Wednesday 26th February 2020 - the survey today was a mixture of old and new.
It was a fine day with fast moving clouds blown by a westerly wind. In places it was very noisy but quiet in the shelter of the river banks where only the wind in the bare tree branches and the sound of the river 'rapids' was heard, together with some loud bird song. February had so far been a fierce month with Storm Ciara arriving on Sunday 9th then followed swiftly by Storm Dennis on Saturday 15th with several others sweeping across afterwards. There were record rainfall levels and by Sunday 16th the nearest EA monitoring station (Tanbridge) had registered record-breaking levels on the Arun, the highest since the monitoring station had been installed some years ago. The rivers overtopped heir banks and filled their natural flood plains, running very fast, taking large cut logs and fallen branches on a tortuous route downstream. The levels were receding fast during the following days. All was well
as no banks subsided, the riverbank planting over previous years held the structure in place and prevented erosion and bank collapse.
Birds continued to sing throughout this time, even wrens continued their spring songs but from the safety of thickets and shrubs further away from their usual banks. Fortunately most would not have commenced nest building amongst the mossy tree roots just yet.
Willow catkins opening in the warmth of the sun
26th February 2020.
The most numerous birds along the rivers today were the house sparrows (c100 in total) which were none the worse for the experience of the two storms. They are experts in sheltering, hunkering down in large groups in the dense cover of brambles or hedgerows or behind structures such as walls and fences provided these have shrubs and creepers growing over them, the more dense the vegetation the better.
Robins were numerous too, each in its own territory, singing loudly, or pairs quietly surveying nest sites (21). Foraging had been easy as the muddy ground had remained soft with no sign of frost forming. They shared the best areas with blackbirds, song thrushes and dunnocks.
Blackbirds were quite numerous (17), kicking up the fallen leaves, having depleted the Ivy berries above them, whilst others were flying very low into the wind, silently, apart from occasional alarm-calls. Song thrushes however were singing very loudly and one or two continuously (9).
Two mistle thrushes were again occupying the grass field with two carrion crows, a few magpies and woodpigeons further back. These all flew, leaving the upright mistle thrushes undisturbed.
Blue tits were everywhere in high numbers (total c80) and at least 5 quiet long-tailed tits and 2 coal tits. Great tits (20) were flying into the young willows, inspecting the catkins and giving very loud calls advertising strong bright birds in good condition. Wrens (22) were calling loudly too but most had moved from their usual nesting habitat and claimed territory away from the river banks in Ivy and hedgerows nearby. Movement in amongst dense bramble bushes revealed the striped brown backs and grey heads of dunnocks (5), well camouflaged but singing. A single greenfinch was heard singing and quite far away a chaffinch was calling.
Goldcrests were nowhere to be seen or heard in the conifers which seemed to have been taken over by magpies (8) seeking more stable nesting sites than usual - they obviously know that more stormy weather is to come. Ivy branches were being weighed down by woodpigeons (47) foraging for the last of the Ivy berries, mostly to be found in almost inaccessible places. Those not amongst the Ivy were busy feeding on the grass field. One pair was sitting huddled close together on a branch facing into the sun with a pair of collared doves preparing/repairing a nest in a sheltered tree.
Suddenly a group of about a dozen woodpigeons flew up from low on the river bank where they had been bathing and preening. It was a fine red fox, walking along the bank which had sent them up!
The first Blackthorn blossom on the river bank!
most flowers were still in bud on the day of the survey.
The large Ivy roost away from the river was popular with starlings (28) coming and going, some singing or whistling whilst restless carrion crows (12) flew across. The school alarm was sounding continuously, attracting the usual herring gulls (20) to approach and wheel around the roof as they usually do at break time. A great-spotted woodpecker called from its territory whilst two nuthatches called,not far away. Two more were seen and heard further upstream (4 in total).
It was very good to see and hear so many goldfinches (c40) in the river bank thickets and hedges, sharing the dense branches with singing house sparrows. Small movements amongst tangled brambles and willows gave away the presence of yet more on the sunny side of the bank, collecting seeds on last year's undergrowth. Large Bumblebees were inspecting the same bank.
Finally, a common buzzard was seen flying low over the river, harassed by two carrion crows. By twisting and turning over the trees it managed to evade them.
The pond held large patches of frog spawn with several large frogs in attendance. See next post….
