Ice then Rain at the end of January

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

To find Nature Notes and Records for Wildlife - click on

Hills Farm Wildlife Conservation

Our first Meet for 2017 on 29th January was busy, clearing large amounts of  rubbish and litter which had accumulated over the festive season on verges in areas frequented by people in a hurry - cyclists and joggers in the main. The river was flowing too swiftly to see if anything needed retrieving - no trolleys or bicycles were visible. The rain held off through the morning when ponds were still iced over - a normal winter's day.

The river after rain on 30th January 2017. It has not overtopped its banks yet this winter.

Unlike last winter there are no signs of spring - nor should there be - yet.

The river carries mud from the fields miles upstream.

December Mists

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

To find Nature Notes and records for wildlife here - click on

Hills Farm Wildlife Conservation

Our last Meet for 2016 was on Sunday December 18th - a misty morning, dry but overcast. Work along the river today included hauling yet another trolley and another very heavy, rusty bicycle from the river under the high footbridge. 

 The previous day had been very foggy, remaining so all day, with no wind to clear it - but a very close sighting of a Little Egret brightened the day. Looking north along the river in the murk, nothing seemed to be moving - but turning to look south, I noticed that I was being observed by a little egret low on the river bank - it flew up close by, not hurrying. A moorhen was paddling around below whilst the egret flew a short distance to perch on a tree branch, watching out for small frogs or fish.

Elsewhere along the river banks, our resident birds and winter migrants were foraging for rapidly dwindling fruits and seeds, although less easily accessible fruits were still plentiful. 

Brambles provide food for wildlife all year round

The bounty of late summer and autumn continues into winter - dried blackberries are a good source of seed for many foraging birds when other food becomes scarce.

The Winter Wind from the North East continues

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

The cold wind had continued for several days bringing rapid changes to the riverside, ending the long unpredictable autumn. There was no frost on the day of our meet on 27th November 2016  but the wind was drying out the layers of fallen leaves after heavy rainfall the previous week. The river was running fast but the level had receded somewhat, enabling the removal of a trolley and scooter from the Arun under the bridge - only to reveal another trolley entangled with a bicycle underneath. That will be work for December's meet.

November frost on the scrape - winter arrives at last, and wildlife

seeks shelter and warmth in the short hours of the day.

Our Certificate from RHS Britain in Bloom, South and South East

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

To find Nature Notes and records for Wildlife here, click on

HILLS FARM WILDLIFE CONSERVATION

This autumn we were awarded a Certificate from the RHS Britain in Bloom, South and Southeast competition in the 'It's Your Neighbourhood category'. See photo of the certificate below.

Group members viewed the certificate at our meet on 30th October 2016 - fortunately it was not raining but remained overcast all day as the mild, slow autumn continued.

Autumn at the end of October

Below is the Certificate awarded to the Group this year for the efforts of the past 12 months:

We were awarded Level 5 Outstanding - the highest level 

Autumn Bounty for Riverside Wildlife

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

To find Nature Notes and records for wildlife here - click on

HILLS FARM WILDLIFE CONSERVATION

Our meet on Sunday 25th September 2016 started under cloudy skies after early rain, enough to increase the river level and flow for a short while but not enough to soak into the dry ground under the trees. The clouds soon moved off and it became very warm in the sun. Shade brambles were full of blackberries, larger than those produced by brambles exposed to the summer sun where berries quickly dried up. These were quickly pounced upon by blackbirds which could be detected working their way through the deep undergrowth inside bramble patches, rustling vegetation and giving quiet calls. Now, these autumn berries are providing food for many more creatures along the river, the sugars attracting insects, including late butterflies, small mammals and most birds. Seed-eaters are provided with a huge choice  and will leave seeding blackberries for later, when food is scarce, and the ground under snow. Then larger birds will land on and shake off snow covering brambles to reveal blackberries gone to seed - but still a good source of food, together with seeding Dock, left standing - a feast for goldfinches, linnets and many others searching the bare winter landscape.

LIFELINE

Recent years and months have seen a huge reduction in species-rich hedgerows that used to sustain many thousands of birds and small mammals in the surrounding countryside. Now we have a serious task in protecting existing habitat and creating more diversity in order to sustain wildlife. Replacing habitat, like for like, is scheduled to take place but will take time - meanwhile the river course, with its string of new drainage basins and ponds becomes a lifeline, literally, for all species of displaced and resident wildlife and can attract new species too.

Be watchful and vigilant...

The Height of Summer

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

To find Nature Notes and records for Wildlife here, click on

HILLS FARM WILDLIFE CONSERVATION

Our Group Meet was held yesterday - Sunday 21st August 2016 -  on an overcast morning which turned brighter in the afternoon. Torrential rain showers the day before brought much needed water to this years young plants  and for now we have escaped the task of watering them.

Birds which had been silent for several weeks are now starting to sing again, with robins trying out short songs in chosen territories along the river banks. They will be singing strongly by the time of our next meet on 25th September - and won't be singing alone.

Wild Honeysuckle climbing across the old post and rail fencing 

twining around itself to reach new heights and spread its scent

across the field on warm days and evenings.

Moths are attracted to it and pollinate the flowers so that birds such as bullfinches, thrushes and warblers can forage on the berries later on. Some butterfly larvae eat the leaves and long-tongued bees such as Bombus hortorum (Garden bumblebee) and Bombus pascuorum (Common Carder bee) feed on the nectar - thus the plant is beneficial to a good range of wildlife - including bats on warm evenings - prospecting for plentiful insect life.

A Fine Day for Wildlife

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

To find Nature Note and records for Wildlife, click on

Hills Farm Wildlife Conservation

Our meet on 31st July 2016 was a special day,  being fine and warm the whole day, with only a slight breeze. A spell of warm weather usually means more work for us in clearing rubbish left by a few fair-weather joggers and cyclists - and others who only dare to venture outdoors when the sun shines, unfamiliar with the Countryside Code!

However wild flowers were flourishing everywhere and although most birds were in moult, hiding silent and out of sight in the undergrowth, butterflies were now on the wing, with some dragonflies too.

The damp cloudy weather of the past two months had encouraged green plant growth but now a very good variety of wildflowers were forging ahead in the marshy floodplain areas and on the dry banks, providing sustenance for butterflies and bees.

 Common Fleabane (Pulicaria dysenterica) a good nectar source for at least 18 species of butterfly and is a target for many bees. Easily overlooked as 'just another daisy' the flowers have a unique shape and their dazzlingly bright yellow light attracts insects. The leaves are soft and downy - it's a plant of wet meadows, riversides and ditches. 

Here a bee is busy feeding, working its way around.