It seemed as if only a few days ago there were very few birds to be seen and heard and most wildlife was seen by crawling around amongst the grasses at grasshopper height - but now, at the end of August, looking up to the sky could again be rewarding.
The 29th August 2021was fine and sunny, not much wind with the blue sky sparsely scattered with cloud. Immediately, on looking up through the branches of an old oak, a large roaming flock (or is it roving?) of BlueTs, mixing with a few Chiffchaffs, Robins, and Great Ts was visible and audible, the crowd flowing into the tree seemed never ending, the vast tree canopy accepting more and more without any emerging. Sudddenly a Nuthatch gave loud protesting warning calls looking down at an oblivious dog-walker. The Nuthatch was unmoved by the flocks around it however. Most of the birds were juveniles, indicating a successful late breeding season. Field Maples were full of seeds but not ready to spiral down from the branches, Oaks held few acorns in contrast to the previous year. Some Blackthorn trees already held plenty of fruits. There was a strong scent of mint from some large clumps of flowering wild mint growing tall as most other flowering plants have done this year.
The Mint Moth (Pyrausta aureate) flies at night and in bright sunshine, the male sitting on the Mint leaves. Fortunately this beautiful small moth is still quite common, the caterpillars having a choice of Mint, Majorum, Thyme and Clary mostly growing in amongst waterside vegetation.
Climbing Ivy was already full of flower buds which will attract late summer insects, especially bees and late butterflies. Fleabane was still flowering strongly and there were now plenty of Dog Rose hips changing colour to vivid red as were the Guelder Rose berries and Hawthorn berries at various stages of ripening.
Hoverflies have been numerous this year and this one is the biggest on the riverside:
Volucello inanis or zonaria? This one is very large - sometimes known as the Hornet Mimic which is unfortunate as it's harmless. This one is a male (not much of a gap between the eyes).
Back to the birds -
Chiffchaffs (5) were flying with the other small birds, mixing with the flock and identified by their characteristic contact calls. One was calling to it's young. Robins were now 'chinking' a prelude to their winter song, each individual taking up its own territory, occasionally making very loud calls from close range usually along a path (25). Visible House Sparrows were increasing in number (60) although many were still preferring dense bramble patches to the more open hedgerows. Blue ts were the most numerous birds in the roaming flock (78) most still 'yellow cheeked' young indicating a late start this year. Great ts were more elusive with only 7 seen.
Goldfinches mostly kept to themselves using the very top of the tree canopy (only 4 visible). The formidable singers of the banks, the wrens were also still few in number, most visible but silent (6).
The Blackbirds seen (only 10) were obviously still feeding young, or showing the last signs of moult, with none 'sunning'. A single Dunnock called and a Goldcrest flew into a conifer and out on the sunlit side. No buzzards were seen but there were signs of a typical Sparrowhawk kill with a pile of wood pigeon feathers on a path verge. Across the field a Kestrel flew down from where it had been hovering but it's prey was not visible. The Stars of the Day, at least in numbers, were the Starlings (88), with 40 flying in a group (quite a rare sight here) and others in smaller groups all heading north. In a copse with plenty of Ivy, whistles and calls came for a traditional roost. A tapping Great Spotted Woodpecker was busy very close to a tree where in the spring several young were raised, near a path but well hidden.
Corvids were quite scarce with 4 Carrion Crows, 2 rooks flying across, a single Jay, and 7 Magpies. Our guardians, the Woodpigeons were distributed evenly along the river, berry-hunting and chasing (29).
Finally it was good to see and hear the Nuthatches in the oaks (5) including 3 juveniles.
Back to insects:
Butterflies were still numerous, but mostly Large Whites, a few Small Whites and Green-veined Whites along the banks and verges and Speckled Woods in the dappled shade under the trees and some very bright and fresh Red Admirals. Two Brimstone butterflies were also flying along hedges. Many types of bees and Hoverflies were amongst the flowering plants.
Small Meadow Grasshoppers were numerous together with small 'grass moths'.
Common Darter female (Sympetrum striolatum) basking on a gravel path
They are far more visible when flying!
Common Darter dragonflies were numerous along the tree-lined river margin and basking on a nearby path with several strong-flying Southern hawkers hunting insects in the sun along hedgerows.
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