February 2023 - Summary of Sightings around the Abingtons

February 2023

Amphibians and Reptiles

Frogspawn - The first sighting in a LA pond on the 20th February (see blog). Exactly the same date as last year’s first sighting!  Clearly time to start checking in your ponds and other likely places such as ditches.

 

Birds

A total of 44 species were reported in 275 records this month. Tawny Owl were regularly heard all around the village and a Barn Owl was spotted one evening. Winter thrush continue to be seen, with both Song Thrush and Mistle Thrush heard singing early in the month. ‘Bruno’ the Macaw was reported taking a short trip around Granta Park, giving a few of the staff there quite a surprise! The collated results of the Abington BGBW are also in (see blog).

Redwing were spotted on four occasions, including a flock of about 30 in a field near Church Lane, and  smaller flock of Fieldfare was seen along the Old Coach Rd. A Mistle Thrush was heard singing regularly on Church Lane, as was a Song Thrush at several locations. Good numbers (up to 6) Blackbird are also being seen in gardens, the males being in fine plumage now.

A Blackcap was spotted three times in gardens on Meadow Walk and Lewis Cres, these likely to be over-wintering birds.

A Treecreeper was spotted in a garden near Hall Farm, Great Spotted Woodpecker were seen regularly in gardens, and a Green Woodpecker was heard calling near the Millennium Bridge.

A Barn Owl was seen flying over the fallow fields alongside Bourn Bridge Rd (17th), and Tawny Owl have regularly been heard calling from several locations through out the month. A Sparrowhawk was seen flying through a Lewis Cres garden, both Kestrel and Red Kite were reported twice, and 1-2 Buzzard were seen soaring over several locations.

 Along the river, a Little Egret was spotted near the Millennium Bridge (10th), and a Grey Heron was seen on several occasions. Three Mute Swan, an adult and two juveniles, and two Canada Goose were seen on GP lake, and a Greylag Goose was seen flying over Lewis Cres.  A Grey Wagtail was spotted feeding along the river edge in Sluice Wood (5th), and several Pied Wagtail are again being seen in the paddocks on the LSA. A flock of 30 Meadow Pipit was also reported on GP (21st).

Good numbers of finch continue to be reported, with up to 15 Goldfinch in gardens and around 30 feeding on seedheads along Bourn Bridge Rd. Both Greenfinch (3-5) and Chaffinch (2-8) were also regularly seen in gardens.  Similarly, both up to 4 Blue Tit are regularly spotted, as well as 2-3 Great Tit and Long-tailed Tit, and more occasionally a single Coal Tit.

A few Robin, Dunnock and Wren were all regularly reported, and House Sparrow were also seen more frequently. Small numbers of Starling were also reported occasionally.

Up to 8 Stock Dove were regular visitors under the feeders on Lewis Cres, alongside 1-2 Collared Dove and a few Woodpigeon. A Pheasant was occasionally seen in a couple of gardens, and a Jay was seen around Cambridge Rd and Church Lane, with 1-2 Magpie and several Jackdaw being reported more widely.

 

Insects

A Brimstone butterfly was spotted in gardens along both Bourn Bridge Road and Church Lane, during the same warmer spell around 15th. These are the first reports of non-hibernating butterflies this year. A number of Buff-Tailed Bumblebee and Honeybee were also reported.

A Common Bloody-nosed Beetle was spotted along the ORC – quite an unusual sighting (see blog)!

 

Mammals

Badger – evidence of setts along the footpath towards Grange Farm on 8th, and also along the ORC on the 9th. A dead badger was found eviscerated on Newmarket Rd on 10th, and another was found dead in Cutting Rd on the 12th.

Fox – one spotted in a paddock on LSA on 11th.

Hare – two seen along the footpath towards Grange Farm on 8th.

Muntjac – one along the ORC on 11th and 12th, and one seen in a field off Cutting Rd on 12th.

 

Flora and Fungi

Both Snowdrop and Aconite continue to give a good display, in Sluice Wood, on GP and elsewhere, and the fresh green leaves of Wild Arum are very much in evidence. A good patch of Bee Orchid plants was spotted in leaf around one of the buildings on Granta Park, which should hopefully give a good show of blooms later in the year (see blog). 

A Giant Puffball was spotted along the Old Coach Rd (see blog).

 

Weather

An exceptionally dry February with only 9mm of rainfall, the average being around 38mm. The highest temperature recorded was 18.4 C on the 27th and the lowest minus 5.5 C on the 10th. Winds were predominantly westerly for the first three weeks, swinging to the north for the remainder of the month.

 

NatureWatch Trip

A group of twelve had a very enjoyable trip to WWT Welney on 25th, seeing good variety of ducks, waders and other birds from the very comfortable and warm observatory there!  Highlights were several Whooper Swan, and a several more unusual duck species including Goosander, Goldeneye, Pintail and Shelduck. A group of Spoonbill were spotted on Lady Fen, and a good flock of Black-tailed Godwit were joined by a few Oystercatcher, Redshank, Snipe and Dunlin. Later on a Cattle Egret and a Golden Plover flock were also spotted (see blog).

No summary this month for RiverCare.

Many thanks to all those who contributed reports of their sightings for February 2023:
Darren Bast, Barry Brooks, Alan Cooke, David Farrant, Gaynor Farrant, Carole McCrae, Len Mead, Andy Merryweather, Polly Merryweather, Joan Nevis, Gareth Rees, Marion Rusted, Jade Taylor-Salazar, Sally Simmons, Gill Smith, Maggie Turner, Derek Turnidge (and Janet).