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.
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