Abbey Fish Ponds – April 2021


Today was another sunny day in the current warm spell that follows a cool start to April.

Looking down from the earth mounds, at the centre of the Abbey Fishponds nature reserve, the fenland below is half green where the sedges have been cut back and are growing back fresh, and a straw colour where last year’s dry stems have been left.

Sedges can be seen growing from the edge of the boggy ground.

The pools are also being surrounded by green leaves.

Round the edges of the nature reserve new trees are growing from their protective sheaths.

From the woodland areas lots of Lords and Ladies can be developing their male flowers, the so called Cuckoo-pint.

There are a lot of birds singing and fighting for space, particularly in the wooded areas.

There are also early insects such as this Orange-tip Butterfly.

At the entrances to the Nature Reserve are notices warning of ticks. Ticks can transmit microbes that cause illnesses like Lyme disease.

Sunny Weekend was perfect for the first meal (or drink) out


Over the weekend the garden of the Nags Head pub was a popular venue for people to experience their first meal (or drink) out since the lockdown easing. The sun shone on Saturday, Sunday, and Monday.

Everyone entering the garden records their details with Track and Trace, and wears a mask to the table. Orders are made by mobile phones.

Here is a pint of Abingdon Bridge, brewed by the Loose Cannon Brewery in Abingdon.

While enjoying the garden the punters can watch the boats go by.

On the downstream side of Nags Head Island, Annie’s Tearooms, also has outdoor tables and has been welcoming people back.

There is currently work strengthening the moorings downstream from Abingdon Bridge.

Abingdon Market Place falls silent at start of Prince Philip’s funeral


The bell of St Helen’s Church tolled for fifteen minutes. Then a minute’s silence was observed on Abingdon Market Place at 3 P.M in remembrance of H.R.H Prince Philip.

The Town Crier, Deputy Lieutenant of Oxfordshire, Mayor of Abingdon-on-Thames, and Town Clerk led the silence in Abingdon, an event held throughout Britain.

At the same time, at St. George’s Chapel at Windsor Castle, members of the royal family surrounded Philip’s coffin. The coffin was then taken inside the building for the service, as organ music played.

There were also tributes in the window of the Sue Ryder Charity shop nearby, and Waitrose.

From the Farmers Market to browsing books


The Farmers Market was on the Market Place in Abingdon today.

It was my first time inside both independent bookshops since the reopening. The Book store is in Bury Street precinct.

Two shops have closed in Bury Street during the shutdown. The Gift Centre has closed – probably deciding not to renew a lengthy lease. Also Peacocks went into administration and is now closed.  200 of the 400 Peacock stores will be re-opening as the chain have been brought out out administration. I don’t know about the Abingdon shop.

Mostly Books were also open. On display there is Trinity by Frank Close. Trinity was the code name for exploding the test atomic bomb in 1945. This well researched story is about Klaus Fuchs, a communist sympathiser, who passed atomic secrets to the Soviets during the race for development of the nuclear bomb. The book has both spying and science.

The library is also open and there I saw another book by Frank Close called Neutrino. Frank Close is a nuclear physicist who lives in Abingdon and often helps at the ATOM Science festival