The Last of March

It seemed like a good idea at the time to do a survey yesterday morning  30th March 2018 - there was even an early glimpse of sunlight - but this was probably an illusion as the riverside remained under a leaden sky all morning with light drizzle gradually turning to rain. The survey was cut short due to adverse weather conditions halfway through leaving the southern half to do on 31st March. This morning the conditions hadn't changed much - it was cold with no wind under an even darker leaden sky but at least the drizzle was absent.

Both days however were quiet with little background noise to dampen the splendid sound of birdsong.

Blackthorn blossom over the river.

Saturday 31st March - the second half of yesterday's survey:

The weather was slightly better than 30th in that there was no rain but it was still very cold and dark with the same river conditions. Starting out at the same location, but this time heading south, following the river which in places is wider, with sharp meanders. Following approximately the same order as Friday, house sparrows were the first to be heard singing, some in Blackthorn and Hawthorn thickets and others in their small colonies amongst the brown bracken and others in dense bramble patches on the banks (approx 30). Woodpigeons (34) were busy preparing for nesting, some calling whilst a few foraged on the playing field, now empty - the black-headed gulls having returned to the coast, in their summer plumage.Two dunnocks were singing, one from the top of a thicket. The area on the meandering river bank where an Ash tree had to be felled a year ago, has become a very popular place for great tits with a pair nesting early under the roots of the felled tree. They had shown interest in the location last year as soon as the work had been completed. Now one was seen collecting food. Several

more were seen here - and more further along (18). Blue tits were numerous here where they were seen flying from tree to tree, copse to copse prospecting for sheltered nest sites along the river (32). There were about the same numbers of wrens in this southern section (17) as in the northern half, most singing strongly from their territories - there is no lack of food here in the damp and muddy terrain. 

Robins too were found in similar numbers to the previous day on the northern half (15), scattered quite evenly along the banks. Chiffchaffs were moving rapidly from tree to tree, two were heard and seen today and two goldcrests, not easy to see in the prevailing gloom. A single chaffinch was calling but no greenfinches, goldfinches or coal tits were seen in this southern half today. 

A green woodpecker suddenly started to baffle close by on the green whilst two calling jackdaws flew across into the trees and three herring gulls crossed the sunless sky. Carrion crows (6) were seen in various trees on the lookout for prey  and two magpies were noisily ganging up on a blackbird which obviously had a nest somewhere under a bramble patch It easily saw them off and they flew up to hassle one of their own in an oak with another nearby. (4) A total of twenty blackbirds were active today, most foraging but some nesting amongst ivy and thickets.

Song thrushes were also busy, under roots in a copse, in a bramble thicket and on a willow (5).

A great spotted woodpecker female flew over  into an old riverside ash tree and a male followed it,

calling, whilst drumming was heard several times in the distance (3). A small group of birds flew from the open sky into some trees - calling. These were linnets (5) and low down on the river a moorhen called and nearby a grey heron flew low over the banks.

Further upstream a small bird flew low across the grass onto a tree and swiftly climbed up the trunk - a treecreeper.

Few signs of spring but much activity taking place in trees and bank vegetation

Friday 30th March 2018 - intermittent drizzle gradually changed to continuous rain halfway through the survey after about an hour when the survey had to finish early due to adverse weather. This was the first half, covering the northern area along the river. The first birds heard were house sparrows, calling loudly from bank vegetation and their usual colony hedgerows (about 42), with dunnocks singing above the sparrow chatter, choosing high, hedge-top perches (5). It seemed as if the bad weather had delayed the start of great tits singing but they were certainly singing loudly today, mainly from Hazels on the river bank (7). Without moving from the first location, at least 8 species could be heard singing - whilst I was listening, a grey heron suddenly flew up from the far bank drainage basin where it had been silently foraging for frogs here and around the ponds - easy food at this time of the year.

Blue tits were everywhere, foraging, calling and chasing in the oaks and willows - they are attracted to willow catkins especially (26). They should do well provided that the rain is not torrential.

Carrion crows were visible now, calling and chasing. They have been seen carrying nest material recently (3), whilst one of the smallest species, the wren, dominated the riverside with its very loud song, echoing along the river course under the banks and trees. 15 were counted, all guarding their territories and new nests under construction along the banks. Fortunately the river is high and fast running at present, which will prevent nest-building in dangerously low locations. Long-tailed tits also have a preference for low nest building on sheltered banks, but amongst undergrowth such as brambles

but usually they seem to allow for flood conditions and build slightly above the usual limits. Two pairs were seen today.

Very close outbursts of song from robins all along the river were heard - the numbers only slightly less than the numbers of wrens - but each robin is clearly settled in its own location now (12). 

The song of chiffchaffs (3) - spring migrant warblers could be heard for the first time this spring amongst the wrens and the robins - it's good to see them clearly whilst the trees are not yet in leaf and below them a single goldcrest foraged in an oak for a while before moving on. A loud song from the top of a Hawthorn gave away a smart coal tit whilst two others, probably a pair were on a willow nearby. (3) It's good to see them as they have been quite scarce here in previous years. Goldfinches were seen here and there, some singing but not in large numbers now (12) and only one chaffinch was heard calling. (It is worth noting here that greenfinches have been heard singing very recently, on several days here by the river - but not today. This marks an important return to this location.)

Looking up- a sparrowhawk was visible against the dark sky, gliding directly above me, surveying.

Wild flowers of spring - Wood Anemone flowers remain closed

on the river bank, awaiting the sun.

Mallard ducks were very active today despite the river conditions, with two males fighting under the bridge and three other chasing, paddling strongly upstream.(5)

Blackbirds were quite numerous (11) and most were seen foraging rather than singing, amongst ivy, on the wet grass and mud and on the river banks, whilst a single song thrush watched from a tree.

Loud cries from a nearby buzzard were heard - it was in an old oak. Overhead 5 Herring gulls and a single black-headed gull were seen.

Large bumblebees (Bombus terrestris) were seen on both days along the river, both north and south.

More Icy Blasts from the East

A summary of a fickle March:

The Beast from the East continued its attack into March - nevertheless by 3rd March many birds could be heard singing along the riverside with robins and song thrushes dominating and others showing clear signs of nesting, with calling nuthatches and chasing mallard ducks, chasing blue tits and great tits and calling chaffinches. By 13th March Lesser Celandine flowers were appearing - a sure sign of good weather, at least for a while:

Lesser Celandine pushing through layers of dry leaves into the sun.

On 14th the day was fine, with a common buzzard circling slowly over low trees along the river course. Nuthatches were calling again and several loud great tits, many house sparrows and robins. Wrens  were  vocal too along the river banks with the river still flowing muddy and fast. A grey heron flew over riverside trees in search of awakening amphibians. The following day, 15th blackbirds were singing strongly for the first time, after 25mm rain overnight.

On 17th the Beast from the East returned after a few balmy days, with snow.

By the end of the month it was losing its hold but the cold bite continued, with small birds and mammals retreating into the natural shelter of the banks:

A completely natural shelter on the riverside where broken tree trunks, roots, last-years dry nettle stems and bramble shoots arch over each other and tangle together - a choice place for wrens, dunnocks, robins and hibernating small mammals, insects and amphibians, well above the river flood level.

Wildlife prepares for the 'Beast from the East'

Since January a warming of the Arctic Stratosphere has taken place, and the resulting so-called Beast from the East was about to be untethered and set to head west towards the British Isles.

Friday 16th February 2018 was a fine sunny day after a typically (for this winter) frosty start.

All along the river, birds were active, preparing for spring but also preparing for severe weather, instinctively aware, unlike most humans, of the need to continue foraging for, collecting and caching food. The signs were there - early morning frosts on clear sunny days, alternating with cold windy weather with sleet, or mild but wild days. On the 13th and 14th the weather suddenly turned mild, very wet and windy, then in another sudden change turned cold and frosty again.

Willow catkins burst out from the top branches of the Salix,

shining silver in the sun agains a clear blue sky.

16th February 2018

More than 50 birds were counted at the start of the survey, just whilst standing still on the riverside, looking around.

The ground was muddy from recent rain but frozen hard in places. The total count for blackbirds along the riverside was 36, with most foraging where the ground was muddy, on the river banks or under hedgerows. They were accompanied by song thrushes (8). Low down on a sheltered sunny bank, a preening bird had been bathing and remained there, perfectly camouflaged in the dry fallen leaves - a song thrush. Dunnocks (5) were singing today, emerging at times for under the bushes, into the bright sunlight - and wrens - quite scarce on the previous survey - had emerged too into the sun to sing (24) but also to forage in amongst the dry twigs and tall grasses or amongst dense ivy. They need to maintain their body weight to survive the cold nights and coming days.They will have special roosting places where they can perch tightly packed together for warmth.

House sparrows were singing loudly too,(about 80) some were bathing and drying off in the sun but most were foraging in hedges, dry banks, bramble and bracken patches. They will also spend the nights and cold windy days in dense undergrowth, crowded together often singing in chorus throughout the foulest weather.  Robins (34) were singing strongly too, in their individual territories, being constantly on the alert for invaders of the same species. Hollies are prized as territories not just because of berries which have probably already been consumed but because of the prime shelter they provide - dense, evergreen and prickly, with the undersides of the strong leaves harbouring many tiny insects and spiders. Another important feature of evergreens such as Holly and Ivy is that the ground around their root systems will remain unfrozen for much longer than surrounding ground under deciduous plants. Most birds will find food under the evergreens, together with other wild life.

The morning sun on the frozen pond alongside the river. It will spring back to life as soon as a thaw set in, with frogs and tadpoles, then much later with dragonflies.

A green woodpecker flew across, shining in the sun. It will be looking for unfrozen earth which holds insect life, still easy for now, until it snows. Nearby a nuthatch could be head calling loudly, with another answering in the distance. Further along the river, two more (total 4) were seen and heard protesting on the appearance of a magpie. The nuthatches are usually surrounded by foraging blue tits (about 45 today) and great tits (28) which fly through their territories in roaming flocks, gleaning what they can, prising lichen away from branches to eat the insects found underneath, much as the nuthatches do when food is scarce.Two coal tits were seen, which move fast in stashing away surplus food, unobserved.

Goldfinches are very much at home here and don't seem to need to forage continuously - like the house sparrows they can find shelter, and today a group were singing together in a dense blackthorn thicket whilst another group flew across to the dry grasses to feed on seed heads (20). A small bird which never seems to stop feeding but sings as it moves around, is the goldcrest - today three were seen crossing from a bare tree over the river to a conifer where they remained, fast-foraging. The densely bunched conifer needles will provide good shelter from the cold wind and driving snow  when it arrives. Three bullfinches were seen, one on a bare hawthorn in the sun and another (f) on a Guelder Rose trying out the juicy red berries, left until last. Another male was calling from behind a thicket.

Another fruit-lover, a blackcap, an over-wintering female (warbler) which has been seen quite often this winter, was warming up in the sun,

The starlings (58) were, like the house sparrows, singing or whistling in the sun and foraging in good numbers today, keeping together as a small flock, whilst wood pigeons (60) were scattered all along, in trees and on the unfrozen grass with some bathing in the river. A loud flapping and splashing sound came from a part of the river with steep banks, on a sharp bend - this was a mallard pair which frequent the area. Just one pair of collared doves were seen amongst Ivy again, where birds are still feeding on a never-ending supply of Ivy berries. Black-headed gulls (27) were arriving in twos and threes, landing on the playing-field grass to forage. 

Three rooks flew across above the trees with a single vocal jackdaw and two herring gulls. Carrion crows were the most numerous corvids (11), very active today, calling and scavenging. In the distance, a common buzzard flew down, disappearing amongst the oaks.

Lastly the master of all it surveys - the sparrowhawk, flying quite high over the river, looking directly down at me, circling slowly, the sun lighting up its translucent wing-feathers.