April 2021
Amphibians and Reptiles
Smooth
Newt – only one report in a pond in LA.
Frog and Toad spawn does not seem to have appeared, tallying with
observations from further afield. The question is will they still spawn but
much later or not at all?
Birds
An
interesting ‘transition month’ with the last remaining ‘winter visitors’ still
being seen, along with a few more exciting migrants, and the returning ‘summer
visitors’, although prolonged spells of cold northerly winds for much of the
month may be holding some species back. A total of 60 species were reported, in
a total of 591 sightings this month.
Common
Redstart – single female feeding along ORC on 11-12th,
characteristically dropping on insects on the ground from a perch in the hedge.
Also a migrant travelling to breed in the north and west of UK. An uncommon bird generally in the south, and
a first report for the Abingtons.
Short-eared
Owl – single bird hunting along Roman Road on 26th.
Rarely seen in the Abingtons (last one was in Sep2015), but small numbers
overwinter in Cambs, migrating north in the spring.
Ring
Ouzel – single bird with a flock of Mistle Thrush
on recreation ground on 29th. Another unusual sighting in the Abingtons (seen
only once or twice in the last 20 years), and generally uncommon in east England,
and en route to its more northern breeding grounds.
Raven
– single report of a bird flying over Granta Park
on 11th.
Winter visitors: in much smaller numbers
now. Siskin – a few reports of 1-4 on feeders, and Lesser Redpoll –
only two reports of 2-3 birds, both species last seen on 11th. Brambling –
a single bird drinking from a birdbath in a BBRd garden report, quite late in
the year on 20th. No reports of Fieldfare or Redwing.
Summer visitors: Swallow – first seen on
2nd above High St, LA, then several sightings on GP, ORC and birds returning to
nest sites on LSA. House Martin – only one report of a single bird
flying over on 5th. None around local nest sites yet. No reports of Swift
in April.
Warblers: Common Whitethroat – several singing
along Roman Road (first on 22nd), and Lesser Whitethroat – 2-3 singing
along ORC from 30th. Chiffchaff and Blackcap – regular reports (12-14) of singing
males, throughout the month and at
a number of locations.
Mistle Thrush – several reports, some apparently passing through, but also seen
collecting food presumably for sitting females or young, on the recreation ground
and around Church Lane. Song Thrush
– several reports, singing and collecting food. Blackbird – several fledged
young seen from 8th, and fledged Robin (11th) and Dunnock (24th) also
reported.
Nuthatch
– pair seen near recreation ground. Treecreeper – pair reported
nesting, but have since abandoned. Great Spotted Woodpecker – 1-2 still regularly
visiting some gardens, and Green Woodpecker – 1-2 on GP, where a pair is
known to be nesting, and two reports of 1-3 on Cambridge Road and on LSA. Stock
Dove – 2-4 reported regularly in some gardens and GP.
Corn
Bunting – seen once on LSA. Reed Bunting – in reedbeds on GP, and
a few still under feeders in Lewis Crescent. Yellowhammer – singing male
on LSA, Linnet – 1-2 occasionally on LSA and ORC, and Skylark heard
above fields on LSA, ORC and Pampisford Rd.
Pied
Wagtail – regular reports of small numbers, mostly feeding
in fields around the villages.
Coal
Tit, Long-tailed Tit, Goldcrest, Wren, Jay
– small numbers, and only occasionally at a few locations. Small groups of Goldfinch, Greenfinch
and Chaffinch still around feeders.
Mute
Swan pair, Canada Goose and Greylag reported
on GP lake, alongside a few Mallard and Moorhen. Grey Heron – two
reports, on GP and Cambridge Rd.
Buzzard – regularly 2-4 high above village, often mobbed by corvids. Red Kite – six reports, with three seen above the allotments on one occasion. Kestrel – usually of single bird, along ORC, and Sparrowhawk – three reports, including display flights above GP, and Lewis Crescent.
April
has been an unusual month for invertebrates this year with only 138 reports.
(Last year 2020, with very warm April, 422 reports). The month has been very
cold with frosts almost every night and very little rain. All these reports are
from within the boundaries of Great and Little Abington, but exclude Granta
Park. Note that the numbers shown below are the number of reports of sightings,
not the numbers of butterflies or other insects seen.
Butterflies
(95 reports):
Brimstone, 30; Orange Tip, 26 – first on 12th, but numbers low
for April; Peacock, 15;
Small White, 7; Green-veined White, 6; Comma, 4; Small Tortoiseshell,
4; Holly Blue, 2;
Large White, 1.
Bees (38 reports):
Buff-tailed Bumblebee, 8; , White-tailed
Bumblebee, 1; Red-tailed Bumblebee, 1; Tree Bumblebee, 2; Unknown
Bumblebee, 1;
Honey Bee, 5; Tawny Mining Bee, 3; Hairy-legged
Flower Bee, 2; Common Carder Bee, 1; Solitary Bee, 1.
Bee-fly, 10 reports – more being seen. Seven-spot Ladybird, 3; Hoverfly, 1; Rosemary Beetle, 1.
Mammals
Bat – small number reported over a
Cambridge Road garden on 20th.
Fallow Deer – over 30 seen in field south of ORC.
Muntjac – one seen on GP, and several spotted along the ORC.
Flora and Fungi
Cowslip
flowering in abundance around the village, and especially on Granta Park. Dog’s
Mercury and Ground Ivy continued to flower well, as did Celandine.
Blackthorn flowers appeared in the first week, then abundant for the remainder
of the month. Sweet Violet, both white and purple forms early on, as
were Celandine. Common Storksbill, Daisy and White-dead
Nettle throughout, and Garlic Mustard appearing later in the month.
The river is still looking good after getting a good amount of rain earlier in the year. We are once again doing our monthly litter-pick along the public section of the river by the cricket and recreation grounds, and keeping an eye on it in Sluice Wood.
A small group did the first sampling of the year on 27 April. There was a good flow and there is now weed once again at the ford. Water quality, as usual, was high in nitrate and low in phosphate. We did not find many fly larvae, perhaps due to the cold weather and faster flow, but there were some very small Olive Mayfly, as well as a few shrimp. We did, however, spot fish (probably trout) rising under the bridge and caught a Stone Loach and a small Brown Trout.
Weather
April was an exceptionally dry and cold month, with only 4mm of rain and a lowest temperature of minus 4.7 degrees C on the 17th April, and a high of 21.5 degrees C on the 19th. There were a total of 16 frosty mornings over the month, and the general daytime temperatures were below 'normal'. For the whole of the month the winds have been in a northerly or easterly direction.
Barry Brookes, Peter Brunning, Lois Bull, David Farrant, Gaynor Farrant, Robin Harman, Jennifer Hirsh, Carole McCrae, Len Mead, Andy Merryweather, Freda Orgee, Brian Parris, Gareth Rees, Marion Rusted, Gill Smith, Jez Smith, Maggie Turner, Derek Turnidge, Diana Wingfield.
Amphibians & Reptiles Gaynor Farrant gaynorfarrant198@btinternet.com
Birds: Derek Turnidge derek@turnidges.com
Butterflies, Bees etc: Jennifer Hirsh jennifer@hirsh.com
Mammals: Gill Smith richardandgill.smith@live.co.uk
Flora recorder currently vacant - if interested, please contact David Farrant for more details.
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