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.