Walking back from a meeting at Preston Road Community Centre this evening I spotted a toad on the pavement near the Old Saxton Arms – just there on the pavement in the rain.
Earlier I had seen a hedgehog crossing the road, and taking a long time doing it, sniffing for insects at it went. I don’t usually see live hedgehogs on the road.
On Friday 21st July 2017 the annual Swan Upping arrived at Abingdon, completing a five day journey up the Thames.
2017 was a relatively good year with more swans counted than the previous three years.
At Abingdon Marina two cygnets and a father swan were caught near the slipway. Their mother was nowhere to be seen.
David Barber, the Queen’s Swan Marker, and the Queen’s swan uppers were accompanied by swan uppers from both the Vintners’ and Dyers’ livery companies. Some swans are marked for the Queen and others for the Vintners’ or Dyers’ depending on parentage.
The swan and cygnets were assessed for signs of disease and injury, then weighed and ringed with identification numbers. Mr Barber gave a few white feathers, that had come loose from the adult swan, to a child who had held one of the cygnets.
The two cygnets were claimed for the Queen by Mr Barber, although the Dyers’ also tried to make a claim.
The flotilla of six traditional skiffs then rowed off back across the Marina to the Thames – they were rejoined by the three motor boats that give support and provide the occasional tow.
The end of the journey was at Abingdon Bridge where people had gathered. @TheAbingdonTaxi was there on the bridge – reporting directly on Twitter. He had already seen pictures, on Twitter, from @wbGabbleRatchet who was at the Marina.
At Abingdon Bridge the skiffs came together and the company stood up to toast the Queen.
A minute or so later they disembarked, and David Barber was talking on his mobile phone. Then he gave another interview to a lady from the press. A lot of his job is education and public relations to help raise awareness and protect swans. I think he said to her 134 cygnets this year.
Finally, a pleasure cruiser came under the bridge – ‘Land of Hope and Glory’ blaring out. One of the passengers made as if they were conducting the assembled throng on the bridge.
A psycho swan has been seen bullying other birds and killing goslings on the Thames at Abingdon. On Sunday morning I was shown evidence from a phone video of the swan holding goslings under the water, and scaring off the older geese who came near to try to help.
Then today I saw a swan, presumably the same one, attach some birds. The pictures show the chase,
and then the swan having pushed one of the other birds under the water. It reappeared somewhere else.
The swan did not appear to have young nearby.
The Abbey Fishponds is a small wetland nature reserve that runs between Radley Road and Audlett Drive in Abingdon, with houses either side.
The wetland part is made of ponds, seasonal ponds, sedges, reedbeds, and a brook that runs from end to end.
The Earth Trust is now responsable for the reserve, having taken over from BBOWT a couple of years ago. This week The Earth Trust roving Wildlife Wednesday event took place at the Abbey Fishponds. It was a chance to look for local wildlife and have lots of outdoor fun.
In the centre of the site is an embankment, known locally as ‘Daisy Bank’, which gave the idea that these could have been Abbey Fishponds.
On the first Saturday of the month a team of volunteers help to look after the area, and I believe they will be out from about 10:30, although you can check if interested. They will be using scythes not strimmers.
By the way June 1st is the start of the Oxford Festival of Nature. And the Worldwide City Daily Photo have their June 1st Theme Day on Nature.