Monthly Archives: January 2012

Joint Environmental Trust – Not Quite So Joint

Joint Environmental Trust
Good to see the ex Hathaways shop is now in a fit state to become a shop again. Looks like Connells next door is also being refurbished.
Joint Environmental Trust
Grants from the Joint Environmental Trust (JET) can be used towards shop window improvements.

Its seems as if the Joint Environmental Trust is no longer quite so joint. It was set up as a partnership between district and town council – a way to work together to improve the town. Last year it was handed over for the town council to run. This year the leader of the district council said “We’re taking away the blanket grant to Town Council in favour of considering funding for appropriate projects on a case by case basis.

Mud Trending

There has been talk of mud on twitter this weekend and I became very aware of  mud on the dog walk today …
Muddy as a play puddle
The area that looks like the pigs’ play puddle is the pedestrian route to Tesco from Chaunterell Way.
Muddy as a play puddle
The route was created when Tesco first opened in the early 1980s (corrected from 70s after comment). There is a picture in the library local studies section of a bridge at the Tesco end of the path being lowered into position in 1983. Not only is the path muddy a lot of the year, but the fence is falling down.

Lots of birds tweeting in Abingdon this weekend

This weekend the RSPB are asking people to count birds in their gardens as part of a national survey. The winter has been mild so far.  I have read newspaper reports suggesting that as a result birds have not needed to come to gardens for emergency food and that could skew the RSPB survey results.  There are lots of  birds about in Abingdon, but not many come to our garden, but then we have a cat, and so don’t feed them.
Garden Bird Survey
None of these birds were seen in our garden. The chaffinch was near the River Ock.
Garden Bird Survey
A blackbird was nearby.
Garden Bird Survey
Two magpies in the Abbey Gardens.
Garden Bird Survey
Robins are to be heard at regular intervals along the Ock Valley Walk and the Abbey Mill Stream.
Garden Bird Survey
This Kingfisher did not stop long enough for me to get a clear shot but it did rest for a moment by the River Ock before speeding low along the river.