Friday 21 April 2017

David Farrant took these photos:

Fallow deer prints - Hildersham Wood - 26 March

A Mole on the surface - Sluice Wood - 26 Feb.

Mining Bees - the path around Cooks Field - 6 April


Saturday 15 April 2017

Chiffchaffs singing in the old railway cutting

Andy M saw several Chiffchaffs singing in the old railway cutting today, as well as hearing a Willow Warbler somewhere close by.



Saturday 8 April 2017

Sparrowhawk caught in the act!

George thinks this is the culprit for a number of patches of feathers that have been appearing in his High Street gardens, both front and back, lately. On 6 April evening, there was a very loud bang on the window behind his head; when he looked around he saw a number of feathers fluttering down... when he looked through the window to his left, into the rear garden, he saw this feeding going on.


Wednesday 5 April 2017

Comma butterfly

Andy M saw this Comma butterfly today, whilst walking in Sluice Woods on Granta Park.  Jennifer reports seeing Commas several times in her garden from mid-March, and there have been several other sightings this year too.


Monday 3 April 2017

First Orange Tip butterflies reported three weeks earlier than 2016

Jennifer received the first reports of Orange Tip butterflies in Abington this year on 29th/31st March and 2nd/3rd April - around three weeks earlier than last year, 2016, when the first reports were on 19th April.  So signs of this being an early year for butterflies, likely due to the number of warm sunny days recently.



Sunday 2 April 2017

Beefly

There have been quite a few Beeflies around recently, and Andy M saw several Dark-edged Beefly (Bombylius major) feeding on forget-me-nots in his garden this weekend.  He also saw one beefly with a dark shiny black end to the abdomen (no photo) which he believes was a Dotted Beefly (Bombylius discolor) .



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)