Diseased Ash tree on Recreation Ground

The Abington Recreation Ground committee commissioned a survey of the trees and regrets to advise that the Ash tree behind the school pool is diseased and will have to be felled very soon. It has a bracket fungus growing on it which will feed on it and reduce it to pulp!

"This tree has, at the base, on the side facing the school boundary, brackets of Ganoderma wood decay fungus and along with that, considerable internal decay at the base of the ‘white rot’ type. This destroys lignin, leaving cellulose behind. The effect is to destroy the compressive strength of the wood, leaving behind a stringy, pulpy mass."

Take care if you wish to bid the tree farewell!

27 December 2017

3rd January 2018

Snowdrops in December - early?

Walking around Granta Park today, Andy M saw a few Snowdrops already in flower - first signs of an early Spring?!!   The catkins were well advanced too.

On the cricket green, a flock of around thirty Fieldfare and Redwing was feeding, alongside a good number of Starling, Black-headed Gull and Pied Wagtail.  I had hoped to see the Starlings murmurating - but alas not today - although around twenty Reed Bunting were seen dropping into the reeds to roost.  And there were around 130 Mallard on the lake in the sunset! 

 Fieldfare

Mallards in the sunset!