The First Day of Spring - 20th March

OUR AIM IS TO PROTECT OUR NATURAL ENVIRONMENT AND THE HABITAT IT PROVIDES  FOR WILDLIFE  ALONG THE RIVER

Our meet was on 20th March 2016   'The First Day of Spring'

and the riverside landscape looked like more like the last day of winter with the cold, windy and overcast weather continuing.

The riverside sounds, on the other hand, were definitely springlike, with quite a 'fall' of spring migrant Chiffchaffs now singing their unmistakable song from the trees, in competition with the loud song of resident robins and wrens.

Areas under the trees were populated by numerous blackbirds, a few song thrushes and a mistle thrush foraging as here the ground was still damp although the cold wind was fast drying out the earth in less sheltered places.

Nesting is now well underway along the riverside for some birds with others prospecting for nest sites. 

The scheduled work has been carried out on trees and hedgerows for the summer, and for ever on the remaining development site, we have been assured, leaving birds to nest undisturbed throughout the spring and summer. 

Hills Farm Wildlife Conservation - click here to see The Wildlife Reports for our area. 

A young Hornbeam planted by the group, doing well, keeping its old leaves well into spring

when the new buds will burst into green leaf.

Photo taken on 20th March 2016

The Hornbeam (Carpinus betulus) keeps its leaves all year and provides continuous and valuable roosting and nesting shelter for small birds. In the autumn its seeds provide food for birds and

small mammals of the riverside as well. Note that the undergrowth is used all year too, forming part of the riverside wildlife habitat.