A Frosty start to December

December 2019 began with a series of frosty mornings but each day warmed up so that frost remained only in shady places. The 4th December was such a day, where frost and ice only lasted on shallow water. The pond here is perfect for frogs, surrounded by plenty of vegetation not far from the river. Frog spawn will attract birds such as grey herons which will also catch tadpoles and froglets and adult frogs.

It was evident that there had been several cycles of thawing and re-frosting here

with the white surfaces formed of ice, not snow - as there has been no snow yet

this winter.....

A close-up of the ice contours on the pond.

Song thrushes singing again, migrants are here.

November 2019 - the riverside has gone through many changes since the October survey - this Survey for the 29th November has seen record numbers of some species of bird; part of the reason could be the favourable conditions of the day and of course the autumn leaf fall.
It was cold, around 4 degs. C with some ice at first but no frost, no wind and no clouds. A clear blue sky remained all day after some fine misty rain the previous night.
It was quiet apart from loud birdsong all along the river. Road construction works were finished at last, with only the winter planting of native trees and shrubs to come.

Crab apples after the rain, 29th November 2019. These provide

food for birds, mainly blackbirds, during the worst of the winter

weather when other more succulent fruits and berries have been

plundered, usually by migrant redwing and fieldfare making their way westwards.

The rivers were still running high but no higher than usual after rain.

There were still plenty of native berries and fruits, with Ivy berries ripening fast to provide a feast during the long winter months, together with dog rose hips on high-climbing plants.

The first birds to be heard as usual were the House Sparrows warming up in the sun where the long shadows were receding over the river banks. During a cold windy overcast day they would remain under the shelter of brambles and hawthorn hedges - but well in excess of 100 were seen clearly today. 

Robins were numerous too, (42) most singing, some churning leaves, others guarding chosen bushes such as Elder and Spindle or perching on prominent branches so as to be seen and heard by all.
Wrens (14) were singing likewise, aiming to be seen and not afraid to fly close, over my shoulder, although giving loud alarm calls at the sight of a possible predator. As usual dunnocks were keeping low apart from one sitting out on a fence, twitching its tail (5).
Blue tits (74) were foraging for insects emerging in the sun, following each other or in small groups with single birds seldom seen. Great tits (48) were also following but more were investigating the piles of fallen leaves under trees and are now checking the Horsham Stone of the new bridge where the rough texture has been harbouring many insects. There was a very good view of  treecreeper making its way up the trunk of a large Ash tree - a good view now that the leaves have fallen. Another was seen in a Oak further upstream, both on the sunlit side of the trees where the bark was warming up (2).
Much more elusive than others, three coal tits were heard calling, then calls from long-tailed tits were heard alongside, close up, heading for the tree canopy, then another group were seen in willows (total 12). Behind riverbank willows, in a blackthorn thicket the soft voices of two bullfinches was heard, with only a glimpse through the dense branches.
Although two groups of goldfinches were seen (15), only 3 chaffinches and no greenfinches were seen.
Goldcrests go about their foraging largely unseen and unheard but it was a good day and seven were heard calling behind me and seen above me, foraging separately in deciduous trees a good distance away from any conifers.

Two Oaks, young and old on 29th November 2019 on the river bank

Looking up, a total of 16 carrion crows were seen in various places, some calling but none in groups. Herring gulls were seen and heard too (about 40) but again not in a flock. Jackdaws however were seen in small groups, 4 calling in a tree, the rest in the air (40) and 20 rooks in the air. Several small groups of starlings (20) were present, one group whistling in their day roost. Today only two magpies were seen but 5 jays were present, their fine plumage giving them away when they tried to hide from view.  87 wood pigeons were about and easily visible, some feeding on the wet grass, others dozing in the treetops or scrambling for ripening Ivy berries. Collared doves were sitting on a hazel tree - a favourite sun trap, close to the Ivy berries (3).

Nuthatches were very much in evidence, most calling loudly from chosen old Oak or Ash trees (total 10). One of these held its ground whilst a male great-spotted woodpecker flew from tree to tree. Two juveniles and a female were seen along other parts of the river (4 total) - suitable trees are at a premium for nesting next spring. 2 green woodpeckers were calling from the field margin - they nest in tree holes too, so need to compete early on.

Large flocks of migrant thrushes have not yet been observed but 13 fieldfare and 8 redwing were seen collecting berries from the branches of Blackthorn thickets overhanging the river. It was very good to see good numbers of blackbirds (49), some clearly newly arrived migrants perched high, surveying the landscape and 9 very active song thrushes, some singing continuously.

Lastly a sparrowhawk was seen diving into a thicket and a kestrel  was perching on a branch with an outlook over open space.

The First Frost, October 28th 2019

Monday 28th October - the first frosty morning of the autumn after the rain, mist, wind and finally sun of the previous week, the expected cold spell moved in. It was clear and sunny for the first part of the survey then high cloud moved across and the day became colder again.

The frost had rapidly thawed leaving the riverside very damp. The river was flowing fast but the level had dropped by about a meter, the water still muddy. Small clusters of leaves and twigs lay under the trees, blown by the wind, with single leaves. Walking under the old oaks dense carpets of acorns crunched underfoot, even more than there were last year, but mainly from different oaks.

Acorn carpet under an old oak on the river bank - too numerous for wildlife to cache.

How soon will they be gone?

Jays (4) were busy in the trees and long grass, no noisy fights over food at present. Heavy wood pigeons were numerous today (34), most in the trees but some on the ground, foraging warily, flying off if intruders approach too close. Their observations and reactions always serve as a warning to other birds which take off as soon as a woodpigeon signals alarm. Only one collared dove was seen. Magpies (7) were restless, flying from one tree to another, calling - but unusually, carrion crows  (16) were far noisier and more numerous today. There was a small group having a very loud and angry altercation which seemed to last for about two hours. 

Some distance away 35 starlings were seen in small quiet groups, flying in and out of their day-roost which is layered with flowering Ivy. Ivy was flowering in other areas too, attracting crowds of insects, mostly wasp-types and bees.

Flowering Ivy attracting numerous insects. There will soon be clumps of 

Ivy berries forming which will in turn provide food for winter migrant birds

as well as resident birds.

One low-flying song thrush was seen, but blackbirds were more numerous (17), still just our resident resident birds, ranging along the entire stretch of the rivers checking on the locations of Rosa canina rose hips, a good crop this year, and other fruits small and large, in advance of icy weather when foraging on the frozen ground becomes difficult. It was good to see that the first fieldfares, only two at present, had arrived. The wind direction just beginning to become more favourable for migration from the east. There will be redwings and 'European' blackbirds with them and, according to recent studies, possibly migrating robins as well! At the moment 21 robins were seen and most heard as well but only singing very short snatches of song or making alarm calls. They predictably guard choicest berries such as Elder, Holly and Spindle. Wrens were sheltering in the undergrowth, only 10 seen with two singing - and two dunnock, also well hidden. It was quiet and high calls gave away the presence of two goldcrests and nearby a single blue tit was seen collecting spiders from the corner of a bat box. Elsewhere  a total of 34 were seen in various trees searching for insects whilst 15 great tits were seen - a group following each other with a few (3) long-tailed tits from Ash trees to Willows over the river. A single chiffchaff was calling in the thicket there. Behind the Willows a weak call came from a bullfinch in a favourite sheltered location.

House sparrows (about 80) had sought out warm sheltered places after a freezing start to the day, with some groups eventually singing together well hidden under brambles. Others were low down under the river banks, bathing in shallows. Perhaps the river water feels warm after a frosty night. Some goldfinches (18) and starlings had joined singing sparrows which had chosen a taller thicket in the sun.

In the same area a treecreeper was making its way up a tree trunk then flew off to a larger mature tree.

Above, a great-spotted woodpecker was seen flying across, then another flew north and a third was heard drumming! (3) whilst low down on the grass, a green woodpecker called loudly, yaffling.

Familiar calls came from several of the old oaks long the river - these were from nuthatches (6) which are certainly making their presence known, commanding prime nest sites as they start preparing their nests well in advance over the winter.

Overhead 4 calling jackdaws were seen, about 10 black-headed gulls and 14 herring gulls, some calling. I looked up - the gulls had disappeared but a fine juvenile buzzard was flying low, chased by a single crow.  The buzzard shook off the crow and headed straight towards me flying low over and across a bridge to investigate a road-works vehicle nearby.  Maybe it would find small mammals on the verge, disturbed by the road works!

  

Spiders and Bats

October 2019 has been a fine month for watching the diversity of wildlife along the river, conditions changing from day to day. Our temperate climate here allows for frequent changes which other countries don't have. A continental climate means summer is summer and winter is winter, with predictable weather most of the time, although climate change may be affecting this. 

Rivers flowing through a landscape can have a very local effect and provide habitat for more species of wildlife than other regions. 

Insects are a key to this. What have spiders and bats in common? They prey on insects which are very often most numerous in riverine environments. Spiders and bats often go unnoticed until conditions change, and their presence becomes more visible:

A spiders web on a misty morning 22nd October 2019

This web was laden with water-droplets, until they evaporated in the sun.

Another web on the same morning quite close to the ground

and the river bank.

Bats forage when light-levels are low, spending the daylight hours roosting in darkness hidden away unnoticed by creatures which might otherwise prey on them.

Here the huge old oaks along the river provide excellent roosts, with old branches providing cavities in the bark where there is space for bats to squeeze in and hang onto the rough surfaces. 

 An old oak on the edge of the river at the end of an important bat flyway.

As soon as light levels fall, bats fly out of their roosts mostly in old oaks 

some distance from the river and make their way along a hedge

and trees down to the old oak where they immediately start to catch aerial

insects over the river surface and in the trees above. They move on along the river, catching insects as they go, as the vegetation on the banks forms a directional guide for them to follow. When they have finished for the night they usually follow the same route back to their day roosts. They do not fly in strong winds or driving rain, so mature vegetation and trees provide shelter and enable them to continue foraging.

Fruitful September

September 2019 was warm with summer clinging on but an increase in showers, all good for ripening fruits and berries.

Friday 27th September was a typical day, mild with frequent sudden light showers coming in with the southerly breeze. The ground was scattered with acorns crunching underfoot and oaks still laden with many more, both green and ripening brown shells. The river was running well after a sudden high surge and then dip in the level the previous week - due not to the weather but to the necessity of having to temporarily empty the Mill pond upstream in order to facilitate repairs to piping at the mill and giving a chance to restore the Tern platforms on the pond before the winter. This all happened very quickly and it was soon back to normal with no loss of aquatic wildlife.

Along the river on the day of the survey clouds brought in short-lived showers between warm and sunny spells and it was interesting to note how wildlife reacted. As dark clouds approached, bird activity increased - as they sensed the rain, they made direct flights to the nearest dense trees to shelter with no procrastination such as stopping in mid flight to forage on berries or insects. I did the same, choosing to stand under the shelter of the nearest old oak tree, the ground underneath remaining quite dry. There were good opportunities to observe from across the grass, through the rain, or turn to a hedge with sheltering robins and dunnocks.  

This Comma butterfly was about to open its wings and bask on the Bramble leaf to soak up the sun.

When the wings are closed it's almost invisible when amongst autumn leaves, but its signature - the white marking shaped like a comma, gives it away. The white comma visible here looks as if it's painted on but this is just how we see it, given a good view. This one is an overwintering Comma, a dark form which will very soon find a place where it will hibernate during the winter and wake us up to the Spring when we see it appear on the banks as early as March. During the summer the eggs are laid on fresh Nettle tips which the caterpillars eat when hatched -  like many of our butterflies the caterpillars need Nettles as a food source. If you get rid of the Nettles you destroy most of the butterfly population!

A Red Admiral was seen basking in the sun on some fallen leaves, two Small Copper butterflies were erratically flying along a sunny bank and numerous Speckled Wood butterflies were chasing and basking in the sun, high and low amongst the trees.

 Insects were always the first to emerge as soon as the rain cleared and the sun warmed up the leaves. Over the river banks, bees, flies and wasp species could be seen buzzing around wild flowers and seed heads, butterflies too.

Amongst the grass - a very small Cricket (centre)

This is probably a short-winged Conehead with

long antennae - although foreshortened in this photo.

Strong-flying dragonflies, the Southern Hawkers were still numerous over and away from the river.

Two Common Darters were perching on twigs in a sheltered and sunny area.

Numerous spiders had been at work, spinning webs across brown grass seed heads and thistle tops which had been very successful in trapping many small insects.

House sparrows were seen and heard amongst their traditional hedgerows, dropping down to shelter when it rained, continuing to sing (about 50). Robins (22) were more numerous now, with many singing territorial songs which they will continue to sing throughout the winter months. Blackbirds and thrushes were keeping a low profile with only seven blackbirds and one song thrush seen today.

October should see them appear in new 'winter' plumage.

Elderberries ripening 

Blue tits (45) were out foraging for insects as soon as the rain stopped whilst Great tits (25) continued to forage lower amongst the dry understory and roots with wrens (8) some singing, and dunnocks (3) all sheltered by the still-green leafy tree roots and ivies. Long-tailed tits (5) were seen in the Willow canopies in the sun. As usual, nuthatches were seen and heard amongst the huge strong oak branches (4),  juveniles now seeking out their first nest sites with older nuthatches guarding the nest holes they have traditionally used. They will also be caching nuts. A tap-tapping sound will be heard when Nuthatches are shelling nuts, usually wedged in a branch twig. A single treecreeper flew up and out of an old oak when a nearby nuthatch called. Great-spotted woodpeckers have had a good summer rearing young and several have been seen with adults. Today three were seen, one climbing the trunk of an Ash tree, gleaning insects, another was calling from an oak and another was seen flying across from oak to oak. Three goldcrests were also seen in the oaks, making fine contact calls, their conifers not providing such good shelter as the oaks still in leaf.

Goldfinches (25) were numerous but in scattered groups in thickets sheltering from the rain, not singing as much as usual. Their favoured food being dry seeds from Dock, Thistles and grasses, dry weather suits them better, as with other finches. No greenfinches or chaffinches were seen. 

Only one blackcap was heard but three chiffchaffs were present in willows nearby, moving fast.

 About thirty wood pigeons were present today, most quietly feeding on the ground under the trees. Six jackdaws were seen flying out of the woods and nine magpies in various places, not seeking shelter from the rain. Herring gulls, making the most of the breezy weather were fling across (10 or more), with five starlings and fifteen carrion crows.

A fine finish was the sighting of at least forty house martins flying together with about seven barn swallows over the river, catching insects for some time. Suddenly a sparrowhawk appeared from nowhere and flew amongst the group. They seemed quite fearless approaching it rather than flying away; the sparrowhawk was unlucky and quickly flew off.

Autumn Appears

Autumn - a Speckled Wood butterfly from above - on a Bramble leaf

Autumn is an optimistic season with new beginnings and future promise. Seeds fall and take root, leaves fall to create compost to feed them. Young resident birds set out to find new territories along the rivers whilst winter migrants are already heading for our temperate shores to avoid ice and snow in their northern summer breeding grounds. 

Late August is as usual a quiet time for birds as most are busy feeding up for winter and this year the crops of wild berries and nuts has been especially prolific. Last year the summer heat advanced growth of most fruit-bearing plants and lack of water throughout the summer meant that some fruits did not mature. Berries dried out and went to seed and leaves fell early.  When it eventually rained, some new green growth appeared but was too late to fruit.

  This year is different:

Friday 30th August 2019 started bright, with light cloud remaining warm but becoming breezy. The river was flowing low but clear and the grass and most vegetation remained remarkably green with good carpets of clovers and birds-foot trefoil. Umbellifers and thistles were flowering well and covered in insects - bees, hoverflies and butterflies. Nettles were not so prolific and mostly going to seed however.

The bright yellow flowers of Fleabane, attracting many insects, were starting to go to seed, having spread and done very well this year along verges.

Robins (18), were either 'chinking' - usually a first sign of autumn and chasing or giving short versions of territorial song, whilst wrens (6) were singing very quietly. Blackbirds (5) were keeping low, mostly out of sight - they are present but keeping a low profile as were 3 song thrushes scrabbling amongst leaf- litter. House sparrows are now at the stage where they have formed groups and fly around together and roost together, sometimes merging to form much larger groups. About thirty were present today, with more hidden in dense brambles, quite quiet. Perhaps there was a sparrowhawk around.

Woodpigeons were now more numerous (34), some nesting as usual.  One  pair of collared doves was seen near their nest site, their fledged young being well-hidden. A silent Jay flew across into trees and nearby directly above me a great-spotted woodpecker called.

Seven carrion crows were seen in various places and six herring gulls flew across. Five Black-headed gulls were also seen in the air - maybe the first of many to fly inland from the coast this autumn. Numbers of blue tits seen were reasonable, (62) with family parties exploring new sources of food such as blackberries. Long-tailed tits were easily seen today as their contact calls could be heard and the birds seen moving amongst the tree canopy above the river (21). Numbers are good this year as conditions have been good for nesting, with few gales and floods to damage their carefully built but fragile nests.

Great tits (20) were active too, adults accompanied by yellow-cheeked young. They are less easily seen as often forage in undergrowth and tree roots, like the dunnock - only one seen today.

One treecreeper was visible climbing a youngish tree whilst one goldcrest was foraging in a conifer.

A look at a recently seeded field revealed a scattered set of birds feeding, mostly wood pigeons but with  about six magpies here and there where new shoots were growing up.

Close to the river, largely hidden in a thicket was a group of singing goldfinches (more than 15), and two bullfinches were skulking in a Blackthorn, the male calling softly. A single chaffinch called from a poplar. Of the summer migrants, only a single blackcap was alarm-calling from the willows and three chiffchaffs were contact-calling, two of them probably young. These 'migrants' of course may prove to be amongst the few which stay here over the winter, as winters become warmer.

Nuthatches are very much with us all year, (6) the young now spreading out to choose suitable territories for nesting, whilst finding abundant food on the way.

Gatekeeper butterfly on thistle flower -

note the double 'spot' on the wing.

Butterflies and dragonflies:

Meadow Brown butterflies were still about amongst the grasses but Gatekeepers and Speckled Woods were more numerous today. Large Whites were ranging the banks and fields.

Southern Hawker dragonflies were quite numerous, patrolling the banks of the river, one chasing a  Migrant Hawker. Brown Hawkers were also present.

The breeze probably caused some to seek out more sheltered locations.

Riverside Spiders

August is a good time to spot spiders on vegetation with their prey, insects, most abundant.  One of the most common spiders is the Nursery Web Spider -  Pisaura mirabilis which can be found amongst bramble fronds and leaves. It's quite small and feeds on smallish insects which it catches, not in a web but by lurking and sprinting a short distance to catch its prey.

It does make a fantastic web but the purpose is to protect its young as its reactions are fast enough to catch insects directly, usually from the surface of a leaf.

Nursery Web Spider on bramble leaf

The web which it creates in order to protect its eggs and later hatched spiderlings is extremely strong and as can be seen here, a strong twig or bramble frond is used as the basic structure for the 'roof' of the 'tent'.  The female spider then sits on the roof of the tent to keep watch and catch food. The bramble leaf is quite small! The adult spider itself when stretched out is only about 14mm long.

Another interesting spider is the Crab spider   Misumena vatia.  This also waits to ambush its prey but uses its ability to change colour in order to merge with the bright flower it sits on motionless for many hours. It chooses a strong flower normally visited by insects, usually coloured yellow or white then gradually changes its colour to that of the flower petals:

Crab spider on flower petal

This spider however could not change from bright yellow to pale pink, even after 24 hours!

It was probably successful in catching insects nevertheless. It pounces and grips insects with the crab-like action of its front legs. The petal was less than 1.5cm in length.

Spider web - probably the start of a Nursery Web, after heavy rain,

showing how strong the the single web strands are. Raindrops are caught up

in the strands which are stronger than nylon thread.

Autumn Approaches - a Summary of August

The extremes of late July thankfully over, the riverside resumed its gentle progression into autumn with huge numbers of bees (many species) and Gatekeeper butterflies on the creeping thistles and native wild flowers and grasses. Although not a first in this area, some Emerald Damselflies (Lestes sponsa) were seen in the river where they seldom appear due probably to the flow of the water. This August there was a section of slow-moving water for a while until the rain came.The dense aquatic vegetation protected them. Male and female Banded and Beautiful Demoiselle Damselflies were seen in the usual places along the river and banks when the sun shone and some were even seen over the river at the new East Arun bridge construction site where it was sheltered from the wind by temporary walkways for the construction workers. Their presence is a good indication of water quality.

During the second week of August occasional cloudbursts cooled the air but conditions remained mostly warm and humid. After some heavy rain on 9th Gatekeeper butterflies thronged the thistle and bramble patches and a Small Copper butterfly was seen too amidst the more common butterflies such as Large Whites and Meadow Browns. Moths were emerging from their sheltered grasses when the sun appeared.

The Small Copper is easy to identify - not only is it very small but it has 

bright orange forewings and band on the hind wings - with distinctive black spots.

Southern Hawker Dragonflies were quite numerous this year, patrolling their territories along the banks. The weather was a lot cooler on 13th although sunny later.   A walk over a rough area of field with a good variety of wild grasses and flowers proved to hold plenty of interest as many butterflies were seen here. Large Whites, Meadow Browns and Gatekeepers were common but others were quite new, including Common Blues, Small Heath and Brown Argus.

Brown Argus, a very small but distinctive butterfly, very active.

Like the Small Heath, this butterfly was flying low and perching

very near the ground, easy to miss. Two or three others were seen

not far away.

Elsewhere, not far away, thousands of bees, species of Hoverfly, 

and some day-flying moths were seen on creeping thistle, Knapweed, umbellifers

and daisy species.

The following day 14th, it was much cooler with rain most of the time, then on the day of our meet, Sunday morning 18th, everyone out and about was soaked. However house sparrows were singing loudly in a dense hedgerow.

Records for the end of August, including a full survey on 30th will follow soon…

The Day after the Hottest Day - July 2019

Friday 26th July 2019 - time for a wildlife survey along the riverside.  

The day was cloudy and very damp after a night of thunder and lightening, with one very heavy cloudburst. The river was running fast but not high and the heat the day before had had little effect as the ground had remained damp. Most of our planted trees were fruiting well with other trees such as Oaks having very young acorns forming. Hawthorn and Blackthorn were showing new berries - food in plenty for wildlife later in the year.

The wet vegetation filled the air with a mixture of scents, with Meadowsweet dominating on some of the river banks and in the wild field.

Meadowsweet has flourished this July and transformed the riverside here. Amongst it are other flowering plants such as Bird's foot Trefoil and Fleabane.

The plants here form perfect habitat for birds and amphibians and the two river meadows remain an active location for hibernating reptiles - their ancestors having been translocated from neighbouring fields nine years ago.

Wild flowers and grasses elsewhere were prolific too with good mixes of fruiting brambles, thistle, vetch, clovers and honeysuckle all attracting insects such as overflies and bees, even in the cloudy weather. As soon as the clouds cleared, more bees headed for the thistles, and the butterflies appeared too. Meadow Browns, still present, Ringlets, Speckled Woods, Large Whites and Gatekeepers, the most numerous by far now.

Woodpigeons were busy nesting with some calling loudly (27), whilst starlings were elsewhere - only 5 seen here. Two collared doves were nesting in the ivy, only 3 carrion crows but 6 magpies and two rooks were seen with jackdaws absent. Herring gulls (16) were seen in some areas but no black-headed gulls today. Singing is not the priority for most birds now - blackbirds (15) were seen silently foraging, some still collecting food for young  but song thrushes (7) were singing together with wrens (15) which were probably still guarding their territories amongst the river bank roots. Robins were scarce (6) with juveniles most visible. As usual dunnocks were in hiding with only 3 seen. Blue and great tits were not seen in large numbers either (12 and 10) but it was good to see three coal tits, very close, two of them juveniles in the oaks and nearby high calls revealed two goldcrests with another in conifers (3).  Further south a group of 9 long-tailed tits were foraging high in the canopy and a single chiffchaff called (a contact call). In the same area, well hidden amongst willow leaves a blackcap made a very short song then two more, probably juveniles were seen in the same willow (3).

Over the past few weeks the noise from a roller levelling off a sports field has been disturbing the usually peaceful area but did not seem to affect birds much. The work has finished now and the area will be seeded and left to grow and settle over the winter. Wildlife will take over - it will be interesting to see which species.

Meanwhile, work was still going on during this survey but there were loud cries from a green woodpecker close by, forging for ants,  and a treecreeper was seen in the shade making its way up a tall tree trunk. Nuthatches were seen in several places - a family group of juveniles were calling to each other in a dense oak and nearby field maple (7).

Young green Hazelnuts on Hazel tree. 

Soon the ground underneath the trees will be littered with green nut shells and leaves - a sign that  jays and squirrels are plundering the unripe nuts.

Two great-spotted woodpeckers were seen - one alerting me with a loud call, the other flying across from an old ash tree, meanwhile a sparrowhawk dashed from a thicket and flew out of sight. Sparrowhawks often lurk along the river hoping to ambush sparrows or even woodpigeons bathing in the shallows. Today there were fewer house sparrows than usual seen (27) many of them juveniles, the adults still nesting, raising another brood. Goldfinches however were more numerous, with about 35 seen, again many of them juveniles, taking advantage of the seeding wild flowers and grasses. Teasels,  thistles and dock are the main attraction at this time of the year and will remain so throughout the winter. They are now forming singing groups, choosing dense thickets for protection. A single silent female bullfinch was seen flying into a thicket and just one chaffinch was seen too.

Checking the river during the cloudy weather did not reveal any dragonflies or damselflies but these were seen on other days. (will be in a separate post during August).

Whilst looking down onto the water however, a  kingfisher flew down from a bare branch over the river and disappeared around the steep bank.

The Heat of July

So far July 2019 has been hot and mostly sunny but with intermittent rain producing a very different picture from July last year. The month started with perfect weather on the 1st with first sightings of freshly emerged Brown Hawker ( Aeshna grandis ) dragonflies over the banks and Beautiful Demoiselle damselflies ( Calopteryx virgo )  over the river. 

On 2nd a red kite was seen sailing overhead. Song thrushes were singing loudly, silent robins and singing blackcaps, whitethroat and a garden warbler were also present. Being another fine day, butterflies were numerous - Meadow Browns, Large Whites, and several Red Admirals were seen.

On 5th which was very warm, Large Skippers, Small Skippers and Meadow Browns were seen over and on dry grasses, Commas along brambles, and in shady damp areas Ringlets patrolled the banks, very seldom pausing:

Ringlets are one of the least spectacular of butterflies, with plain brown wings with white edges and  small 'rings' near the outer edges. They can be found flying on overcast days as well as on fine days.

Along the riverside trees, families of blue and great tits and chiffchaffs were seen foraging and three song thrushes were busy with snails along a path, still feeding their young,  whilst blackbirds were coming and going from nests deep in the hedges. Banded and Beautiful Demoiselle damselflies were seen over the river at the construction site of the new bridge - the river itself is allowed to run normally along its course whilst the bridge is being built.

On 10th the butterflies mentioned above were all present with blackcaps, wrens, goldfinches, nuthatches, song thrushes blackbirds, house sparrows, starlings and on this day, herring gulls were noisily chasing a common buzzard over the river.

Common Blue butterflies had been seen in late June and on 12th July a Holly Blue was seen near some ivy.

Always an occasion to remember each summer, usually after a long wait guessing when the first flowers would appear - the Fleabane here started to flower, at first on a warm sunny bank. and the first signs of wildlife foraging the still-green Hazelnuts were noted.

easily overlooked as just another yellow daisy - Fleabane is a special

plant, attracting a variety of insect species.

The 15th was a cloudy, cooler day and it was good to see a young green woodpecker collecting ants along the grass margin of a path. Its plumage was speckled but with adult colours coming through. It continued pecking on the ground undisturbed for a good while. The terrain is just right now for ants, with areas of dry loose earth. It was interesting to see a group of black-headed gulls around a large roller which was levelling the earth to create a new playing field in the distance. These gulls usually only spend the winter months here occupying old playing fields across the river where they are very territorial, chasing most other birds away from their foraging grounds. They disappear in the spring to breed on coastal areas - and now they are back!

Many goldfinches are now gathering in groups with juveniles, spending most of the time singing together and foraging for seeds. A long-tailed tit family flew through the tree canopy, occasionally mixing with blue and great tits and the more restless chiffchaffs. A group of starling flew across, most of them juveniles.

Walking along, listening,  all the various songs could be clearly distinguished, the songs being loud and clear (unusual for this time of the year). Two song thrushes, loud blackbirds, nuthatches and then a great-spotted woodpecker and wrens.

It became very hot again and on 17th there were very large numbers of bees of various species on the brambles now starting to fruit. More starlings, great spotted woodpeckers, Peacock butterflies and  spiders  (see next post) were seen. Then on 18th/19th/20th there was rain, enough to soak the ground and then more, cooling the surface of the earth, about 25mms. On 21st - Gatekeeper butterflies emerged in large numbers along the verges, fences, tall grasses, shrubs and bramble margins. Perhaps the rain triggered their appearance - they were all very fresh and fast moving. Meadow Browns, Ringlets, Speckled Woods and Large Whites were still present but hugely outnumbered.

Last year 2018 the first Gatekeeper was seen on 6th July! Two weeks late this year….

Migrant Warblers and Resident Wrens along the river

The wildlife survey for June was on Friday 28th June 2019, a fine day with some high light clouds.  The last rain fell two days before and the ground was still damp in the shade. Conditions have been perfect for growth in all respects, with abundant riverside vegetation, wild flowers, some new to the area, springing up and signs of many birds starting on second broods with warblers and wrens especially vocal, singing loudly from perches amongst the dense leaves of trees and shrubs overhanging the banks. Meadow Brown butterflies are everywhere skimming the grasses and bees throng the flowering brambles.

Flowering Lesser Stitchwort on the embankment

The first impression on listening was the more or less continuous background calling of young starlings, flying across in groups of about 15, following adults, foraging on grassy areas and in trees with a total of around 80 birds along the riverside. This is a good sign as starlings have been declining in numbers for years as have house sparrows. It's incredible that many areas have no house sparrows at all now, whereas here there are thriving colonies around every corner, today mostly chattering in dense low vegetation such as hawthorn hedges and bramble patches - more than 90 were present.
15 wrens were singing along the banks whilst 16 blackbirds were more easily seen,some singing, others  foraging on the grass or 'sunning' out in the open, getting as hot as possible, part of their preening process.  Song thrushes prefer the cool shade and damp earth, and five were singing out of a total of 8 seen. Robins were either hidden away, moulting or nesting, they can have raise three broods in a summer. Only one was heard singing a short song, the others were silent, with only seven seen in total today.  Four dunnocks were seen, all low on the river banks and a single greenfinch was seen lit up by the sun in a conifer where goldcrests can usually be heard and seen, but today they were heard in riverside oaks quite a distance away (2). Two chaffinches were seen and heard in an open area with trees whilst a group (about 20) of goldfinches sang together from an old maple.
Larger birds were seen in the canopies, with 5 jackdaws, seven carrion crows, one collared dove near its nest,  only 17 woodpigeons and the noisiest birds, the magpies (7) caused a row in a conifer.
Above the canopy, 8 herring gulls were seen gliding, silent today as no raptors were in the area….
except for a sharp fast- flying sparrowhawk low over a pond.
Our resident birds, the blue tits, (15), great tits (7) and long-tailed tits
(4) (were all present but keeping a low profile, with young quietly following adults or foraging together whilst adults raise second broods. They keep to dense vegetation and fly fast and erratically between one thicket and another. A green woodpecker called across the river and two great-spotted woodpeckers were seen chasing in the pine trees, disturbed by a distant mower. Further along, in the very old oaks it was good to see a large family of nuthatches, about 7 flying short distances from tree to tree, branch to branch - the young calling loudly. At several other locations, all in old trees, more nuthatches were seen and heard, making a total of 13. This is a large number, indicating successful breeding!  More broods will be raised this summer.
Leaving the most interesting birds until last, it was very good to hear far more migrant warblers singing along the river than usual, with sustained song from whitethroats (5 singing), garden warblers (4 singing), chiffchaffs (2 singing) and a record number of blackcaps, mostly in the willows, (9 singing).
The song from the blackcaps was particularly loud!
Conditions have been good for them this year - on arrival in this country earlier in the spring, conditions were good, with insects plentiful along the sheltered meanders of the river allowing them to feed up after their long journeys.

Insects!  and spiders too…
Hoverflies, in large numbers appeared early and since then , with the warmer weather, many summer butterflies have suddenly filled the grassland areas that have been allowed to grow, full of wild flowers attracting bees after the blossom finished.Today the most numerous butterflies were the Meadow Brown butterflies, with Painted Lady, Ringlet, Large White, Large Skipper, Small Skipper and Red Admiral,  Common Blue and Speckled Wood.
Bumble bees and Honeybees were numerous too, now having switched from feeding on willow catkins to Bramble flowers, suddenly appearing in sunny patches.
It is worth noting that there are new ants nests forming in the same areas where the ground is dry - all good for the increasing diversity here.

Bees Winning the Battle

The last day in May - time for a short summary of a magnificent month on the riverside.

It was good to see rapid growth, quite startling towards the end of May with most plants springing ahead in the warm sunshine and no heavy rain to batter down fragile new shoots. We do need much more rain however as the ground is becoming dry, the heavy clay cracking in places. One result of this however is the creation of numerous hideaways for many species of insect, amphibians, small birds and  mammals, provided that they are hidden amongst tall grasses. Some species of bee have been found to make very good use of such spaces. The lush growth on the banks and verges has created the perfect nesting habitat for song thrush, blackbirds, wrens, great tits, dunnocks and other small birds, all great singers too, which have been contributing to the very impressive Dawn Chorus each morning.

The large increase in amounts of blossom and catkins produced by plants along the river has attracted more bees and other emerging insects to forage amongst them, overcoming the extremes faced last year with poor spring weather and summer heat and drought. Hopefully we will have a more varied summer this year. more growth and less destruction. 

Just cutting down a few branches of flowering Rosa canina or any other flowering plant will deprive bees of a major source of sustenance and cutting a hedgerow during the spring, summer and autumn will cause mass destruction, not just for nesting birds but for bees and many other insects and small mammals. Such habitat is also valuable in winter, providing shelter for many species and should only be subject to 'trimming' in long rotation, not every year.

The latest event for encouraging bees has been the sudden flowering of Rosa canina - dog rose. Cascades of the single flowers are now lining the footpaths and buzzing hedgerows.

A heavily laden bumblebee moves round, gathering pollen as it feeds on a single Rosa canina flower.

Earlier in May some of the first Clovers appeared on the verges:

Large Red Clover flowers

and some smaller wild flowers, just as important:

Greater Stitchwort, another early summer flower.

Germander speedwell (Veronica chamoedrys)

 Common daisies cover the grass like snow, in strong May sunlight.

Just leave them to grow!

The Greenest May

Much has happened during May 2019 with the river warming up. Damselflies and Dragonflies have appeared later than last year, but are now emerging into the sun.

This Large Red Damselfly male on 24th May was shifting from place to place but returning to the same sunlit leaf on the river bank. Flies of all kinds were numerous over the water  and foraging was easy.

The survey this month was made on Tuesday 21st May 2019, a fine day after overcast weather. There was no rain and not much wind and very bright clear sunshine. Dandelions along verges and banks were mostly in seed now with 'clocks' sending flying seed in all directions, some of it taken by house sparrows as it drifted past. Cow Parsley was growing prolifically along the banks and under hedge margins in semi-shade:

 The young green  Cow Parsley shoots emerging from the winter layers of fallen leaves are always one of the first signs of spring and the flowers herald summer. The Oaks are now in full leaf and ash trees in leaf at last. Fruit trees have tiny fruits following on from the blossom and bramble flowers are just appearing in the sun. Soon they will be full of bees. This acceleration of growth means that birds have more hiding places and associated aphids and caterpillars to pluck for their young, perfect timing.

A continuous chorus of small birds singing and calling filled the air but today singing blackbirds were the loudest. Thirty-nine were present along the riverside, many singing, whilst others gave alarm calls or soft contact calls to their young, finding their way through the under storey of Cow Parsley and ivy.

Less obvious but always present were the calls and 'songs' of House Sparrows, juveniles increasing the usual numbers present in colonies totalling well over one hundred.  Most of these prefer insects to seed at this time of the year. Starlings were seen flying over in a new flock of about thirty with many noisy juveniles scattered amongst branches in other places totalling more than forty. Another common bird was seen in fewer than usual numbers, the wood pigeon but this was only due to many nesting or foraging in fields beyond the river  (22). Magpies were even more scarce, for the same reason. As usual the more delicate collared doves were hiding, just one pair being seen and heard.

The songs of robins were short and subdued, with 19 visible including 2 juveniles silently exploring in the undergrowth, the habitat of the dunnock too. Eight were seen, some had been bathing in the river, on an island of twigs. Song thrushes were at different stages, some giving short songs with just one singing a full song, the rest were foraging, collecting food for young in their low under-storey nests, six in total.   Nuthatches, as usual whilst nesting, avoid attracting attention - but two were seen in the oaks today.

Wrens (20) are so numerous that they can be seen and heard at different stages too, all along the river banks.

Their songs and alarm calls could be heard in many different places, three were singing from very prominent tree-top perches whilst others were singing close to nest sites, low down - but the total effect was for their songs to echo along the river banks. 

Blue tits (26) and great tits (9) were active amongst the thickets, foraging for insects, the great tits preferring to search amongst tall grasses on the ground of on the river banks. Two coal tits flew fast into a tall hedge, making their way down, probably to a low nest.

Buttercups take over from Dandelions, and grow tall, attracting numerous insects.

Whilst most wildlife activity is taking place at a low level in undergrowth on the banks, in hedgerows and roots,  loud calls from above distract the observer. A carrion crow calling loudly from a tree top made me look up, as the calls were too strange to be just crows. It was a common buzzard, very close, flying up from the tree over the river, chased by aggressive crows. It has possibly flown too close to a crows nest, but it retreated. Further down the river a different buzzard war also being mobbed by crows circling in the sky. Later a buzzard was seen flying very low over a drainage basin - again followed by a crow (two or maybe three individuals). As for the carrion crows, a total of 8 were seen and a single jackdaw.

A grey heron was seen to fly up out of the river in a stretch with high banks where it had been fishing or catching frogs and 4 Herring gulls were seen flying across whilst a single male mallard paddled upstream.

The star of the river today was a fine grey wagtail  which shot along the river, skimming the surface near it's nest site, very low down.

High calls alerted me to a single goldcrest near some conifers, with two more seen close by (3)

Back at tree level, 4 chaffinches and a single greenfinch were seen in the branches amongst dense leaves. 20 goldfinches were heard and then seen in a thicket, with some anonymous-looking juveniles amongst the group. A family group of 7 long-tailed tits flew forging along the willows, where a blackcap was singing. Elsewhere along the river, more blackcaps were seen and heard, 12 in total, some very quietly sub-singing, but one or two were in full voice.

Chiffchaffs (15) were singing in most places along the riverside trees and seen easily too. Others were contact-calling, probably juveniles.The singing of these migrant warblers was enhanced by two garden warblers in different places and nesting common whitethroats (11) in more open scrub, now only giving short songs.

Finally at the end of the survey, a fine pair of Bullfinches were seen in a thicket on the river, very close to each other. These are resident birds which remain in pairs all the year round, seldom separated by more than a few meters.

Last but not least, insects are the key to our survival - especially bees of which there were large numbers today, thronging the newly opening Bramble flowers and Rosa canina in special places warmed by the sun. Bumblebees, Honeybees, White-tailed, Buff-tailed and Red-tailed bees to name a few.

Butterflies present were Speckled Wood, Green-veined White, Red Admiral, Orange-tip and Holly Blue accompanied by many Hoverflies.

The Last Day of April

Tuesday 30th April 2019 - there could hardly have been a better example of an April day here -

and near perfect for a survey, no wind, sun with small cumulous clouds drifting across the blue sky, hardly any noise apart from the sound of a distant garden mower for a few minutes. Birdsong dominated the soundscape.

The morning started cool, with Hawthorn and fruit tree blossom now fully in flower and grassed areas covered in Daisies and Dandelions whilst Wild Garlic still covered the shady woodland and river bank areas and Cow Parsley now growing tall along the hedges.
It is proving to be the best spring for Cuckooflower and Garlic Mustard on banks, with many new plants springing up in new locations, last year's seed from old plants having germinated well.
Holly Blue butterflies together with Orange-tips have dominated the banks and are still most numerous. Both species are very restless, Organge-tips ranging ceaselessly along the vegetation and Holly Blues ranging everywhere, high and low:

Holly Blue butterfly  - Celastrina argiolus -  on very small young bramble leaf - the butterfly is very small too.

Orange-tip butterflies have been numerous too but evasive. Below is a female probably investigating a suitable site for depositing an egg. The males are very easily identified with their bright orange wing tips but females lack the orange and can be confused with other white butterflies at a glance. The most obvious sign is that both males and females have patterned underwings - a mix of yellow and black appearing mottled green, seen when they perch closed on stalks - a form of camouflage

The Orange-tip female Anthocharis  cardamines is in the centre facing one of the flowers of the White Dead Nettle plant.

Like the Garlic Mustard plant, the leaves look rather like a common nettle but do not sting.

The first Orange-tip butterflies appeared here on Thursday 18th April 2019 - the same day as they were first seen downstream (Arun) at Pulborough. The first Holly Blues were seen on 15th April 2019.

(my observations - others may have seen them before this!)

It was easy to be distracted by many spring 'firsts' along the river but here is the result of the survey on 30th April:

House sparrows, more that 100 in total all along the riverside, in hedgerows, thickets, clumps of brambles and down on the river, bathing. Easy to locate by their song or chatter. Some were even sand-bathing along the dry path. Their numbers are increasing now, with fledged young following the adults from roof nests to the river banks. The constant background sound of house sparrows was drowned out by several other species, blackbirds numbering 48 were very active, with some singing long songs whilst other males chased each other or foraged, collecting food for young in the nest. Some song thrushes (10) were singing the loudest and most continuous song, most choosing Ash trees, not yet in leaf, to perch on, so that their song travels far and clear along the river rather than being muffled. Others were well advanced with nesting, seen carrying food for nestlings low and far into the undergrowth.

 Some robins were still singing whilst others were silently collecting food (total 14). Most are nesting, which accounts for the lower numbers. Wrens seemed to be singing as usual, with 33 seen all along the banks, making their songs echo. At this stage they were choosing prominent perches for maximum effect. Three dunnocks were seen chasing but none were heard singing today. Goldfinches were also quiet with only short songs heard from around 10 in a thicket. Once the young are fledged they'll form a larger group and forage, roost and sing together. There were only two chaffinches seen in the trees today. A single goldcrest darted into a conifer where it disappeared, probably into its nest on an outer branch.

About 30 woodpigeons were active too, many searching out choice buds which are always at the ends of thin branches. Bouncing woodpigeons were a common sight. Four calling collared doves were occupying trees with dense leaf cover.

Blue and great tits (22 and 13) were less visible now that nesting is occupying almost the whole population; keeping out of sight whilst visiting nests is a priority and flight distances are as short as possible, although great tits are always more adventurous and visible when selecting choice insect food for their young. Long-tailed tits (28) have already successfully raised young and several family groups were seen in different areas following each other through the willows, oak, brambles and blackthorn.

 The loudest song, apart from the resident birds, was the song of the chiffchaff, usually the first migrant warbler to arrive here in the spring (14), Almost all were singing loudly, pausing now and then to snatch insects from blossom and fresh leaves. Easily overlooked as well camouflaged with dull green-brown plumage, they make up for it in persistent song, definitely unmistakable.

One of the young fruit trees in blossom, with clumps of cuckooflower nearby attracting early pollinators such as bees and hoverflies. Seed heads on last year's wild grasses were still attracting finches in the same area.

Common whitethroats (8)  - migrant warblers, arrived some time ago and have settled in their usual territories, singing and displaying whilst blackcaps (15) have chosen territories all along the river and could be heard singing from treetop perches and amongst the river willows. The large 'clouds' of summer insects over the river always attract them when feeding young and later fruits and berries are eaten whilst the birds are preparing to leave for their winter habitats in the autumn. Amongst the singing warblers a singing garden warbler was heard but remained elusive.

In the air above the river, two house martins were seen over a drainage basin and three common buzzards circled over to the north, two displaying. Crows were few in number, (5) one seen carrying a heavy object, probably part of a packed lunch. It was very good to see more than 50 starlings in small groups fly-catching over the river. They are skilled in this but need just the right calm weather conditions where insects are trapped between low cloud and the warm river. Overhead 8 herring gulls flew across, above three jackdaws from the woods. Seven magpies in twos and threes chased into trees and three nesting nuthatches were seen, unusually silent. A Jay sneaked quietly behind a hedge and a loud raucous call came from a grey heron fishing down on the river bed which was disturbed by a carrion crow.

On the river itself, several groups of mallard were seen in different places on the river, with a pair flying up then down again (a total of 10). These are not tame, and instantly paddle or fly away when encountered.

Butterflies:

In addition to the Holly Blue and Orange-tips, several Speckled Woods were seen, with a single Peacock, Green-veined White and Comma 

Hoverflies were seen in good numbers, with a few St Marks flies, bumblebees and large numbers of midges over the river - all a very good sign!

A Red-tailed Bumblebee Bombus lapidarius on one of the thousands of dandelions covering the grass.