The Sudden Sun

Friday 28th December 2018 started with a uniformly overcast sky. It was so dark that waiting for a while for the morning to brighten up seemed a good idea - but by 10.30am there had been no change in the light, so there was no option but to start the survey.

 Wildlife has no time to wait and this was certainly evident today.

More than halfway through and a rapid change took place - a glimpse of blue sky in the north west  - and the dense blanket of cloud began to move away. No,  it's not a hill on the horizon but the dark cloud, rolling back to allow the sun to appear in a clear sky.

28th December 2018 was a good day for observing, with no rain, no wind, the ground still damp  and a slight mist disappearing. Quite amazing on such a dark day, when one would expect to find not very much happening…the riverside was full of voices, birds calling and singing all along the banks. The gloom was no deterrent to birds . The river was lower but fast flowing  under the Hazel branches all decked with catkins.

Most birds favoured the treetops for foraging, obtaining the maximum amount of available light, ready to catch the sun if it appeared. There was no need to lurk and conserve energy today in the mild weather. At last the ponds held a reasonable amount of water and there was plenty of mud under the grass, blackbirds throwing leaves aside, foraging.

House sparrows, usually at their best in sunny  dry weather were today the most numerous species, about forty singing loudly in the dense hedges with lots more on the river banks, bramble patches, thickets and low branches (over 100 in total). As soon as the sun appeared, some dropped down the riverbanks into the shallows to bathe, then reappear on the brambles to dry off and preen.

Woodpigeons (about 30) were in small groups or pairs, tumbling around in the ivy clumps scrambling and sometimes falling when reaching out to pluck ripe Ivy berries, plentiful at present.

Blackbirds were about in good numbers (52) along most parts, foraging on the soft ground or amongst Ivy berries, flying low across from one thicket to another, some quite vocal, giving soft calls or loud alarm calls. Singing song thrushes were quite easy to see today, (9) choosing prominent perches but more were foraging largely unseen in the undergrowth. Three redwing were seen flying low across a bank, seeking out the last sloe berries and fieldfare (total 7) were seen here and there, flying across from old oaks to old Field Maples, foraging on the grass and a single one intent on plucking Guelder Rose berries on a small bush directly in front of me.  

Guelder Rose berries amongst the dry branches, attracting birds from a distance

A single very upright mistle thrush was seen on the grass, heavier in build than the song thrushes.

Close by but well hidden, a pair of mallard paddled round the meander in the river where the river flowed more slowly. The lower banks had been scoured by recent high water after rain, but the higher vegetation gave good cover to wildlife where needed. Further upstream a moorhen was just making a splashing take-off.

A small flock of 18 linnets suddenly flew into the treetops of a young copse, stood still for a minute, then took off together whilst another flock of 14 circled low and disappeared into an Alder tree (total 32). Further south, several chaffinches were seen in different places, foraging and even one was heard singing (5) - but no greenfinches. The successful goldfinches were seen in small groups seeking out seed heads of grasses, the important Dock and Teasel their favourite on the wild fields (30). Further numbers remained hidden in a thicket, singing softly where they were joined by 6 starlings.

Willows are always a favourite with birds throughout the year, when in full leaf and when bare. Today a pair of bullfinches were moving around amongst fine willow branches overhanging the river.

At this time of the year corvids are mostly foraging on agricultural land nearby but 5 carrion crows  and 2 jackdaws were seen, with two jays annoying a blackbird and 6 unmissable magpies were high in the old field maples. At times the sky was filled with gulls in flocks - most of these are usually herring gulls (40) - but today a scattered flock of about 50 black-headed gulls outnumbered them with just a single adult foraging on the field. A sparrowhawk whizzed past me through the trees, intent on ambushing a nearby bird, hidden from my view.

Still looking up into the rapidly changing sky, a grey heron was seen circling, working its way south-east over the river, then a second one was hunting low around one of the ponds towards the north, almost certainly hoping to catch one of the numerous amphibian inhabitants (total grey herons 2).

Blue tits were very numerous (75) all along, very active just about everywhere, foraging. Most were high up in the trees, working their way to and fro, seeking out insects from amongst the choicest lichen-covered twigs and branches:

Here's a small fallen branch with a variety of lichens and mosses

harbouring a variety of tiny insects searched for by small birds.

Great tits were numerous too, (41) but more were seen in undergrowth and low branches, not in a mixed flock with other tits this time although 8 long-tailed tits were mixing with the blue tits in the treetops with two coal tits. Further along amongst undergrowth, low hedges and brambles, silent dunnocks (7) foraged, well camouflaged, sharing the rich habitat with wrens and robins. Robins were however very visible, almost all singing loudly (29), with some wrens  choosing to sing whilst others were moving around mossy tree roots (18).

Seven goldcrests were present, two fast-moving in an old oak whilst two more were high in an Ash and three more were foraging together in a conifer, brilliantly lit by sudden sunlight. In the same area, also lit by sunlight, a very good view of a single chiffchaff foraging.

Towards the north a male great spotted woodpecker was visible for a few minutes carefully foraging for insects in a tree on the bank.

Throughout the survey there was hardly a minute when the calls of  nuthatches could not be heard. It has been a very good year for them with dry weather and plenty to eat. Now is the time when the young have to establish their own territories, their parents occupying their 'traditional' sites leaving the young to find new locations, not usually very far away. They have several different calls but all are quite loud, most intended to warn intruders off their territory. There appeared to be two pairs of adults at least and the remaining birds probably youngsters, a total of 12, in different regions along the riverside.

Blackcaps in the Spindle bushes - it must be Winter!

Monday 26th November 2018 was brighter than the previous day which had been very dull and cold with fine rain. The low sun appeared in a blue sky, highlighting the gold and coppery leaves of the Oaks, standing out against the other bare trees. The riverside was full of birdsong here in the Blackthorn thickets still full of sloes and oaks long bare of acorns. Standing in one spot and rotating, a good number of species could be heard and observed all at once. There was not much wind, just a breeze blowing leaves along the grass where sturdy migrant Blackbirds foraged. Blackbirds could be seen just about everywhere along the river, on the ground and in the thickets picking at sloes, some in the sun, preening or sunning, clumsily perched an twigs  (33). The first singing song thrush of the winter was heard the day before and one was singing again today. Two were seen. Redwing have so far been more numerous than song thrushes or fieldfare, with six seen foraging in the Blackthorn or surveying the landscape from hedge tops. Four fieldfare were foraging along the back of the hedges but there may well have been more, well hidden from view across the bank. 

Oak leaves on low branches in the setting sun on 26th November.

As usual in winter, the small local birds form groups ('roaming flocks'), finding safety in numbers. Today there were about 50 blue tits spread out in a disorganised flock, some chasing whilst others were seen on twigs prising the lichen off to access hidden insects. Great tits (38) joined up with them here and there. Long-tailed tits were very active, giving themselves away by contact-calling following each other amongst the willow tree tops (a total of 18 in three groups). Four coal tits flew into the tall hedge at intervals, probably caching seeds or nuts. On the periphery, goldcrests were fast-moving, collecting insects amongst the leaves still on the willows and oaks (5) nowhere near their summer breeding habitat of coniferous trees.

House sparrows have had a very good summer this year and large numbers are heard and seen on the river banks and hedgerows now. They never move very far off from their original colonies. Over 90 were around today in several colonies singing (calling, chatting) loudly. Goldfinches were numerous too (about 60) some singing softly, often in the company of house sparrows, filling dense thickets. Lately starlings (about 40 today) have moved in with them as well, to roost and whistle during the day when there is warmth from the sun. A bullfinch was hear calling from the back of another thicket on the river bank. A group of four linnets were seen flying across over the wild field. Many seeds remain to be foraged later. Bramble seeds on small seed heads are plentiful this autumn.

Robins were singing from perches all along the river (19), some very loud and close. During the week, noise from the development does not put them off. They usually stick to their chosen territories and are not distracted. The worst threats for the males are other males. Wrens too were singing (11) mostly from lower branches and roots. Dunnocks (8) seemed to be more numerous and vocal than usual, not so much singing but calling. A single treecreeper move fast up a sunlit tree trunk and disappeared, possibly disturbed by a jay flying upstream. A second jay was seen nearby - they are elusive during summer months - always present but much more easily seen in the bare trees.

Carrion Crows are always present but in small numbers. Today there were 12 mostly in ones and twos sitting in the old oaks and field maples. Magpies were more active (11) clumsily climbing around in similar trees, they prefer their own company however. Normally Jackdaws are seen flying across to and from the woods only in very small numbers but this autumn the numbers seen have increased dramatically and today 45 were seen most flying together calling, quite high, followed by smaller groups all at a similar altitude, all heading in the same westerly direction as if they were migrant birds from the east. None were landing or diverting from their route. More have been seen since.

Does their appearance mean they have been driven here by bad weather elsewhere? They don't seem to interact with other corvids here. Eight rooks were seen entering the wood but we don't have a rookery nearby. There were only two black-headed gulls on the playing field, nine herring gulls circling in the air further north, a collared dove pair in ivy and 24 woodpigeons in various places, most also amongst ivy, eating the ripe ivy berries.

A green woodpecker was heard calling from the north and another further south (2) and nuthatches (6) have been establishing their territories in several locations, calling out loudly to warn others away.

Two raptors were visible today - a kestrel flying across with the wind and a common buzzard circling.

 The stars for this survey were winter visitors:

A beautiful view of a female blackcap in a small thicket where most of the fruits and berries had already been plucked by larger birds. They had however left the bright pink/red fruits of the Spindle hanging on fragile twigs over the river. The blackcap was plucking these, as a robin would. Another blackcap was higher up at the top of the thicket, clearly seen, These are probably winer migrants.

Last but not least, the largest bird seen today - a little egret was seen flying low along the course of the river, upstream brilliant white in the sun, legs and yellow feet trailing. It, or a second one, was later seen flying downstream. Looking across the river soon afterwards, I saw the little egret paddling carefully in the river on a bend where the water was still shallow, watching the water intently….

More on these later!