April 'drought'

The first days of April 2020 continued dry and fine with increasingly clear, unpolluted air as 'Lockdown' continued too. The 2nd was more overcast with very slight drizzle but with the bonus of seeing a red kite flying over and a kestrel hunting. Herring gulls were active too.

On 4th Comma butterflies and Small Tortoiseshell were seen along the river banks. Blackbirds, singing robins and dunnock were also present together with numerous bees, and the first blossom was coming into bud one of the Crab Apple trees:

Each tree is a different variety, with blossom appearing at different times

Crab Apple Blossom - buds just opening on another tree.

The 6th April was another fine day, becoming dry. A loudly singing song thrush was visible on a bare treetop where it's voice travelled far. Several singing dunnocks were clearly visible too within the bare branches of young trees. Singing chiffchaffs were now becoming numerous, moving around in young trees not yet in leaf. Blue tits, great tits, house sparrows, goldfinches and wrens were present too with a female blackbird 'sunning' on the riverbank, reluctant to move. The muddy ground, under floodwater not so long ago, was now cracking up in the dry heat.

Nearby singing common whitethroats were heard for the first time this year amongst the smaller bushes, bramble and Willow.

The following day singing greenfinches and chaffinches were heard - quite rare here now.

An Orange Tip butterfly was ranging along the field verge.

The days became warmer and on 8th April a blackcap was in the wild field singing and a common buzzard was being chased by two carrion crows - this disturbance can happens at any time of the year but particularly during nesting in spring. 

Good Friday 10th April was fine again but with a fine mist which may well have been created by pollen in the air.

The first Speckled Wood butterfly was seen. These have a long flight time extending well into the autumn.