4th November 2023 - Andy M has been lucky to have a 'mixed tit flock' pass through his garden several times recently, feeding as they go. These flocks mostly comprise Blue Tit and Great Tit, which travel around together at this time of year, but have also included a few Long-tailed Tit, Coal Tit and Chiffchaff.
This Coal Tit was investigating the small pine tree (in the rain) outside his kitchen window this week, giving good views of the characteristic 'badger stripe' down the back of its head.
3rd November 2023 - with all the rain recently, the river levels have been high, with water flooding over onto an area of the recreation ground near the Millennium Bridge. The footpath to Hildersham has also required wellies and some 'paddling' recently.
October 2023
Amphibians
and Reptiles
Common Frog – an adult and several smaller froglets were
seen whilst gardening (3rd-8th), and an adult was spotted out in the rain one
evening (11th), all in a Lewis Cres garden.
Birds
A total of 55 species were
reported this month in 387 records. The last House Martin report came quite
early in the month, with the first winter thrush spotted just a few days later.
Also, the Tawny Owls started hooting around the village again – autumn must be
here!
A Raven was
spotted flying over Lewis Cres, the third report this year of a species that has
become more widespread across Cambridgeshire in recent years. A Kingfisher
was also seen along the river in Sluice Wood on 16th – only the third report
this year, all since August.
A small group of House
Martin were spotted flying over Lewis Cres on 7th, the last report of the
year. A Hobby, another summer visitor, was also spotted along the ORC on
5th, these two species migrating south together at this time of year, the
latter preying on the former en route.
Both Tawny Owl
and Barn Owl were heard calling at night at several locations, as they
start to attract mates and establish their territories. 1-2 Buzzard were
spotted throughout the month, mainly in the LSA and GP, with a Red Kite
being reported from Bourn Bridge Rd as well. A Kestrel was reported
twice, and a Sparrowhawk was seen in several gardens (see
blog).
The first winter
thrush were also seen; the first Redwing was heard over Westfield on
9th, with further reports since (see blog), and a large flock of 150 Fieldfare was seen on 23rd near
Hildersham Wood, although just outside the parish boundary. A small group of Siskin were heard
along the ORC on 5th, these birds moving south in the UK as the weather gets
cooler.
On GP lake, the usual Mallard
were accompanied by a Cormorant, two Little Grebe and five Mandarin
Duck, as well as seven Barnacle Goose, two Moorhen and a Grey
Heron round the edge. A few Meadow Pipit and Pied Wagtail
were also seen on rough ground on GP.
Both Red-legged
Partridge and, more unusually, three Grey Partridge were seen south
of the LSA, and Pheasant were seen in a Cambridge Rd garden and around
Hall Farm. A completely albino Pheasant was also spotted just south of Chalky
Rd.
Goldfinch,
often 10-18, were regularly reported on feeders, as well as occasionally a few Greenfinch
and a Chaffinch. Mixed flocks of Blue Tit, Great Tit and Long-tailed
Tit were also garden regulars, sometimes including a Coal Tit or Chiffchaff.
A Goldcrest was also occasionally spotted in one of two gardens, with Robin,
Dunnock, Blackbird and Wren being widely seen.
House Sparrow
were regulars in Lewis Cres, and a flock of 50 Starling was seen on the
LSA, as well as 12 on GP. A Great
Spotted Woodpecker was seen only three times (see
blog), with a Green Woodpecker being seen and heard more often,
particularly around Cambridge Rd and Hall Farm. Magpie were widely reported
in gardens, as was a Jay especially later in the month, and a Mistle
Thrush was seen once in Lewis Cres.
Both Skylark
and Linnet were seen around the LSA, the ORC and on GP. A few Collared
Dove were seen in several gardens, with a large flock of 12 seen on the
LSA, and a few Stock Dove were spotted around Lewis Cres, Hall Farm and
GP. Woodpigeon, Rook, Carrion Crow and Jackdaw were
all reported, as were a few Black-headed Gull and Herring Gull
overhead.
Insects
With all the cold, wet
weather, there have been fewer insects around, with 15 species recorded this
month in just 45 reports. Of these, 29 were butterflies, 6 bees, 4 odonata and 6
other species.
Butterflies – Red Admiral
were the most regularly reported, with over half the reports being this
species. Small White and Brimstone were also seen fairly often,
with Large White and Comma being seen just once each.
Number of butterfly
reports: Red Admiral 14, Small White 8, Brimstone 5, Comma 1, Large White 1.
A few Odonata species
were reported; an Emperor Dragonfly in Westfield on 4th and in Lewis
Cres on 7th, a Common Darter on Church Lane on 9th (see
blog) and a further unidentified dragonfly on 15th.
Buff-tailed Bumblebee
were reported four times, with both Common Carder Bee and Ivy Mining
Bee being spotted in Church Lane on 15th. Hummingbird Hawkmoth were
seen four times, the last being on 22nd (see
blog), and a Cricket and Hornet were also reported.
A pair of Common
Wasp were spotted mating, which is not often witnessed (see
blog), and a Bloody-nosed Beetle was seen along the ORC (see
blog).
Mammals
Badger – one
dead in field south of ORC on 23rd.
Bat – several bats
seen on 1st above a Cambridge Rd garden.
Fallow Deer –
one female near Hildersham Wood on 8th, and 8 young deer seen in the field just
south of the ORC on 23rd (see
blog).
Hedgehog – one seen
in Bourn Bridge Rd garden on 27th.
Muntjac – one along
ORC on 7th, one in Sluice Wood on 15th (see
blog), one in a Cambridge Rd garden on 15th, and one seen dead by the
side of High St near Lewis Cres, also on 15th.
Fungi
The weather this month
has been favourable for fungi, with a good number of species being identified
on the GP lunchtime walk on 17th, including Giant Puffball, Common Puffball,
Milk-cap, Jelly-ear, Turkey-tail, Parasol, Grisette, Clustered Bonnet, Sulphur
Tuft and Hairy Curtain Crust, as well as several others not fully identified (see
blog). Shaggy Inkcap and a type of Boletus were also spotted
separately on GP (see
blog), and several others such as Clustered Bonnet, Common Earthball, Common
Bonnet, ‘Fairy Ring’ and Grisette were seen in gardens (see
blog, and
here).
Weather
A record wet month
with 131 mm of rain! The highest temperature was 28.2 degrees C on the 9th and
the lowest was minus 1.2 degrees C on the 16th. The overall picture though was
of a very mild and wet month with predominantly light south westerly winds.
Many thanks to all those who contributed reports of their sightings for October 2023:
Barry Brooks, David & Gaynor Farrant, Robin Harman, Len Mead, Andy & Polly Merryweather, Joan Nevin, Nancy Ockendon, Barbara Phippen, Gill Smith, Maggie & John Turner, Derek Turnidge.
31st October 2023 - Barbara P spotted a few flowers and fungi on her travels around the village this month, including a Knapweed in bloom, the rather delicate seedheads of Fleabane, and a couple of fungi, possibly being Fairy Ring toadstool and Grisette.
31st October 2023 - earlier this month, Maggie was lucky enough to spot a male Sparrowhawk in her garden, and even better, she had her camera to hand to take this lovely photo. Just look into that beady-eyed stare!
25th October 2023 - there have been a few sightings of small numbers of Redwing in the village this month, with the earliest being on 9th above Westfield. These 'winter thrush' arrive here from northern Europe and Scandinavia, as the weather gets colder there, to spend the winter here.
John and Maggie T saw this one in their garden on 25th, and spotted that it had a number of ticks around its face. These apparently are not detrimental to the bird, although they must be a bit of a nuisance one would think!
9th October 2023 - during the warmer weather earlier in the month (remember that!), Len M spotted this Common Darter dragonfly soaking up the sun, in his garden.
