Radley Lakes – August 2022

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During the summer, information boards and seats have appeared around Radley Lakes. This information board and these seats are in Barton Fields.

The Radley Lakes area was farmland, which the railway passed through. From 1955 major gravel extraction began. Some of the pits filled with water, others were filled with fuel ash from Didcot power station and are now covered with trees and sedges. The Abingdon railway branch closed and became part of a national cycle path.

There are new seats with a view of the largest lake, Thrupp Lake.

How many sorts of bird can you see in this picture?

Swans were waterweed dipping nearby.

Coots were waterweed diving near the wooden walkway in one corner of Thrupp Lake. The surface is covered with feathers in this corner, or perhaps they are flying seeds.

In another corner a colony of water lilies bloomed.

On the other side of the national cycle path, Orchard Lake has dried up this summer.

You can see an adult heron and a young heron at the end of Orchard Lake. The other young flew off.

Brown Field Sites in South Abingdon

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A brownfield site refers to previously developed land.

Ladygrove Cottage, next to Hartwells (car dealership), has been demolished and a 3-storey building is being built. It will contain four 1 bedroom and two 2 bedroom apartments and parking for 7 cars.

A few doors down, near the Caldecott Road roundabout, another house, the one that used to have two stone lions on the gateposts,  has been demolished. I have not seen plans for redevelopment yet.

The Ferry Boat Yard, off the Wilsham Road, will now have 3 new residential units consisting of one 1 bed, one 2 bed and one 3 bed house and car parking.

The Tesco Garden Centre will be a 86-bedroom hotel. It was not visible from Marcham Road but is now.

Sun and Shade

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The change from street to shop is startling during this heatwave. You hear people saying on going into the Co-op,’I’ll spend the day here.’

Refrigeration and air conditioning units must be using a lot of power.

The trees at the Square and Market Place give shade.

Other places are more exposed to the sun.

Abingdon Weir, Drought Status, New Abbey Meadow fence

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Newcomer reported that, on Thursday Morning, he saw a lot of water birds on the slope of Abingdon Weir at 9 am. They were enjoying the slow water flow and eating the water weed from the flow. He did not have his Apple phone with him.

Hoping for a picture, I went there this morning. Instead of many birds, a family of ducks was resting on the weir substructure,

and thousands of small fish were nibbling at water weed near the surface just below the weir.

The Environment Agency announced today that the Thames area, including Abingdon, has moved into drought status. Drought status means that the Environment Agency and water companies can start implementing drought plans, including a hosepipe ban. Some Councils have implemented a splash park turn-off.

At Abbey Meadow, a new fence has been erected to stop young children from falling into the river. The fence could deter geese from entering the splash park, although they were still there today.