A New beginning in March 2021

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

Our meet for March 2021 was held on Sunday 28th working  according to the Covid-19 instructions for the first easing of Lockdown which began on 8th March. Before this date group members had not been idle however, using the opportunities during exercise walks to clear litter along the riverside walk. Group members on this meet were joined by several new helpers, colleagues of one of our regular group members who helped to make distanced light work of planting 30 donated hedging (Hazel and Hawthorn) trees along the riverside where they were needed to fill gaps, whilst most of our regular group continued with litter collection, working singly distanced across the whole area.

This flowering Cuckooflower plant ( Cardamine pratensis ) was seen on the damp river bank during our meet on 28th March. It is the food plant of the Orange tip butterfly which should be appearing soon, ranging across the banks, one of the first butterflies of spring.

2021 and another Lockdown on the Riverside

 January 6th 2021 and another Lockdown. This meant that our January Meet, scheduled for Sunday 31st was postponed, meanwhile the group were permitted by HDC to carry out litter collection whilst out on individual exercise walks - and what a difference this made to the landscape! The weather was cold, with the ENE wind dominating and temperatures down to 3 degrees C. 

See Hills Farm Wildlife Conservation for the full survey for 31st January 2021.

Later in the month it became warmer with rain.

Long awaited by wildlife, Ivy berries eventually ripened, attracting numerous bird species:

Often overlooked by humans as dark and unattractive, they are instantly visible to birds once ripe and provide food just as other berries are becoming scarce. The flowers had been attracting butterflies in the autumn, especially Red Admirals but also many other insects which in turn provided food for birds before frosts and snow arrived.

Never underestimate the value of Ivy to wildlife throughout the year.

February 2021 - and the Lockdown continued, with group members busy on exercise walks as before, even in the snow- flurries that arrived during the second week. It felt too cold for snow and the wind just blew away any that had settled. The NE wind gave way to SW winds and warmer weather later in the month, bringing a welcome hint of spring before temperatures fell again, 

Our February Meet scheduled for Sunday 28th was again postponed as the restrictions were unchanged.

A sure sign of spring is always the appearance of Lesser Celandine flowers bursting through last years fallen leaves and dry grasses at the first sign of sunlight bringing warmth to the ground:

Lesser Celandine on the river bank 24th February 2021

Our Meet on 28th March 2021 will go ahead according to the first step of the un-lockdown - which commenced on 8th March 2021 please see NEXT MEET.

Song thrushes in the Holly

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

Our December Meet

This was held last Sunday 20th.   Following Tier 2 protocol, work was light today as weather, new security fencing and preparations for Christmas had reduced the amounts of rubbish encountered along the muddy route. Conditions for wildlife were good however.  The weather was not cold but there were some heavy showers, with no shelter for humans now that most of the trees are bare. The river was running high and fast,  with several robins singing. Song thrushes have been singing too in recent days with some loud bursts of short song today. They are not choosing prominent perches but prefer to stay hidden amongst evergreens in the hedges. Hollies are perfect and still retain some less accessible berries.

Holly and a blue sky.

These berries were on a single long branch more difficult to reach for thrushes but will be taken by small 

birds later. Fieldfare and redwing are present but not in large numbers.

November ends with a winter migrant from the south

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

 Our meet on 29th November 2020 took place with activities reduced according to Lockdown 2 rules  - not really a meet or a gathering but each person working on their own task.

The weather was cloudy and cool with no wind, dry but very damp and muddy underfoot. The river was running well with levels back to normal after high levels two weeks before when there was water out of bank in places on 15th November.

The winter migrant was a Little Egret which did not have far to fly, coming from the south coast. There are usually two or three which make their way north when the weather turns cold and frosty on the wetlands near the south coast. Foraging is easier along the warm inland stretches of the river with mature trees and high banks providing protection. (see summary for November on Hills Farm Wildlife Conservation ).

Earlier in the month the bright pink of the fruits of the Spindle tree began to brighten the banks.

The robins have already established their territories - usually one robin to one spindle tree or perhaps a pair. The trees are closely guarded until no fruits remain.

October Hail and Rain

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

Our October Meet

 Sunday 25th October 2020 was a typical autumn day with very fast-changing conditions. At dawn it seemed that the rain would last all day, after all, British Summertime had vanished under the clouds. A quick change before our meet was due to start saw the clouds receding fast on the horizon, with birds starting to sing and a Great Spotted Woodpecker calling loudly from an Ash tree -  but as we dispersed to various locations along the river, the light went and hail dropped from the Oaks, battering leaves and acorns not yet fallen, Trying to shelter was impossible, the heavy hail crashing through. It became icy cold too.

After the hail: the river was speeding up with twig islands popular with bathing birds now invisible

and water carrying some silt from upstream obscuring interesting features of the river bed, tangled branches and roots and maybe one or two bicycles.

25th October 2020.

Dense undergrowth protected small mammals and birds during the short hailstorm with undergrowth shelter added to by a profusion of fallen mossy twigs  from trees during the strong gales of the previous night.

Raining Acorns - Our September 27th 2020 Meet

 THE HILLS FARM CONSERVATION GROUP NEWS for OUR MEET on SEPTEMBER 27th

can be found on  HILLS FARM WILDLIFE CONSERVATION just for this date.

back to normal for OCTOBER!

Next meet is on Sunday 25th October 2020

August 2020 - The Weather breaks up at last.

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 meet on Sunday 23rd August 2020 was the first since 'Lockdown' when we did not find excessive amounts of litter and rubbish left by picnics and 'antisocial gatherings' of people unused to life in the outdoor world. Nevertheless we had to hold an 'emergency' clear up earlier in August when piles of litter had been left in one area.and more litter scattered along the paths. Fortunately there were no discarded boxes of chicken and chips!

Large numbers of butterflies were seen throughout the month, dodging the rain showers and clouds and birds welcomed each successive shower dampening their foraging territories.

Speckled Wood butterfly on brambles. 

They can often be found flying in cloudy conditions and prefer dappled shade under trees. Their flying time over the year is longer than most other butterflies - they can still be seen when the hours of daylight are diminishing in the autumn.

Note - our next meet is on Sunday 27th September