Derek T reported seeing a male Sparrowhawk in his garden this week. Rather than the usual rapid dash through the garden, on this occasion the bird stayed around for five minutes, apparently searching for prey on the ground in a flower border, although after the bird flew Derek could see no sign of any prey items there.
A large flock of more than 30 Pied Wagtail was spotted by John T on the Perse playing fields earlier this week - and one conveniently posed briefly for a photo on a bench. David F also spotted the flock, and commented that he had never seen so many together.
There was an unusually bold and inquisitive visitor to Andy M's garden yesterday afternoon - a Muntjac deer. It came into the garden around four o'clock, and spent some time exploring the nooks and crannies around the edge of the garden, before coming up to the house - as bold as brass! Eventually it got spooked by something, and retreated to the trees at the end of the garden. Andy knows he gets an occasional visit from Muntjac at night, due to the nibbled 'evidence' the following morning, but had never seen one visit in daylight before.
Andy M had a Jay in his garden today - a regular visitor recently - busily collecting acorns from under the oak trees and flying off to stash them in preparation for the winter ahead.
Monday, 12th October 2020
Winter visitor birds are starting to arrive in the Abingtons. Migrating to the UK from their breeding areas in northern Europe, the recent northerly winds have resulted in large numbers of 'winter visitor' birds arriving in the UK over the last few days.
Both species of 'winter thrush' - Redwing and Fieldfare - were spotted flying over the Old Railway Cutting and Lewis Crescent today, by Andy M. Photos of both species below, were taken from the very useful 'How to Identify' article on the Woodland Trust website (link here).
Last year, the first Redwing were seen on 9th, and the first Fieldfare on 31st October.
If you spot any winter-visitor birds, or indeed any other interesting birds in the parishes, please let Derek T know in the usual way.
Andy M grew some sunflowers in his garden this year, leaving the largest of them in the ground intending that the Goldfinch might benefit from the seed during the autumn - or so he thought! The Goldfinch, it turns out, prefer the 'ready to eat' takeaway seed from the bird feeders!
However, a Grey Squirrel spotted the opportunity and moved in.
It seems the technique was to hang upside down to chew off chunks of sunflower head, then revert to upright to eat! - and repeat! The sunflower head seemingly put up something of a fight at one stage, and things got quite violent - but by the end the squirrel was full, and the sunflower was a tattered mess!
A few days ago, John T saw this magnificent female Sparrowhawk on a tree close to his house, giving him the opportunity to take this fabulous photo.
John noted that Sparrowhawk regularly visit his garden, often hoping to take a small bird or two from the garden feeders - all part of the rich ecosystem that can develop in and around our gardens.
September 2020
Amphibians and Reptiles
Occasional sightings early in the month, of both Common Frog and Common
Toad amongst damp leaves in two gardens. An adult Smooth Newt was
seen in a pond early in the month, and on the 16th a Grass Snake
was observed swimming across the river after a period of very warm weather.
With autumn now upon us, further sightings of amphibians and reptiles are
unlikely until next spring.
Abington NatureWatch would like to thank Anne for all her support and
enthusiasm, interesting sightings, and for collating and reporting ‘Amphibs’ for
NatureWatch. We wish Anne, Ross and
family all the best for the future as they prepare to move to Scotland.
Birds
Harrier – female, either
Hen Harrier or Montagu’s Harrier, seen hunting over stubble field
near Abington Park Farm – largely ginger-brown with clearly visible
pale ‘rump’, long tail and long narrow pointed wings. Uncertain of exact
species, but either would be very unusual for Abington.
Common Sandpiper – single
migrant bird continued to be seen early in the month, feeding around GP lake.
Warblers - Reed
Warbler – single bird seen in undergrowth along river (1st). Common
Whitethroat – one feeding in hedgerow along ORC (10th). Chiffchaff
– heard singing in the sun near Church Lane (9th), and two reports
from along ORC (10th).
Kingfisher – single
bird flying downstream along river by Millennium Bridge (10th).
Little Egret – two
reports, both along river near Millennium Bridge. Grey Heron – second
winter juvenile bird near pond in Cambridge Road garden, and a single bird
‘resting’ in field on LSA.
Grey Wagtail – four
reports, two from along the river by the recreation ground, one seen on the
LSA, and one around a garden pond on Bourn Bridge Road. Pied Wagtail –
three birds feeding on cricket field, in amongst a Jackdaw flock.
Bullfinch – two birds
feeding in hedgerow and calling quietly along ORC (10th). Goldfinch – 10-14 reported regularly
on garden feeders in both LA and GA. Greenfinch – very few reports, occasional
bird on feeders in Bourn Bridge Road and GA. Similarly, Chaffinch – just
one report of a single bird under a feeder in GA.
Great Tit, Blue
Tit - family flocks regularly around garden feeders, as well as along ORC.
Small groups of Long-tailed Tit also along ORC.
Linnet – small flock (15-20)
on rough ground on GP. Skylark – a few birds seen feeding in fields near
Abington Park Farm. Goldcrest – heard feeding on conifers along Chalky
Road.
House Sparrow – colony of
around 20 birds on Lewis Crescent more active this month, collecting grit and
visiting feeders. Robin – regularly heard singing.
Great Spotted
Woodpecker
– single bird heard alarm-calling from trees behind Lewis Crescent on several
occasions. Green Woodpecker – several reports from LSA.
Jay – single bird
regularly in last week, collecting acorns from under trees behind Lewis
Crescent. Rook and Magpie also
seen collecting acorns, but ‘picking’ them straight from the trees.
Red Kite – one seen
soaring above LA, and two reports from LSA. Buzzard – one hunting low
over field behind Cambridge Road, three soaring above Bourn Bridge Road, likely
one adult and two young, and several reports of single birds above LSA.
Kestrel – hunting
from ‘lookout’ tree perches on Cambridge Road, and two other reports from GA
and LSA. Sparrowhawk – female hunting over rough meadow on GP, also a
female hunting around feeders on Cambridge Road, as well as two other reports.
Tawny Owl – several
reports of hooting birds in LA, from oak trees behind Lewis Crescent, and from
sites on the LSA throughout the month.
Butterflies,
Bees and other insects
September
was also a disappointing month for invertebrates, especially butterflies, with
only 67 reports in total. The weather
was again very variable with few warm days, a few very cold days and nights and
a great deal of rain and strong winds
The reports are from within the boundaries of Great and Little Abington parishes, including a few from Granta Park. Note that the numbers given below are the number of reports of a species (not the number of butterflies).
Butterflies (12 species,
51 reports). Butterfly reports for July
were dominated by Small White and Red Admiral, also Speckled
Wood but mainly from one site. Two
sightings of the rare Clouded Yellow on Granta Park, and one sighting of
Painted Lady.
|
Butterfly
species |
Reports |
Butterfly
species |
Reports |
|
Small White |
13 |
Peacock |
2 |
|
Red Admiral |
11 |
Green-veined White |
2 |
|
Speckled Wood |
7 |
Comma |
1 |
|
Brimstone |
7 |
Small Heath |
1 |
|
Small Copper |
3 |
Painted Lady |
1 |
|
Large White |
2 |
Clouded Yellow |
2 |
Small Whites
have been reported in very large numbers in Cambridgeshire as a whole this year,
likely to have been due to the exceptionally warm spring weather.
Butterfly Conservation
Cambridgeshire have reported a butterfly new to the county – the Small Blue
– with colonies on Magog Down and Trumpington Meadows. This is good news, so if you are walking
to either of those sites next year, look out for them.
Bees (7 reports);
Moths (4 reports – all Hummingbird Hawkmoth); Ladybirds (1
report),
Dragonflies (4 reports,
including the unusual Willow Emerald damselfly on Granta Park).
Mammals
Bat – several
bats were still flying regularly around a Bourn Bridge Road garden during the
month and also in Cambridge Road.
Field vole - a
continued presence in a Cambridge Road garden.
Grey Squirrel – a
continued presence in a Cambridge Road garden and also in Bourn Bridge Road.
Hare – two hares
were seen on 5th in LSA.
Hedgehog – Droppings
only were spotted on a lawn in Meadow Walk
Muntjac - one seen regularly in Cambridge Road.
Flora & Fungi
Flora - no sightings reported this month. Prolific berries on many hedgerow
species.
Fungi - Giant Puffball, Field Mushroom, Shaggy Parasol,
Bracket Oyster, Earthball
Rivercare
River level remains low, even after the September rain. After the disappointing river sampling
results in August, a further sampling will be organised in October to check the
fauna before winter.
Weather
The rainfall for September
was only 39.5 mm, with most of this falling in the last week of the month. The
highest temperature was 34.8 C on the 15th, the lowest temp being
3.9 C on the 12th, with overall temperatures being about average for
the time of year.
Abbreviations:
GA – Great Abington, LA – Little Abington, LSA – Land Settlement Association,
GP – Granta Park, ORC – Old Railway Cutting.
