Abington Naturewatch

Monday, 11 May 2026

April Sightings Highlights

A summary of sightings reported from around the Abingtons during April 2026 can be found by clicking on the link below:

APRIL 2026 SUMMARY

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Red-legged Partridge in gardens

30th April 2026 - there have been a number of reports of Red-legged Partridge in gardens across the parishes this month and Derek T managed to photograph of the ones visiting his front garden.

Visit to RSPB Fowlmere

29th April 2026.

Goldcrest

Goldfinch

Swift

Large Red Damselfly

Speckled Wood

Scarlet Tiger moth caterpillar

Water Vole

Brown Trout

Homo sapiens - the visiting group at the entrance hut

Thanks to John T and David F for photos.

27th April 2026 - along the riverbank, behind the cricket field netting, could be found a lovely swath of yellow Greater Celandine flowers, interspersed with a few clumps of white Meadow Saxifrage and Garlic Mustard, and flitting between them all, a Common Carder Bee. Andy M.

Greater Celandine along the riverbank

Greater Celandine

Meadow Saxifrage

Common Carder Bee on Garlic Mustard

Common Carder Bee between Greater Celandine

Sluice Wood flowers

26th April 2026 - David F spotted these Cowslip and White Campion in flower in Sluice Wood.

Riverfly Sampling - first of the season

20th April 2026 - the first Riverfly river sampling by the Abington Rivercare group. Results shown below. The highlight was catching two lovely Minnow, a female and a brightly coloured male, and a couple of Bullhead.

Otherwise, there were good numbers of rather small Olive, Mayfly and Angler's Curse larvae, and there seemed to be more green filamentous weed than usual, which made the sampling and subsequent identification 'interesting' to say the least!

Olive larva

Angler's Curse larva

Caseless Caddis

Minnow, female

Minnow, male

Bullhead

Wednesday, 6 May 2026

Spring butterflies

23rd April 2026 - the sunny weather has brought out the butterflies, and John T had a very pleasant time photographing a few along the path between the High St and Pampisford Road - including these Green-veined White, Holly Blue and Orange-tip, all on Green Alkanet flowers

male Green-veined White (female has stronger black markings on upper forewing)

male Holly Blue (female has more black on the edges of the upper forewing)

male Orange-tip -(female lacks the orange tips)

The Aims of Abington Naturewatch

At their meeting on 9 April 2005 the members approved this revised version of the aims of Abington Naturewatch:

To monitor and record the wildlife (fauna & flora) within the borders of the Abingtons;
To encourage protection of our wildlife, maintain its quality and foster its diversity;
To promote awareness of the richness, potential and problems of the natural environment of the Abingtons;
To cooperate in improving access to the local natural environment for the benefit of all Abington villagers.

Pat Daunt, Founder

The organisation is informal and communication is by email if possible; members are notified of events from time to time. Contact details are maintained by a small "project team". There is currently no membership fee as costs are covered by voluntary contributions at events.

Members are encouraged to report notable sightings of flora and fauna within the Abingtons to the appropriate sector coordinator and an illustrated record is published annually.

A map of the area covered, with some features noted, is available here: http://maps.google.co.uk/maps/ms?ie=UTF8&hl=en&msa=0&msid=213774935674882866424.00000111dca2be9f06ab8&z=13>

For more information or to join, please contact David Farrant on (01223) 892871.

Contributions to our records should be sent to sector contacts or either of the above. Photographs may also be submitted to Andy Merryweather (amerryweather61@gmail.com)