A Windy Start to 2020 and still windy at the end of January

Tuesday 28th January 2020 was a reasonable day for a survey, with fine visibility. It was a clear morning with a westerly wind, no frost and no rain forecast. It was not perfect as the noise of the wind sweeping through the bare poplars meant that signing birds chose more sheltered corners. Hazel catkins put on a spurt of growth in the sun and there were plenty of Dog Rose hips overhanging the rising river and a few Holly berries remained too. Acorns could be found under fallen branches with last-years brown oak leaves still attached. Red arching bramble fronds gave colour to the banks and shelter to small birds and mammals. There had been a 'storm' on 14th which had left the ground scattered with twigs and small branches, mostly about 1 meter long. Small buds could be seen on some fruit trees. The overall impression was of a winter scene with brown dry stalks of last years undergrowth and bank vegetation,  and a thick layer of fallen leaves, contrasting with the previous winter (2018) where most vegetation had remained green and even growing, as the earth remained warm.

This winter however, dry grasses held food for wildlife,  especially for the finches which picked out  the seeds of flowers and grasses. It was not surprising that over one hundred house sparrows were seen in various colonies, choosing the thickets and hedges trapping the warmth of the low sun. Some were bathing in the river, knowing that they could dry out and preen whilst the sun lasted then moving into shelter close by. A sparrowhawk flew into the trees and disappeared. Dunnocks (10) were easily seen today and some were singing, keeping to the lowest perches. Robins (26) were singing too, guarding their territories, far bolder than the dunnocks. 

Wrens were keeping low with only 6 seen - and heard, perhaps sheltering from the wind, not attempting to be heard above the noise. No goldcrests were seen, no doubt present but unseen, sheltering deep in the conifers, but goldfinches were definitely present with about fifty in several groups, most singing with house sparrows in a more sheltered thicket. Only one chaffinch was seen flying across. Tough blue tits were numerous foraging along the old deciduous tree margin, continuously busy investigating every bramble leaf surface and tree hole for insects and spiders on warm sunlit surfaces (about 70). Great tits (20) were very visible and audible, active in the oaks, chasing and calling very loudly. The more fragile long-tailed tits were active too with a total of 17 in small groups, snatching insects around hollies and conifers uncommonly close to the ground but out of the wind.
 Thirty herring gulls were wheeling and gliding above, enjoying the strong wind whilst carrion crows (4) were busy feeding and calling from an old oak. The only other bird above the trees here was a kestrel, briefly visible. Five awkward magpies were seen in the trees, the wind in their feathers. One jackdaw flew across and one black-headed gull, plumage in transition, stood around on the playing field. Starlings (13) preferred to shelter, whistling and calling together in their day roost. One however flew into a nearby oak, trigging loud calls from a nuthatch defending its territory. This was just one of ten nuthatches seen today in various places along the riverside, with at least one pair climbing a tree-trunk close to a possible nest hole. A great spotted woodpecker gave a demonstration of the woodpecker species direct decisive  flight, strong against the wind, followed by a second one, whilst further along, another was calling out from a tree - below it a domestic cat appeared, slinking through the undergrowth. (3 great-spotted woodpeckers in total, two were probably a pair). Walking around a bend in the river, a green woodpecker was seen on the grass where there had been ants nests during the summer. It dodged out of sight but didn't fly up.
The ever-present guardians, the wood pigeons, were mostly settled on sunny perches in the trees away from the wind but a group flew over, heading into the wind (total about 30). Three collared doves, one pair and a single one were sitting in an ash tree close to overhanging Ivy berries.

There were only two redwing and two fieldfare present today - but 12 song thrushes, some foraging on the grass with blackbirds. A few of the twelve were singing loudly but the rest were feeding on Ivy berries in competition with blackbirds, or peacefully on the grass. There were 32 blackbirds in all, silent except for occasional alarm calls. These could be seen almost everywhere along the river.
Two large bold mistle thrushes were out on the field together (a pair?) in the company of the black-headed gull in the wind, just looking around. They may well have a nest in the tall trees on the perimeter. A mistle thrush was heard singing loudly from a tree on a very windy day on a previous day, not far away- further upstream on the Arun.

This survey, on 28th January 2020 certainly revealed signs of spring but audible signs rather than visual signs as most birds were singing strongly despite the wind. Towards the end of the survey, the sun disappeared and it felt like evening was fast approaching, although only the middle of the day.

The second half of 2019 - a summary

This summary of July to December 2019 - as for the summary of the first half does not include the full wildlife report usually for one single day per month. These can be found in the Archive section in the right hand column. This summary for 2019 contains wildlife not present every day.

JULY 2019 - A month where vegetation along the river remained green and tall, a marked difference from the previous year - 2018 when the lack of rain had a severe effect on growth over the second half of the year, vegetation dried up and died back before producing flowers and seeds for the autumn. Rainfall in 2019 was slight but enough to keep the rivers running continuously - there was no lack of damselflies and butterflies although dragonflies associated with ponds were scarce.

Beautiful Demoiselle damselflies were still present, together with Banded Demoiselle damselflies in cooler meanders of the rivers and groups of Swan Mussels were seen on the river bed as the water was running clear and shallow.

A red kite was occasionally seen sailing over the river whilst song thrushes and warblers were still singing early in the month. Families of blackcaps, chiffchaffs and whitethroats were seen and a lesser whitethroat heard calling. On damp days song thrushes were seen whacking snails on the path and blackbirds were seeking out foraging areas in shady dense undergrowth, together with wrens some still feeding young. In the dry areas small mammals could be detected amongst the dry grasses, pulling down seed heads. It was naturally good for thistles this summer - abundant thistle flower growth meant of course an abundance of butterflies. Meadow Brown butterflies, Ringlets, Large and Small Skippers, Red Admirals, Commas and Holly Blues, Speckled Woods and Large Whites were present throughout the month. By the 14th Fleabane was flowering, attracting more insects and the first sign of Hazel nuts being pulled from branches was noted. These were still green - they are seldom left to ripen on the trees. By the 21st Gatekeeper Butterflies were appearing in the warm grasses on the banks. Goldfinches were now singing again in groups, with loudly singing blackbirds, song thrushes and robins. Nuthatches and great-spotted woodpeckers were calling again. Groups of starlings were more easily seen and heard now.

It is worth noting that on 22nd in the Town Centre, about 20 swifts were seen feeding on aerial insects under the low cloud and House Martins were still on nests in the old facades of some buildings.

AUGUST 2019 - on 1st, Emerald Damselflies, male and females  (Lestes sponsa) were seen low over a sheltered unmoving shallow stretch of water.   This month  saw a change along the rivers with huge numbers of bees and Gatekeeper butterflies thronging the Thistles, creeping and otherwise…and field grasses. Small Copper and Meadow Browns on the embankment, with Gatekeepers and Large Whites on the different varieties of flowering Brambles on the river banks. On 13th, butterflies seen on the field grasses were Common Blues chasing, Small Blues flying fast, Brown Argus and Small Heath. Guelder Rose berries were ripening.

Brown Hawkers and a Southern Hawker were seen on the damp but drying ponds whilst thousands of other insects - bees, hover flies and other flies were on the thistle, knapweed, and common hogweed flower heads - and other wild plants, all perfect pollinators. Chiffchaffs were singing. On 20th Banded Demoiselles and a White-legged Damselfly were seen over the river bank with Speckled Wood and Gatekeeper butterflies nearby and much higher up, amongst the canopy of an old Ash tree, Brown Hairstreak Butterflies (males) were seen moving around.

On 21st very fresh Small Tortoiseshell butterflies and Gatekeepers were seen. It remained very hot and dry towards the end of the month.

SEPTEMBER 2019 - Gradual changes now - the approach of autumn this year is very slow. A fairly large crowd of starlings occupied their usual day roost amongst ivy, singing and whistling and a few black-headed gulls appeared. Butterflies remained numerous with Red Admiral, basking Comma and Large Whites over the bramble. A Southern Hawker dragonfly patrolled the same sheltered area. Blackcaps shared  thicket with goldfinches. On 4th a Brown Hairstreak female was seen flying very short distances on a hedge with Blackthorn to lay single eggs and investigate young Ash saplings.
It was close enough to see well.
Hawthorn berries had all been plundered but other berries and fruits remained to attract calling chiffchaffs and singing blackcaps. On 8th, a quiet windless day, several Southern Hawkers were patrolling with two Brown Hawkers and a Migrant Hawker along the banks. In the evening a bat survey was done, the results being good with large numbers of Common Pipistrelle, Soprano Pipistrelle especially along the tree-lined river banks amongst the old oaks. There were more than usual but this may have been due to good timing of their emergence from their roosts, some leaving old oaks at an old pond, flying down their 'bat flyway' to forage along the river which held a good variety of insects over the water. This timing can vary depending on weather and light conditions. The rivers provide very good habitat for Moorhen to breed and forage and were also seen this evening.
House sparrows did well this summer most raising several broods, increasing the size and probably the number of colonies present here, judging by their song. It's called 'Social Singing'. Chiffchaffs were still present. On 18th ecologists came to survey the old oaks for the presence of bats. They were working in one oak where a great-spotted woodpecker challenged them with loud calls. It flew away but returned immediately to continue to object to their presence. They left and calm resumed. On 23rd a kestrel was seen hunting the riverside and a sparrowhawk flew across. Another Southern Hawker was seen patrolling. Low cloud and rain brought barn swallows and house martins out over the river to hunt insects on 24th. Dense Ivy clumps gave shelter to other birds.

OCTOBER 2019 - Butterflies were still present, with Small Copper early in the month and Speckled Woods over the brambles on 30th. Berries fruits and acorns were plentiful now with jays collecting acorns a common sight. Spindle berries, Rosa canina hips, Hawthorn berries, Ivy berries and Sloes, the fruit of the Blackthorn, remained to be plucked, with male and female Bullfinches hiding in the background. Starlings started to gather in large groups and Meadow Pipits made their usual autumn visit accompanied by Pied Wagtails. Buzzards were seen on some days with a group of three calling loudly, gliding, circling together, looking down without being mobbed by crows on 16th. Large family groups of long-tailed tits (up to 20), a few goldcrests and groups of goldfinches frequented the tree canopies, with robins, song thrushes, dunnocks and blackbirds foraging below amongst spider's webs.
The first frosts occurred towards the end of the month and the first fieldfares were seen way down south over the Arun at Pulborough.

NOVEMBER 2019 - a great-spotted woodpecker was seen checking tree holes and on 5th a huge 'roaming flock' of the usual woodland birds was seen following each other and foraging rather than  together in a single group - across the bridge, from oak to oak, to field maple to ash to blackthorn and hawthorn. Pied wagtails were foraging together on rooftops.
On 24th, the first winter song of the song thrush was a welcome sound, two birds one each side of the river. From then on, the rain came and the song thrushes sang. The river levels rose and all was right in this part of the land.

DECEMBER 2019 - The rain continued and the river levels were restored to their seasonal status. A large and very noisy flock of Jackdaws flew over heading west on 13th and song thrushes continued to sing loudly. More meadow pipits and pied wagtails, calling, moved across and blackbirds and song thrushes thronged the Guelder Rose plants plucking the fruits, quite unconcerned with the increasing river levels, on 20th, singing increased too. By the 21st water levels were dropping again and the robins and thrushes sang on, content that foraging would be easy for many days to come. Pied wagtails remained on the rooftops with long-tailed tits in the tree canopy. Song thrushes continued to sing loudly and the green woodpecker called. On 27th two goldcrests were seen foraging along a hedge, song thrushes still singing, buzzards seen gliding, wood pigeons collared doves and redwing foraging in the Ivy for ripe berries, dunnocks on the fence and goldfinches on the seed heads of long grasses and dock.
High atmospheric pressure moved in for the last four days of the year.