April ends with 'Fine Flight Weather'

The last four days of April 2020 saw a change in the weather - a change in the wind direction that is eagerly awaited by our welcome summer migrants:

Swifts.

Swifts spend almost all their lives on the wing and head north from Africa only to breed, with  a choice of suitable countries which fortunately still include England. We still have old buildings such as church towers and water towers to which they return each year. New specially made Swift nest boxes and Swift bricks in newbuildings are checked out but are sometimes left until suitably shabby before being used.

Monday 27th started on a suitably cloudy note but 'deteriorated' later, ending in a fine sunny evening…. 

There were good numbers of singing chiffchaffs and some common whitethroats in the young trees and a grey heron was seen heading for it's lookout oak over a drainage basin. Nuthatches called and robins, wrens and house sparrows sang.

The weather improved the following day April 28th with fine continuous rain overnight, and more during the day, remaining cloudy.

Wednesday 29th was even better, starting cloudy, becoming quite dark with a Southerly wind.

Heavy rain was forecast but initially birds were singing loudly even under such dark conditions.

Blackcaps, robins, dunnock and blackbirds, with soft calls from a bullfinch. Two goldcrests flew into a conifer and a pair of jays flew back and forth building or strengthening a nest, carrying twigs. Looking up at the goldcrests and beyond at the leaden sky I saw a swift quite high, catching insects, then another   

and a third keeping quite close together. They were visible flying directly overhead then drifting off towards an area with buildings where they have traditionally nested in summer.

I guessed that they had been waiting somewhere across the channel and seized the chance of a 'swift' and easy crossing into Sussex as soon as conditions were favourable i.e. a southerly wind!

They had chosen a window of good conditions, as the next day, 30th April turned very windy with hail and heavy rain.

Swifts were reported to have first arrived further north in Norfolk several days after that.

Wild flowers flourished after the rain

This is Germander Speedwell (Veronica chamaedrys)

or 'Bird's Eye'

said to be a lucky flower to spot for those on a journey, walking along the track - hence 'speedwell'.

This year they seemed to be quite prevalent for a while.

April Survey in the Silent Sun

At last - the Survey for April. This took place on Sunday 26th 2020., a fine sunny day , clear with no wind, just the sound of the babbling brook and birdsong. How easy it is to get used to absolute quiet with only nature providing the music!

Almost all trees were now in leaf (Ash and some poplars excepted), carpets of Wild Garlic still flowering on step banks.The ponds still contained some water and the ground around them was still damp, now midges were out, eagerly snapped up by birds collecting food for their young. Gritty path surfaces attracted seed-eating birds such as house sparrows, adults as well as fledged young although they still seek out insects whilst seeds are scarce. The 'bog' field seemed to be attracting large numbers of Starlings as well as house sparrows today. Birdsong was continuous along the river bank, wrens dominating with a background of blackbird song and cooing wood pigeons and collared doves.

The air was filled with drifting fluff from Willow catkins.

Full Blossom on one of the young fruit trees

attracting crowds of bees. April 2020.

The numbers of house sparrows (70) had suddenly increased with the fledging of young, with some adults pecking at the blossom - fine nest material for the next brood. 

Blackbirds (25) provided the most persistent song leaving no part of the riverside in silence together with singing wrens (26) in the low willows and on the banks, with no sign of the past winter's floods

left to deter them. Song thrushes have been doing very well in past months with very wet weather providing plentiful supplies of snails and slugs. Eight were seen, some giving short songs. Woodpigeons (c30) were not doing very much, most sitting together in pairs in the old oaks and maples. Some however were busy plucking choice fresh Ash tree leaves, in a leisurely manner. As usual collared doves were present amongst the Ivy but only three given away by their calls.

Robins (21) with several fledged young were mostly singing whilst dunnocks (7) today were active amongst the river Willows. Blue tits (25) called quietly as they moved about under the cover of rapidly growing leaves. Great tits (12) seen were singing or foraging but those nesting would have been unheard and unseen. Long-tailed tits (4) always seem to make themselves heard and then seen as they fast-fly from tree canopy to tree canopy. Many more would fortunately be unseen in their invisible nests. Greenfinches (1) and chaffinches (3) were as usual scarce here whilst goldfinches thrive (24), with most nesting unseen but others singing in groups in thickets.

Wild Garlic flowering under a riverbank tree. It will soon disappear completely and be replaced by summer flowering plants such as Cow Parsley and later Meadowsweet and Buttercups.

Starlings (c100) were today a constant sight flying over the river course, fly-catching. When it comes to feeding young, nothing can be better than fresh flies. At other times of the year starlings are not as numerous here, but spread out across the countryside. Three herring gulls were seen in the air, one magpie flew across and ten carrion crows were sighted here and there, some calling, then a single rook and two jackdaws, always on their way to some distant location.

Nuthatches (6) were very vocal today, seeing off unwanted intruders on their territories spread out along the river. Two pairs of jays were nesting in large trees, the nests hidden well but with a good view of the surrounding landscape.

A green woodpecker called and flew from an old tree not far from where two common whitethroats were seen amongst young trees, singing. A garden warbler was also heard singing in some willows.

Warblers are doing well -with twelve blackcaps which all seemed to arrive at once and settle down to sing and nest in their usual habitat. Chiffchaffs (11) were well established, all singing and moving very fast from branch to branch collecting food for young. 

Butterflies seen were 2 Brimstone, 3 Large Whites, 5 Orange-tips and 2 Peacocks.

but no Dragonflies.

The best is yet to come!

Signs of the Summer to come

After a welcome deluge on Friday 17th April - yes it's still April! - signs of summer followed with each new day, although the days remained cool with the prevailing wind from the east. Most of the river course was sheltered with the presence of moorhens noted on 18th together with several Red Admiral butterflies over the nettles and Orange-tips still numerous. On 20th there were more Red Admirals and Orange-tips, many very vocal chiffchaffs, a greenfinch, chaffinch and nuthatch amongst the greening trees.

An oak just in full leaf 19th April 2020

On 21st April, the first sighting for quite a while of two treecreepers, probably a pair, foraging carefully on the bark of a very old oak (not the one pictured) on the river bank - keeping to the sheltered south-facing surface where insects were most likely to emerge in the warmth. They made their way up very high then went on to other branches. Many other birds were in the same tree, including a loudly calling great tit.  Looking up, a common buzzard was seen being chased by a herring gull and a carrion crow.

On a sunny nettled bank, all within about three cubic meters of each other were two Red Admirals, settled on nettles and Dandelion, a Peacock butterfly also on dandelion, three Holly Blues, two chasing each other, high and low, an Orange-tip male and a Large White butterfly.

Another fine day followed on 22nd:

An afternoon check - still many Orange-tips, Large Whites , Speckled Woods and Holly Blues together with Peacock and Red Admiral and many bumblebees. Most birds were still singing including robin, goldfinches, common whitethroat, good views of several dunnock, blackbird, song thrush, blackcaps, chiffchaffs, a pair of collared doves, jay, carrion crow, a colony of house sparrows, nuthatch, two mallard males and two goldcrests.

The Peacock butterfly was easy overlooked as appeared from a distance to be a small stone on the path:

The Peacock butterfly has good camouflage - with closed wings it appears black, as a deep shadow in the sun. Here it was probably warming up using radiated heat from the path and the warmth of the sun on its almost black outer wing. 22nd April 2020.

Mid April with advanced fruit blossom and bullfinches

 Mid April 2020 - and on 16th  blossom was seen on all the fruit trees  but as usual the north facing trees were slightly less advanced. Hawthorn blossom was magnificent on sheltered banks, the rest waiting for May.

Hawthorn blossom on 16th April 2020, attracting insects.

The flowers appear after the plant comes into leaf.

Bees were so numerous and moving so fast from flower to flower that it was difficult to track them on the fruit blossom:

The noise of their humming was incredibly loud, there being no other source of sound apart from singing birds and buzzing from other insects on the riverside. There was still plenty of sunlight filtering through the still small leaves on most of the other trees along the banks with more Cuckooflower and Garlic Mustard plants flowering, attracting yet more Orange-tip and Brimstone butterflies.

The chiffchaffs were easily the loudest and most persistent birds present, but one pair was seen building a nest in a bush, each bringing in choice grasses whilst making small 'hweet' calls to keep in continuous contact with each other They cease to call loudly when nesting.

A male bullfinch was heard calling in a Willow for quite a while, it's bright plumage very obvious agains a background of Hawthorn blossom. The female was far less visible. 

Blackbirds, song thrushes, great spotted woodpecker, robins, dunnocks and wrens were all singing and a  kingfisher flew low along the steep banks around the meander.

In shadier parts the first Greater Stitchwort (Stellaria holostea) was flowering:

Fragile flowers with fine leaves and stems attract small insects, important but often overlooked

in woodland.

More Bright April Days 2020

Nearing the middle of April the verges and banks became even brighter with a fine display of plants essential to life - attracting the pollinators. Dandelions flowered together with Lesser Celandine, Blackthorn blossom covered the hedges with an even denser white whilst Willow catkins burst into life  and blossom was flowering on fruit trees - all attracting insects, amongst them the most colourful:

A Peacock Butterfly nectaring on one of the finest flowers for wildlife, the Dandelion.

12th April 2020

The importance of such common flowers cannot be overestimated. Later they would be joined by daisies forming dense carpets attracting a large diversity of insects including many species of bee.

On 12th, many common whitethroats were singing, together with blackcaps. A moorhen was busy in the river 'islands' of twigs and two song thrushes were singing too. A great spotted woodpecker and a green woodpecker were in the old trees whilst below them the Peacocks were not the only butterflies to be seen ranging along the banks. Speckled Wood butterflies were chasing Holly Blues over the river and up into the trees. Huge Bumblebees were flying low over the Dandelions, young nettles and wildflowers including dog Violet, Wild Garlic and just flowering Garlic Mustard, then up to the blossoming Blackthorn:

Blackthorn blossom like snow in the wind. Actually this 

is typical of a fine dense Blackthorn hedge which each year grows

new twigs,  chosen by the Brown Hairstreak butterfly to lay its eggs on in the autumn. The butterfly itself will be seen much later in the year.

This is a scarce butterfly which is being driven to near extinction by hedge trimming and 'tidying'.

Blackthorn is also chosen by blackcaps, whitethroats, other migrant warblers and the bullfinch as habitat during the summer, the thorns providing protection from predators.

Garlic Mustard:

A spring and summer wild flower, together with the Cuckooflower, is often overlooked but is an essential food plant of butterflies such as the Orange Tip and the Green-veined white.

Flowering Garlic Mustard - 

an important food plant of the Orange Tip butterfly usually grows in semi- shade in damp places.

The leaves are nettle-like but have a sharp garlic scent.

Stinging Nettles themselves are also a very important food plant for butterflies. 

Comma, Red-Admiral, Peacock and Small Tortoiseshell butterflies all use the Nettle as caterpillar food.

Butterflies lay their eggs under the tender young Nettle leaves which provide the ideal food for the caterpillars when they hatch.

April 'drought'

The first days of April 2020 continued dry and fine with increasingly clear, unpolluted air as 'Lockdown' continued too. The 2nd was more overcast with very slight drizzle but with the bonus of seeing a red kite flying over and a kestrel hunting. Herring gulls were active too.

On 4th Comma butterflies and Small Tortoiseshell were seen along the river banks. Blackbirds, singing robins and dunnock were also present together with numerous bees, and the first blossom was coming into bud one of the Crab Apple trees:

Each tree is a different variety, with blossom appearing at different times

Crab Apple Blossom - buds just opening on another tree.

The 6th April was another fine day, becoming dry. A loudly singing song thrush was visible on a bare treetop where it's voice travelled far. Several singing dunnocks were clearly visible too within the bare branches of young trees. Singing chiffchaffs were now becoming numerous, moving around in young trees not yet in leaf. Blue tits, great tits, house sparrows, goldfinches and wrens were present too with a female blackbird 'sunning' on the riverbank, reluctant to move. The muddy ground, under floodwater not so long ago, was now cracking up in the dry heat.

Nearby singing common whitethroats were heard for the first time this year amongst the smaller bushes, bramble and Willow.

The following day singing greenfinches and chaffinches were heard - quite rare here now.

An Orange Tip butterfly was ranging along the field verge.

The days became warmer and on 8th April a blackcap was in the wild field singing and a common buzzard was being chased by two carrion crows - this disturbance can happens at any time of the year but particularly during nesting in spring. 

Good Friday 10th April was fine again but with a fine mist which may well have been created by pollen in the air.

The first Speckled Wood butterfly was seen. These have a long flight time extending well into the autumn.

A Fine end to March 2020

The Survey for this month was done on Friday March 27th 2020 - yet another fine day after a long stretch of similar days but warmer with a breeze from the north and a clear blue sky. The river was flowing at a much lower level now but with the high water line still visible from the muddy vegetation along the banks, not yet covered by fresh spring growth.
As mentioned in the previous post, Wood Anemone (Anemone nemorosa) started to flower here this year on 22nd March - but by the 27th flowers formed carpets in some special places under the old Oaks and Ash trees where the sun filtered through the bare branches to warm the woodland floor. The flowers close quickly when in the shade. Unlike Lesser celandine, the Wood Anemone spreads out very slowly and is an indicator of Ancient Woodland where the ground has been undisturbed for hundreds of years with old oaks thriving with such plants as Wood Anemone growing at their roots.

Wood Anemone flowering in the sun at the base of an old oak

26th March 2020

With no background noise, birdsong prevailed and echoed along the water. Lesser Celandine, with no heavy rain to batter it down, now thrived amongst the new growth of Dandelions and the old Oaks were covered in brown leaf buds. As the air remained cool, with north-easterly winds prevailing, growth was not sudden but gradually became prolific with more flowers spreading out each day.

More Lesser Celandine, traditionally known as 'spring messenger'

continued to appear initially in small patches and this year gradually spread

out from day to day to cover large areas of verges and banks well

before any other wild plants could cover it. This patch was 

part of a whole sloping bank in dappled sun.

 By the 28th March the first substantial clumps of Cuckooflower were seen here on a sunny river bank:

The Cuckooflower (or Lady's-smock) has a greater significance as it is an important

food plant of the Orange Tip butterfly - the caterpillar's food. Its appearance is thought to predict the arrival of the cuckoo in mid-April  - however it's often seen earlier here in Sussex whereas the cuckoo itself becomes more rare.

House sparrows have been nesting now for some time but there were plenty still singing in the hedgerows (68) and together with goldfinches in the thickets. Some were seen 'fly catching' 

insects to take to the nest. Robins were also seen in good numbers, most singing loudly but with shorter, territorial songs (20). Five dunnocks were either in the undergrowth or sitting on fences singing. Wrens (14) seen were singing loudly, protecting their chosen nest locations, this spring higher up the banks than usual, under growing ivies and mosses, shunning the lower mud banks like the small mammals such as bank voles. After several years of lower water levels, the new generations have learnt from the recent floods. Moorhens too are more cautious and have been seen testing various nest sites and decided on locations well hidden in growth a safe distance from the water. like the one seen and heard today.

Blackbirds (14) are now singing - their welcome song becoming a major part of the early dawn chorus whilst others were today silently collecting food from the still-damp long grasses in the shade, the margins of ponds and muddy shallows in the river being the most popular sites. Song thrushes (4) were only giving very short snatches of song - their foraging taking up most time. Even magpies (2) were concentrating on finding food - but most were unseen, nesting. A single herring gull was calling in flight as were two jackdaws, whilst wood pigeons (18) continued as usual, sunbathing on branches, bathing in the shallows or calling from the canopy. A pair of collared doves, more nervous, were watching from their hide-out in some ivy  Four carrion crows were seen on the grass, foraging, whilst a jay flew fast across the field.

More starlings were visible than usual (53) about ten fly-catching over the riverside, whilst most were singing or 'rattling' from their day-roost in the sheltered sun or on the grass feeding on insects.

Goldfinches were more numerous too, with about 45 in several groups, some drying out and preening in a tree top easily seen after bathing in the shallows, others singing together with house sparrows (in separate groups) in the tall hedges and ivies.Blue tits were very active amongst the blossoming Blackthorn (20) and great tits (14) were ranging through low growth along the river, most singing loudly.  Long-tailed tits (5) however were very quiet, nesting in well-hidden sites amongst brambles.

A sparrowhawk flew through a gap in the trees where it usually ambushes pre-occupied birds - its prey often being a wood pigeon down on the bank. It may have to share with a red fox. One was seen later in the day prowling along the same bank.

Seven vocal nuthatches were seen and heard in various locations all along the river banks, most calling what could be understood as a threat for others to go away from their hard-won nest territory in the old oaks or old ash trees. At this time, the only migrant warblers present were chiffchaffs, (4) their calls unmistakable however. They were back in their usual summer territory amongst dense blossoming Blackthorn. Soon more will join them.

As soon as the sun warmed the ground, butterflies appeared, with numerous bumblebees and hoverflies. The butterflies seen were several Commas, two Small Tortoiseshell, Peacock and Holly Blue - in sheltered banks where young nettles are growing, with the Holly Blue ranging high and low over the river and bank-side thickets. (The Orange Tips were yet to come).