May was a fine month for wildlife this year - with what used to be historically a rich and colourful time praised with poetry and song rather than the vicious sounds of electric and petrol-driven mowers and hedge cutters shattering the songs of birds. Now, this year, just for a brief cease-fire - it was 'no-mow May'. Will it be celebrated next year and extended for many months and years, not just a daring experiment?!
Tuesday 30th May was sunny after the cloud cleared, very windy, from the NE, with no rain again after several dry days. Dog Rose (Rosa Canina) was flowering well in the hedgerows, the first to get the early sun and Blackthorn still held some blossom over fresh Hawthorn blossom, flowering Cow Parsley and leafy Hazels. Small apples were appearing on most trees, easily missed. The river water level had receded somewhat but was still flowing well with small bank-brambles flowering well.
Over a hundred House Sparrows were occupied in dust-bathing or active inside hedgerows, singing in groups distributed along the pathways. Spring migrants - the Chiffchaffs (8) were present, calling amongst the leaves, maybe some will stay, after breeding, as some did over last winter. Two Dunnock were seen in the undergrowth, not mixing with the other small birds. A large female Sparrowhawk whizzed across the path, probably having spotted a less cautious young bird dust-bathing. It will soon learn the colony signals of dropping down, as one, out of sight, on seeing a flash of those wings. It's usually the cumbersome sleepy Woodpigeons which fall prey, despite their size. Today there were 17, several cooing, with several feeding on the grass.
Blackbirds have a long nesting season and today no less than 21 were seen along the river, some giving loud alarm calls which may have been a warning of the presence of the Sparrowhawk but could have just been defending a nest or food source from invasion by any other bird or mammal. Twenty-five Wrens were present, in various areas of river bank and tree roots most singing loudly, perhaps also defending territory. There is a possibility that their loud voices are intended to be heard above the sound of the running river. It was very good to see and hear 10 Song thrushes most singing loudly too, in various places, embankments, Oaks, large Willows and other trees where their songs could have the most effect. They favour mixed damp and shady places to forage when not singing. Other small birds, Great ts (3 and Blue ts (10) were not numerous - notably keeping a low profile whilst still nesting, with the usual yellow-tinged juveniles not yet fledged.
Above the trees, Herring Gulls (19), Jackdaw (1) and Magpies (6) flew across in search of snacks, whilst two Carrion Crows were seen chasing a Common Buzzard with two juveniles noisily joining the adult Crows all flying as fast as possible against the wind. A Kestrel was seen flying across it's usual trees, head down, observing the ground on the road verge. Two Nuthatches in different places were seen amongst the old trees whilst a male Mallard was seen guarding a nest with the river running clear alongside.
More small birds weer seen amongst favourite Willows and undergrowth - the special bird today being a Kingfisher across steep banks, ten Robins, 8 Whitethroat and the best singers, the Blackcaps (20) , some very loud in all, at various song posts near the river. Goldfinches were elusive but were heard in places.
In addition, a Great Spotted Woodpecker was seen flying across and a probable Treecreeper onto a tree trunk amongst leaves, a single Starling, three Willow Warblers, a distant Sedge warbler singing, a Green Woodpecker calling and a Bullfinch flying into an Ash.
Each area has it's own populations which some hold over years unless disturbed.
The afternoon was much warmer, with less wind and grasses warming up in the sun and many insects.First a small shady pond, on looking closely, contained many small tadpoles - covering bank-to-bank moving about on the surface. Soon they would outgrow the pond and be found hopping as frogs across through the long grasses to the protection of the shady overgrown verges. It's important that the grass here is left to grow long!
The day was perfect for insect-observation:
Orange Tip - about 10 m and f
Peacock butterfly - on the Warpath!
Small Copper
Large Red Damselflies
Common Blue Damselfly
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