Sunday 27 July 2014

Common Darter dragonfly

Derek reports that "a Common Darter dragonfly visited us today" [27th July]:


Sunday 20 July 2014

Green Woodpeckers on Cambridge Road

Richard Wells took these pictures of 2 young Green Woodpeckers he saw in his front garden on 10th July 2014.


Tuesday 15 July 2014

Butterflies and Buddleia

Butterflies are said to like Buddleia... This morning (15th July) in the sunshine, on Jennifer's buddleia bush, there were 3 commas, 2 red admirals, 1 peacock, 1 small tortoiseshell and 1 small white – all together at the same time.
Here's a photograph of one of the commas:


Friday 11 July 2014

Beech Wood trip - 30th May

A small group went to the Beech Wood near the Gog Magog golf club on 10 May 2014. 
David Farrant took these photos:
The group

Helleborine

Bracket Fungus

Thursday 10 July 2014

Bee Orchid

On the evening of 5th June, Stephen Roughley spotted a Bee Orchid just into Babraham parish, on the edge of the footpath over the A11, as he cycled home from Granta Park, He sent these photos:



Monday 7 July 2014

River Sampling - 2nd July 2014

We sampled in the usual place near the cricket nets from about 6:30 pm. The weather was fine and the river very low. We found mayfly larvae plentiful and also found other fauna including fish and small crayfish.









This is what we recorded for the Riverfly records:

Cased caddisfly:  Nil
Caseless caddisfly:  Nil
Mayfly Ephemeridae:  Nil
Blue-winged olive: Category A, Estimated number 6
Flat bodied up-wings:  Category A, Estimated number 2
Olives: Category B, Estimated number 50
Stoneflies: Nil
Gammarus (Freshwater shrimp): Category B, Estimated number 60

Hatches seen: none
River very low; fine, dry weather, warm evening; 3 kick-shuffles undertaken within the allotted 3 minutes (1. gravel on margin of fools watercress, 2. gravel close to water crowfoot area, 3. 30 sec kickshuffle close to bank + 30 sec sweep in main river)
Other fauna: Signal crayfish (3 large, 3 small); Demoiselle larva (1); 10 tiny minnows/sticklebacks




Saturday 5 July 2014

Fen Drayton Lakes - 5th July

Showery weather did not deter a small group from an expedition on the Guided Busway to the RSPB reserve at Fen Drayton. Jennifer arranged for us to be guided by John Harding.


We saw or heard a variety of birds and some butterflies but the most numerous sightings were of damsel flies. Most common was Common blue (Enallagma cyathigerum); we also saw Blue-tailed Damselfly (Ischnura elegans) and Banded demoiselle (Calopteryx splendens) in reasonable numbers.

Blue-tailed Damselfly

Common blue damselfly

Common blue damselfly (JH)

Banded demoiselle

Red-eyed damselfly

Cinnabar Moth caterpillar (JH)

Red Admiral butterfly

Ladybird larva
We saw and/or heard quite a number of birds:

Tufted Duck                     
Chiff Chaff           
Lapwing
Pochard                 
Common Tern          
Greenfinch
Dabchick                 
Reed Warbler            
Black Headed Gull 
Mallard                      
Red Kite                      
Heron                          
Great Crested Grebe    
Wren                              
Egyptian Goose
Coot                               
Sedge Warbler                 
Greylag Goose 
Cormorant                  
Blackcap                            
Whitethroat
Gadwall                        
Starling                             
Little Egret
Moorhen                         
Green Woodpecker

Mute Swan                   
Reed Bunting

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)