Category Archives: animal

A lot more to save than Radley Lakes…

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Friends of Radley Lakes
The Save Radley Lakes campaign may well be over. But here is Jo Cartmell – one of the protestors – with a few of her pictures of water voles.

Water Voles are, according to Jo’s twitter account,  ‘the UK’s fastest declining mammal… Do not mow river/stream banks!  Allow them to forage and hide!‘
Friends of Radley Lakes
There is a photographic exhibition by the Save Friends of Radley Lakes at the Abingdon Community Shop. It is a chance to help the Friends develop the lake,  and also a reminder that there is a lot more to save than Radley Lakes.

Abingdon Horse Show 2010

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Abingdon Horse Show 2010
This horse show is an annual event and takes place on Rye Farm Meadow, next to the River Thames.
Abingdon Horse Show 2010
The Abingdon Horse Show was started in 1974 by local clubs but as people have got older responsibility has transferred to the Berkshire Downs Riding Club who have been in full charge for 4 years.
Abingdon Horse Show 2010
They now run a large and varied event with six different arenas. Three arenas are for show jumping at different levels.
Abingdon Horse Show 2010
The other arenas are for ridden showing or leading by hand showing.
Abingdon Horse Show 2010
It was a hot day and those not taking part could laze in the sun.

Swan Uppers in Abingdon – 2010

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Under a Royal Charter, the Vintners’ Company (in red) and the Dyers’ Company (in blue), two Livery Companies of the City of London, have a part ownership with Her Majesty the Queen of the mute swans on the River Thames.

In the distant past swans were a royal delicacy.

Nowadays they don’t get eaten but if caught, the Vintners and the Dyers ring the swan’s feet on the Queen’s behalf, aided and abetted by animal experts from places like Oxford University .

The week long census ends at Abingdon Bridge…

where a toast is made to their patron the Queen. The actual time they will arrive in Abingdon is unpredicatable. Last year Culham Lock was not working and they were delayed. This year they made good time, found the swans with the six Abingdon born cygnets near the Marina, and finished at around 5 PM.

They did not catch the swan with the two cygnets seen in last weekend’s blog.

Everything is unloaded on Naggs Head Island before they go to one of the local pubs for a few more drinks.

Prelude to a Swan Upping

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I see from the royal website, www.royal.gov.uk, that this year’s Swan Upping – the census of the swans on the The River Thames – starts on Monday 19th July, departing from Sunbury Lock and ends at Abingdon, Oxfordshire on Friday 23rd July. That’s us.
Swans on River Thames getting out of way of boat
There seemed to be a lot of swans on the river this morning in Abingdon. Nothing like the old days of course, before the Canada Geese came and took over, but drifting through Abingdon Bridge I counted about ten.
Swans going under Abingdon Bridge
Once the swans have swum under Abingdon Bridge, they have escaped the clutches of the swan uppers who stop at the bridge.
Swans collecting her young
This mother, with her late clutch of two young ones, was just practising her escape route before next Friday.  She gathered the cygnets together one side of the bridge…
Swan with two young on back
then emerged  safe and sound, unweighed and untagged, on the other side.