Spring Blossoms on the Riverside

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

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Hills Farm Wildlife Conservation

Today, 26th March 2017,  was the first day of British Summer Time - a fine spring day after a cold start.

Conditions on our Meet were very good for a change and the dull winter landscape lit up by profuse Blackthorn blossom, which was quite scarce this time last year.

An avalanche of Blackthorn blossom spills over the river bank, attracting a diverse range of early insects and foraging birds, some now busy nesting.

Today was the first day that butterflies were seen in numbers, with Peacock butterflies most numerous, warming up in the sun on the sheltered river bank with Small Tortoiseshell butterflies, near the prime butterfly caterpillar habitat - young nettles - where they will choose to lay their eggs.

It was good too to see clumps of Cuckoo flower (Ladies Smock) on the bank and - with more butterflies - in the wild field. We'll be watching out for Orange Tip butterflies later as their caterpillars need Cuckoo flower plants.

Green Woodpeckers were 'yaffling' loudly whilst we worked, both in the north area and the south, two different territories they occupy.