Late January Gales

Monday 29th January 2018 was not the best day to choose for a survey, but a typical January day, cloudy to start with but dry. Rainfall over many months has been less than usual, despite the impression 

given by frequent showers keeping the earth's surface damp. January has continued the trend, with no decent amounts to top up reservoirs and aquifers. The previous day had been very mild but now a strong wind was bringing cold weather. The wind howling through the bare branches had scattered many small branches and twigs over the muddy ground, giving an air of desolation, but with rose hips and hazel catkins brightening the landscape. There has been a profusion of Hazel catkins this winter, on very young and old trees alike -it's easy now to count these trees which offer so much to wildlife.

Hazel tree flowers are often overlooked as are only one or two mms

across, forming at or near the joint where catkins hang from the twig.

The pollen from the 'lamb's tails' catkins is shaken off by the wind and pollenates the tiny flowers where later Hazel nuts will form. The other buds on the twigs and branches are leaf buds.

The river was lower that it was after a day or two with no rain and there were still plenty of acorns lying just user the layers of leaves beneath the old oaks, with here and there bright green shoots of Wild Garlic emerging amongst the tree roots. The lack of substantial rain has meant that the river levels have remained within the banks so far this winter although cold weather has subdued early growth along the banks.

Despite the wind, house sparrows  were singing in tightly packed colonies in their hedges, bracken and bramble mounds, staying put today in dense shelter (about 80) along the river. Blackbirds were numerous too (34) some of them winter migrants, the attraction now being bountiful supplies of ripening Ivy berries which form on old Ivy branches - timed to appear and ripen just as the rest of the fruits and berries on the riverside become scarce - looking up into the Blackthorn, Hawthorn, Elder and Hollies there's hardly anything left now for hungry birds although some Guelder Rose berries and hard- to-reach Dog Rose hips are still available.

Ripe Ivy berries, a great source of winter food for larger birds,such as thrushes, collared doves and  wood pigeons, although some may have difficulty in reaching the tempting food amongst thin branches.

 Only one Redwing and one Fieldfare were seen today although more Redwing could be heard in a thicket. They can make very fast progress through the hedgerows stripping them of berries when they first arrive but most then head west to milder counties before returning to their breeding habitat across the sea in the early spring.

The Song thrushes (6) were singing quietly, just short songs, foraging still taking up most of their time and energy. At least the ground has mostly remained damp and muddy, as a prolonged hard frost could affect their food supply.

It was very obvious how the cold wind affects most birds, with Herring Gulls enjoying the wind (45) making slow graceful flight patterns over the fields and a beautiful buzzard low-flying confidently against the wind and a second one sloping down to land in a tree. Another bird happy in the wind was a sparrowhawk seen fast flying across a gap in a thicket filled with sheltering small birds. In the wind it could go unnoticed. Black-headed gulls (about 60) were grounded, all foraging on their traditional winter field. They fly up when disturbed but land again as soon as possible. Eight carrion crows were seen in various places along the river, a pair were sitting in an oak facing into the wind whilst others called nearby, also choosing sheltered places. A pair of jackdaws flew across calling.

Woodpigeons (32) always seek out comfortable perches when not foraging and today most had chosen  

sheltered oaks with views over the grasses and banks, tolerating noisy magpies in the same trees (6)

Blue tits (54) and great tits (30) were seen mostly in the lower thickets, brambles and hedges but where it was sheltered some were seen chasing and singing. Part of a thicket formed of Buckthorn seemed to be an attraction with blue tits foraging on the thin vertical branches amongst new leaf buds. 

Two coal tits were seen then thin calls nearby came from a chiffchaff moving in the thicket. Further along where the wind was roaring through the tress there were few birds, but a single long-tailed tit was glimpsed making its way to shelter.  Only four chaffinches were seen and heard low down out of the wind, whilst starlings were also scarce (5) most probably hiding low as well.

Nuthatches choose to nest in traditional sites, holes in old tree trucks - but if they have to choose  new site, they choose a location facing away from the prevailing weather. One nuthatch was seen today, calling from it's old location but busy creating a new nest hole.

Robins were numerous today - most, having taken up territories, were now singing short songs (26 total along the river) again all found in sheltered places.

Of the small birds, wrens were scarce again today (5) and were not singing yet but in hiding, whilst dunnocks (5) were keeping low under hedges and tree roots - but one was singing from a higher perch.

In a flock flying under the buzzard, in an area with plenty of Dock still carrying seed, were a flock of goldfinches, with other small groups low down amongst long grasses and perched in dense thickets, singing (about 45 in total). With the smallest birds last,  goldcrests (5) were seen foraging in several places with deciduous trees and hollies which provide good shelter when needed. A treecreeper was seen foraging on an oak branch very close to the goldcrests.