The survey for 25th February 2022 was done on a fine, dry, clear day only a week after the Storm on the18th and 19th.
It was cool and dry with a slight breeze.Apart from scattered twigs and small branches carpeting the ground, there were few signs of the storms. The branches and small trees that fell here were perhaps fragile but valued as part of the landscape. Now the sun shone through the bare trees onto the woodland floor, warming the earth - but the full display of wild flowers would come later. It was certainly very bare.
Hornbeam winter leaves cling on forming
a barrier for sheltering wildlife and a windbreak
during the worst of the weather. Soon new green leaves will replace the old to create a thick hedge.
Wild Garlic leaves were growing strongly, interspersed with fresh young Cow Parsley and Nettle leaves.
There was no new growth yet on the ponds, harbouring frogs and their spawn and tadpoles. The banks will be green by the time froglets are out and about.
Birds were fast-flying today, with wrens singing at last.
House Sparrows were out in force in the sun today (over 100), in the Hornbeam and other hedges, the Bramble patches and the drainage basin undergrowth. Only one Goldfinch was seen however.
Blackbird numbers were increasing (24) with most very active, either singing or giving alarm calls, preparing or already using nests. Song Thrushes were very elusive, as not singing but preparing nests. Only 2 were seen. Robins were everywhere advertising their presence (36) most singing loudly. Wrens too were singing strongly (25), winning the song contest with Great Ts (13). Blue Ts were numerous (37) but their song is usually diminutive, used for contact-calling. They were seen selecting small buds to eat but insects will soon be their main diet when raising young. Four Long-tailed Ts were following each other from branch to branch in the Willows over the river. possibly a pair with two helpers completing their intricate nest entangled within the steep bank vegetation, invisible to predators.
Three Dunnock were busy nest building in the undergrowth whilst a Bullfinch called quietly from the branches above them.
Calling loudly from different Oaks along the river were 4 Nuthatches already using their nests, carefully reconditioned over the winter months.
Woodpigeons seem to have survived the storm well, with 26 in the high branches of old trees. They almost certainly hunkered down low on the riverbank, avoiding the madly swinging branches.
Magpies (9) and Carrion Crows (12) were active, feeding on the grass whilst a single Jay carefully avoided them. Very good numbers of Starlings were present - about seventy, most singing in their traditional roost well hidden amongst dense vegetation. Not far away 45 Black-headed Gulls were very easy to count, evenly spaced on the sports field, thinking perhaps of their summer coastal breeding grounds. Surely it must all be an improvement on this inland site! On the other hand the coast would have been a dangerous place the previous week during the storm. Two Jackdaws, a single Collared dove and 19 Herring Gulls were seen flying across the drainage basin and new sports field near the river.
Looking at some Deer footprints in the mud a sudden mix of angry calls came from a nearby thicket. Looking up I saw a Common Buzzard being chased by Carrion crows very close up across the river. The commotion didn't last long, only one Crow persisted but soon gave up, once in the open sky the Buzzard is the winner.
The survey for March 2022 follows soon.
