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.
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.
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