Common Frog

15th October 2024 - in the rather damp weather one evening, Andy M spotted a Common Frog hopping around outside his back door.

Northern Lights visible in Abington

10th October 2024 - those around in the evening, and able to see the dark sky to the north would have been able to see a rather lovely display of the Northern Lights over the village. A dramatic red splash was visible to the east, with lovely yellows and greens to the north, with a hint of the the characteristic 'curtains' near the horizon. All rather ethereal.

[photos Andy M]

September 2024 - Summary of Sightings from the Abingtons

September 2024

Amphibians and Reptiles

Just two sightings this month: a Common Toad near a pond in Westfield (see blog), and two good-sized Common Frog in Lewis Cres (see blog).

 

Birds

A total of 45 species reported this month in 299 records. A Kingfisher was again reported along the river, and a Treecreeper was again heard in Sluice Wood. Several large gatherings of Swallow, and smaller numbers of House Martin were reported during the first half of the month, and a large group of Mistle Thrush were seen around the meadows between the churches.

A Kingfisher was heard calling whilst flying along the river on GP, and a Treecreeper was heard in the woods near the sluice, both on 24th.

Several flocks of 20-30 Swallow were seen gathering on lines on the LSA and flying in loose flocks over Lewis Cres, as these summer visitors start their journey south. Family groups of 6-8 House Martin were also regularly seen around their nest sites on Mortlock Gardens. Both species were last reported on 19th.

Several unusually early sightings of Redwing have been reported, the first on 20th August (!), and then (tentatively) on 10th and 18th September. If true, these birds are arriving up to a month earlier than expected, as arrivals generally start in late Sept/early Oct. A large flock of 32 Mistle Thrush were seen feeding around Hood’s Meadow on 22nd, and a few Song Thrush were also spotted later in the month.

Good numbers of Goldfinch (up to 12) and Greenfinch (up to 7) have been returning to a number of garden feeders, but with only 1-3 Chaffinch occasionally seen. Mixed flocks of 5-10 Blue Tit and Great Tit are also being reported, as well as up to 10 Long-tailed Tit, and an occasional Coal Tit and Goldcrest. A few Chiffchaff were also regularly seen in gardens again (see blog), as were Blackbird, Robin, Dunnock and Wren. The thriving House Sparrow colony continues to be very vocal in Lewis Cres, with 15-20 birds regularly counted.

Around the lake on GP, seven Barnacle Goose, five Greylag and two Egyptian Goose were seen on 24th. Up to 37 Mallard were joined by a male Mandarin Duck, a pair of Moorhen with a juvenile, and a pair of Little Grebe were seen feeding a late brood youngster. Along the river, 1-2 Grey Heron were seen, as were a further seven female/juvenile Mandarin Duck. Small flocks of Starling and 20 Pied Wagtail were seen feeding on GP cricket field, alongside the numerous Rook and Jackdaw.

Up to three Jay visited the oak trees in Lewis Cres throughout the month, to gather and stash acorns for winter, as well as to eat the odd fallen apple (see blog). A few Magpie were also regularly reported from several sites. Both Great Spotted Woodpecker and Green Woodpecker were seen in gardens around Hall Farm and Cambridge Rd, as well as on GP.

A Buzzard was regularly spotted around the village, a Sparrowhawk was seen in several gardens, and Tawny Owl were heard calling regularly. Unusually, no reports of Kestrel or Red Kite this month. A few Lesser Black-backed Gull were spotted flying over Lewis Cres, and Carrion Crow, Collared Dove, Woodpigeon and Feral Pigeon were all reported this month.

 

Butterflies and other Insects

As summer comes to an end, a total of 81 sightings were reported this month, these being mostly of butterfly (64), and odonata (13) species.

Perhaps surprisingly, 13 butterfly species were spotted in September, with the vast majority of reports being of Large White and Small White, seen throughout the month especially around the allotments!  Brimstone, Red Admiral (see blog) and Comma were also seen fairly regularly, especially earlier in the month, as were a few Green-veined White. All the other species were seen just once. A Painted Lady was spotted along Bourn Bridge Rd on 3rd, and a Peacock in Lewis Cres on 6th. Both a Holly Blue and a Common Blue were spotted, around the Perse sports fields, and in a wildflower meadow on GP, respectively (see blog). A Small Heath and a Speckled Wood were both seen along the ORC in 14th, and unusually the Small Copper seen in a Cambridge Rd garden on 22nd was likely from a third brood.

Total butterfly reports received in September were: Large White (19), Small White (14), Red Admiral (9), Brimstone (7), Comma (5), Green-veined White (3), and Painted Lady, Peacock, Common Blue, Holly Blue, Speckled Wood, Small Heath and Small Copper (all 1).

Of the odonata, the predominant species reported was Southern Hawker with seven reports this month, mostly from Lewis Cres. Several Migrant Hawker were seen hunting over the reeds around GP lake on two occasions later in the month, and a Common Darter was reported from three sites. Finally, several Emerald Damselfly were again reported, along the river on 14th (see blog).

A good-sized likely female Wasp Spider was spotted on a house wall along Pampisford Rd on 18th, this being the first record in the village for three years (see blog). Buff-tailed Bumblebee and White-tailed Bumblebee were both reported, as was a Hummingbird Hawkmoth.

 

Mammals

Bat – during the excellent bat safari on 17th around GP, lead by Iain Webb from the Wildlife Trust, several Common Pipistrelle were seen over clearings in both Lagden’s Grove and Sluice Wood, and we watched at least four Daubenton’s and several Common Pipistrelle feeding low over the lake as the fading twilight reflected off the surface – quite beautiful (see blog). Bats also seen over a Cambridge Rd garden on 6th and 22nd.

Fox – evidence (i.e. droppings) of one regularly visiting a Lewis Cres garden.

Hedgehog – one spotted in a Bourn Bridge Rd garden.

Muntjac – one seen in Bourn Bridge Rd front garden on 1st, one spotted in Perse sports fields on 3rd, two in a Cambridge Rd garden on 22nd, one in a Lewis Cres garden and one seen in Lagden’s Grove, both on 22nd.

 

Flora and Fungi

A number of small fungi were spotted on the GP lunchtime walk, Whilst identifying the species definitively can be difficult, they are easy to admire (see blog).

 

Weather

A month with rainfall well over the average, at 104.5 mm, the average for Cambridge being around 60 mm! The highest temperature was 33 degrees C on the 1st, and the lowest was 0.3 degrees C on the 13th. Wind direction has been quite variable during the month but not that strong.

 

ANW Programme

The final river sampling of the year took place on 19^th September (results on blog). No further programme items are planned for this year. Many thanks to those that supported our activities this year. If you have any comments or suggestions for activities, talks, visits etc next year, please do let one of the Project Team know.

Many thanks to all those who contributed reports of their sightings for Sept 2024. 

Genevieve Dalton, David & Gaynor Farrant, Emma Jones, Carole McCrae, Andy & Polly Merryweather, Nancy Ockendon, Gill and Richard Smith, John and Maggie Turner, Derek Turnidge, John Webb.

Willow pruning opens up the view again

24th September 2024 - the old Willow trees behind Abington Hall on GP, have been given a long-over haircut! The trees had become very large, and in recent years several large boughs have come down during high winds, so the pruning should re-invigorate them, as well as again opening up the view across the river to the meadow beyond.

Common Blue butterfly in the new wild flower meadow

24th September 2024 - a new wild-flower meadow has been sown on GP, behind Abington Hall where the old accommodation block used to be. The flowers were giving quite a display, and amongst them a Common Blue butterfly, likely a second brood individual that fly later in the year.

Male Common Blue

A Hawks-beard species

A Hawks-beard species

Lady's Bedstraw

Fungi (and friends) on Granta Park lunchtime walk

24th September 2024 - the Granta Park lunchtime walk, led by Iain Webb, found a good few fungi this month. Many of them were quite small, and of all shapes and sizes, but once you get down and take a closer look, they are impressive nonetheless. Many are also hard to identify definitively without detailed examination and expertise, but even a 'fungus with no name' is lovely to look at.

In amongst the damp leaf litter we also found a small Common Toad, and along the path edge the emerging leaves of two quite uncommon plants, Common Cudweed and Hound's-tongue, before at the end of the walk, and right next to the buildings, a group of Giant Willow Aphid sheltering under a branch. 

Possibly Penny Bun or Boletus species

Possibly Penny Bun or Boletus species

A species of Bonnet - only a few mm across, in amongst the moss

Unknown species

Turkey-tail - or similar species

Beefsteak fungus -

its name reflecting its flat shape and rusty-blood red colour on top.

Beefsteak fungus

Slime mould, growing on a long fallen ash stump

A small Common Toad

Leaves of Cudweed - quite a rare plant, found on poor, sandy soils

Hound's-tongue - also a less commonly found plant,

but also found locally along the old railway cutting

Giant Willow Aphid - clustering on the underside of a willow

Bat Safari

17th September 2024 - the regular annual bat safari on Granta Park, led by Iain Webb from the Wildlife Trust, again came up trumps. Several Common Pipistrelle were seen, and heard with the help of bat detectors, hunting in clearings in Lagden's Grove and Sluice Wood.  Several more of this species were also seen hunting low over the lake, accompanied by several Daubenton's which specialise in plucking insects from the water surface, causing small ripples as they do so.  All seen against the last of the sunset reflected over the lake - idyllic.