Jenny says, “Not an exotic visitor, but I now know who is ripping the heads off the sunflowers I leave to go to seed in the garden for the birds”. At Jesus Lock, Rufus saw a young male Swan apparently deliberately slide down the weir!Ī few mammal reports: a Water Vole in the brook along “Snakey Path” (Holly), 3 Hares and a Stoat at Nine Wells LNR, a Weasel at Barnwell West and a Field Vole at Hobson’s Park (Guy). My local Swans (new parents) had only one, which has survived and lives with Mum, Dad seemingly bored with parental duties. Holly’s list of 21 species in Cherry Hinton includes Greenfinches (returning after an absence of several years) and 6 out of 7 surviving Cygnets. St Luke’s Church has been a good spot for Peregrine watching: one harried a flock of pigeons for 5 minutes before effortlessly snatching one mid-air (Ben). There has been a gradual build-up of Rooks and Jackdaws in the tall trees of Paradise Island – always a sign of autumn for me. Guy noted 5 Gadwall, Great Crested Grebes and Tufted Ducks at Cherry Hinton Lakes. Grantchester Rd fields seem to be a good place for Grey Partridges (20) and Jeff saw 80 Linnets there too. ![]() Spring? Jeff reports other migrants: 2 Whinchat,ġ0 Blackcaps, juvenile Lesser Whitethroats along Barton Rd and a couple of Willow Warblers. ![]() (someone suggested) is it more to do with the day length being the same as To happen in the autumn – are they looking for company for the voyage or Swifts, always the first to go, were last seen Gradually reduced in numbers over the first half of the month. (This one was (out of our area) at Fulbourn Fen.) Although tiny (2-3mm) they may transmit Lyme’s Disease. Finally, Paul warns of the dangers of long grass, sending a picture of a Deer Tick before a feed. A couple of other bugs turned up: a Brassica Shiedbug Eurydema oleracea (nymph) and this bright coloured Cinnamon Bug which startled its host (Andrew). Rhona (Jesus College) is always on the lookout for something new: this month a very rare medium-sized Ground Bug Raglius acuminatus with striking red-brown and white markings on the forewings and rear third of the pronotum. There are increasing sightings of the dreaded Boxmoth: beautiful but deadly! Better news was a Humming-bird Hawkmoth in Newnham (Pam). Rd garden turned up a splendid but unwelcome Scarlet Lily Beetle and a splendid and most welcome Cream-spot Ladybird (Paul) also, a These bees first turned up inĢ001 in the South of the UK and are now widespread. Hederae, the Ivy bee, were in the Systematic Beds, the femalesīurrowing into the bare soil around the plants. Researcher from UEA Department of Zoology, pointed out all the different bees The most interesting find hereīioBlitz at the Botanic Gardens was a great success. The Botanic Garden is a hotspot for OdonataĪnd the pond is full of nymphs of different species. This is less fussy and will use many kinds of Umbellifer as the larval food plant.”īutterflies include Jeff’s Small Copper, Brimstone and Commonīlue Mary’s Speckled Wood, Guy’s Small Copper, SmallĪnd Damsels are still around: Jeff reports a Brown Hawker and at least 3 Willow Emerald Damselflies at Paradise gorganus subspecies arriving from the continent. In some years, there are reports of the P.m. ![]() This is partly due to the distribution of the sole larval food plant, Milk-parsley. The best sighting of the month was undoubtedly Vic’s battered Swallowtail in Cherry Hinton, which nearly caused her to crash the van! (She assumed it was a migrant from a European population, though it might have been raised locally: Wicken Fen has tried to re-introduce them.) I gather: “The British race is the subspecies Papilio machaon britannicus, which is confined to the fens of the Norfolk Broads.
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