Magnificent May for Wildlife

May is always a busy time of the year and this year activity never ceased to amaze. April had gone in showers of hail and May began very wet but very green with almost all trees in full fresh green leaf.  I was able to stand under a Poplar sheltering from a heavy shower, with more hail. All the birds disappeared and fell silent, even the robin - but as the rain cleared the robin was the first to reappear, snatching insects from the grass and flying off with them to the nest. The next two days remained overcast and cool at times, with herring gulls seen chasing a grey heron over the river. Most birds however were very active collecting food and nest materials, small birds often seen carrying blossom petals, bunches of Dandelion seed and catkin fluff. Woodpigeons were heard cooing, with blackcaps, chiffchaffs and common whitethroats singing along the banks. Mallard Males were quietly patrolling the meanders.

On 4th the ENE wind increased, with buzzards sailing overhead. In sheltered places several Orange-tip butterflies were ranging over the nettles. The ENE wind continued but more swifts were seen catching insects. On 7th at least five House Martins were seen in the Town Centre flying around their old nests under the clear blue sky.

The 8th May was a fine quiet warm day and the first Large Red Damselflies were seen warming up on fresh river bank leaves:

The Large Red Damselfly is almost always the first Damselfly to be seen as the river water warms up

and the fresh riverbank foliage provides solar platforms for warming up.

This one was surrounded by many species of flies and hover flies and several long-ranging Orange-tip butterflies over the nettle banks and brambles together with Green-veined White, Large White and Brimstone butterflies.

A short distance further downstream near the Arun old bridge the bankside trees and vegetation held many birds, blackcaps, wrens, robins, collared dove, wood pigeon, starling, blackbirds, song thrush, dunnock, carrion crows and house sparrows, with many long-tailed tits, blue ts, and great ts,  singing goldfinches, a great-spotted woodpecker  and two goldcrests in the old oaks nearby. And a pair of nuthatch.

On the 9th May,  a walk through the copse:

in the morning was very quiet, with birdsong dominated by blackcaps, chiffchaffs and a great-spotted woodpecker calling and drumming as well! A few Large White butterflies were seen too, in the dappled shade.

More from May in the next post...