Wednesday 10 August 2022

July 2022 - Interesting Sightings from around the Abingtons

July 2022

Amphibians and Reptiles

Common Toad - spotted in and around two ponds in LA and one in GA, and a Grass Snake was seen in a LA garden. Please keep an eye out and send in any sightings as there may be more of these species seeking any water available in this dry weather.

 

Birds

A total of 48 species were seen or heard this month in a total of 261 records, as we entered a generally quieter period for garden birds, especially with many birds sheltering quietly during the heat of the day. However, good numbers of young birds continued to be seen, including Blue Tit and Great Tit, Swallow, Jay, Buzzard, and both Great Spotted and Green Woodpecker.

A Kingfisher was again seen occasionally, feeding along the river through Sluice Wood, and the female Mandarin Duck, with three grown ducklings, also still around along the river in GP.

A male Tufted Duck was spotted on the GP lake on 8th, as was a Cormorant (31st), as well as 3-5 Barnacle Goose, good numbers of Mallard and a Moorhen with one chick.

A pair of Bullfinch was spotted feeding alongside the river on GP and, unusually for GP, a Nuthatch was heard and seen in the woods along the south side of GP.  Also unusually, a Treecreeper was spotted in a Cambridge Rd garden on 31st.

The good numbers of Swallow (around 50) reported on LSA were mostly juveniles indicating a good first brood this year (10th, blog link). Some pairs will now mate again and continue with a second brood. Swift were regularly reported especially early on, and up to 20 were seen wheeling above LA church on 21st, possibly a final gathering before heading south. The last sighting this month was of only 2 birds on 25th. Small numbers of House Martin (2-3) were spotted around the shop, in Mortlock Gardens and around Bourn Bridge Rd.

Small groups of Blue Tit and Great Tit were regularly reported visiting feeders, with a group of around 20 seen on 27th. Good numbers of young Blue Tit (blog link) seen in Sluice Wood too. A single Coal Tit was regularly seen in a Cambridge Rd garden, as well as two Long-tailed Tit reports.

A few young Goldfinch and Greenfinch were also regularly reported on feeders, as well as along the ORC, with 1-2 Chaffinch also seen in Cambridge Rd. A few Robin, Wren and Dunnock were also regularly seen, with young spotted after 17th. Pied Wagtail were also reported, including an adult with young on the LSA (22nd), and around 12 on GP (31st).  Up to 4 Blackbird, and a single Song Thrush were also seen.

Both Common Whitethroat and Lesser Whitethroat were reported along the ORC on 3rd, the former also heard singing. A Chiffchaff was reported once (3rd), and 1-2 Blackcap were seen at several locations, including a pair spotted for the first time in a garden on North Rd, LSA.

A single Buzzard was reported above several sites, including a likely juvenile perching along Church Lane, and heard mewing above GP. A Red Kite was spotted six times around the village, and a Sparrowhawk was seen taking a pigeon on Meadow Walk. A Kestrel was spotted at a number of locations, including the woods along Pampisford Rd, and one was seen apparently feeding on flying ants (8th).

Green Woodpecker were seen at several locations, with three around the Perse sports fields (blog link) and GP, a female and a juvenile in a Cambridge Rd garden, and one regularly visit a garden in Meadow Walk. One or two Great Spotted Woodpecker, including a juvenile continued to be seen in a Cambridge Rd garden, and an adult was seen feeding on ants in Lewis Cres.

Collared Dove and Stock Dove regularly seen around Lewis Cres, as were a few House Sparrow, including young birds. An adult and two young Jay were seen feeding on apples (21st), a small flock of Starling were spotted on the LSA, and a Skylark was occasionally heard singing early in the month.

 

Butterflies and other insects

This month, several butterfly and dragonfly species were reported for first time this year, as the total number of reports increased yet again to the highest this year! Amazingly, a total of nineteen butterfly species were reported this month. Overall, during July, a total of 187 records were received: butterflies 169, odonata 4, bees 5, others 9.

Butterflies: Three butterfly species were first reported this year during July: Gatekeeper (regularly throughout the month from 3rd, 16 reports, blog link), Silver-washed Fritillary (13th, 1 report, blog link) and Purple Hairstreak (18th, 1 report, blog link), the latter two being unusual for the Abingtons.

          Numbers of reports of Brimstone, Small White, Large White and Gatekeeper were particularly high, as were Comma, Small Tortoiseshell and Meadow Brown. Interestingly, second brood Peacock numbers were up again in July, following no reports in June. Gatekeeper and Ringlet were seen in particularly good numbers along the ORC, as were Meadow Brown, Peacock and Small Skipper.

Reports of Brimstone, Peacock, the ‘Whites’ and Common Blue (blog link) were all up relative to June, but the relative numbers of Small Tortoiseshell, Large Skipper, Meadow Brown, Painted Lady and Marbled White all dropped this month. Other species continued to be reported in similar numbers to June.

Numbers of Butterfly reports: Brimstone 21, Small White 17, Gatekeeper 16, Large White 15, Meadow Brown 14, Comma 14, Small Tortoiseshell 12, Peacock 10, Ringlet 10, Red Admiral 9, Green-veined White 8, Common Blue 5, Marbled White 5. Others: Holly Blue, Small Skipper, Speckled Wood, Large Skipper, Silver-washed Fritillary, Purple Hairstreak all 1-3 reports.

Odonata: Emperor Dragonfly continued to be reported (17th, 1 report, blog link), with Southern Hawker (from 4th, 2 reports) and Common Darter (8th, 1 report, blog link) being seen for the first time during July.

Other: Hummingbird Hawkmoth (4 reports, blog link), Red-tailed, White-tailed and Buff-tailed Bumblebee (5 reports in total), as well as reports of a Red-legged Shieldbug, Burnet Moth, Small Emerald Moth (blog link), Hornet and a dor beetle species.

 

Mammals

Bat – probably Pipistrelle, seen regularly around gardens along Cambridge Rd and Lewis Cres

Common Shrew – dead one found in a Cambridge Rd garden on 10th.

Hedgehog – one in a Lewis Cres garden on 6th and again on 18th and 24th. Two also seen in another Lewis Cres garden on 18th, a mother and two hoglets seen on 24th, and two more adults later on the same night.

Muntjac – one in a Lewis Cres garden on 6th, one in the field behind Cambridge Rd on 17th, and one dead on the Carriage Track also on 17th.

 

Flora

The continuing dry weather and high temperatures have meant many annual and perennial flowers have finished early. Very few reports of wildflower species in bloom this month: Welted Thistle, Chicory.


RiverCare

A second river sampling session was held on 26th July, which went ahead in spite of very little rain and low flows. It was noticeable that there was no weed at the site and our results were also very sparse, with very low numbers of Mayfly, which is the main interest for the Riverfly recording process we follow. Very few Shrimp, which are often found in very large numbers. We did catch a fish (Bullhead or Miller’s Thumb) and the usual Signal Crayfish, as well as a number of surface insects (Pond Skater and Water Boatman) when sweeping the marginal vegetation. No species was numerous this time.


Weather

Dry! Dry! Dry! With a total of 9.25 mm rain for the month. The highest temperature was on 19th when it hit 42.3 degrees C and the lowest was 7.3 degrees C on 5th July. The beginning and end of the month were relatively still, with a breezy spell in the middle but it was a hot wind.

 

NatureWatch Trips

There were three interesting ANW trips this month; to Lackford Lakes (blog link), Wicken Fen (blog link) and Fleam Dyke (blog link). See the blog links for full reports.

 

Many thanks to all those who contributed reports of their sightings for July 2022:
Darren Bast, Peter Brunning, David Farrant, Gaynor Farrant, Carole McCrae, Andy Merryweather,
Polly Merryweather, Joan Nevin, Brian Parris, Gareth Rees, Gill Smith, Derek Turnidge, Diana
Wingfield. 



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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)