Wildlife seeks winter shelter along the river banks

Monday 28th January 2019 - exactly a month from the previous Wildlife Survey. What a change!

It was below freezing overnight and around 3 degs. C now, a sunny day with a very clear sky but a cold breeze. There were many birds feeding where the ground remained unfrozen, shuffling through the fallen leaves finding plenty to eat in the soft ground. Just standing in one spot there were about 50 birds visible, concentrating on feeding, undisturbed.
Brambles offered close cover where birds ran, rather than flew, to hide when the alarm was raised.

A typical winter's scene, with perfect wildlife habitat.

Brambles in the foreground provide dense impenetrable cover

for many species of wildlife, not just birds.

There are many different types of bramble, these are the some of the most valued, with strong stems bowing over, retaining some of the leaves  and dried berries, where hidden, still provide food in the form of seeds.

House sparrows dislike cold damp habitats and find Brambles provide good shelter and warmth when the sun shines as was the case today. Over eighty were seen and heard in the brambles, hedgerows and low on the river banks. Robins (16) were singing strongly in their chosen territories, in sun or evergreen shade, most coming very close to investigate, on hearing the crack of twigs on the ground. One was seen in its usual place, guarding a bare Elder bush, last years berries long gone and no sign yet of spring  blossom buds.

Blue tits were quite numerous (45) foraging in bare trees but many more were certainly keeping to the sheltered river banks and dense thickets, unseen. Great tits seem to be  becoming more numerous,  most were keeping low too but sheltering in hedges and thickets or down on the river banks (30). A large number of males were singing strongly. These are very smart birds with their light yellow plumage the same shade as the 'lamb's tail' Hazel catkins seen on many small trees along the river. A family group of eight long-tailed tits were seen on Hazel branches, working along, hanging from twigs supporting the catkins, collecting insects. 

Quite easily missed amongst the numerous small birds, two female blackcaps were seen, feathers fluffed out against the cold, perched and foraging low on branches overhanging the river, sheltered from the wind which was now becoming stronger, bringing with it small clouds, rapidly increasing in size as they rushed across the sky. The resident wrens hid amongst moss and roots, most well out of sight - only five were seen, all near their traditional nesting areas well out of the wind. Dunnocks are always present, never in large numbers however. Today there were several, singing loudly, flying up from the river bank roots to make sure they were heard. They are hardy birds which usually keep to the understorey (6).

Of the rest of the finches, goldfinches were in two groups, hiding in sheltered thickets singing softly, about 30 in total. These have plenty of seeded grasses to feed on, notably Dock and Teasel but swaying around clinging on in a freezing wind takes up a large amount of energy. On days like this finding a sheltered sunlit side of a thicket and plucking nearby seeds is the best option. Again no greenfinches were visible or heard but three Chaffinches were seen in trees with a single jay nearby. It was good to hear soft whistling and clicking sounds in the distance - as sign that the starlings had returned to their sheltered day-roost in an Ivy-clad tree trunk in the middle of a river bank thicket. Their song became louder close-up with groups flying in and out (about 35).

Dense Ivy and strong climbing bramble fronds provide the perfect

shelter on a cold day and roost during the freezing nights.

Here there are also some uneaten Ivy berries.

With many birds to be seen, the lurking sparrowhawk has an easy time - although remaining elusive today, probably eating the remains of its kill in hiding, there was an unmistakable sign of a recent kill - a neat pile of plucked woodpigeon feathers at the side of a pond. Not far away two very much alive woodpigeons were seen scrambling over a small Crab Apple tree, reaching out to get the last of the fruits, usually eaten by blackbirds. Along the river a total of about 40 woodpigeons were seen, most favouring the open but unfrozen grass for foraging. Only one carrion crow was seen today, with 5 magpies and 3 calling jackdaws flying over. 50 noisy herring gulls were seen - all in the air - flying in circles whilst only two black-headed gulls - the usual two - were seen parading across the playing field.  These two have been there on the same field for many weeks now! 

 Nuthatches were calling in the old oaks - easily seen as they moved about continuously in their defined territories (6) and a single great-spotted woodpecker was seen perched as if part of a tree trunk - revealing its fine colours as it flew off.

Migrant  thrushes, mingling with resident thrushes were the most notable birds seen today, with a total of 41 blackbirds easily seen flying low down in and out of undergrowth, foraging intensively now at ground level, finding plenty of food. These were always seen in the company of song thrushes (10) which in some groups were more numerous than blackbirds. Some of the blackbirds appeared much heavier in build than others - but this may just be feathers! Only one redwing and two fieldfares were seen, probably those left behind when flocks passed through along the river weeks ago.

The song thrushes, when not feeding on the ground were singing loudly from nearby trees. They can sing intermittently all day but their songs are most often heard clearly early and late in the day.