Christmas Tree Festival - NatureWatch tree

11th December 2022 - at the Christmas Tree Festival in Great Abington church last weekend, NatureWatch displayed a particularly lovely tree - thanks to the very creative efforts of the Farrants and Carole M.  

Just loving those 'cubist Robins'!

More frosty photos

10th December 2022 - following several days of cold temperatures and misty mornings, the frost has been particularly spectacular recently - Andy M

Frosty weather

11 December 2022 - Carole Mc took this lovely picture today of frost on her birdfeeder, after a number of days of cold and misty weather.

November 2022 - Interesting sightings in the Abingtons

November 2022

Birds

A total of 50 species were reported in 274 records this month. Relatively few reports of winter thrush, perhaps due to the relatively mild weather so far. However, both a Woodcock and a Snipe were seen, as well as a Raven, all species that disperse more widely onto farmland during the winter months to feed.

A Woodcock was flushed from some scrubby woodland on Granta Park, and a Common Snipe was seen feeding around the edge of the lake (22nd).

A Raven was spotted flying over fields near the southernmost parish boundary (20th), and just one report each of Fieldfare and Redwing, both seen feeding around the village centre.

Mixed flocks of Blue Tit, Great Tit, Goldfinch and Greenfinch were regularly seen around garden feeders, as well as smaller numbers of Robin, Long-tailed Tit, Coal Tit and Chaffinch. Blackbird were seen more regularly, as were Dunnock, Robin and Wren, and there were two reports of a Blackcap earlier in the month, feeding amongst tit flocks.

Along the river, 1-2 Kingfisher were seen on two occasions, and a Grey Heron and a Little Egret were also both spotted (13th). On Granta Park, 1 or 2 pairs of Mandarin Duck were seen in fine breeding plumage, both on the lake and the cricket field, as well as a pair of Mute Swan and 5-6 Barnacle Goose. Both Mallard and Moorhen were also seen.

After a few months of absence, 1-2 Kestrel were reported around Bourn Bridge Road and near Church Lane. A Sparrowhawk was spotted both in a Cambridge Rd garden and on the LSA, and a single Buzzard and Red Kite were reported at a number of locations  A Tawny Owl was heard calling in the early evening for a few days at the end of the month.

Mixed flocks of 50-60 Black-headed Gull and Herring Gull were seen on the Perse sports fields, as well as on the LSA with around 30 Great Black-backed Gull. Flocks of Pied Wagtail were also reported, mostly on the LSA and Perse sports fields.

Both Green Woodpecker and Great Spotted Woodpecker were seen at several locations around the village, as were groups of Magpie and a Jay. There were also reports of Yellowhammer, Linnet and Skylark, as well as Pheasant and Red-legged Partridge, on the LSA.

 

Butterflies and other insects

Unsurprisingly, due to the advancing autumnal weather, there were very few reports of butterflies or insects this month. Only two butterfly reports, both of Red Admiral, on 9th and 11th.

 

Mammals

Badger – a latrine was spotted near the parish boundary on 20th.

Bat – one flying over a Cambridge Rd garden on 11th. Probably a Pipistrelle.

Fallow Deer – 11 seen near Hildersham Wood on 20th, one stag, with hinds and younger ones.

Fox – one seen in a field west of Chalky Rd on 20th.

Hare – one spotted near Pampisford Rd on 4th, three were seen in a field bordering Chalky Rd on 7th, and two were spotted near Hildersham Wood on 20th.

Muntjac – one in a field west of Chalky Rd on 20th.

Roe Deer – three seen along a field boundary west of Chalky Road on 20th.

 

Flora and Fungi

No flora reported this month. A few fungi were spotted around the village (blog link), as well as many species of small fungi pointed out on a fascinating lunchtime Woodland Walk through Granta Park, entertainingly led by Iain Webb from the Wildlife Trust (blog link).

 

Weather

Another good month for replenishing water sources, with a total of 108.25 mm of rain. The weather has remained mild with no frosts, the lowest temperature being 0.6 degrees C on 21st, and the highest 17.2 degrees C on 11th, with average temperatures being around 12 degrees C. The wind direction was from the south to southwest for the whole of the month with only a couple of short breezy spells.

 

NatureWatch Winter Meeting

A date for your 2023 diary. On January 20th, 7.30pm at the Institute we will have our NatureWatch Winter Meeting. Iain Webb from the local Wildlife Trust, who is well known to NatureWatch, will talk about the Wildlife he has seen during his 27 years of volunteering and working for the Wildlife Trust.

No sightings or reports this month of Amphibians and Reptiles, or for RiverCare.

Many thanks to all those who contributed reports of their sightings for November 2022:

Mark Austin, Caroline Baribeau, David Farrant, Gaynor Farrant, Emma Jones, Len Mead, Andy Merryweather, Polly Merryweather, Joan Nevin, Nancy Ockendon, Gareth Rees, Gill Smith, Maggie Turner, Derek (and Rachel) Turnidge. 

Fungi on a Woodland Walk around Granta Park

22nd November 2022. Granta Park hosted a lunchtime Woodland Walk, led by Iain Webb from the Wildlife Trust, and Andy M went along. 

There were so many fascinating things to see, augmented by wonderfully entertaining snippets of information from Iain, but it was the many types of small fungi that really caught the group's attention - many of which had remarkably descriptive, if occasionally slightly macabre, common names.

Candle snuff fungus

Candle snuff fungus

Slimy Waxcap fungus

Common Bird's Nest fungus

Witches' Butter (not actually a fungus)

White Brain fungus

Yellow Brain fungus

Jelly Ear fungus

Jelly Ear fungus

Jelly Ear fungus

A bracket fungus, maybe Turkeytail fungus

Alfred's Cakes fungus

A flat, spreading fungus - likely one of the Resupinate fungus species

Golden Waxcap (maybe)

larger unknown toadstool

larger unknown toadstool

Puffball (maybe)

Many thanks to Iain Webb for a fascinating hour, and to Elly for organising it.

Fungi

3rd November 2022.  Emma J spotted these two lone toadstools in her garden earlier in the month. So hard to identify, but fascinating none-the-less.

Summary of sightings in the Abingtons - October 2022

October 2022

Amphibians and Reptiles

Common Frog – one seen in GA garden on 1st and 28th.

Birds

A total of 42 species were reported in a total of 223 records this month. As the last House Martin were being seen (on 5th), mixed flocks of Tit and Finch were starting to become more prevalent, as were Blackbird and winter thrush seeking out berries in gardens and hedgerows.

Unusually, three White Wagtail were spotted in amongst a flock of Pied Wagtail on the GP cricket field (3rd), the White Wagtail being more generally seen in Europe, with the Pied Wagtail being the UK race. Pied Wagtail were also seen at other sites around the village in smaller numbers, and a Grey Wagtail was spotted around Sluice Wood and the recreation ground.

A flock of 10-18 House Martin was reported on 3rd and 5th on GP, the last of the summer visitors.  As for winter visitors, a Redwing was seen along the ORC on 10th, and good numbers of Fieldfare were reported along the Roman Road on 28th, just west of Abington parish boundary.

Larger often mixed flocks of Blue Tit, Great Tit and Goldfinch and Greenfinch are being regularly seen on garden feeders, along with a few Long-tailed Tit, Coal Tit and Chaffinch. Dunnock, Robin and Wren were also regularly reported, as were Collared Dove and Stock Dove under feeders on Lewis Cres. House Sparrow were also seen more often, especially on sunny days, and two Starling were spotted flying over Lewis Cres.

Blackbird are also being more regularly reported in gardens, as well as an occasional Song Thrush. A Mistle Thrush was also spotted on the Perse sports fields, and on a Cambridge Rd garden.

A Green Woodpecker was reported feeding on ants on a Bourn Bridge Rd lawn, a Great Spotted Woodpecker was seen regularly along Cambridge Rd, and a Treecreeper was spotted around the car park on GP (3rd).

Grey Heron and Little Egret were both reported twice, along the river as well as on Perse sports fields, where a flock of Black-headed Gull and Lesser Black-backed Gull were also seen.

Both Buzzard and Red Kite were reported regularly at a number of locations, and a Sparrowhawk was spotted being mobbed by corvids around the Perse sports fields. No reports of Kestrel.

A Jay was spotted along the ORC and in Cambridge Rd garden, and 1-4 Magpie were widely reported, as were mixed flocks of Jackdaw and Rook. Both Pheasant and Red-legged Partridge were seen along the ORC, as was a Yellowhammer (10th), and Skylark were occasionally heard singing there and behind Lewis Cres.

 

Butterflies and other insects

Not unexpectedly, there have been rather fewer insects are around of late, with only 20 reports this month, all of butterflies.

Butterflies: The mostly commonly reported species was the Small White (7 reports), with Brimstone (5 reports), Peacock Blue (4 reports), Red Admiral (3 reports), and Large White (1 report) also being seen. Most sightings were in the first half of the month, but some butterflies were still being seen on warmer days up until 26th.

 

Mammals

Bat – several seen in a Bourn Bridge Rd garden throughout the month up until 28th, and one likely Pipistrelle along Cambridge Rd on 31st.

Fallow Deer – one large male with impressive antlers seen along the ORC on 13th, and five seen in field off Cambridge Road on 26th.

Fox – droppings were seen in a Cambridge Rd garden regularly throughout the month (blog link).

Muntjac – one on rough ground near Church Lane on 20th, and one in the field behind Lewis Cres on 28th. Also one in Sluice Wood on 29th.

Weasel -  one spotted running across Newmarket Rd, near North Rd junction.

 

Flora and Fungi

Relatively few reports of plants in flower: Hawksweed Oxtongue, Lesser Calamint (blog link), Scabious - largely along the Old Railway Cutting. An Earthball fungus (blog link) was reported, but the dry weather has meant a relatively poor year for fungi thus far.

 

Rivercare

The Rivercare team, lead by Nancy, undertook a river sampling survey on 17th, the last one planned for this year. Five of the target invertebrate species were identified, including gammarus, olives and caseless caddisfly, but the total tally was low, and only just above the trigger level for a resampling. A couple of Signal Crayfish were also found.

 

Weather

At last, a wet month with 76.75 mm of rain, but also extremely mild with temperatures frequently in the high teens and low twenties. The warmest was 22.5 degrees C on the 29th, with the lowest being 0.8 degrees C on the 9th, however this was rather exceptional with the average lowest temperature being around 10 degrees C. Winds have stayed predominantly south to southwest for the whole month and generally light.

Many thanks to all those who contributed reports of their sightings for October 2022:
Mark Austin, David Farrant, Gaynor Farrant, Andy Merryweather, Polly Merryweather, Nancy Ockendon, Gareth Rees, Gill Smith, Maggie and John Turner, Derek Turnidge.