27th February 2025 - Andy M was watching the birds at his feeders, when he noticed this Great Tit, which at first inspection seemed much like any other Great Tit, with the exception of its long and somewhat deformed bill - with which it seemed to be coping perfectly well!
16th February 2025 - a lovely show of Aconites and Snowdrops in Sluice Wood on GP this year.
Over the winter, an extensive 'wildlife habitat improvement project' has been underway in Lagden's Grove - the undergrowth clearance looks rather brutal at the moment, but the hope is that the wild flowers in particular will benefit from the extra light. Not sure the insects or birds are going to be quite so happy at the loss of feeding and nesting habitat though - we will see.
Andy M
25th February 2025 - the Abington NatureWatch 2025 Programme of Events is shown below.
ANW members will receive email reminders with further details ahead of each trip.
On occasion it becomes necessary to change the programme. The most up-to-date information can be found at the top right of the Abington NatureWatch blog home page, under the Resources heading.
ANW Project Team
11 February 2025 - Following the RSPB BGBW event conducted over the last weekend in January, those that took part locally sent Derek T their results, and the collated results are shown below.
DLT 09Feb2025
2nd February 2025 - David F saw these Snowdrop and Aconite in flower near the sluice on GP.
Highlights for January 2025
Amphibians
and Reptiles
No
reported sightings.
Birds
A total of 45 species were
reported this month in 319 records.
A Nuthatch was
seen in a Cambridge Rd garden for the first time, and a pair of Blackcap
was feeding on euonymus berries on Lewis Cres. A few Redwing were
feeding on berries at Hall Farm (see
blog) and along the High St, whilst Fieldfare were seen at Hall
Farm and along North Rd (25). Good numbers of Blue Tit were regularly reported
in gardens, alongside fewer Great Tit, Coal Tit and Long-tailed
Tit, as well as up to 13 Goldfinch, five Greenfinch and interestingly
up to ten Chaffinch. A Goldcrest and a Wren were also
occasionally spotted.
A Green Woodpecker
was seen for the first time in a while in two gardens (see
blog), with the absence of this normally regular visitor being noted in
other gardens, whilst a Great Spotted Woodpecker was spotted in three
gardens, and a Jay or two were fairly regularly seen. Song Thrush,
Robin and Great Tit could all be heard singing around mid-month,
and Tawny Owl could regularly be heard hooting from several locations.
A female/juvenile Sparrowhawk
was seen in two gardens (see
blog), and a Kestrel was reported around Moorefield, whilst a Buzzard
and a Red Kite were reported at several sites. A few Stock Dove
were regulars in several gardens, with a Collared Dove being more occasionally.
On Granta Park, eight Barnacle
Goose, a Cormorant, a Moorhen and a Mute Swan were
seen around the frozen lake, with c20 Mallard and a Grey Heron seen
along the river. A flock of c60 Starling seen are believed to roost in
the reedbeds, whilst Fieldfare, Redwing and a Mistle Thrush
were spotted in Lagden’s Grove, with 13 Pied Wagtail seen on the cricket
green.
Butterflies
and other Insects
A Buff-tailed Bumblebee was seen busily buzzing around a
Lewis Cres garden on 20th.
Flora
and Fungi
First signs
of Snowdrop and Aconite flowers reported on 12th near the sluice on GP (see
blog).
Mammals
Fox – one seen
in Bourn Bridge Rd garden on 3rd.
Hare – one seen
crossing Pampisford Rd near Cutting Rd, and another on GP by Illumina on 12th.
Muntjac – one spotted
in a Cambridge Rd garden on both 6th and 12th.
Roe Deer – five
seen in Sluice Wood on 17th.
Weather
Rainfall for the month was slightly above average at 53 mm. The highest temperature was 13.1°C on 5th with the lowest being minus 8.2°C on the 10th. The second week was frosty for several days (see blog) but thereafter was around freezing or above. Winds were predominantly from a south west to westerly direction with a couple of stormy days at both the beginning and end of the month.
Many thanks to all those who contributed their sightings this month. Gaynor Farrant, Andy & Polly Merryweather, Nancy Ockendon, Barbara Phippen, Gareth Rees, Marion Rusted, Gill & Richard Smith, Suzan Stewart, John & Maggie Turner, Derek Turnidge.
Abbreviations: GA - Great Abington, LA – Little Abington, LSA – Land
Settlement Association, GP – Granta Park, ORC – Old Railway Cutting, AbPkFm –
Abington Park Farm.
