Abington Naturewatch: April 2008

Saturday 26 April 2008

River Survey - 26th April 2008

It was a lovely morning for a walk by the river. There were plenty of minnows by the bridge and we managed to catch one. A variety of other river life was recorded including mayfly larvae, lice, worms and leeches.

Saturday 12 April 2008

April Activities

MEMBERS' MEETING - Saturday 12th April 10:30 - Abington Institute

RIVER SURVEY - Saturday 26th April about 1030 (after the regular clean-up) - Road Bridge / Ford
We will start by the ford and intend to check sections in the Football Reach and by the Millennium Bridge. We aim to finish by about midday. Lenses, books, info sheets, spoons, small trays, pots etc all welcome. We will appoint a Recorder on the spot.

BIRDING JAUNT - Sunday 27th April afternoon - Paxton Pits (near St Neots) - led by Stuart Elsom
Please contact Derek Turndige or Pat Daunt if you're interested - they will coordinate how we share driving/car-spaces. Numbers are limited but we may be able to squeeze in one or two more. Please bring Binoculars and stout shoes/boots.

Naturewatch Record

Paper copies of the new Record (2007) are available from Pat Daunt for £3-50.

Alternatively, I can supply it in PDF format by email - if you have a reasonably fast connection (it's about 3 MB)

River Shep Walk and Talk

The Cam Valley Forum has invited Abington Naturewatch and other local groups to join them on the morning of 10 May 2008 for a short guided walk along the river Shep near Boot Lane, Barrington. The walk will be led by a member of Friends of the River Shep who will tell us about the work the group carried a few years ago to make this stretch of the river a better place for wildlife and people. We will also have an opportunity to see recent work by the Barrington Conservation Trust.

After the walk we will meet in the village hall for refreshments when there will be an opportunity to discuss how local groups can improve the management of streams and small rivers, and the sources of help and funding available to them.

We will meet at 10am at the village hall and, subject to the weather, proceed to Boot Lane. If you would like to come, please contact Peter, Anne or Patrick - we will coordinate trasnport and liaise with CVF.

Saturday 5 April 2008

Geograph

Geograph is a project to photograph every 1km grid square in the British Isles. Here's the square for the Abingtons: http://www.geograph.org.uk/gridref/TL5348

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)