The First Dragonfly of the Summer

The first 'true' dragonfly appeared here on 23rd May 2018, and was one of the early dragonflies, a Hairy dragonfly (Brachytron pratense). Conditions must have been just right for it to have emerged within the last few days and it was now flying strongly, patrolling its site over the bank vegetation in bright sunlight.  Subsequent sightings of the dragonfly were good but always in flight rather than perching.

Here's the survey for May 23rd:

Wednesday 23rd May 2018 was misty to start with but then clear with continuous sunshine. There was a dry breeze and no dew on the grass. It was good to see small fruits most about 1cm across, forming on the all the young fruit trees. the blossom had been spectacular with good pollination.

Young fruits forming - frost had not affected the blossom this spring

The breeze was rustling through the trees, all now suddenly in full leaf, and birdsong was carried along the river course; house sparrows (over 100) were gathering in groups along the banks, their numbers magnified by newly fledged youngsters closely following the adults into a new strange world, with running water and muddy banks on which to bathe and preen. Adults were still collecting insects to feed their young.

Resident birds have done well this spring - although nesting was delayed, numbers are good but many migrant species have been very late in arriving, held up on their journeys by bad weather and freezing north winds. Numbers of swifts, swallows and house martins are all fewer than usual and those that survived are late in arriving.  Today it was very good to see at least 8 swifts above, over the river. Migrant warblers are affected too, arriving late, but fortunately finding good habitat conditions here, locally, the growth of riverbank vegetation and insect life having been delayed as well. 

Blackbirds (34) were singing strongly here, with no lack of food for their young in the long damp grass. Wrens don't move far and hold very local territories, so they are a good indication of healthy habitat from year to year. Today there were 26, most of them singing and flying low short flights across from bank to bank. There are more sitting unseen and unheard on nests. Robins were also heard singing (15) but many more are on nests, perhaps incubating a second brood already. Loud and seemingly endless song carrying far down the river came from a song thrush, with more birds (5) singing  in different locations close to the river or seen foraging low down under hedges and around tree roots.

Most birds feeding young at this time of the year are searching for insects - and moths are no exception.

Here is one seen during the day feeding on a dandelion flower:

This is a Burnet Companion moth (Euclidia glyphica) nectaring on an essential food plant -

dandelion - one of the best plants for insects and therefore for birds - destroy the dandelions and other common wild flowers and you destroy the insects that feed on them - meanwhile depriving young birds of food.

Blue tits  (22),  great tits (16)  and long-tailed-tits  (1) seen today were collecting small insects too - mostly caterpillars and aphids found on the undersides of leaves on trees and nettles, and small spiders.

These resident birds were late to start nesting too and the relatively small numbers seen means that they are still raising young in the nest and don't fly far to forage for food.

Looking up at the conifers - with branches moving in breeze it seemed unlikely that any small movements would be detected - but 3 goldcrests were seen, one flying in and two more on the top branches.  Woodpigeons were seen in small numbers too (10) and magpies (5). Carrion crows (6) were probably surveying for easy prey, whilst about 30 herring gulls wheeled high over the field and drainage basin. A raucous cry gave away a grey heron well hidden on the bank - they are usually quite silent but this one may have been accompanied by a juvenile both from the heronry to the north. On the river itself two mallard ducks, male and female were swimming downstream followed closely by two more males.(4 total).  Angry calls from over the river made me look up over the riverside trees - a low-flying sparrowhawk was being harassed by two crows . It soon threw them off. and disappeared.   Starlings (4) had formed groups including juveniles and had flown elsewhere. They usually return to their 'day roost' amongst ivy in the afternoon.  Two jays were seen, one being chased by two magpies in a tree and a single nuthatch was flying through branches towards it's nest - they are also late in nesting this year.  Dunnocks (5) are always present but seen in small numbers as they seek out dark and secret places well inside hedges or amongst roots where they remain well camouflaged, only emerging to forage for insects on a track or to sing from an elevated perch on a branch in spring.  Chaffinches have been singing but only two were heard today - and no greenfinches. Goldfinches on the other hand, were quite numerous again (34), singing in several groups along the river amongst dense thickets. Their survival here during the winter is dependent on seeds, especially Dock seeds. Teasel seeds are also a favourite.

Bullfinches were also nesting and remained under cover but one was heard calling and a second was seen flying into a thicket. High above, a common buzzard was circling, catching the thermals from the sunlit land.

Migrant warblers were present in good numbers along the river, with a total of 12 chiffchaffs, all singing, collecting insects, fast moving, partially hidden amongst fresh green leaves - and 13 blackcaps, most were also singing a far more complex and melodious song. Another song-specialist, the garden warbler was heard singing too. Common whitethroats (9) are doing very well, here, some were still singing but nesting is taking priority. Nine were seen, now keeping mainly to low dense undergrowth such as nettles or brambles - or low in dense thickets in various places along the banks. They usually have two broods. A single willow warbler was heard together with a chiffchaff in a willow. 

A Speckled Wood butterfly with wings closed, perches on 

a new Bramble leaf.

Insects:

Hoverflies, Speckled Wood, Brimstone, Large White, Small White, day-flying moths, numerous bees including Red-tailed and Buff-tailed bumblebees were seen.

As the day warmed up, insects thronged the river, most just above the water but many more over the banks. Beautiful Demoiselle damselflies were present in good numbers, both males and females, taking advantage of easy prey in the form of small insects and midges, perching on broad leaves (Dock is a favourite)  pouncing on flying prey or dashing out over the water in pursuit. Banded Demoiselle damselflies were more numerous, with the brilliant blue males most easily seen, often chasing just over the surface of the water in sunny sheltered parts of the river with more exploring the banks and grasses beyond. A Large Red Damselfly was seen too - perched on nettles - but the star of the day was of course the Hairy Dragonfly.

  

Mid-May - Damselflies appear with the sun

By 12th May, the days were warming up but no sign of Dragonflies or Damselflies over the river - was it still too cold, too windy, too dark? There were plenty of spiders throwing themselves and their webs across from stalk to stalk on the dry old Dock plants from last year around the fruit trees, now in blossom. The embankments were alive with house sparrows flying out of the hedges to land on the swaying stalks, now stripped of seeds by goldfinches. Blue tits and great tits joined in - what were they doing? They were all still feeding young in the nest and had found a source of food, extremely nutritious and easy to catch - spiders.

Out in the open many adult starlings were foraging the hard way - by fly-catching on the wing, zig-zagging across the sky. The just-fledged young birds were calling noisily to be fed, being quite helpless at this stage. 

The 14th May 2018, a fine day, all day started with loud yaffles from a green woodpecker, with singing common whitethroats. Blackcaps and a song thrush were singing too against a loud background of goldfinches in a thicket. House sparrows were out foraging again but the day was special - the first Damselfly of the year appeared. It was a female Banded Demoiselle damselfly flying low over the river bank then perching on a nettle leaf to rest. This was not late when compared with other years, it just seemed to be late as the first Calopteryx Damselfly (a Beautiful Demoiselle male) had appeared on 24th April last year 2017, but this was unusually early (see entries for 28th and 30th April 2017). On 15th May this year the first Large Red Damselfly was seen, with three others chasing on a damp well vegetated pond. The following day three swifts were seen across the river under cloud in the wind.

A male Banded Demoiselle Damselfly (Calopteryx splendens) on river bank bramble leaf on 19th May 2018 watching out for passing insect prey. 

On Friday 18th May 2018 (another fine day) it was all happening - with the first Beautiful Demoiselle Damselflies appearing, males and females ,with good numbers of Banded Demoiselles, mostly males.

In the same area, common whitethroats were singing and displaying with singing blackcaps,  song thrush, a garden warbler, a goldcrest, robins, dunnocks and a few starlings. Orange-tip and Brimstone butterflies ranged over the nettles, a common buzzard flew overhead, a kestrel circled over the river and a carrion crow was seen chasing a Red Kite.

To signal the return of summer, house martins were confirmed to be nesting again in the town centre!

On 19th May - a sudden flowering of Rosa canina some shoots having climbed to the canopy of old Field Maple and Hawthorns:

One of the first of the Rosa canina flowers this year

19th May .

Holly and Hawthorn blossom in early May

May began with changeable weather with slight frosts on some mornings. The Hawthorn blossom was appearing everywhere,  the presence of Blackthorn becoming less obvious as the last blossom was blown away. 

Often overlooked, Holly blossom flourished too, an important food plant for

 Holly Blue butterfly caterpillars. Holly is not overlooked by birds at this

time of the year as the plant harbours many tiny insects and spiders, mostly on 

the undersides of the leaves.

Unlike Holly, May blossom is spectacular and is prolific this spring:

Hawthorn branch weighed down with blossom on 10th May 2018.

It shows how well integrated the Hawthorn is with the other riverside and hedgerow plants here, such as Dog Rose, Blackthorn, Field Maple, Guelder Rose, Holly, Hazel, Elder, Honeysuckle and more.

Guelder Rose flowering, 10th May 2018, promising a good crop of berries for the winter.

A summary of the first few days of May:

4th - 11th May: Common Whitethroats were displaying and singing.

Goldfinches singing in thickets, Good numbers of Orange-tip butterflies both male and female over the bank nettles and brambles, with many other insects, small bees and Hoverflies.

Nesting nuthatches were quiet. Blackcaps were singing loudly, clearly visible in several areas along the banks. It was interesting to observe that one or two of the birds were singing whilst foraging for insects amongst the fresh new leaves - cutting their song phrases short when they found insects, then resuming their song until the next foraging interlude. Chiffchaffs were singing as usual, moving quickly along the willows. about seven adult long-tailed tits were foraging under the closing tree canopies, collecting food for calling young, whilst blackbirds, song thrushes, wrens and robins sang lower down in the trees and roots.

Three bullfinches were seen flying across to the river bank from a densely-leafed tree.

Hawthorn in blossom on the riverbank margin 10th May 2018