Monday 31 March 2014

Early Bird

On 30 March, George found this 'early bird' in the middle of the road outside the Thatch next door in the High Street. It is believed to be a Dunnock.

He also reports that a grebe is back on the Granta Park lake.

Sunday 23 March 2014

South Cambridgeshire District Council Community Awards - 20th March 2014

Abington Naturewatch was awarded third place in the Community Pride Award - Improving the environment section. We have a framed certificate which we hope to hang in the Abington Institute.

Dates for your diary - 2014 programme

to be confirmed

To be kept informed and reminded about forthcoming events, please join the mailing list (usually email). Contact details below.

Date	Venue	Description
Saturday March 15^th 10:30	Abington Institute	Members’ meeting
Thursday March 27^th am	Visit to Hayley Wood	Flora - Oxlips
Sat April 12^th 10:30	River Bridge / Ford	River Sampling
May 19^th-31^st TBC evening	Beech Wood	Flora - Helleborines
May 23^rd to 26^th all day	Around GA & LA	Birdwatch – Recording
May 30^th 19:30	Abington Institute	Talk – Fleam Dyke & Roman Road
Weds June 18^th 18:30	Wicken Fen	Birds, Flora & Mammals
Tues July 1^st evening	River Bridge / Ford	River Sampling
Sat July 5^th morning	Fen Drayton	Birds, Dragonflies & Damselflies
Thurs July 17^th evening	Old Railway Line	Flora
Weds July 30^th morning	Devils Dyke	Butterflies & Flora
Tues August 12^th 18:30	River Bridge / Ford	River Sampling
Late summer TBC	Great Fen Visit
Date TBC	Audrey Bugg’s garden	Overnight Moth Trapping
Date TBC	Marion Rusted’s garden	Overnight Moth Trapping
September 20^th TBC	Abington Institute	Celebration of World Rivers day – Fauna sampling & study, open meeting
Autumn	Abington Institute	Talk on fungi
Autumn	Granta Park TBC	Fungus foray
October TBC	Abington Institute	Members’ meeting

Monday 17 March 2014

Bumble bee

This large Bumble Bee came to visit us in Church Lane on 2nd March but had to be helped out as he couldn't get out of the window!

Sunday 16 March 2014

Blooming Spring in Granta Park and a sad end to migration.

George has been walking round Granta Park again...

Tuesday 11 March 2014

More signs of Spring

Jennifer took these photos in Cooke's meadow:

White Violets

Violets

Celandine

Saturday 1 March 2014

Signs of Spring

David took these photos on 22nd February:

Canada geese on Granta Park lake

Sluice wood in the early spring sunshine

Jennifer took these photos on Sunday 26th February:

Violets on the Recreation Ground near Great Abington church

View from the Millennium footbridge...
the river is flowing very clear after the silt was thoroughly scoured by recent high flows

Cedar Cup fungus in Cambridge Road

Derek has found these earth-cup fungi under his cedar tree - believed to be Geopora sumneriana.

This large cup fungus develops initially as an underground sphere before breaking through the soil surface and opening up to form a crown-shaped cup.

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)