long grasses. Any plant with moisture trapping characteristics is valuable to wildlife during long spells of dry weather such as we are experiencing at present, especially now, during the nesting season, when insects are a priority. As soon as the clouds of insects appeared, groups of starlings (c60) appeared from their day-roosts, flying across gaps in the trees, zig-zagging all over the place, aerial insect-catching - very different from their usual direct flight-style. Later they could be seen feeding amongst the long grass. A group of 5 linnets flew across the dock and collected a single very bright linnet which flew up from feeding on seed on a dry Dock stalk.
There were more blackbirds than expected (29), some singing strongly from prominent perches whilst others foraged on the grass and undergrowth, all keeping close to the river - the main source of water for drinking, bathing and insects in the mud. There were also more song thrushes than expected (12) with several continuing to sing whilst others foraged under hedges close to their nest locations, often standing still for a while, watching and listening for movements of insects on the ground.
Wrens (28) however out-sang all the other birds along the river, forming a continuous line of song - holding territories adjacent to each other, certainly within earshot of their neighbours. I was never outside a wren territory. The other most dominant singing bird was the robin (15) - it was interesting to note that both the wren and the robin were the first birds to move in, within minutes, when contractors made piles of old twigs and rotten branches from fallen trees earlier this year, and have remained to guard their new territories; most robins seen were singing or watching from prominent branches, guarding their carefully hidden nests. Two Dunnocks were seen foraging but none singing, they are also busy nesting in the undergrowth. In the river itself a Mallard pair was seen and three more flew over the river.(5 total)
The birds most obviously nesting were blue tits (14) and great tits (15) as far fewer were seen than usual - some were singing but most were obviously not flying any distance to collect caterpillars for their nesting mates or hatched young. Long-tailed tits (3) were again seen in the same nest areas as previously, just dodging out to collect food immediately adjacent to their nests.
A silent jay (1), and five noisy carrion-crows moved around amongst the old oaks whilst three Jackdaws headed for the conifers. Only one gold crest was seen moving fast from branch to branch in a different conifer, with branches now swaying in the increasing wind. Overhead a sparrowhawk was flying with the wind whilst four herring gulls circled high over a drainage basin where magpies (5) searched around, watched by the ever-present woodpigeons (28) in their high seats on fences and oaks.
They seemed to be just sitting in pairs, contemplating the view. Collared doves remained hidden amongst ivy, cooing (3).
Hawthorn blossom (May flowers) - in April..
The migrant warblers have timed their arrivals here to coincide with the profusion of insects and river bank trees such as the willows bearing catkins and coming into leaf together with the flowering of blossom on the hedgerows and fruit trees. One willow warbler was heard singing together with numerous chiffchaffs (15) all along the river with common whitethroats (3) adding to the song from the river bank brambles and blackthorn despite the construction activity talking place close by.
Blackcaps (8) are now more numerous and singing loudly in their chosen locations, in the willows or the riverbank blackthorn and hawthorn. There was a sudden loud yaffle from a green woodpecker across the grass. Back downstream the first Beautiful Demoiselle Damselfly was observed on a fresh nettle leaf but it was not the only 'star appearance' of the day - as looking down onto the river, suddenly, out of the steep bank, a kingfisher appeared, flying very low up the river along a straight stretch, disappearing around a bend, bright blue back shining in the sunlight. A fine sight!
Butterflies were not numerous on this cool and mixed dark and light day but several Holly Blues were seen over the brambles and good numbers of Speckled Woods which don't need strong sunlight. A few Orange Tips were seen (male and females) and a single Small Tortoiseshell butterfly. Large bumblebees braving the cold were Bombus terrestris and red-tailed Bumblebee Bombus lapidaries.
Amongst the numerous small insects were good numbers of Hoverflies…..
This Hoverfly is probably Syrphus ribesii - busy feeding on a Dandelion flower - worth its weight in gold!
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