Chasing the Last Leaves of November

Today, 25th November 2016 was the first day for a long while when the weather was stable, with clear skies and a persistent cold NE wind. Previously heavy rain had alternated with sun, in quick succession,  rainbows appearing and disappearing. Storm Angus at the weekend had provided much-needed rainfall, the worst of the storm gales concentrated along the coast. A marked increase in bird activity was observed, with limited daylight and heavy rain, foraging time has been reduced and intensified after a very slow and mild autumn.

The river level had dropped over a meter but was still flowing very fast although the river banks showed scarcely any sign of the river having been almost at flood level.

See below for the full record for 25th November 2016:

25th November 2016

One of the old oaks along the river, losing it's remaining leaves fast in the cold NE wind.

Amongst the leaves, goldcrests were busy foraging, well camouflaged and moving constantly, like the leaves.

Perhaps not an ideal day for recording, with most wildlife finding shelter but needing to forage as well.

All along the river a multi-tiered choice of berries in thickets attracted hungry birds - extending from the surface of the river low overhanging the banks up to the tops of the Hawthorn and Blackthorn thickets.

Single leaves drifting down were distracting and bare old nests were now cradling bunches of fallen leaves.

Robins (16) were mostly singing loudly but others were sitting on spindle bushes they had claimed - their brilliant colour shining in the low sun - sufficient to advertise their presence without the need for song.

Woodpigeons were quite numerous today (46) with six feeding on the grass, the rest taking up their own spaces on high branches, sitting motionless in the sun, rounded agains the cold wind.

Wrens as usual were busy low down on the banks (10) only two singing. Overhead eight herring gulls flew across and only seven black-headed gulls were seen, six circling over the playing field with just one brave enough to land -it did not settle to feeding however but looked around warily. Three rooks appeared, flying across the river and five jackdaws disappeared noisily into distant trees. Carrion crows were far more numerous than usual, with a total of 26 individuals seen alone or in small groups mostly around the drainage basin scrape. Three were competing with very loud 'cawing' in the top of an oak, disturbing a couple of magpies which flew out. Seven were seen in all.  Maybe the cause of the crows anger was a single jay seen in the same tree or maybe not…

Chaffinches were not yet calling but three were seen high up.

It was good to see a flock of about 50 starlings flying over with more singing amongst the ivy (about 60 in all)

The first birds to be seen and heard this morning were colonies of house sparrows tucked inside hedges. As the sun rose to touch their shelters they moved about more and sought out suitable riverbank thickets on which to sunbathe in the shelter of the high riverbanks, singing (60). Goldfinches were keeping to sheltered thickets (16) where blue tits (50) moved swiftly through from branch to branch foraging, finding plenty of insects hidden amongst hazel twigs and lichen-covered oak bark. Great tits (29) were now calling in full voice from branches or foraging low amongst roots on the banks and three dunnocks were seen in different places. Tall Poplars were bending in the wind whilst a family group of seven long-tailed tits moved quickly through the leafless willows, crossing the gaps between the trees one by one. Nearby a silent treecreeper flew across onto the trunk of an old oak, its white front briefly shining in the low sun. 

Blackbird numbers (47) have suddenly increased along the river, most of them probably from distant and much colder lands and attracted to this region by the abundance of fruits and berries, the muddy banks and 'beaches' along the river and the softness of the rich unfrozen earth. Trying to single out our 'resident' blackbirds is difficult but the migrant females seem to be well camouflaged, very brown, the colour of wet fallen leaves. Other migrants were three fieldfare seen flying across and five redwing singing softly in the the shelter of a Blackthorn thicket where they remained to finish off the sloes.

Songthrushes (4) were seen along hedge bases and river undergrowth, seen but silent - but it was good to hear the calls of a bullfinch close by whilst two others were seen flying over a pond surrounded by Guelder rose shrubs full of berries (3). A nuthatch was heard calling nearby and two great-spotted woodpeckers followed each other into an old Ash tree. Down on the river a single male mallard paddled towards the scrape and on hearing calls and looking up I found two goldcrests foraging in a riverbank hawthorn and further along two more foraging low down in a sunlit oak (four in all) 

Three linnets were were seen amongst the dock on the embankment - still plenty of seeds left there, whilst four pied wagtails flew singing over the roofs to the field, followed by two meadow pipits.

A blackbird suddenly called out in alarm - it was a fast sparrowhawk hunting just over the hedgerow.

The Last Laugh of October

Today 31st October 2016, started cool and misty but became rapidly warmer as the sun rose.

Leaves are now falling fast, thickly carpeting the ground and causing confusion when attempting to glimpse wildlife activity on the riverside. There was no wind to stir the trees but leaves continued to fall - together with ripe acorns. Any falling 'leaves' which suddenly changed direction turned out to be small birds, blue tits or goldcrests or a lone chiffchaff foraging high in the canopy.

A larger bird flew directly overhead into an oak and suddenly loud laugh rang out shattering the tranquil scene.

It was a green woodpecker, announcing its arrival on home territory. 

Shorter Days and Longer Nights

At this time of the year the hours of daylight rapidly dwindle meaning less foraging time for most.

Yesterday morning, 28th October 2016 was mostly sunny and mild, with a nuthatch calling,  numerous blackbirds, almost certainly including some migrants from colder land, chasing each other through the dense Blackthorn and Hawthorn thickets, the most aggressive claiming the choicest berries and fruits. Below them the river was flowing clear but still as low as usual as no significant rainfall has occurred recently.

A great-spotted woodpecker flew over - they can be seen frequently here, most easily seen in flight, as are not yet drumming to advertise their presence.

The most common plants can produce the most brilliant autumn colours - here's a brilliant bramble. 

A mixed bramble, hawthorn and blackthorn thicket this morning was full of activity, with blackbirds, robins, blue tits, great tits, goldfinches, long-tailed tits and rapidly moving goldcrests. These tiny birds were busy catching insects amongst the twigs of the deciduous plants and trees, very well camouflaged with olive-green plumage and bright yellow or yellow-orange crests, their colours merging in with the yellowing leaves and light and shade. They seldom stop moving however. Being mostly resident birds, they are within the tree cover all year round - but as the leaves fall, become more easily seen. They are often found in conifers - but forage amongst deciduous trees as well - whichever hold the richest supply of insects and spiders at the time. 

Winter Migrants arrive….

Today, 29th October, it was dark and overcast all day, mild, with no wind. The afternoon was growing  dark at about 3pm (and still British Summer Time!) when, looking up at the leaden sky, I saw two groups of about ten fieldfare each fly across the river. These are the first fieldfare I've seen here this autumn apart from one or two very distant high-flying birds - Winter is coming…..watch out!

    

Autumn brings warm colours and a chill wind

Today, Sunday 23rd October 2016 was a fine clear day, starting cold and sunny with the remnants of frost in the shade. A very slight breeze touched the tops of the oaks and sent leaves flying. The river was low as rainfall has been slight, but was running clear. Various types of fungi decorated the grass and banks and the low sun intensified the autumnal colour of oak, ash, hazel, field maple, poplar and hornbeam leaves clinging to the riverbank trees, Willows had been losing their leaves fast over the past few days and some were almost bare.

Leaves on a young Hornbeam we planted on the riverside -

 it has grown at a fast rate 

this year, amongst other native trees planted at the same time.

The day was promising to be mild and quiet but the gentle breeze quickly turned into a very chill wind from the east north east and small fast-moving clouds started to shoot across the sky sending wildlife to hunker down in sheltered corners along the river banks.

Robins were singing today (17) but not in battle mode yet, as berries abound all the way along the river with several small Spindle bushes with fruit in new locations. These are especially guarded by robins as the fruits usually last into midwinter. Blue tits are now more numerous (40) and far more active, moving from branch to branch clinging upside-down from delicate hawthorn twigs, pecking at the berries or perhaps finding small insects amongst them. Woodpigeons (26) were mostly inactive, sitting high up in the tree tops to catch the early sun. Later they would be seen foraging on the ground below the trees.

Unusually, there were about 35 carrion crows in total this morning, some calling, in pairs high on the old oaks then, when the wind was increasing, about twenty appeared from nowhere, circling high in the air, some calling. They quickly drifted away, probably onto a bare harvested field. Later a group of rooks (22) were seen in the air heading out from their roost well out of sight and 7 jackdaws, most calling, took to the skies too. 

After the sun had warmed up the ground herring gulls appeared (35), heading for mounds of bare earth but only two black-headed gulls were seen;  they have not yet moved in onto the playing fields en masse - but these two were in their winter plumage, perhaps scouts for the rest which will follow soon.

Ripe Guelder Rose berries - there's a very good crop this autumn

  Blackbirds (9) were busy in the Blackthorn, foraging for dwindling numbers of sloes or chasing each other amongst the old Field Maples.   Great tits (12) were seen busy foraging, collecting nuts for storage in a safe place out of the reach of squirrels and jays. One or two were calling half-heartedly, whilst wrens (8) foraged low under the brambles and tree roots, giving alarm calls when  disturbed by larger birds. Just one dunnock was seen flying low across the river and heard when it perched unseen. .Magpies (5) were restlessly flying from tree to tree, calling, the harsh cries of jays adding to the noise (2). Food is abundant, there is more than enough for all, as was evident from the numbers of acorns still lying scattered under the old oaks. In hard times these would have quickly been snatched up  and either eaten or cached but this year the birds and squirrels are not bothered. They will soon go when the nights freeze over. 

Tiny birds have to spend every minute foraging in order to maintain their body-weight - 17 long-tailed-tits were discovered high in thickets in sheltered areas and in near-bare willows on the river. The Willows have lost most of their leaves already, allowing good views of birds moving amongst the branches. Other small birds remained well hidden, but given away by their rapid movements - two warblers - chiffchaffs  - were seen and their contact calls heard amongst the remaining leaves, and one goldcrest was seen after I heard its high call close by. Goldfinches (20) were heard amongst a thicket and seen flying together in a group with others coming and going, easily identified by their flight.

Bullfinches were also calling, a pair flying over the hawthorn,  two more amongst a thicket and another flying in to search for fruits - 5 in total today. They are attracted now to the riverside fruits and are becoming more visible as the leaves thin out. Nine linnets were seen in one group flying over between the trees and eventually, as the sun reached the low bramble bushes, house sparrows (45) started to sing, remaining hunkered down out of the cold wind, only flying out when pushed, preferring to keep their heads down today, with more well inside hedgerows. Nuthatches are becoming more vocal, two, probably a pair, were calling, one softly, from an oak and another much louder, in warning, directly above.

 A great-spotted woodpecker called out from its tree behind the thicket and a buzzard appeared, flying fast and low, then - chased by a carrion crow over the river,  turned and flew back, and was joined by another buzzard - then both flew quickly out of sight - the weather not suitable today for leisurely gliding. 

September summer ends

Today, 30th September 2016 was still as warm as a summer's day but with rapidly moving sharp showers to send people and wildlife scurrying for cover.

The intermittent rain caused the rivers to suddenly increase in speed. Water levels rose temporarily - but we need sustained rainfall to sink in and refresh the earth.

The river Arun became more lively this afternoon after rain.

Here is a summery of wildlife seen in passing by (not full surveys) over this exceptionally warm September 2016

 See also previous post for the full record for 18th and an earlier post for the 6th September

then a short summary for heat-wave August and earlier post for full record for 28th August:

5th September 2016:

a warm day, with intermittent drizzle

Nuthatch calling, 2 Great-spotted woodpeckers calling from different trees, several robins singing, many bees, Large White, Small White and Green-veined White butterflies along the river banks and in the wild field. Large numbers of goldfinches singing in a thicket and just one blackbird across.

11th September:

Warm and humid again

several Large White, Speckled Wood and Red Admiral butterflies,

aggressive Southern Hawker dragonfly, Brown Hawker and Common Darter dragonflies. Robins singing short half-songs, nuthatch, great-spotted woodpecker, magpie, 8 long-tailed tits in family group, wren giving alarm call, blue and great tits, crane flies and large numbers of bees.

13th September:

Very hot

calling young birds in tree directly above me were young fledged bullfinches being fed by adults in the dense foliage.

Good numbers of bees still present together with Red Admirals, Large White, Small White and Green-veined White butterflies.

21st September:

Heavy dew on grass this morning

Juvenile common frogs jumping from the long wet grasses on the river bank, not close to the ponds. These froglets were only one or two cm long.

23rd September:

fine and warm - less humid

Great-spotted woodpecker called and flew out of oak, Common Darter and Ruddy Darter flying over bank, several Red Admirals basking on nettles, brambles or flying over banks, several Large White butterflies in wild field together with many bees (Honeybees and Bumblebees) on flowering thistles.

25th September:

Day of our meet - cloudy at first, becoming warm and sunny.

Lots of Speckled Wood butterflies over the banks, under trees and up into trees.

Common Darter, loud-calling nuthatch, several robins and wrens singing.

30th September:

In the sun, between torrential showers quite early this morning, the trees in the sun were full of birds:

Goldfinches, house sparrows, blackbirds, blue tits, great tits,long-tailed tits a few goldcrests and a nuthatch, with more goldfinches foraging on the sunlit seeding Dock and grasses below.

Some observations in passing by during August 2016:
(see also post with full record for 28th August) 

A general observation - house sparrows were still busy nesting throughout the month of August.

8th August:
cooler start, becoming hot
great-spotted woodpecker with juvenile, 2 goldcrests, chiffchaffs, 4 blackbirds, song thrush, 3 starlings
several Gatekeeper butterflies, Large White, Small White, Green-veined White and Speckled Wood butterflies, goldfinches, robins

9th August:
cool start becoming hot
12 long-tailed tits in oak (mostly juveniles), numerous house sparrows, persistently-calling nuthatch, large numbers of Gatekeeper butterflies along the river bank and field margins, several Speckled Wood butterflies, Large White and Green-veined White butterflies, Southern Hawker dragonfly.

24th August:
very hot
Loud nuthatches 2, robins beginning serious song, more blue tits and great tits seen.

26th August:
hot and humid
Robins singing, chiffchaffs foraging, blackbirds low on river banks, lots of Large White butterflies with some Small White and Green-veined White butterflies and a Holly Blue butterfly, many Speckled Woods. Good crop of Hazelnuts in most Hazel trees.

30th August:
warm
Callling nuthatches 2, few robins and blue tits, 4 buzzards, two 'jousting' together, several blackbirds foraging in the damp shady grass.

Watch out - Autumn is here

A welcome change after the unseasonable heat of the late summer - today, Sunday 18th September was  cooler after the rain of the previous day but warmed up quickly in the early sun. Low clouds quickly moved in but the day remained dry. The lack of wind meant that the riverside was quiet and every small sound could be heard, provided one stood still to avoid crunching dry fallen leaves and acorns under foot, as the rain, only about 7mm, had not penetrated the dense tree canopies of the old Oaks and Field Maples.

The ground under one old oak was thick with acorns, some plundered by impatient Jays and grey squirrels, breaking off twigs carrying unripened acorns. Others have ripened and fallen naturally - too many to be hauled away to a safe hiding place.

 Guelder Rose plants have produced a bountiful crop of berries this year, which the birds will leave until much later in the winter when other fruits become scarce:

Hawthorn with still ripening haws and Guelder Rose on the right

with ripe red berries. The haws will be eaten first however.

Robins took full advantage of the perfect conditions for their songs to carry far along the river with 23 counted, some singing very close to their neighbours, sometimes just in the next tree at present. It seems as if some are increasing the volume to gain advantage. Not all were singing however, some being intent on foraging. It was good to see more starlings assembling in flocks although not in huge numbers (c35) - this morning they were seen flying from various areas to their day roost in a thicket.

Woodpigeons were quite numerous (64), chased off the fields to spend the day in the old oaks or lined up along the fence overlooking the southern drainage basin, a popular location for most wildlife still.

Skulking in low thickets or foraging in the dewy shade grass where the earth was still damp, blackbirds (6) were silent, apart from a sudden alarm call from one low down on the river, the cause a sparrowhawk,  glimpsed dashing through a gap in the trees against the bright sky. Magpies don't need to keep quiet - and advertise their presence without a care, especially where young are still living in a group (8) - today their calls were especially aggressive in attempts to fend off squirrels and jays.

The jays (7) are very smart birds - in plumage and brain - today one was shouting out over the acorn-strewn patch under an old oak as if to frighten off any creature that approached. It needed every single acorn that lay below it - but will take more than a few days to cache them!

Corvids are never numerous here but 10 carrion crows were seen, and some heard, in scattered locations along the riverside. An old oak with branches extending over the river is popular with crows and great-spotted woodpeckers too - and today I noticed several new attempts to make holes in one of the branches, however the branch is not large enough for nesting, therefore it's probable that a crow is responsible for the work, using it's strong bill to prise off the bark and get into the old wood to extract insects.

Great-spotted woodpeckers have been very quiet over the summer and only one was seen today giving a loud but brief alarm call - later they will have the task of finding suitable trees in which to create new nest holes - normally they choose different nest sites each year, unlike the nuthatches.

They also have to adjust to a temporary loss of some potential trees downstream on the Arun where bridge- building is taking place. The oaks are protected but the disturbance will mean finding old trees in a quieter area here upstream. Fortunately the work should be finished within the year and the formerly wild river banks restored to their wildness. Three nuthatches were seen today, two calling loudly and another quietly tap-tapping in a thicket, not making a hole but eating a large seed or nut that it had wedged into a branch crevice. Their large claws are not much use for gripping seeds or nuts but are shaped to enable 'down hill' tree climbing.    

The wren - another bird which has been quite silent, is now singing again - at least some are singing, with numbers increasing over the autumn - 10 were seen today, most singing. Chaffinches are still elusive, only 3 today and likewise song thrushes which are keeping a very low profile out of sight in the cool damp steep river banks, difficult to see in the dense shade as they are silent at present. One was seen flying down onto the river bank. On the river itself two solitary moorhens were seen paddling in different locations whilst out in the sun I heard and then saw about 20 linnets fly across in a group and later another 10 linnets off the field and into the trees - a welcome sight! Goldfinches were also seen in good numbers, total 60 in several groups, most singing in dense thickets and leafy trees, preferring the sunlit side.

Insects were numerous with good numbers of Speckled Wood butterflies, a few Large White butterflies and a Migrant Hawker dragonfly

With the increasing leaf fall, blue tits (about 40) and great tits (about 20) were more easily seen and becoming more vocal, the great tits just trying out their calls. Long-tailed tits (9) were seen following each other in a family group, calling softly, high in the willows over the river. Moving very fast through Field Maples and Oaks, giving contact calls, chiffchaffs (8) were as usual busy foraging and goldcrests (6) were seen in a sheltered blackthorn thicket and others in a conifer.  Ever-present house sparrows were about in good numbers all along the riverside today (about 80) in colonies in the bramble patches, in blackthorn thickets, mixed hawthorn hedgerows and field margins, choosing, like the goldfinches, the sunny sides in which to warm up after the unusually cold night.

As the day warmed up, the low cloud cover increased, attracting house martins (about 20) and a few swallows (c4) foraging for insects between cloud and river and strong thermals meant that flying was easy for lazily circling herring gulls (24). Distant calls alerted me to two buzzards flying very high, then to two more, closer to the earth, close together, touching, play-displaying.

This morning's highlight was a treecreeper foraging on a poplar which I noticed whilst watching two wrens on a Guelder rose tree. The treecreeper was less than 2 meters away from me, making a thorough search for insects on the poplar trunk, creeping up about 3 meters then flying down to the roots and starting again a few centimetres around the circumference from its previous vertical route. I watched for a long time and it was still foraging when I left, after the wrens joined it on the poplar to forage amongst the roots, a robin flew across too and caught a large insect - and a calling chiffchaff foraged in the upper branches - all the while I stood still on the dry fallen leaves.    

Crab apple tree - food for wildlife over the winter

Signs of Autumn on the Riverside

Today, Tuesday 6th September 2016, after early sun, a heavy low bank of cloud settled over the river, with its edge just above blue sky on the horizon, trapping heat and humidity near the ground. No problem for wildlife however - in brighter moments when the cloud thinned, butterflies were active. These were mostly Large and Small Whites and Speckled Woods.

Speckled Wood butterfly perched on Dock seed

A female Brown Hairstreak butterfly was seen flying in a zig-zag way, searching and settling on a ragged Blackthorn branch reaching low over the river, a sheltered, warm location to lay an egg. The Blackthorn was losing some of its yellowing leaves which floated gently down onto the water, as there was no wind. 

More than 20 linnets were gathering in an old Field Maple, flying across in groups to join the singing, with the bounty of seeding Dock below whilst several gatherings of quietly signing Goldfinches, probably more than 40 in total, filled the oak canopies and thickets nearby. A blackbird uttered an alarm call whilst high above, calls alerted me to  two buzzards circling each other under the clouds. A vocal nuthatch moved across from tree to tree not far from a second one perched in an oak.

A Migrant Hawker dragonfly flew around encircling the area between the trees and numerous bees were again present in the damp wild field on the Fleabane and flowering Watermint whilst House Sparrows sang in the hedgerow under foraging blue tits and great tits. A blackcap was busy in the Blackthorn, gaining weight for the flight back to its winter home. A silent wren flew up from the waters edge and several robins sang short songs. It was good to see quite large numbers of starlings flying together again as there have been few around during the summer. 

Just observations in passing by - all seen in a few minutes today.