Dragons and Damsels

14th September 2024 - over the past few sunny days, Andy M has spotted a number of Common Darter dragonflies, with their characteristic blood-red abdomen, and easily distinguished from the Ruddy Darter - the former having brown eyes and thorax, whereas the latter is uniformly red. He also spotted the more unusual Emerald Damselfly along the river, which has a lovely iridescent green sheen, and holds its wings out at an angle, not alongside the body like other damselflies.  Finally, several Migrant Hawker, with the piercing blue rim to their eyes, were seen hunting over the reeds around the Granta Park lake.

Common Darter

Common Darter

Common Darter

Emerald Damselfly

Migrant Hawker

Common Toad in Westfield

22nd September 2024 - the damper recent weather seems to have brought the amphibians out of hiding, as there were a couple of Common Frog seen in the long grass on Lewis Cres, and in her Westfield garden, Genevieve D found this rather comfortable looking Common Toad.

River Sampling results

20th September 2024 - the NatureWatch RiverCare team meet for the final time this year, to sample the wildlife in the river Granta at the ford. The water level was quite low, as the sampling was before the recent rains, and whilst many of the normal species were found in the sampling, the overall number of invertebrates was quite low.  The results table is shown below.

Pied Wagtail nest

19th September 2024 - a little earlier this year, Sally VP was lucky enough to have a Pied Wagtail nest under the bonnet of an old car, which is awaiting restoration in her garden. She took this very nice video showing the young chicks in a beautifully formed nest.

To start video, click on the central 'play arrow' icon two times

Jay eating fallers

12th September 2024 - Andy M noticed a couple of Jay returning to his garden of late, after a few months of being away.  They regularly return at about this time of year to stash acorns from the Oak tree at the end of the garden, but this one seemed also to be partial to the fallers from the apple tree.

Red Admiral

6th September 2024 - Andy M spotted this rather lovely-looking Red Admiral in his garden. 

This species is interesting in that whilst common throughout the UK, it is an immigrant that arrives here in May or June from North Africa and southern Europe. This major influx slowly works its way northwards through the UK during the summer, with further individuals continuing to arrive in the south. Then, come mid-August, they start to retreat back south with many re-migrating back across the channel, leaving just small numbers to potentially over-winter here.

Chiffchaff in amongst mixed species flocks

2nd September 2024 - there are some good-sized mixed tit flocks around at the moment, their numbers swelled by all this year's young, and in amongst them can often be found one or two birds of other species, moving with the flock as they search for food. Andy M spotted two Chiffchaff in amongst such a flock in his garden recently, one in smart new plumage, and one rather more disheveled!

Common Frog

2nd September 2024 - a Common Frog was out and about recently, in amongst the stones at the edge of the flower bed in Andy M's garden.

August 2024 - Summary of Sightings around the Abingtons

August 2024

Amphibians and Reptiles

Just one report this month, of a Common Frog under some foliage in a flower bed in a Lewis Cres garden on 26^th.

 

Birds

A total of 51 species were reported this month in 251 records. A Kingfisher was spotted along the river, a Treecreeper was seen in Sluice Wood, and a Tufted Duck on the GP lake. It would seem that the local Swift left around the 9^th, with groups of House Martin and Swallow also seen gathering ahead of their migration, and Tawny Owl started to be heard calling again.

A Kingfisher was spotted early one morning along the river by the recreation ground, only the second report this year, the first being in April. A female Tufted Duck was spotted on GP Lake (see blog), as was a Treecreeper in the woods near the sluice, both on 18th.

Groups of 20-30 Swift were seen wheeling above the recreation ground early in the month, and birds were last seen on their Hall Farm nest site on 9th. This seems likely to be the last sighting of the year. Similarly, flocks of 10-20 House Martin and 5-6 Swallow were seen gathering around the village centre and on the LSA, and House Martin were also seen around a thus-far unreported nest site on Bourn Bridge Road, which is good news.

A Reed Warbler was spotted in the reedbed on GP on 18th, and a Chiffchaff was occasionally heard singing towards the end of the month. Larger flocks of up to 100 Starling were spotted feeding in the paddocks on the LSA, and charms of 15-40 Goldfinch, most of which still in juvenile plumage, were reported in Lewis Cres and GP (see blog).

Unusually, a pair of Bullfinch was seen on the LSA, with small numbers of Greenfinch, Goldfinch and occasionally 1-2 Chaffinch seen around many feeders, as well as 6-8 Blue Tit alongside smaller numbers of Great Tit, Long-tailed Tit and Coal Tit, and an occasional Goldcrest.

On GP lake, the usual gaggle of 30+ Canada Goose and up to four Greylag, was joined by seven Barnacle Goose on 18th. Up to 60 Mallard, still mostly in ‘female-type’ eclipse plumage, three Moorhen and a Little Grebe with one young were also seen, as well as a Grey Heron. Up to 50 Pied Wagtail were spotted feeding on the GP cricket field, with smaller numbers seen on the LSA and elsewhere. Unusually, a Lesser Black-backed Gull and a Lapwing were also seen flying over.

A juvenile Great Spotted Woodpecker was regularly seen on Hall Farm, with a Green Woodpecker also spotted there, as well as on Cambridge Rd and GP. Two Mistle Thrush were reported on GP on 18th, a Linnet seen on the LSA, and a Jay was seen on Hall Farm and in Westfield (see blog).

Up to five Red Kite are regularly seen around Grange Farm, and a Buzzard was spotted at several locations. A Kestrel was reported on Cambridge Rd and on GP, and a juvenile Sparrowhawk was seen trying its luck around the feeders on Lewis Cres. From mid-month, Tawny Owl were heard calling at several locations, as territories once again start to be established.

 

Butterflies and other Insects

A total of 110 sightings were reported in August. These were largely butterfly reports (80), but also included a good number of odonata reports (18).

A total of 14 butterfly species were reported in August, with the predominant species being Brimstone and Small White, the latter, like many butterfly species, having their second brood peak in August. Good numbers of Red Admiral and Green-veined White were also seen. A Painted Lady was spotted six times throughout the month, and at several locations, with Comma and Large White also being well reported. Species such as Meadow Brown and Gatekeeper have just a single brood each year peaking around July/August, whereas others such as Common Blue, Holly Blue, Speckled Wood and Small Heath all have two broods with the second one peaking around August, and all these species were reported in small numbers this month. Small Tortoiseshell should also be common this month, although this species seems to have crashed this year and there were no sightings locally.

Total butterfly reports received in August were: Small White (15), Brimstone (14), Green-veined White and Red Admiral (both 7), Painted Lady (6), Meadow Brown, Comma and Large White (all 5), Gatekeeper and Peacock (both 4), Speckled Wood (3), Common Blue and Holly Blue (both 2) and Small Heath (1).

Of the odonata, the predominant species reported this month was Southern Hawker, with eight reports from several sites (see blog). Common Darter was also well reported, with six seen together in a Church Lane garden. Six Common Blue Damselfly and two Large Red Damselfly were also seen at the same location. Additionally, around GP, Broad-bodied Chaser, Red-eyed Damselfly and unusually an Emerald Damselfly were also all seen on 18th (see blog).

Buff-tailed Bumblebee, White-tailed Bumblebee and Common Carder Bee were all reported, and towards the end of the month a Hummingbird Hawkmoth was regularly seen in a Lewis Cres garden. A Jersey Tiger Moth was reported twice (see blog), and a Lime Hawkmoth caterpillar was also seen (see blog). A number of moth species were also reported on GP (see blog) and Lewis Cres (see blog).

A good number of insect species were seen during the NatureWatch trip to Wicken Fen on 14th, including several not usually seen around the Abingtons, such as Migrant Hawker, Brown Hawker and Ruddy Darter (see blog). 

 

Mammals

Bat – one seen regularly throughout the month in a Bourn Bridge Rd garden.

Fox – evidence (i.e. droppings) was seen several times during the month in a Lewis Cres. Garden.

Hedgehog – one was found trapped in an outbuilding on 8th, and one was seen in a Bourn Bridge Rd garden on 22nd, the first sighting in that place for years.

Muntjac – a young one was caught in the railings on the Millennium Bridge (and later released) on 10^th. One seen in LA churchyard on 25th, and one was spotted in Lagden’s Grove on 18th.

Roedeer – ten were seen in a field behind Chalky Rd on 22nd.

 

Flora and Fungi

Purple Loosestrife reported in bloom on GP (see blog), and a good clump of Oyster Mushroom was spotted in Sluice Wood (see blog).

 

Weather

Definitely an arid month with just 15.25mm of rainfall. The highest temperature was on the 12^th, when 37.2 degrees C was recorded, on the hottest day in Cambridge this year. The coldest was 7.5 degrees C on both the 17th and 19th. Winds were predominantly south westerly.

 

ANW Programme

The trip to NT Wicken Fen on 14^th (our last for this year) was attended by seven of us, with a good variety of butterfly, dragonfly and damselfly species being seen (see blog). River Sampling took place on 19^th August (results on blog), and the final river sampling of the year is on 19^th September. The full NatureWatch 2024 Programme can be found here (Prog link).

Many thanks to all those who contributed reports of their sightings for August 2024.
Yvonne Coulthard, Tricia Cullimore, David & Gaynor Farrant, Carole McCrae, Andy & Polly Merryweather, Len Mead, Nancy Ockendon, Freda Orgee, Barbara Phippen, Gill and Richard Smith, James Snell, Terry Tinkler, John and Maggie Turner Derek Turnidge, John Webb.

A few birds on Granta Park

25th August 2024 - on a 'generally quiet' walk, nature-wise around Granta Park, David F noted a few Mallard on the lake, and a small flock of Goldfinch feeding around the cricket field.

Female Mallard

Goldfinch

A few moths

31st August 2024 - there have been more moths around in the evenings recently, with some finding their way into the house, where Andy M took the opportunity to photograph them.  With around 2,500 species in the UK, moths can be tricky to identify, and the identification below is a good guess at best, based on a quick internet search!

Light Emerald moth

Yellow Shell moth

Feathered Ranunculus moth

House Sparrow dust-bathing

31st August 2024 - Andy M is lucky enough to have a colony of House Sparrow in his garden, and on warm sunny days they come out to dust-bathe on the garage roof, or on a bare patch of soil. Apparently the dust helps remove parasites and keep their feathers in good condition.

Jersey Tiger moth

11th August 2024 - earlier in the month, a good number of the striking Jersey Tiger moth were seen. This one was in Andy M's garden.  And soon afterwards, on 17th, Carole M also saw one in her garden.

Now a resident species in the UK, although some individuals are still likely to be immigrants from the near continent, and whilst mostly seen in southern coast regions of the UK, they are spreading east, and can be seen in East Anglia most years.

[photo Andy M]                        

[photo Carole M]