The Heatwave Ends

Since mid July, the riverside has gradually returned to normal, refreshed with traditional summer showers alternating with warm sunshine, the baked earth cooling down, producing a diversity of plants and flowers, with a good range of insects associated with them. Growth had been delayed during the very hot dry weather, grasses began to go to seed early and go brown, then suddenly, almost overnight new fresh green growth appeared like a second spring.

Today, 28th July was perhaps not the best day to do a wildlife survey as the sky was overcast and the southerly wind in the trees made it noisy - but the rain only arrived later, after midday. As usual at this time of the year, birds were hiding and most remained quiet - the only calls heard were those from juvenile birds demanding to be fed, or warning calls from adults sensing danger.

Despite the lack of sun, very large numbers of Gatekeeper butterflies were ranging along the riverside bank vegetation and on the wild field areas where there were tall grasses and thistles alternating with numerous patches of Bird's-foot Trefoil, Vetch and now Fleabane just starting to flower.

   Fleabane on the field today, 28th July. The flowers remain open during overcast weather, a magnet for insects, including butterflies, notably the Small Copper.

Listening carefully, numerous small calls from juvenile birds well hidden amongst dense foliage could be heard. Adult blackbirds (9) were seen foraging for grubs and worms on the grass and in muddy areas it was clear that many birds, blackbirds, song thrushes and robins had been working, probing the surface, larger birds making it much easier for smaller birds to find food. Blackbirds were seen with beaks full -carrying food across to the hedges where there were nestlings calling. Older juveniles were calling from the safely of Willow trees where adult males were flying up with 'ground food' to feed them.
Woodpigeons (30) were the most easily seen today, several cooing drowsily. Blue tits (41) and great tits (28) were difficult to see - hiding in the more sheltered thickets. Most seen were juveniles, the yellow plumage on some individuals as bright as a canary!
Normally robins are numerous, advertising their presence and guarding their territory by singing from prominent perches but only two were seen and heard today - with large numbers still present but having time off to rest and moult, gaining strength and bright new plumage after breeding. soon we will be hearing their first 'chinks' of the autumn. Dunnocks (4) were traceable by the thin high calls of their young in a dark shaded tree with Long-tailed tits (3) foraging not far away, also traced by their calls.

Bird's Foot Trefoil and Vetch on the damp meadow

Wrens (10) were more visible, some still nesting and collecting food for young, with fledged youngsters  exploring roots and fallen branches near their old nests. They may roost together in these at night. 

The loudest birds on the riverside today were nuthatches (3) one giving sudden loud alarm calls from an old maple over the river. Two others were heard calling in different locations - also giving alarm calls, warning their young. A great-spotted woodpecker, probably a juvenile called from an old riverbank oak but magpies (5) were quiet for a change. A green woodpecker called from the high drainage basin banks which are good areas for ants.

Summer migrants are still present with chiffchaffs (6) continuing to sing, both adults and juveniles contact-calling and a single blackcap giving alarm calls whilst foraging amongst the brambles over the river. Further along a whitethroat was seen flying out of the brambles - the fruits ripening fast now.

House sparrows (47) were slow to appear this morning with most deciding to stay put in their hedgerows, some calling. Only one chaffinch was heard and no greenfinches - but small groups of goldfinches were seen flying over from the wild field (12).  A jay flew across the river whilst two carrion crows were foraging on the short grass and a third was seen flying over with a discarded sandwich. Three herring gulls were flying high whilst a buzzard sailed in the strong breeze under a cloud, flying into the cloud followed by an angry herring gull.

The stars of the day were the insects, which despite the lack of sun and the presence of a strong wind

were present in good numbers.

The gatekeeper butterflies were very numerous in almost every location, along the riverbank vegetation  - ranging over the wild field, over and amongst the long grasses on both the north and south embankments:

A Gatekeeper butterfly on flowering Water Mint on the damp meadow.

One Gatekeeper was chasing a Small Skipper but most were basking on brambles and grasses, remaining closed until the sun appeared when they opened to catch the warmth, closing again immediately the sun went in, flying on to gain a warmer location.

Meadow Brown butterflies were active too, looking rather faded compared to the bright Gatekeepers.

Ringlets were seen in damper areas, low down amongst the vegetation, whilst Speckled Woods, still numerous, ranged high and low, pausing to bask on bramble leaves. High amongst the canopies of two old trees, an Oak and a Maple, erratically flying small butterflies were seen - Purple Hairstreak butterflies, their action typical of the Hairstreak.

A Red Admiral was seen in a windy location, basking in the shelter of a steep river bank on the Arun on the brambles.

Two Southern Hawker Dragonflies were seen ranging back and forth under the trees and several Banded Demoiselle Damselflies brightened the river banks when the sun emerged.

On the wild field and the embankments, hundreds of small grass moths flew up from the damp grasses, always flying a short distance then landing to perch on blades of grass, rapidly swinging around to the underside where they remained hidden from view, making it very difficult to identify them. Small Grasshoppers and Crickets

were numerous too, especially on the banks of the large pond - and also easily disturbed.  At least one was identified as a Roesel's Bush Cricket (Metrioptera roeselii).