A Fine end to March 2020

The Survey for this month was done on Friday March 27th 2020 - yet another fine day after a long stretch of similar days but warmer with a breeze from the north and a clear blue sky. The river was flowing at a much lower level now but with the high water line still visible from the muddy vegetation along the banks, not yet covered by fresh spring growth.
As mentioned in the previous post, Wood Anemone (Anemone nemorosa) started to flower here this year on 22nd March - but by the 27th flowers formed carpets in some special places under the old Oaks and Ash trees where the sun filtered through the bare branches to warm the woodland floor. The flowers close quickly when in the shade. Unlike Lesser celandine, the Wood Anemone spreads out very slowly and is an indicator of Ancient Woodland where the ground has been undisturbed for hundreds of years with old oaks thriving with such plants as Wood Anemone growing at their roots.

Wood Anemone flowering in the sun at the base of an old oak

26th March 2020

With no background noise, birdsong prevailed and echoed along the water. Lesser Celandine, with no heavy rain to batter it down, now thrived amongst the new growth of Dandelions and the old Oaks were covered in brown leaf buds. As the air remained cool, with north-easterly winds prevailing, growth was not sudden but gradually became prolific with more flowers spreading out each day.

More Lesser Celandine, traditionally known as 'spring messenger'

continued to appear initially in small patches and this year gradually spread

out from day to day to cover large areas of verges and banks well

before any other wild plants could cover it. This patch was 

part of a whole sloping bank in dappled sun.

 By the 28th March the first substantial clumps of Cuckooflower were seen here on a sunny river bank:

The Cuckooflower (or Lady's-smock) has a greater significance as it is an important

food plant of the Orange Tip butterfly - the caterpillar's food. Its appearance is thought to predict the arrival of the cuckoo in mid-April  - however it's often seen earlier here in Sussex whereas the cuckoo itself becomes more rare.

House sparrows have been nesting now for some time but there were plenty still singing in the hedgerows (68) and together with goldfinches in the thickets. Some were seen 'fly catching' 

insects to take to the nest. Robins were also seen in good numbers, most singing loudly but with shorter, territorial songs (20). Five dunnocks were either in the undergrowth or sitting on fences singing. Wrens (14) seen were singing loudly, protecting their chosen nest locations, this spring higher up the banks than usual, under growing ivies and mosses, shunning the lower mud banks like the small mammals such as bank voles. After several years of lower water levels, the new generations have learnt from the recent floods. Moorhens too are more cautious and have been seen testing various nest sites and decided on locations well hidden in growth a safe distance from the water. like the one seen and heard today.

Blackbirds (14) are now singing - their welcome song becoming a major part of the early dawn chorus whilst others were today silently collecting food from the still-damp long grasses in the shade, the margins of ponds and muddy shallows in the river being the most popular sites. Song thrushes (4) were only giving very short snatches of song - their foraging taking up most time. Even magpies (2) were concentrating on finding food - but most were unseen, nesting. A single herring gull was calling in flight as were two jackdaws, whilst wood pigeons (18) continued as usual, sunbathing on branches, bathing in the shallows or calling from the canopy. A pair of collared doves, more nervous, were watching from their hide-out in some ivy  Four carrion crows were seen on the grass, foraging, whilst a jay flew fast across the field.

More starlings were visible than usual (53) about ten fly-catching over the riverside, whilst most were singing or 'rattling' from their day-roost in the sheltered sun or on the grass feeding on insects.

Goldfinches were more numerous too, with about 45 in several groups, some drying out and preening in a tree top easily seen after bathing in the shallows, others singing together with house sparrows (in separate groups) in the tall hedges and ivies.Blue tits were very active amongst the blossoming Blackthorn (20) and great tits (14) were ranging through low growth along the river, most singing loudly.  Long-tailed tits (5) however were very quiet, nesting in well-hidden sites amongst brambles.

A sparrowhawk flew through a gap in the trees where it usually ambushes pre-occupied birds - its prey often being a wood pigeon down on the bank. It may have to share with a red fox. One was seen later in the day prowling along the same bank.

Seven vocal nuthatches were seen and heard in various locations all along the river banks, most calling what could be understood as a threat for others to go away from their hard-won nest territory in the old oaks or old ash trees. At this time, the only migrant warblers present were chiffchaffs, (4) their calls unmistakable however. They were back in their usual summer territory amongst dense blossoming Blackthorn. Soon more will join them.

As soon as the sun warmed the ground, butterflies appeared, with numerous bumblebees and hoverflies. The butterflies seen were several Commas, two Small Tortoiseshell, Peacock and Holly Blue - in sheltered banks where young nettles are growing, with the Holly Blue ranging high and low over the river and bank-side thickets. (The Orange Tips were yet to come).