July Survey - brightening up after rain

The 28th July - the day of the survey was partially cloudy, brightening after dark clouds moved off. A westerly wind meant that traffic was now audible - we are missing the somewhat strange silence of previous weeks. Recent rainfall was very welcome, with fruits ripening. Bramble bushes were covered in red berries, not yet ripe, with bees on thistles waiting for the sun to appear every few minutes. Butterflies were poised for action too, waiting low down on grass stalks and vegetation, most reappearing within a second of the sun shining. 

Butterflies seen were Ringlets:

Ringlet perching on willow leaf July 2020.

They can be active even in cloudy damp weather when other butterflies would not appear.

Others seen today were:

Large White, Small White, Green-veined White, Holly Blue, Gatekeeper, Meadow Brown, Small Copper, and Comma.

The ground was well soaked and the scents of the wild flowers, grasses and shrubs magnified. Clear water flowed well in the rivers. A Bank Vole was seen running to safe cover under brambles.

Few birds alerted others to their presence, remaining silent when moulting  - but nevertheless some gave away their presence. About 60 house sparrows were present in various hedges and bramble patches and amongst Blackthorn and a total of 34 wood pigeons were counted some feeding on the grass and others  calling from possible nest sites.

It was interesting to find some blue tits eating fruits from the trees where they usually forage for insects (25). Great tits were more elusive (11) along the banks. An amazing sight today, seeing birds in such small numbers, was a troupe of 25 long-tailed tits following each other flying from west to east over to our side of the river where there are more mature trees. Some were perching on Willows halfway across 

the river and one started out from a willow then turned back, perching on a dead branch, waiting until another came and both flew across together. They were mostly juveniles, led by several adults. In the same area with young Willows were two blackcaps, a juvenile and an adult male, moving around slowly in comparison the the long-tails, with no desire to join the crowd.

 Blackbirds (7) remained very alert, frequently giving alarm calls when disturbed by other birds. Song thrushes, always alert to new possibilities, were investigating recently disturbed ground left by fallen branches and at least two still had nests low down in the undergrowth where they were feeding young (5). One on a steep bank

 gave a very short song. Wrens were remaining well hidden all along the river and the sound of the wind in the Poplars drowned out any attempts to sing. (6). Robins (4), usually everywhere along the river were silent, moulting, with only one heard - giving an alarm call.

  Seven carrion crows , a magpie and a single jackdaw were seen and just one starling - the juvenile starlings having all left to join other young starlings ranging along the south coast. They cause quite a stir when they have just fledged and are still reliant on adults - being noisy, very hungry and demanding the best perches from which to survey the landscape or dry off after bathing. A great-spotted woodpecker called from a river-bank Ash whilst another was calling loudly from an oak further downstream. Nearby a sparrowhawk made quick dash across the bridge. On the opposite bank a nuthatch called out, perhaps a warning to a group of mostly juvenile goldfinches. More were seen upstream calling quietly (21).

The Endless Summer continues

The second half of July 2020 proved to be just as active with no sudden changes to the weather although the phrase 'another fine, warm day 'changed to 'another fine hot or very hot day'.

The river continued to flow well and clear with calls from moorhens heard under the steep banks and groups of Banded Demoiselle damselflies seen on most days. Song thrushes made the most of the damp early mornings after overnight showers, seeking out snails to hammer on the stoney paths. Goldfinches were forming larger groups and swifts were a daily sight feeding on insects overhead.

On 17th July, butterflies dominated the landscape with Gatekeepers the most numerous, Large White and Green-veined White, Brimstone, Ringlets and Holly Blues were seen together with many bumblebees on the brambles. Near the Hornbeam hedge a pair of mating Gatekeepers were seen on a young Ash:

Gatekeeper butterflies mating. The eggs are usually laid on fine leafed grasses, which are plentiful here on the embankment. The caterpillars are slow growing and will overwinter low down under dense cover. The are not spring butterflies but are usually first seen flying towards the end of June.

Birds present on 17th July included goldcrest, green woodpecker, robins swifts blackcaps goldfinches, song thrushes,  blackbirds and dunnocks.

A typical day towards the end of July, the 23rd, wildflowers noted were Vetch, Fleabane, creeping thistle (good), ragwort (good), Knapweed, Tufted Vetch, Purple Loosestrife, creeping Buttercup, Bird's foot Trefoil and more - all good for insects.

Birds present were grey wagtail, chiffchaff, song thrush, bathing blue ts and great ts, herring gulls, wrens, dunnock, robin and a large common frog dropped by a grey heron onto the footpath.

Endless Summer - but it's only July

Summer started early this year, with more fine weather before July than in a complete summer in past years.

Here is a summary of notable 'events' for the first half of July 2020:

On the first day, the usual birds were about - wrens, several singing blackcaps, goldfinches, Blue and great tits, a juvenile robin, foraging song thrushes, a Herring gull chasing a grey heron and a young buzzard flying low.

The first Small Skipper butterfly of the year here was seen over the flowering brambles and grasses together with more Marbled Whites, flying low to avoid the wind.

 On the second, Brimstone, Gatekeeper and Meadow Brown butterflies were seen with

 another first butterfly, a Small Copper.

The day after, several Red Admirals appeared, and one Ringlet. Several swifts were seen under the cloud layer. Light drizzle followed with blue tits eating or collecting  caterpillars off the leaves of a young Oak on the fourth. with more Ringlets, Red Admirals, Meadow Browns, Brimstone, Large and Small Whites, Gatekeepers joined by Holly Blues and a Comma.

Holly Blue butterfly July 2020

This is quite common wherever Hollies and Ivies are growing on the banks and can often be seen flying very high amongst the foliage.

The 6th July was notable for many high-flying swifts, some directly overhead (over the river).

A buzzard was being 'mobbed' by a single carrion crow. With less wind on the 7th, even more swifts were seen under low cloud, catching insects and the first Southern Hawker dragonfly was seen flying straight and fast. Blackcaps and silent chiffchaffs were in the bank side willows, and Green-veined Whites and Peacock butterflies joined the others in a sheltered clearing.

Warblers, some moulting, were busy foraging low amongst the dense brambles and nettles. Great-spotted woodpeckers, song thrushes and nuthatches were heard in several places, with several small groups of quietly singing goldfinches. Swifts again ruled the skies.  On 10th another Southern Hawker was patrolling a Blackberry hedge in the sun in the presence of Red Admiral butterflies. There were still small flocks of juvenile starlings exploring the landscape.An over-flying kestrel was hunting on 12th whilst the presence of a sparrow hawk caused some birds to seek dense shelter. 

Butterflies were the most numerous so far this summer with the grasses occupied with many small grasshoppers.

Gatekeepers were now the most frequently seen butterflies everywhere, even along the Hornbeam hedges bordering the embankments. They are very territorial and chase any other butterfly that flies into  their own 'flyway' or basking patch:

12th July 2020 - Gatekeeper male defending its patch on the  Hornbeam hedge.

It's the first time Gatekeepers have chosen this fairly new hedge although it is very close to some fine bramble banks and embankments with a variety of native grasses and wild flowers.