Monday 15th April - a fine day and another first - Holly Blue butterflies were seen ranging along the south-facing embankment. These were the first of many to be seen this month, in common with many other locations in Sussex. In early summer these butterflies seek Holly leaves on which to lay their eggs but those in the late summer prefer Ivy. Both plants are quite abundant here and of course are extremely good for many species of wildlife, providing food in the form of berries and evergreen shelter over the winter.
A calling common buzzard, a darting sparrowhawk, many blue tits, wrens, blackbirds, song thrush, bullfinch, chiffchaffs, two jackdaws and numerous house sparrows were seen as well.
Another 'first' was seen on 18th April - whilst watching Holly Blue butterflies along the bank, several Orange-tip butterflies appeared. These are also early butterflies but not usually so numerous. Like the Holly Blues, this year they have appeared in large numbers in other Sussex locations as well.
This year their caterpillar food plants, Cuckooflower (or Lady's Smock) and Garlic Mustard have flowered early and prolifically, the Cuckooflower many weeks earlier than the Garlick Mustard. The flowering Garlic Mustard over the past few days is now covering the river banks (27th) and Orange-tips are still numerous.
Garlic Mustard (Alliaria petiolata (Brassicaceae) has leaves
rather like nettles but smell of garlic when crushed.
Wild Garlic, which is also prolific along the riverbanks under trees at present, has wide fleshy leaves and white flowers but fills the air with the smell of garlic! This has no attraction for the butterflies:
Flowering Wild Garlic or Ramsoms (Allium ursinum). This dies down once trees are in leaf and the woodland floor is in shade, like Bluebells.
The Easter weekend was very warm and Oaks were rapidly coming into leaf but Ash trees were not as advanced - it's certainly Oak before Ash this spring. The Ash tree branches are full of large dark leaf buds but were not yet coming into leaf.
New Oak leaves (left), late Blackthorn blossom (middle)
and new green leaves of Rosa canina (Dog Rose)
Brilliant habitat for wildlife.
The next 'firsts' were the fruit trees all coming into blossom, although all being different some were much more advanced than others. Buzzards continued to appear overhead with the same small birds as previously mentioned still singing although with more evidence that many were collecting food for young in the nest.
April hasn't finished yet - a full survey will appear soon…
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