The survey on 25th April 2023 revealed much activity after rain the previous day, the trees affording little cover, most showing only tiny bright green leaves and small buds emerging amongst the bare twigs of winter. It was sunny, with approaching cloud over muddy paths, waterlogged in places. Starting at a gap between old trees, seven species of bird were immediately visible. Wild garlic flowered on the river banks just above the high water mark with mud covering the vegetation.Buttercups were now overtaking the Lesser Celandine on the grass above. A closer look revealed that all the fruit trees had some buds with the trees on higher banks holding the most blossom buds - for now.
A naturally drier area, a copse of trees with plenty of light playing through the bare branches held a fine display of Cuckooflower and behind it a carpet of flowering Wood Anemone, reaching through last years fallen leaves and branches left deliberately for wildlife. It was amazing to see how fast new growth appeared with the woodland springing to life.
The flowers will last until this year's tree leaves form a canopy over the woodland floor and cast shadows.
Cuckooflower waiting for the first Orange tip butterfly.
Leaf growth may have been slow this year but bird life has made up for it
with very good numbers of most birds:
there were groups of singing House Sparrows (>100) in most hedges and shrubs now including bramble bushes, still just showing last year's old thorny growth. It will be several weeks before any new spring growth appears. The winter weather has been kind to these small birds which have not ceased singing, even in the rain and sleet. Great ts (13) were early to sing in trees and shrubs with good numbers of loud Wrens (38) preferring the muddy river banks, all potential nest sites. Blue ts (26) could be heard before they were seen foraging amongst mossy branches and fresh Willow catkins, when they fell silent amongst such abundance. A group of 6 Long-tailed ts were seen briefly in the canopy, following each other, still easily visible amongst the twigs. Apart from House Sparrows, the finch family was only presented today by a flock of Goldfinches (19) calling and chasing, maybe attracted to prolific Dandelions growing in dense crowds where last year there were no flowers. Blackbirds (21) were quite numerous, singing or foraging fearlessly on grass or saturated bare ground, with no shortage of food.
Song Thrushes have been very impressive in their song this spring, and in their numbers. Six were heard and seen today each in it's own territory, singing loudly - each having it's own recognisable song. The usual Magpies (7), still bickering as a family, were balancing on bare branches not far off from cooing Woodpigeons (22) in the same large trees. Carrion Crows (5) were separated, just watching from various outposts, silent. A Grey Heron (2) however was calling fiercely from the river further north and a second Heron was seen flying south, high over the trees. As usual by mid-morning, the Herring Gulls (12) had started to convene close to the school, flying in from the east, quietly. A small group of 6 Starlings were present flying overhead but are usually only seen in large numbers during the evening, or before it rains, catching insects in mid-flight.
Robins (23) were still very visible and audible, favouring prominent song posts in the sun, the opposite to the Dunnocks (5) which were skulking amongst tree roots and path verges hardly visible in their dull plumage, but easy to locate when singing. They are rarely seen preening. A Great Spotted Woodpecker was calling from an old Oak and a Nuthatch further along the bank called from another Oak, in the sun.
Our earliest migrant, the
Chiffchaff (7) and our most welcome and sonorant warbler, the
Blackcap (3) were present and singing today, in the Willows over the river together with
8 Whitethroats, beautiful birds as well.
Garlic Mustard
Food plant for the caterpillar of the Orange tip butterfly
BUTTERFLIES present were: Orange-tip seen perched on a dandelion flower, Small Tortoiseshell 2, Peacock.
The dandelions were clearly attracting many more insects than usual, especially bees.
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