Category Archives: wildlife

Bees at St Nics

It has been a warm and sunny week.
Bee Swarm at St Nics
People walking through the Abbey Gateway gave St Nicolas church a wide berth at lunchtime today.
Bee Swarm at St Nics
A swarm of bees looked to be setting up home and the air was full of them. Somebody said the bees had not been there five minutes before.
Bee Swarm at St Nics
I did ask at the district council whether their pest control people could take a quick look, but was told they don’t have a pest control department anymore.

Somebody else said they were probably mortar bees – not honey bees, and so their sting could not penetrate human skin.

Pigeons don’t have a rest day.

Pigeons enjoy food and the chance to co-operate
There were quite a few shops open today in Abingdon. But it was Sunday and there were not so many people.
Pigeons enjoy food and the chance to co-operate
There were still the same number of pigeons.

I saw one getting chased out of Greggs. The open door, with warm smells, was too much of a temptation.
Pigeons enjoy food and the chance to co-operate
Pigeons congregate wherever there is the chance to co-operate, or find food, every day of the week. They don’t have a rest day.

Crayfish

Crayfish
One unwelcome invader to our rivers is the North American Signal Crayfish, a ferocious cannibal that will eat anything that comes its way, fish eggs, ducklings, young Moorhens and has all but finished off our indigenous species. Apart from doing harm to our wildlife they can collapse a river bank by their constant burrowing. The River Ock has its share of this monster and Steve has been doing his best to control them (over 100 in 3 days from a 10 meter stretch) You have to be licensed by the E.A to catch them and putting them back is forbidden, (failure to comply carries a hefty fine) but they do make for good eating!
Crayfish

Swan Upping 2014

Swan Upping
The Swan Uppers completed their five day annual census of swans in Abingdon-on-Thames this afternoon.
Swan Upping
They caught a swan and 5 cygnets off Wilsham Road in Abingdon.
Swan Upping
Swan Upping is partly ceremonial and partly scientific. Swans are rounded up, caught, marked, and then released.
Swan Upping
There were more swans on the Thames this year than last.
Swan Upping
The ceremonial part ended at Abingdon Bridge with a toast to ‘The Queen’.