A Tropical end to August

Tuesday 29th August 2017 was again very hot and humid here in Sussex despite the forecast for cooler weather. The tropical weather has been good for dragonflies during the last few days whilst numbers of butterflies continued to decrease.  Common Darters, Southern Hawkers, Migrant Hawkers, Brown Hawkers and two Emperor dragonflies have been out along the river banks and ponds with a few Banded Demoiselle Damselflies in dappled shade.

The river was low but flowing well, with riverbank Hazel tree leaves just beginning to turn yellow, some inaccessible branches bearing ripe brown hazelnuts. Hazelnuts are usually the first nuts to appear and are plundered by jays and squirrels well before ripening. Although there seemed to be far fewer Dog Roses flowering in the early summer, the profusion of ripening rose hips indicate that flowering was normal, the flowers perhaps not lasting as long in the heat of the summer. Bramble fruits were still plentiful, in stages from green to over-ripe  - certainly no lack of food for wildlife this autumn. 

Common Darter warming up on the bridge handrail

They can often be seen perching on hard surfaces - stones, rails, paths rather than on leaves.

A butterfly with similar perching preferences is the Red Admiral:

Red Admiral on the track! Watch where you walk and you may be 

rewarded.

It was good to hear robins singing again after the long silent summer, there were 19 along the riverside, most singing strongly, others foraging amongst dry undergrowth in shady hedges. Wrens were still hiding, only 7 were seen, several singing - whilst thin calls gave away three dunnocks, two of them juveniles in the deep shady roots.

The very dry surface of the earth meant that blackbirds and song thrushes had vitally disappeared, with only three blackbirds seen and no song thrushes. These birds need soft muddy ground in which to forage and the best places are low under the shady river banks, close to the surface of the water where they can bathe. The riverside trees and undergrowth being laden with berries, the birds can eat their fill at sunrise and in the evening, spending the hot daylight hours under dense foliage well out of sight.

Out in the open, two jays were having an altercation, with a squirrel joining in - this must have been about territory as the ground lies covered in ripe and unripe acorns, Hazel nuts and Hawthorn berries, far too plentiful for all to be cached or fought over. 

Five magpies were seen and heard, with 31 wood pigeons surveying the scene in various places, a few cooing. Carrion crows usually jolt dozing birds awake with their loud calls but only two were seen today. Loud calls from the sky - about fifty herring gulls in a close group sailed over - but no raptors were seen, the day being uniformly calm, quiet and hot, with no exciting gales or changes in pressure.

There were few finches too - only about 7 goldfinches well hidden in dense shade while a single bullfinch flew across into a blackthorn thicket without a sound. Eventually some house sparrows (26) woke up - but remained in their hedges, on the shady sides - even the sun-loving sparrows were feeling the heat.

The exceptions were the blue tits (65), great tits (36) and long-tailed tits (5) continuously on the move amongst the tree canopies and Sloe-laden Blackthorn thickets, catching insects and investigating fruits. Whilst the weather is warm, insects will be the preferred food.

Warblers on their way:

Looking into conifer trees, instead of goldcrests restlessly foraging, several  smart chiffchaffs were seen busily picking up insects, whilst others foraged low down on the river banks, 10 at least, and one juvenile or female blackcap trying out the Sloes. In the same area, contact calls revealed fresh willow warblers on the move (3) amongst the riverbank willows. On the wild field, whilst observing the butterflies, two young common whitethroats flew out from a bush across the brambles into a willow - they are also on their way now to the south coast where they will wait until the conditions are right for making the crossing to France, beginning a long journey to south of the Sahara. All the migrant warblers need to be constantly feeding up, gaining weight and strength at this time.

Butterflies and other insects:

Speckled Wood butterflies were numerous again, but large numbers of Large White butterflies have also recently appeared, ranging far and fast just about everywhere. There were a few Small Whites too and Red Admiral, several Comma Butterflies but no Gatekeepers. This time Dragonflies were more numerous than butterflies (see beginning of this post).

Small grass moths were seen in the field, with bees, mostly Honeybees on the ragwort.

Spiders:

Spider webs were obstructing pathways everywhere, spun in ideal conditions with no wind or rain to destroy them. These were mostly the work of Garden Spiders. They form a good source of food for  migrating warblers and any small bird.

Late Summer Butterflies and Moths

Numbers of butterflies dwindle as the days become shorter despite warm temperatures. The Meadow Brown butterfly is one of the longest-flying - usually appearing around the end of May and can still be seen at the beginning of October. It can therefore use a variety of food plants throughout the summer.

This late summer Meadow Brown is nectaring on a Thistle - a very popular plant for large numbers of insects when it flowers after midsummer food plants go to seed - a Bumble bee was sharing the flower with the butterfly:

The Meadow Brown flew off whilst the White-tailed Bumble bee (Bombus lucorum) buried its head in the flower.

Gatekeeper butterflies have a shorter flying time, usually from the end of June until the beginning of September.  They can vary a lot in size, the male usually being smaller than the female, but the easiest way to distinguish them is by upper wing markings:

Female Gatekeeper on brambles - the upper wings lack the  dark brown band markings seen on the male upper wing:

Male Gatekeeper on Bramble flowers - the difference is very easy to see when the butterfly is  basking and its slowish flight makes it easy to track. Fresh bright Meadow Brown butterflies can sometimes look like Gatekeepers at a distance but close-up can be seen to have single white 'pupils'

in the fore-wing black eye spots whereas the Gatekeepers have two white 'pupils' in each eye spot as in the photo of the female.

Unseen Creatures amongst the long grasses:

in looking for butterflies which fly off over the grasses at the last minute, more activity comes to light in the form of grasshoppers, crickets and Micro Moths  - the area is teeming with life normally invisible.

Moths - especially the Grass Moths -  small Micro moths are difficult to see close up and record in the field

- what are they called? In total, there are more than 2,500 Macro and Micro moths named, with new ones being listed each year, perhaps due to the changing climate.. 

 I haven't found out the names of these two - yet:

Nameless - is it a Wave? perching on the underside of a flowering Nettle stalk

Nectaring on Ragwort - another very popular food plant -

havent found out the name as yet. It's quite small with the wingspan 

less than the diameter of a flower head.

   

The Wind and Rain of August

Early August started as it meant to go on, with strong winds and heavy rain showers. Sunday 6th August 2017 was very damp after heavy rain and thunderstorms the previous day, with dew on the grass and the river running higher and more swiftly. An early start to this short survey - but the sunshine didn't last before fair-weather cumulus clouds moved in. Fruits and berries were ripening fast however. The wind direction unusual, blowing straight into usually most sheltered areas. The rain had brought a spurt of growth along the banks and hedgerows which helped to form low shelter however - and tall grasses were teeming with grass moths, spiders and grasshoppers again. During sunny intervals butterflies suddenly appeared too:

 Common Blue butterfly (Polyommatus icarus)  basking after very wet weather. The white edges of its wings have been worn away but it was a strong flyer over the vegetation.

A Garden spider, one of many seen today, was making its way along the

strong web strand secured to dry Dock stems towards the centre of the web which held

a pre-wrapped unidentifiable insect prey. 

Woodpigeons (about 30) were cooing lazily from trees or sitting along the fences and two collared doves flew off from the top of a Blackthorn thicket. Six magpies were present at various locations along the river together with three carrion crows.  

Ideal terrain conditions for Blackbirds (16) this morning meant that most were visible foraging on the wet grass, with a single Song thrush, whilst a few were sampling ripe Sloes on the Blackthorn. Most robins were still in hiding with only five seen, some giving short songs. Wrens were also scarce, only 6 seen - but all of them singing, joined by two silent dunnocks amongst the river bank roots.

Eventually, as the day warmed up, house sparrows (about 50) woke up too and started to sing in their hedges. Two juvenile greenfinches were seen and only one chaffinch, all silent.

Walking further along the riverbank, reaching an area with a large old maple next to an old oak, the trees suddenly revealed large numbers of very active small birds, about 40 blue tits,  twenty great tits and more than 30 Goldfinches - these singing. The blue tits (total seen today about 70) and great tits (total seen today about 30) were in a roaming flock and within a few minutes had moved on.

These birds were quiet, but calls heard high in the canopy revealed 4 long-tailed tits. 

The area these birds were moving through contained Hazels, Oaks, Maples, Ash, Blackthorn, Hawthorn, Rosa canina, Elder, with nettles and brambles growing on the opposite banks. It also contained a sparrowhawk seen a few minutes later circling over the wild field and river, the sun shining through its translucent wing feathers - no shortage of prey today as many of the small birds were juveniles.

These birds are resident here but a few migrant warblers were still present, two blackcaps and three calling chiffchaffs were seen.

The best sighting was of a pair of bullfinches sat together on low bramble stems on the bank, the male very bright. 

One pied wagtail and two herring gulls were seen in flight over the river and a nuthatch was heard calling from an oak.

Dragonflies:

Male Common Darter Dragonfly on the warm and sheltered stony path.

It was watching a small fly  zipping back and forth - only its head moved, its eyes following the fly.

Although very windy, dragonflies were flying in most places, with strong-flying Southern Hawkers, Migrant Hawkers, Common Darters, and Banded Demoiselle Damselflies under the shelter of river banks.

Butterflies:

as with the dragonflies, most butterflies were keeping to sheltered areas - Gatekeepers, Meadow Browns, large numbers of Speckled Woods (about 45) in wooded places and tall hedgerows, a few Common Blues on the tall field grasses, Commas, Red Admiral, Silver-washed Frittilary and last but not least, Brown Hairstreak butterflies - four or five on the high canopy of a mature Ash tree  amongst other trees on the more sheltered morning sunny side, flying erratically fast-disappearing into the foliage then reappearing.

This was intended just to observe butterflies and dragonflies - but large numbers of moths were seen too.

See future August post.

    

A Summary of Summer in July

This July has been very active on the riverside and there has been much to record as new plants mature and attract more wildlife, with the great benefit of good weather.
Butterflies were very numerous this July, with Gatekeepers easily the most frequently seen species in most locations, especially ranging along riverbank vegetation and amongst the long grasses and wild flowers in the wild field. They were not seen on areas of cut 'amenity grass' until wild flowers grew up amongst the grass. As mentioned and shown on the post for 14th July, Holly Blue butterflies began to appear again early - first seen on 9th July with subsequent sightings on 17th and 18th. Meadow Brown butterflies were present on most days, some looking rather faded. Large, Small and Green-veined Whites were also present on most days, as were solitary Red Admirals looking very fresh.
Ringlets were seen on rare damp days and Comma butterflies were seen on several days as were Small Tortoiseshell butterflies amongst young nettles or basking on warm stones. Skipper sightings became scarcer this month, most being Small Skippers, on warm dry grasses. It was good to sight a few Purple Hairstreak butterflies high in the canopies of old oak trees before the wind strengthened

and clouds covered the sun.

Meadow Brown butterfly basking

 28th July 2017

This summer has so far been good for dragonflies too, with Southern Hawkers frequently seen ranging along the riverbanks and Banded Demoiselle Damselflies being especially numerous, ranging low over the low river (mostly females) and along the river banks and grasses (mostly males), on a hot
day often preferring semi shaded locations, their brilliant metallic colours shining where the sun touched them.
The star of the riverside this July was a Male White-legged Damselfly on 17th which will be featured in an later post, with a photo. (September 30th, summer summary)

Guelder Rose berries beginning to ripen

17th July 2017

Birds (see full record on 28th July) were mostly keeping a low profile this month, moulting and recovering from nesting but with many continuing to nest and feed young. Swifts were seen on most days flying over the river course, also small groups of foraging House Martins. A red kite was seen gliding over the river course on 15th and more frequently several buzzards were seen and heard. With large numbers of juvenile birds on the riverside, sparrowhawks were waiting under cover  and could occasionally be seen dashing through the undergrowth and into hedgerows. Green woodpeckers were heard and sometimes seen on the grasses and great-spotted woodpeckers were kept busy with young in the old oaks over the river. Nuthatches could often be heard calling amongst the branches whilst the only true song came from lone song thrushes sometimes singing all day but mostly during the long evenings. Blackbirds are always present along the riverside but in July remain quiet, most having several broods of young.

Males are most often seen foraging on the damp shady long grass where the ground underneath has remained wet. Silent robins follow and benefit from the loosened earth.  

Some snatches of song from summer migrants - blackcaps could be heard and chiffchaffs remained very vocal - contact-calling. Towards the end of the month large numbers of 'yellow faced' juvenile blue tits and great tits were seen being fed by adults or foraging on insects under leaves on the trees,

most remaining silent. Goldfinches were beginning to group together to sing in dense thickets close to plentiful supplies of seeding grass and dock seed. Jays were foraging, competing with squirrels for early  Hazelnuts and ripening Hawthorn berries - leaving signs of their foraging - a carpet of empty nut shells under the trees:

Hazel nuts will not be left to ripen but will rapidly be taken by jays or squirrels

but with large crops of fruits, berries and nuts this year there will be plenty of choice.

Ripening Hawthorn berries on a young tree. Older trees have

already been raided of large amounts of more mature haws.

The Heatwave Ends

Since mid July, the riverside has gradually returned to normal, refreshed with traditional summer showers alternating with warm sunshine, the baked earth cooling down, producing a diversity of plants and flowers, with a good range of insects associated with them. Growth had been delayed during the very hot dry weather, grasses began to go to seed early and go brown, then suddenly, almost overnight new fresh green growth appeared like a second spring.

Today, 28th July was perhaps not the best day to do a wildlife survey as the sky was overcast and the southerly wind in the trees made it noisy - but the rain only arrived later, after midday. As usual at this time of the year, birds were hiding and most remained quiet - the only calls heard were those from juvenile birds demanding to be fed, or warning calls from adults sensing danger.

Despite the lack of sun, very large numbers of Gatekeeper butterflies were ranging along the riverside bank vegetation and on the wild field areas where there were tall grasses and thistles alternating with numerous patches of Bird's-foot Trefoil, Vetch and now Fleabane just starting to flower.

   Fleabane on the field today, 28th July. The flowers remain open during overcast weather, a magnet for insects, including butterflies, notably the Small Copper.

Listening carefully, numerous small calls from juvenile birds well hidden amongst dense foliage could be heard. Adult blackbirds (9) were seen foraging for grubs and worms on the grass and in muddy areas it was clear that many birds, blackbirds, song thrushes and robins had been working, probing the surface, larger birds making it much easier for smaller birds to find food. Blackbirds were seen with beaks full -carrying food across to the hedges where there were nestlings calling. Older juveniles were calling from the safely of Willow trees where adult males were flying up with 'ground food' to feed them.
Woodpigeons (30) were the most easily seen today, several cooing drowsily. Blue tits (41) and great tits (28) were difficult to see - hiding in the more sheltered thickets. Most seen were juveniles, the yellow plumage on some individuals as bright as a canary!
Normally robins are numerous, advertising their presence and guarding their territory by singing from prominent perches but only two were seen and heard today - with large numbers still present but having time off to rest and moult, gaining strength and bright new plumage after breeding. soon we will be hearing their first 'chinks' of the autumn. Dunnocks (4) were traceable by the thin high calls of their young in a dark shaded tree with Long-tailed tits (3) foraging not far away, also traced by their calls.

Bird's Foot Trefoil and Vetch on the damp meadow

Wrens (10) were more visible, some still nesting and collecting food for young, with fledged youngsters  exploring roots and fallen branches near their old nests. They may roost together in these at night. 

The loudest birds on the riverside today were nuthatches (3) one giving sudden loud alarm calls from an old maple over the river. Two others were heard calling in different locations - also giving alarm calls, warning their young. A great-spotted woodpecker, probably a juvenile called from an old riverbank oak but magpies (5) were quiet for a change. A green woodpecker called from the high drainage basin banks which are good areas for ants.

Summer migrants are still present with chiffchaffs (6) continuing to sing, both adults and juveniles contact-calling and a single blackcap giving alarm calls whilst foraging amongst the brambles over the river. Further along a whitethroat was seen flying out of the brambles - the fruits ripening fast now.

House sparrows (47) were slow to appear this morning with most deciding to stay put in their hedgerows, some calling. Only one chaffinch was heard and no greenfinches - but small groups of goldfinches were seen flying over from the wild field (12).  A jay flew across the river whilst two carrion crows were foraging on the short grass and a third was seen flying over with a discarded sandwich. Three herring gulls were flying high whilst a buzzard sailed in the strong breeze under a cloud, flying into the cloud followed by an angry herring gull.

The stars of the day were the insects, which despite the lack of sun and the presence of a strong wind

were present in good numbers.

The gatekeeper butterflies were very numerous in almost every location, along the riverbank vegetation  - ranging over the wild field, over and amongst the long grasses on both the north and south embankments:

A Gatekeeper butterfly on flowering Water Mint on the damp meadow.

One Gatekeeper was chasing a Small Skipper but most were basking on brambles and grasses, remaining closed until the sun appeared when they opened to catch the warmth, closing again immediately the sun went in, flying on to gain a warmer location.

Meadow Brown butterflies were active too, looking rather faded compared to the bright Gatekeepers.

Ringlets were seen in damper areas, low down amongst the vegetation, whilst Speckled Woods, still numerous, ranged high and low, pausing to bask on bramble leaves. High amongst the canopies of two old trees, an Oak and a Maple, erratically flying small butterflies were seen - Purple Hairstreak butterflies, their action typical of the Hairstreak.

A Red Admiral was seen in a windy location, basking in the shelter of a steep river bank on the Arun on the brambles.

Two Southern Hawker Dragonflies were seen ranging back and forth under the trees and several Banded Demoiselle Damselflies brightened the river banks when the sun emerged.

On the wild field and the embankments, hundreds of small grass moths flew up from the damp grasses, always flying a short distance then landing to perch on blades of grass, rapidly swinging around to the underside where they remained hidden from view, making it very difficult to identify them. Small Grasshoppers and Crickets

were numerous too, especially on the banks of the large pond - and also easily disturbed.  At least one was identified as a Roesel's Bush Cricket (Metrioptera roeselii).

Gatekeepers Guard the Banks

July 14th 2017 - July so far has been very hot but more humid with recent rainfall on 11th and 12th soaking into the ground - gradually replenishing the river supply. Large numbers of butterflies have been ranging along the river banks and through the long meadow grasses. Meadow Browns are still flying but Gatekeepers are more numerous now both in the fields and on the banks and the long-flying Speckled Woods continue to chase in the dappled shade under and through the trees.

Small Tortoiseshell butterflies often prefer dry, stoney places:

This Small Tortoiseshell butterfly was seen today investigating fresh nettle shoots

springing up from disturbed ground, then choosing a flat stone on which to rest and bask

in the warm sun for  while.

It may be a female searching out suitable nettles on which to lay her eggs. When the eggs hatch, the caterpillars will feed on the fresh tender nettle leaves.

Brambles are continuing to flower and many sunny patches have small green fruits. Holly Blues are now appearing again:

A small fragile-looking Holly Blue butterfly keeping to the shade

where brambles only get the sun in evening. (9th July)

Gatekeeper butterfly - showing the underwing - not to be confused with the 

Meadow Brown. Gatekeepers are restless and can frequently be seen chasing each other

and other species of butterfly and insects away from their 'territory'.

This alert one is perched on a bramble leaf on the river bank  (10th July).

Red Admiral butterflies have been quite numerous - but they usually fly alone. This one was today seen flying from tree to tree over the grass, frequently perching then moving on. I was standing in a glade and it twice perched on my shoulder but then returned to its favourite perch in the sun. 

Red Admiral today 14th July 2017 on the riverside vegetation

On 10th July, the day before the rain came,  clouds had cleared fast after a cool start. Huge numbers of butterflies were present, most on the south embankment amongst the long grasses and dock. Gatekeepers were the most numerous but Large skippers, Small Skippers and Meadow Browns were all present in good numbers with a few Large White, Small White and Green-veined White butterflies too. Banded Demoiselle damselflies were present too, some over the water, others over the grasses.

Only very seldom seen here, a Silver-washed Fritillary glided down through the trees over the river, looking almost wren-sized and ver bright.

In the same area, many juvenile blue tits and great tits were bathing in the dappled shade, flying up to perch and preen - occasionally attempting to catch any butterfly which flew past.

Long Days and Short Nights on the Riverside

The end of June 2017 - it seemed like a very long month with endless days - but now the nights are lengthening again. The heatwave ended but the days have remained warm - good conditions for butterflies prevailed - far more have been seen already than last year which was a bad year for most species of mid-summer butterflies.

Today, 30th June started overcast but brightened later, the air was filled with the scent of Meadowsweet.  It was good to see Gatekeeper butterflies now ranging along the banks, taking advantage of the weak sunlight:

A very fresh male Gatekeeper butterfly on Bramble flowers on the river bank today,

 30th June 2017

There were still plenty of Meadow Brown, Ringlets,  Skippers (good numbers of Small Skippers, in a local colony) and Speckled Wood butterflies  with Banded Demoiselle damselflies perched on Nettles and numerous bees and Hoverflies foraging on the scented flowering Meadowsweet. 

A Dragonfly, probably freshly emerged, was seen on the river bank, basking in the warmth:

This is a Common Darter dragonfly (Sympetrum striolatum),

probably an immature female.

 The wings are almost invisible - but are held forward. The dark spots near the end of each wing are just visible.

Day and Night

The days during mid-June were becoming hotter and the nights remaining hot too - it was easy to awaken at 03.45 just as dawn was breaking and hear birdsong. On 20th June,  by 04.00 the Dawn Chorus was well underway - the sky in the east was brightening and it was time to sing! A 'curtain' of song, no one bird dominating - a perfect chorus, blackbirds, song thrushes, wrens,  a few robins and warblers, their song echoing along the river course. By 04.45 cries from overflying gulls could be heard with the first hesitant calls from house sparrows in the eves. By 05.00 the mass chorus had receded, with just a few individual birds taking over from the hundreds.

 A few days earlier, on the evening of Friday 16th, after the breeze had dropped, insects over the river course were being snapped up by numerous swifts - and a song-thrush was singing loudly. The sky was still light in the west at 22.00 when I started a bat survey, but it was completely dark by 23.00.

The bats were easily visible at first - mostly Common Pipistrelle - only just flying from their roosts in the old oaks along the bat flyway, whizzing very low,  just clearing my head. Most bats were detected along the river course, as this is where they find the most insects. There were large numbers, including Soprano Pipistrelle with some Serotines - and a few Daubentons bats low over the water. The sky remained clear but it soon became completely dark under the trees. The song thrush had stopped singing - and the bats were invisible - but using the bat detector, very audible, echolocating.