Marching On Slowly

Another week of unremarkable cloudiness came and went as we stumbled to the sping equinox yesterday. 

Despite this, I managed three walks to my patch this week, keeping my eyes peeled for any signs of wildlife gearing up for spring. These sweet violets Viola odorata at the entrance to the central bridleway north of the A40 (probably a garden escape from somewhere in Eynsham), certainly expressed some subtle early spring joy.

Sweet violets in bloom under a hedgerow

Cow parsley Anthriscus sylvestris was also making its presence known along the bridleway hedgerow too, with its rapid spring growth spurt now in full flow. I even found one plant with some early emerging flowers. 

Cow parsley beginning to flower

I was delighted to hear my first singing chiffchaff Phylloscopus collybita of the year on 17 March in Eynsham Wood, albeit slightly later than I might have expected. I did catch a glimpse of the bird although it was quite restless and didn't ever settle for a photograph. Interestingly I haven't heard a chiffchaff on either of my subsequent two visits, so I wonder whether this individual was just a passage migrant making its way further north. This morning (21 March), we were also lucky to have a chiffchaff pass through our garden, initially making its 'hoeet' call, followed by a very short rendition of its song before moving on. It was a nice reminder that migrants can often be seen from the comfort of your home if you are lucky enough to look out of the window at the right time!

The arrival of chiffchaffs has coincided with the departure of the winter thrushes, with neither redwing Turdus iliacus nor fieldfare Turdus pilaris being seen for the past week, presumably now embarking on their long journey back to their breeding grounds. 

On all three visits to Eynsham Wood this week I heard the distinctively sombre sound of calling bullfinch Pyrrhula pyrrhula, although as always, this shy species rarely makes a clear visual appearance, preferring the cover of the dense scrub as this female did. 

Female bullfinch in dense scrub

In spite of the cool, drab conditions, great tit Parus major and song thrush Turdus philomelos were in full song; the latter always being a welcome sound considering their long-term decline. This great tit below appeared somewhat curious of me as I walked through the grassy rides of the woodland. 

Great tit in Eynsham Wood

Yesterday's (20 March) walk also brought two new patch bird species for the year: goldcrest Regulus regulus and canada goose Branta canadensis. The former was incidentally seen on two occasions on the same visit; along the central bridleway hedgerow, and in an ivy-covered oak on the boundary of Eynsham wood. The latter consisted of a single individual goose flying south over Field 5 towards Eynsham.

As the past weeks have gone on, a small cluster of cherry plum Prunus cerasifera trees in the hedgerow at the western boundary of Field 5 have been developing a majestic blossom display, standing somewhat proudly in the context of the other hedgerow species around it, which are still a few weeks from displaying their own blossom. A few bumblebees were making the most of the early nectar and will no doubt welcome the arrival of hawthorn and blackthorn blossom later in the spring. 

Cherry plum blossom in an arable field hedgerow

 

Our garden wildlife is beginning to kick into gear now too, with a blue tit Cyanistes caeruleus female bringing the first clumps of moss into the nestbox on our ash tree today (21 March), after weeks of almost obsessive inspections (usually multiple times a day!) by both male and female. Hopefully this spring they will be able to raise a brood of chicks after they got booted out by a pair of house sparrows Passer domesticus last year (who subsequently lost interest in the nestbox themselves!). 

I look forward to sharing more photos of the progressing season in the coming weeks. Now, onto that census...