News from Blean Woods

Despite the ongoing problems with coppice contractors, we eventually got all of the important areas cut, although this did mean the work carried on through April, when we would normally leave the wood to the birds.  This in turn meant that our winter tree planting did not really get under way until well into April, so that by the time the work was completed in mid-May we were having to devote a lot of time to watering them in.  Fortunately, as you will be well aware, we have since had one deluge after another, so that should have solved the problem for the trees, if not for wildlife – what will the impact of 73 mm (2.9 inches) of rain on 25-26 May be on birds that were frantically attempting to find enough food for their insatiable broods?

The generally cool spring meant that most migrants were late or slow in arriving, and most noticeable this year is the dearth of nightingales, not helped by the fact that a high proportion of them have chosen to nest in young coppice at the western end of the wood, well away from all the visitor trails.  I haven’t analysed the survey maps yet, but it looks as though most monitored species have been present in reduced numbers, with nuthatch particularly disappointing – only four territories compared to 18-21 that were the norm in the early 1990s. 

                                        Nuthatch & Coal tit                    M. Howes

Nightingales, tree creepers, blackcaps, willow warblers, bullfinch, marsh tit and tree pipit all appear to be scarcer than usual, but fortunately nightjar numbers are fairly stable, with at least five males, which have displayed brilliantly to everyone on all the guided walks we have run this spring.  Only the whitethroat appears to be commoner than usual. 

We don’t tend to record much in the way of passage birds at Blean, but interesting records this spring have included red kite, honey buzzard, hobby, sedge warbler and golden oriole.  The oriole was in a lovely area of mixed coppice and mature oak-wood, where I have recorded them before, but this male was not heard subsequently and it has to be assumed that he moved on.  During the 1970s and 1980s a small population of golden orioles regularly bred in the complex of extensive woodlands around Canterbury, but the tradition died out, never to be revived, which is a great shame, as the fluty call of this exotic species is so delightfully musical. 

The secretive hawfinch used to breed annually in low numbers, but died out six years ago, and a single record in June was the first for two years.  Also in June, a record of at least two siskins in conifers was intriguing, as it indicates that this species, which is normally a winter visitor in Kent, may have bred locally, if not actually on the reserve. 

Another conifer specialist, the crossbill, was recorded twice in June;  since most of the reserve’s conifers have now either been felled or were blown down in the 1987 storm, there isn’t a great deal to attract them into our neck of the woods any more.

Not surprisingly, butterflies have been hard to come by in this dismal spring, though my first heath fritillary appeared on the unexpectedly early date of 31 May, but since then the weather has generally been poor, and they really do need plenty of warm sunshine to entice them out.  My initial optimism has therefore been replaced by a dawning realisation that this year is likely to be a poor one for this special butterfly, contrasting markedly with last year’s bumper season.  What a difference twelve months can make!