Thursday 25 June 2020

Recent wildlife along the Old Railway Cutting

Some photos from Andy M's recent walks along the Old Railway Cutting.

A misty early morning view of the two churches I hadn't noticed before

 Finely-divided leaves of the very all Hemlock

A young Wren, skulking in the bushes

A juvenile Great Spotted Woodpecker -
easily distinguished from the adult by its fine red cap!

Red Campion

 White Campion

Lesser Whitethroat 
A pair of Lesser Whitethroat displaying

 Common Whitethroat - with brown back, chestnut primary feathers and greyer cheeks

 Greater Broomrape - a plant that parasitises other plants

 A Hare, lurking in the middle of the field of flax

 Tree Bumbleebee, on bramble flowers

 Small Heath butterfly -
showing the pale patch and blotches on the hind wing 

 Meadow Brown butterfly -
larger than the Small heath, and lacking the paler patch on the hind underwing 
Meadow Brown butterfly, the more uniformly dark brown male
 Meadow Brown butterfly, the female, with brighter orange patches

 A fly-past by a Cormorant

Fabulously red Poppy

 A young Blue Tit, learning how to forage
 A young Blue Tit
 A young Blue Tit, just looking cute!

 Small White butterfly

 Large Skipper - with the pale yellow blotches on the underwing
  Large Skipper - showing the larger dark 'sex brand' on the wing
 Large Skipper - with a distinctive curl to the tips of the antennae

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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)