The short-lived Storm Katie rushed through on the night of Sunday 27th March 2016, leaving the riverside flooded and one tall Poplar tree flat on the ground. The true river-bed is much wider than the steep-sided meandering channel which people usually see as the river - and traditionally, when heavy rainfall saturates the ground, the narrow river quickly fills with rushing water and overflows its banks, spreading out onto and filling the real river bed, as it should.
The water receded on Monday after rushing over our new planting but no harm was done.
Birds were singing as usual, with chiffchaffs dominating and several song thrushes were heard.
Very loud yaffling came from a green woodpecker on the partially flooded wild field and a buzzard was seen flying low over and amongst the trees, harassed by a crow for a short while - but the crow soon gave up.
The river in flood Monday 28th March 2016 - normally it is a narrow but deep stream.
The following day the water had receded but was still running fast and muddy. Chaffinches were calling and singing, more numerous than usual, competing with the newcomers, the chiffchaffs, then loud calls from two buzzards were heard. Looking up they were seen following each other, circling over the river course and the wild field in hazy sunlight. Suddenly a small dark shadow moved low across the grass on the bank and settled on a Lesser Celandine flower. It was a Peacock butterfly, clearly hungry as it stayed for some time nectaring on the flowers, now carpeting the verge - a sign that spring is definitely here.
Monday 28th March 2016, the river fills its natural river bed,
with storm winds blowing against the flow.
The usual river course is in the background to the right.
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