29th January 2023 - David F took a walk around Granta Park on Sunday morning, and reported that the lake was still (then) frozen over, maybe forcing a Grey Heron and five Mallard onto the river nearby. The early Snowdrops were out, and few Aconites were starting to appear.
Away from the river, there was a small flock of Starling and five Barnacle Goose on the Cricket Green, as well as two Jay in Sluice Woods.
26th January 2023 - A Robin has been visiting Emma J's garden and house! for some time now, and she has rather a nice story to tell about it, albeit with a slightly sad ending:
26th January 2023 - Jade T-S spotted this lovely Little Egret along the River Granta in the village.
25th January 2023 - whilst watching the usual Goldfinch and Greenfinch on the feeders today, Andy was thrilled to also spot both a male Blackcap and a Lesser Redpoll paying the feeders a visit.
Blackcap are one of the few resident warblers to the UK, with good populations breeding here in the summer. During the winter, some UK breeding birds remain here, with others migrating south to overwinter in southern Europe. Similarly, some Blackcap that breed further east in Europe escape the cold winter there by migrating west to stay here during the winter, and it is often the colder weather that drives them into gardens to find food.
A slim, grey brown bird with a thin bill, with the male having a characteristic black crown (or cap), which is rufous-brown in the female.
The Lesser Redpoll, a small finch species, is also resident in the UK, breeding in birch and pine forest, often in the more mountainous areas to the north and west of the UK. Similarly to the Blackcap, during the winter the resident UK population of Lesser Redpoll is swollen by birds arriving from the north and east of Europe, particularly when their principle winter food, Alder seed, is in short supply there.
Characteristically streaky in appearance, with a black face, red forehead (or poll) and small yellowish bill, with the male also having red on the upper breast.
24th January 2023 - Andy M spotted the tiny and highly active Wren hopping around outside the kitchen window, and busily investigating the undergrowth, no doubt in search of some tasty morsels hiding there.
24th January 2023 - the mist was down early in the morning, and Jack Frost had been busy - and the sun shining weakly through made everything seem all the more mysterious. Andy M.
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23rd January 2023 - after several cold days, the car windscreens were very much frosted over, and a little sun shining on them revealed their beautiful feathery patterns. Andy M.
22nd January 2023 - a walk late one clear cold afternoon along Chalky Road, was rewarded with a lovely colourful sunset. Andy M.
8th January 2023 - Earlier in the month, Andy M took a morning walk around Granta Park. The sun was highlighting the Willow beautifully along the river, and in the woods the Hazel catkins were glowing lemony-yellow in the sun as they wafted in the breeze . The first Snowdrop were showing through the leaf-litter, as were a few fungi. It seemed that earlier high winds and heavy rain had not only brought down an old tree trunk across the river by the sluice, but also flooded the meadows nearby too.
4th January 2023 - A Jay is an occasional visitor to John T's garden, but are usually somewhat skittish and are gone at the slightest glimpse of people. However, this week one was digging for insects or worms on the lawn, and didn't seem to be aware of John taking this lovely photo of a lovely bird.
December 2022
Birds
A total of 37 species were
reported in 328 records this month. A Woodcock was spotted again, this time flying
over GA village, and good numbers of garden birds were seen around feeders,
particularly during the cold, snowy weather, but there remain very few reports
of winter thrush.
A Woodcock was seen
late afternoon flying over Lewis Cres, heading across the High Street (15th), presumably
the same bird seen last month on Granta Park. Cold weather can force these
normally quite secretive birds more out into the open in search of food.
One report each of a
single Fieldfare and a single Redwing, around Pampisford Rd and
the ORC, and a pair of Blackcap was seen regularly in a village centre
garden, with an occasional single bird being spotted elsewhere.
Both Tit and Finch species
were generally seen in higher numbers than usual around garden feeders, including
up to four Long-tailed Tit, and four Coal Tit in a Pampisford Rd
garden. Similarly, up to 12 Chaffinch, 16-18 Goldfinch and 4-5 Greenfinch
were seen in gardens during the cold snap, with numbers dropping somewhat once
the snow thawed. Two pairs of Bullfinch were also seen feeding along the
ORC during the frosty weather.
Similarly, 10-11 Blackbird
were seen feeding together in a Lewis Cres garden when the weather was cold,
and a Song Thrush was spotted in several gardens. Four Robin were
seen ‘tolerating each other nicely’ around feeders on Cambridge Rd, and up to four
Dunnock were seen together in a Pampisford Rd garden. A single Wren
was also spotted along the ORC.
A dozen Starling
were seen one evening congregating in trees behind Lewis Cres, and 10-12 House
Sparrow were regularly spotted flying around their colony,
also in Lewis Cres.
Both Collared Dove
and Stock Dove, generally 2-3 but up to 8 of each, were regularly reported
in a number of GA gardens, but interestingly seem not to be seen as commonly in
gardens in LA.
A Great Spotted
Woodpecker was seen in several gardens, and a Green Woodpecker
visited a village centre garden on a couple of occasions. A Jay and 1-2 Magpie
were both spotted in several gardens this month, and Pied Wagtail was
seen on the Recreation Ground (10th).
A Buzzard was
occasionally seen over the ORC and Sluice Wood, and 1-2 Red Kite were
reported at several sites, often flying low down. A Kestrel was spotted
on six occasions, a Sparrowhawk twice, and a Tawny Owl was heard
regularly calling at night around the centre of GA.
A number of Black-headed
Gull were seen feeding with corvids in one garden, and a Pheasant
was seen on the ORC.
Mammals
Three Hare seen
in the field east of Chalk Rd, two boxing and another watching on.
Weather
Surprisingly, December
was a somewhat dry month with only 34.25 mm of rain recorded. However, there
was a week of proper snow on the ground, so not unexpectedly the lowest monthly
temperature was minus 13.8 degrees C, recorded on 15th, and there were 15 days when
the minimum temperature was below freezing. The highest temperature was 13.9
degrees C, on the the 19th, the day the snow thawed. The predominant wind
direction was from the north and was generally light.
NatureWatch Winter Meeting
A reminder that on Friday January 20th, 7.30pm at the Institute we will have our NatureWatch Winter Meeting, with Iain Webb from the local Wildlife Trust, who will talk about the Wildlife he has seen during his 27 years of volunteering and working for the Wildlife Trust.
No reports or sightings this month for Amphibians/Reptiles, Butterflies/Insects, Flora or RiverCare.
Many thanks to all those who contributed reports of their sightings for December 2022:
