The bitterly cold weather (for us in Sussex) has brought a significant change to the riverside today,
28th November 2017.
Field Maple on the river bank before recent gales.
Tuesday 28th November started with a slight frost with broken clouds allowing sunny intervals. The large old oaks still held yellow-brown leaves which were falling one-by-one in a cold NW breeze.
A 'juvenile' oak had a full set of dry brown leaves - a normal occurrence for a young oak. Hazels were full of small catkins. It was striking how the riverside had just come to life at a time when one would expect birds to be hiding in sheltered places and silent. All bird flight was speeded up - now fast and purposeful - most birds were visible in large numbers, darting from tree to thicket to riverbank, it was a challenge to follow all the movement taking place.
The first birds seen were Redwing - migrants from colder lands, which had found a bonanza of berries and fruits along the riverside and were intent on following one another with scouts leading the way.
They moved rapidly along amongst the twigs and branches of Blackthorn and Hawthorn, plucking and eating as they went, leaving plenty of fruits for the rest of the following flocks. They did not need to fly any distance, just keeping to the linear route. About 100 were seen this morning, accompanied by small numbers of Fieldfare (about 15 seen). A few Redwing were foraging on the ground, amongst the deep layers of fallen leaves in the company of Blackbirds although they were not as easy to detect, their plumage matching the colours of the leaves, given away only by the movement of leaves being flung aside. Migratory blackbirds were also present in huge numbers, about 80 being seen, mostly foraging in the same hedgerows and thickets as the Redwing, although easier to spot and rather more ponderous.
Song thrushes, some probably migrants too, were foraging on the ground or low on the river banks and undergrowth (9).
One, probably a local bird, was singing from a thicket - sign of an early spring perhaps.
Goldfinches (about 60) were not as restless as the thrushes, having plentiful food close by in the form of plants gone to seed, such as Dock. Most were singing in their usual trees, sheltered and protected by ivy. Today they were crowded into a tall tree, with lookouts perched on the top branches.
The cold wind kept House Sparrows low in their bramble thickets and hedges (62) in south-facing patches where the low sun slowly warmed the ground - where they foraged on dried seeds -with no need for them to fly out into the cold. They had plenty of time to sing.
As I walked past hedgerows or undergrowth, a robin would often dash out of cover in order to see what was going on, close up. Today fifteen were seen, only one trying out a very short song.
Starlings (about 90) had not been numerous during the summer and early autumn but now their numbers had increased, with a flock of about forty seen flying over the river and other groups singing and whistling in their 'day roosts', some joining in with the goldfinches, they certainly like company.
A sign of winter - the black-headed gulls were back on the grass field, foraging quietly.
(45) occasionally flying up, giving subdued calls but always returning to the grass. Few herring gulls were seen (8) but those flying were at home in the cold wind. It was to early in the day, too cold yet for thermals to develop, which explains why no buzzards were seen in the air. Woodpigeons (about 30) were mostly perched, hunched up in trees, with others flying as quickly as they could across the open areas into woodland. Jackdaws were heard briefly, seen flying across over distant trees (4) and only one Jay was glimpsed whilst five magpies remained grounded, not needing to move far in the cold to find food. Two collard doves (a pair) flew into ivy. A great-spotted woodpecker was calling from one of the oaks but the loudest calls today came from carrion crows (13) scattered amongst the river trees. In the air a small group of 6 linnets flew very swiftly across and two redpoll were heard calling in flight. Two pied wagtails were concentrating on foraging on a path where dunnocks are often seen but these were sheltering low on the banks today. Down on the fast-flowing river itself, a pair of mallard ducks paddled in circles in a quiet backwater, completely sheltered.
Large numbers of blue tits (more than 60) were seen all along the riverbank trees, Alder, Oak and Field Maples quite crowded although many more were foraging on the ground directly under the oaks, finding small insects on the top layers of leaves warmed by the sun. One blue tit flew out of an old oak carrying a large dry oak leaf. It flew across to a small bare tree where it perched, holding the leaf in its claws - and plucked insects from the underside - although they could well have been spiders - a valuable food source. There were large numbers of great tits (51) as well, most active amongst undergrowth at the base of trees on the river banks or foraging down lower amongst roots on the river together with wrens (9) which were definitely keeping out of the cold wind with only one or two singing. Four dunnocks in different places were keeping low down too, remaining silent as were a group of six long-taited tits foraging much higher up in the tops of Willows. Two coal tits were spotted amongst the roving blue tits. A bird becoming very scarce - the chaffinch - was heard but remained elusive, only two were seen and only one greenfinch. Bullfinches are more frequently seen, but today only two were seen, remaining hunkered down in their usual thicket where the large invasion of redwing probably took them by surprise. A single goldcrest was foraging in a Maple, with no sign of any in the windswept conifers. Rapid loud calls came from a nuthatch in an old oak - a sparrowhawk suddenly appeared and flew swiftly across, scattering small birds - one great tit turned upside-down in flight when it changed direction to avoid the hawk which was seen hunting again further along the river. Altogether seven nuthatches were seen and most heard calling, which is good news.
Lastly, a mistle thrush flew into a high thicket and started to sing before the next group of redwing arrived.
A 'juvenile' oak had a full set of dry brown leaves - a normal occurrence for a young oak. Hazels were full of small catkins. It was striking how the riverside had just come to life at a time when one would expect birds to be hiding in sheltered places and silent. All bird flight was speeded up - now fast and purposeful - most birds were visible in large numbers, darting from tree to thicket to riverbank, it was a challenge to follow all the movement taking place.
The first birds seen were Redwing - migrants from colder lands, which had found a bonanza of berries and fruits along the riverside and were intent on following one another with scouts leading the way.
They moved rapidly along amongst the twigs and branches of Blackthorn and Hawthorn, plucking and eating as they went, leaving plenty of fruits for the rest of the following flocks. They did not need to fly any distance, just keeping to the linear route. About 100 were seen this morning, accompanied by small numbers of Fieldfare (about 15 seen). A few Redwing were foraging on the ground, amongst the deep layers of fallen leaves in the company of Blackbirds although they were not as easy to detect, their plumage matching the colours of the leaves, given away only by the movement of leaves being flung aside. Migratory blackbirds were also present in huge numbers, about 80 being seen, mostly foraging in the same hedgerows and thickets as the Redwing, although easier to spot and rather more ponderous.
Song thrushes, some probably migrants too, were foraging on the ground or low on the river banks and undergrowth (9).
One, probably a local bird, was singing from a thicket - sign of an early spring perhaps.
Goldfinches (about 60) were not as restless as the thrushes, having plentiful food close by in the form of plants gone to seed, such as Dock. Most were singing in their usual trees, sheltered and protected by ivy. Today they were crowded into a tall tree, with lookouts perched on the top branches.
The cold wind kept House Sparrows low in their bramble thickets and hedges (62) in south-facing patches where the low sun slowly warmed the ground - where they foraged on dried seeds -with no need for them to fly out into the cold. They had plenty of time to sing.
An inquisitive robin emerged from a leafless but dense hedgerow
which forms ideal protection for small birds agains predators such
as sparrowhawks.
Starlings (about 90) had not been numerous during the summer and early autumn but now their numbers had increased, with a flock of about forty seen flying over the river and other groups singing and whistling in their 'day roosts', some joining in with the goldfinches, they certainly like company.
A sign of winter - the black-headed gulls were back on the grass field, foraging quietly.
(45) occasionally flying up, giving subdued calls but always returning to the grass. Few herring gulls were seen (8) but those flying were at home in the cold wind. It was to early in the day, too cold yet for thermals to develop, which explains why no buzzards were seen in the air. Woodpigeons (about 30) were mostly perched, hunched up in trees, with others flying as quickly as they could across the open areas into woodland. Jackdaws were heard briefly, seen flying across over distant trees (4) and only one Jay was glimpsed whilst five magpies remained grounded, not needing to move far in the cold to find food. Two collard doves (a pair) flew into ivy. A great-spotted woodpecker was calling from one of the oaks but the loudest calls today came from carrion crows (13) scattered amongst the river trees. In the air a small group of 6 linnets flew very swiftly across and two redpoll were heard calling in flight. Two pied wagtails were concentrating on foraging on a path where dunnocks are often seen but these were sheltering low on the banks today. Down on the fast-flowing river itself, a pair of mallard ducks paddled in circles in a quiet backwater, completely sheltered.
Large numbers of blue tits (more than 60) were seen all along the riverbank trees, Alder, Oak and Field Maples quite crowded although many more were foraging on the ground directly under the oaks, finding small insects on the top layers of leaves warmed by the sun. One blue tit flew out of an old oak carrying a large dry oak leaf. It flew across to a small bare tree where it perched, holding the leaf in its claws - and plucked insects from the underside - although they could well have been spiders - a valuable food source. There were large numbers of great tits (51) as well, most active amongst undergrowth at the base of trees on the river banks or foraging down lower amongst roots on the river together with wrens (9) which were definitely keeping out of the cold wind with only one or two singing. Four dunnocks in different places were keeping low down too, remaining silent as were a group of six long-taited tits foraging much higher up in the tops of Willows. Two coal tits were spotted amongst the roving blue tits. A bird becoming very scarce - the chaffinch - was heard but remained elusive, only two were seen and only one greenfinch. Bullfinches are more frequently seen, but today only two were seen, remaining hunkered down in their usual thicket where the large invasion of redwing probably took them by surprise. A single goldcrest was foraging in a Maple, with no sign of any in the windswept conifers. Rapid loud calls came from a nuthatch in an old oak - a sparrowhawk suddenly appeared and flew swiftly across, scattering small birds - one great tit turned upside-down in flight when it changed direction to avoid the hawk which was seen hunting again further along the river. Altogether seven nuthatches were seen and most heard calling, which is good news.
Lastly, a mistle thrush flew into a high thicket and started to sing before the next group of redwing arrived.
