Rain at Last!

As forecast, it rained all day on Sunday 29th July 2018, the first rainfall to last more than a few minutes here since 17th June. About 22mm fell over 24 hours - fortunately in a steady way without the destructive cloudbursts experienced in other regions which caused flash flooding. The following day, Monday 30th July, remained overcast with drizzle at first - but it was an opportunity to do a survey.

So gentle was the rainfall that spider's webs across the brambles were strong enough to support the raindrops.

On 30th July it was cloudy with intermittent showers. Small clumps of leafy twigs shed by trees in the wind covered the parched grass. Small green shoots were already appearing however. Rosebay Willowherb, dried Dock, young Hazel and Hawthorn were all doing well promising sustenance for wildlife. The river was quite fast flowing  but still low and damp banks were well vegetated. The canopy of the large Oaks is so dense that rain had not dampened most of the lower trunks and large branches. Birds could easily sit in a tree day and night without getting wet, feeding on insects dwelling in the oaks on leaves and bark and the understorey beneath.
In this strange world, partly scorched and partly refreshed by rain, wildlife was slow to move. The ground was still hard everywhere in the open where normally birds would be out foraging and most were scuffling in undergrowth in the damp shade along the river, or down low on the river banks.
Eight blackbirds were seen, some certainly still nesting, occasionally giving alarm calls and feeding their young rich pickings from the shallow river banks.  Two song thrushes were present, one singing quite loudly and one juvenile at the base of a hedge. Woodpigeons were certainly nesting or chasing and cooing amongst the branches (24). Seven carrion crows were present, almost the only birds which were foraging on the hard ground,  later joined by three magpies with two more seen flying over, with four herring gulls sailing over at height. Later a flock of about 20 starlings flew over towards their day-roost which is sheltered from the rain.
No bird here enjoys the heat and dry weather as much as the house sparrow, but now that the rain had arrived, they were keeping low in the dense vegetation, with about 20 seen in a hedge. Four dunnock were seen in a sheltered clearing on the bank, flying out to collect insects at the edge of the brambles. Normally wrens are numerous and can be heard and seen all along the river but only six were seen, as most were keeping silent and out of sight on this day. They haven't moved away, as were singing again later when the weather had improved. Robins too were rather scarce with only 9 seen and heard - some are still in moulting phase.  Blue tits (29) and great tits (10) were active in the thickets, foraging amongst the damp leaves in Oaks, Hazels, Willows and fruit trees attracting a large variety of insects.

Summer fruits to sustain riverside wildlife well into the autumn and winter.

Summer migrants were still present with common whitethroat juveniles heard calling not far from their nest area (2) - they will soon be on their way south. Two chiffchaffs were persistently contact-calling, they may be staying over winter, or flying south for the winter. As the sky brightened, three blackcaps were seen in different places, a male called and flew into a young willow in the field, a female was seen amongst brambles  whilst another, further along, flew across the river to forage on blackberries.

A nuthatch never misses anything invading it's territory and as usual suddenly called loudly from an oak branch immediately above me, whilst in the distance another nuthatch called. (2)

Given the overcast weather, butterflies were not expected to be seen but here's a list of those present…

some attracted to Fleabane:

 Fleabane was doing well in the field despite continuous rain the previous day

Butterflies present:

Purple Hairstreak, Speckled Wood, Gatekeeper, Meadow Brown, Green-veined White, Large White, Small White.

Dragonflies:

Southern Hawker, Banded Demoiselle damselfly.

Innumerable Grass moths.

A full list of wildlife seen here during July 2018 follows in the next post (August 17th) as this day was definitely not representative of the 'heatwave' July.

Hoping for Rain in July

As July progressed, with each day seemingly hotter and drier, the fine grasses wilted and dried out where there was no shade, whilst other plants came into bud then flower, with berries developing all within a few days. The berries however remained small, needing water. Butterflies continued to appear in large numbers, with Gatekeepers seen even on the hottest days. Speckled Wood butterflies were also numerous, most choosing the dense shade thrown by the old Oaks and Maples on the river bank:

 A Speckled Wood butterfly hanging onto a nettle leaf - with wings closed to

prevent over-heating in the strong sun,

they usually prefer chasing in spirals high up into the shady tree canopy to basking in the sun at any time and even remained very active on the hottest days.

The rivers continued to flow well but water levels dwindled, although the steep shady river banks were damp, attracting birds seeking out invertebrates lodged in them.

Riverbank vegetation mirrored in the clear water with Salix growing across.

22nd July 2018

Willows with roots at the water's edge have grown well this year and are 

frequented by warblers, especially Phylloscopus (chiffchaff, willow warbler).

They forage for insects amongst the leaves but also thrive on insects over the water,

'flycatching'

Another butterfly,  the Comma (polygon c-album) , mingles with Speckled Woods and Gatekeepers over bank vegetation and its caterpillars feed on the edges of nettle leaves. Only usually seen in small numbers, there were always one or two present n the same locations as the other two species but often seen basking with wings outstretched. When perching with closed wings however it can be almost invisible.

 This Comma butterfly is perching with outstretched wings in order to catch the faint sunshine on a rare cloudy day. 

Unfortunately, promising thunderclouds yielded no rain here, but did cause the river level to rise slightly as rain fell in the catchment area upstream. 

13th July 2018

    

A Memorable Week in July - Gatekeepers!

The first week in July 2018 has been especially memorable here,  with large numbers of butterflies patrolling the grasses, brambles and nettles along the warm river banks, in the sun and dappled shade. During the first four or five days of July, Meadow Browns, Ringlets, Speckled Woods, Large and Small Skippers, Green-veined Whites, Large and Small Whites, Commas and Red Admiral were seen foraging and chasing amongst the rapidly drying grasses, flowering Brambles and Dog-roses.

On the 6th July however there were suddenly many more, hundreds of Gatekeepers had emerged and were restlessly flying from plant to plant, very few pausing to bask on leaves or flowers - perhaps it was too hot. They are late to emerge this year, after the cold winter.

A small bright male Gatekeeper perches for a second on a Bramble leaf before flying off to chase another amongst the mass of leaves and flowers, in sunlight and cool shade, then across onto the embankment grasses where hundreds more were active.

Another Gatekeeper amongst the grasses, now outnumbering the Meadow Brown butterflies.

They are quite easy to distinguish from any other butterfly. The other most common species present was the Meadow Brown - but this is larger and not as bright, with a dull orange patch around the single white pupil in a black eyespot and the wings dull brown and grey-brown. The Gatekeeper's eye spot has two white pupils in a black ring.   

Skippers have bright light orange and brown wings but lack eye spots and usually bask with wings half-closed.

Birds were still very active here all week too, with common whitethroats,singing wrens, blackbirds, song thrush, chiffchaff, blackcaps, garden warbler, dunnock , house sparrows, calling great-spotted woodpecker, nuthatches, great tits, blue tits, all with 'yellow' juveniles in tow and a grey wagtail flying over the water. A grey heron dropped a common frog whilst being chased by a herring gull.

Banded Demoiselle damselflies, both male and female were seen perching in the early sun on the river bank vegetation, waiting to pounce on small insects above the water and Southern Hawker dragonflies were seen ranging along the banks.