A Riverside Feast awaits our Winter Migrant Birds

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

Our September Meet was held on Sunday 25th September 2022 with the distinct chill of early autumn in the air but bright sunlight without autumn mists encouraging birds to perch and warm up in the riverbank trees shining with the high-climbing rose hips of Rosa canina. The grasses and wild plants were green again with hundreds of acorns on and under the Oaks. The river was now flowing well and clear after the rain and wrens were singing. A single juvenile Grey Heron had been seen a couple of days before standing quite still in the river here concentrating on observing sources of aquatic food.  The most noticeable voices were those of the Nuthatches which never move far away from their nest locations from year to year and are usually the first birds, with the robins, to start protecting their chosen territories, calling loudly. Having several easily distinguished calls which carry far in the woodland there is no need to ambush or fight. This is left to the Magpies, Jays and other crows.

The rain after the heatwaves had arrived just in time to refresh the area, with many fruits benefitting from the successive  deluges. Having a bountiful spring for blossom this year it was feared that fruits and berries would just dry out and drop from the trees when the heatwaves struck but the cooler Oak and Field Maple shaded areas of the riverside walk and formed a valley which did not dry out at all.

This is a Crab Apple Tree (Malus) planted about 10 years ago (2012)

below the embankment of a new bridge. It has always 

held fruits which turn bright red in the winter attracting migrant birds

 such as Redwing and Fieldfare which spot it easily on their stop-go flight from the coast, feeding along the rich riverside hedgerows on berries and fruits. Blackbirds and Song Thrushes both resident and migrant also take their chosen fruits and finish off the remainders throughout the winter months.

The fruits become more palatable when very ripe and are often the last to be eaten.

Riverside refreshed - our August Meet

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

Our August 2022 Meet was on 21st, brought forward to avoid the Late Summer Bank Holiday. There had been another 'heatwave' starting on 10th August with an orange tinge to the atmosphere during the following  days, ending with very welcome rain on 16th. The riverside immediately sprang to life with wrens singing and many other birds suddenly becoming active along the banks and over rising water, now flowing faster. The rivers had not run dry at all but levels were low. Mud and aquatic vegetation had remained an attraction for birds and small mammals throughout the heat but meadow flowers and grasses away from the river had dried to form hay, populated with crowds of small grasshoppers, grass moths and other insects. There were no baked bare earth areas however. When it rained, the water soaked into the dry vegetation - no 'flash floods here - and green shoots appeared within a few days. Suddenly clumps of bright green leaves appeared followed by the brilliant yellow flowers of Fleabane:

This very fresh clump had only appeared after the rain, replacing other Fleabane plants which had been flowering when the August heatwave struck. The leaves had dried and the flowers had turned dark brown whereas normally after flowering seed heads form. Hopefully. the late summer plants will produce seeds.

These new flowers are attracting insects, including late summer butterflies.

The excessive heat followed by rain meant that the riverside was not overburdened with the results of picnics and groups of runners. The playing-field area was exceptionally free of litter having been used for sports training by responsible youngsters and their parents during the holidays.