Abington Naturewatch

Sunday, 10 April 2016

Butterflies and other Insects

The warmer spring weather has brought new activity to our gardens. Jennifer reported that several members have been seeing butterflies, especially Brimstones, on the few warm and sunny days we have had in the last couple of weeks.

She would welcome news of any sightings, giving the date, butterfly name, number that you saw and where you saw it (e.g. garden, Church Lane, Granta Park etc)

You can also report ladybirds and, later in the summer, dragonflies and damselflies.

Andy M said he had a very striking Angle Shades moth resting under the eaves of his garage on 10th April - see picture. He also saw at least two Common Carder Bees in the garden.

Angle Shades Moth

Friday, 8 April 2016

Bee fly on High Street

This photo of bee fly was taken on 7 April by Helen Pimblett in their courtyard:

Wednesday, 30 March 2016

Granta Park birdlife in March

Granta Park Gym Manager Jeremy took some lovely photos last Friday on and around the lake.

Green Woodpecker

Great Crested Grebe

Sparrowhawk

Kestrel

Photographs by Jeremy Smith Photography

Sunday, 27 March 2016

Jay in the High Street

Jennifer took this photo of a Jay in her garden on Easter Sunday 27th March:

Saturday, 26 March 2016

Wildlife Trust Local Group talk - Wednesday 30th March

This month's Cambridge Wildlife Trust Local Group talk will take place next week on Wednesday the 30th of March at 7.30pm.

The session is by Guy Belcher, the Cambridge City Council Biodiversity Officer, who will talk about Cambridge Local Nature Reserves and the ecological pressures and opportunities that growth is bringing to the City.

For more information, see:
http://www.wildlifebcn.org/events/2016/03/30/cambridge-local-nature-reserves?instance=0

As usual, the talk will take place at St John the Evangelist Church Hall on Hills Road.

Entrance is £2.50

Friday, 25 March 2016

Great Crested Grebes on Granta Park Lake

David F took these pictures of the grebes on GP lake on Good Friday morning, 25th March.

Monday, 21 March 2016

Moorhen in West Field!

Peter Dawson had a visit from a Moorhen nearly every day this week (mid March). It spends quite a lot of time under the seed feeders but runs away when he tries to get a photo from the kitchen window... eventually he managed to get these:

On one occasion there were also a Jay, Goldfinch and Long Tailed Tits.

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)