Abundant Choices - the Survey for 28th September 2022

 Wednesday 28th September 2022 was a fine day with a cool start,  probably the coldest morning so far this autumn. Small faint clouds wafted across the blue sky in a gentle breeze. It was shady under the Oaks, with branches still weighed down with acorns, but more underfoot. Insects crowded onto the new nettle leaves which had sprung up after the heatwave had accelerated the drying out of the first growth. Rose hips in large bunches were covered in glistening spider webs linking roses and nettles. Field Maple leaves were still green but decked with dry golden winged seeds, ready for the first windstorm. Crab apples were assuming a uniform colour now and will turn from orange to red for the winter. The brambles had succeeded in producing very mixed bunches of blackberries unattractive to humans  - all the more for wildlife at present and during the winter.

A Speckled Wood butterfly easily overlooked feasting on the

rather unappetising (to humans) profusion of berries but perfect for 

insects and birds.

Speckled Wood butterflies were still a common sight during September, with five seen today and five Large White butterflies too but on the grasses in the sun. Two Southern Hawker Dragonflies were seen patrolling the banks.

Clumps of fresh Fleabane were showing good flowers which had gone to seed, hopefully generating many new plants to attract more insects such as butterflies next year. Unfortunately the heatwaves this year did not allow the first flowers to survive, the petals being singed off before seeds could develop.

It was good to see that insects were attracted to this 'autumn' flowering however.

The first bird this morning was a Grey Heron flying across the river, then two Blackbirds were seen on the shady damp grass under the trees with a third in the undergrowth (3). Passing by the well-hidden but often audible Starling Roost the sound today easily matched the sounds from the nearby school playing fields during break. There were 9 starlings seen but many more well hidden amongst the dense vegetation. Noisy Magpies were chasing competitors in the tree canopy all along the river (10 seen) with mostly immobile Woodpigeons (30) cooing from the old oaks, with old feathers drifting down from their nests, some still in use.  Keeping their distance were 4 Carrion Crows in their usual lookout tree, observing every slight movement below. Four Herring Gulls were seen heading towards the school for break time whilst two Jackdaws flew out from the woods. Further across a field three Roe Deer were quietly browsing on the grass, undisturbed by construction activity not far away. Not a rare sight here,

but not as common as in the past. 

Throughout the morning there was some very impressive birdsong from the small birds with some first 'early winter' song from Robins despite some noise from the construction site, with numbers increasing this month (29). Wrens were starting to sing too but only 6 present today. House Sparrows were calling, flying from the tangled bushes into the sun in good numbers (30). Blue and Great ts, 18 and 7

were not as vocal yet but active in the Ivies, Oaks, Blackthorn  and Hollies. There were no large groups of Goldfinches heard  but 5 were seen. There were probably large groups forming to feed on the grass seeds in the meadows but they are easily disturbed by the shadow of a Sparrowhawk flying across! One Treecreeper was seen on a Willow trunk and two Nuthatch, one calling on the same trunk of an old Oak.

It was good to see a Chiffchaff and to hear a contact call from another close by whilst a Great-Spotted Woodpecker was seen near the top of an old pine, still and silent, watching. A single Goldcrest was seen in a nearby pine fast-foraging. It was now becoming quite breezy, with dark clouds approaching but still sunny.

Finally a Red Kite was seen flying westward above the tree canopy.

Now observations from

September 2022

(note these are not surveys but just noted en route)

1st September - flock of Greylags Geese seen and heard flying over

2nd - Sparrowhawk, Chiffchaffs, Goldfinches

(3rd  - House Martins and nests in TOWN CENTRE)

4th - Robins singing everywhere in full plumage

5th - Giant Thunderstorm at night. Robins joined by singing Wrens

7th - another overnight thunderstorm - river higher and flowing faster

8th - Overnight torrential rain and another am. Birds quickly resumed their song.

9th - Moorhen flapping and paddling in river, Robins.

11th - Robins, Wrens, 2 Nuthatch calling, 2 Brown Hawker Dragonflies, 2 Common Darter dragonflies, many Large White butterflies, 2 Brimstone, spiralling Speckled Woods

13th- Robins, Goldfinches and flock of 40 Starlings

14th - Herring Gulls, Robins, House sparrows, Goldfinches, Moorhen in river, (calmer conditions) Grey Wagtail juvenile across along river

16th - Common Buzzard Robins, Nuthatch, Wrens

21st - Common Hawker Dragonfly, Grey Heron fishing in River

22nd - Robins, Moorhen River flowing well, Southern Hawker dragonfly, Migrant Hawker dragonfly

25th - Southern Hawker dragonfly Speckled Woods, Nuthatch loud, Dunnock 3 

29th - Common Buzzard 

30th - Great Spotted Woodpecker, Chiffchaff 2, Sparrowhawk, Southern Hawker dragonfly.

 

A Summary of the whole of August 2022 - Heatwave 2

 One heatwave is enough for one year but August suddenly became very hot again, and the heat lasted longer but thankfully less severe.

The month began with drizzle and breezy but with a foreboding Red Moon on 7th heralding the return of the hot weather bringing out the Grasshoppers, Crickets, ants and bees from their nests in the dry sloping ground. Jays were seen investigating the thousands of young acorns in the old Oaks. On 11th it became very hot with a yellow sun which continued the following day with the humidity down to 24%, very dry for West Sussex. Common Darter dragonflies were out. In normal summer weather they usually choose the driest stoney paths on which to bask and warm up.

 Young House Sparrows were performing their first 'Singing Together' chorus in the hedgerows since fledging.

The atmospheric pressure fell on the 14th and it remained very oppressive in continuing heat the following day. On 16th, after eight days  the heatwave collapsed and gave way to very welcome rain in the dark morning with House Sparrows remaining under cover in the thunder and lightning that followed. As the rain cleared it was good to see that the river was running faster, with a brilliant view of a Kingfisher flying low over the water. Blackbirds appeared along the river banks, foraging in the wet undergrowth. The next day, bird activity was remarkable with all the usual summer birds reappearing as it started to rain again. Chiffchaffs were calling to each other and the mid afternoon temperature had fallen to 18 degrees C.

On the 18th a Kingfisher appeared, calling and flying fast heading south along the fresh river, the water level having risen slightly again. There were more birds, including three Dunnock on the path. Fine drizzle continued on 19th with bright Hawthorn berries glistening on bankside trees.

Hawthorn berries remained on the trees

The sight of red Hawthorn berries here is quite unusual as normally they are plundered by wildlife before reaching ripeness every summer, as are often the first berries to appear in the summer.

On 22nd and 23rd there was more reassuring drizzle with active Jays, Speckled Woods and Large and Small White butterflies along the banks - and more rain on 25th. On 26th a Southern Hawker dragonfly was active, and several Gatekeeper butterflies seen amongst the newly flowering Fleabane.

By the end of August it was back to normal along the river with Sparrowhawks hunting again.