April 2013

Having experienced a beautifully mild day in February (see March Nature Notes), we have now experienced an Arctic blast in March (11th).  The closest I have experienced to the conditions on that day was 2 years ago on the island of Spizbergen in the Arctic.  However, it did not last long, and by Wednesday most of the snow had gone.  I was however, privileged to see a Barn Owl hunting by day on Wednesday, near to the road on the A26 between Uckfield and Lewes.  With the ground frozen by night, there is little chance of catching rodents which forces the owls to take to daytime hunting.  This is because the rodents themselves are forced to do the same.

Now in mid-March, we should be seeing the first butterflies and migrant birds; however, the best we have seen is snowdrops, crocuses and a few Daffodils.  Celandines are trying to appear, but progress is slow.  At least the days are getting longer, nothing can stop that.  On 21st March (the equinox) day will equal night over the whole planet.  After that, days will be longer than night in the northern hemisphere until September 21st (and converse in the southern hemisphere).

I am anticipating a warmer, dryer summer this year than last year; well it could not be much wetter.  An indication of how poor it was for nature is that honey bees made very little honey last year.  The insects had a very hard time, and consequently the insectivorous birds such as the migrants that visit Britain for our short term seasonal abundance of insects.  These include Blackcap, Whitethroat, Chiffchaff, Swallow, and Swift.  These will soon be arriving in Sussex to brighten our lives.

My pond is full of Frog spawn.  More than I have seen for many years.  There is more in West Park Nature Reserve, and I suspect many readers will have found more.  Toads too have been migrating back to their breeding ponds such as the one on Harland’s Farm.

Farmers (and others) are advised to do their winter hedge cutting by 6th March in order to avoid disturbing nesting birds.  Blackbirds are among the most vulnerable.  I was delighted to find a female Blackbird building her nest among the Ivy right next to our kitchen window.  She started on March 14th, which only goes to show how essential such guide-lines are.