Last Week of March.
I haven’t seen the large flocks of fieldfares and redwings which have often frequented areas of woodland in the Ashdown area that I drive past regularly; presumably they have departed on their journey to their summer breeding areas. Have become aware recently of bullfinches in a couple of areas; have their numbers increased or have I just been fortunate? A sighting of 13 firecrests was reported as being seen within just a ¼mile, near Cuckmere Haven on Sunday.
Good Friday. Helped by a number of volunteers, we gathered in the ponies from off their winter grazing area on Ditchling Common Country Park. The whole operation went well with the task being completed by early afternoon. Whilst ferrying the ponies over to Chailey Common, I noticed two brimstone butterflies on the wing.
The Force 10 storm (‘Katie’) which struck late Saturday evening/early Sunday caused widespread but limited damage. Gusts were reported of 106mph at The Needles and 81mph at Shoreham. Driving between pony herds on Sunday afternoon I noticed a number of trees down with one having brought down power cables at North Chailey. A lot of small woody debris and leaves laying along the roadsides generally. The level of the Ouse at Sheffield Park bridge was quite high after the heavy rainfall during the night. None of the three lots of electric fencing currently in use with our ponies were badly damaged but did require a little attention on the exposed sections up on the Downs.
A continual procession of storm clouds observed offshore in the afternoon moving up the Channel with some impressive mountainous peaks below which, squally shadows of rain could be seen falling.