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!