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| 31st March: I thought you would be interested in a sighting of a red kite in Haddenham. I spotted it circling over my house in Haddenham High street on Tuesday afternoon (28th Mar) at about 3pm. It sailed away towards the west and was gone by the time I'd collected my camera - so no photo. C'est la vie! Jim Sawyer |
28th March: Brendan Doe kindly allowed us to use his pictures of a Smew female or immature he saw on the Old west River towards the Earith end recently. This is certainly a good first record for the parish as Smews are usually a deep water bird. PM  |
| 18th March: A report on Cambirds website tells of a Smew female or juveniile in the Old West River near Earith end. This is a first parish record for this species. PM |
| 17th March: A friend reports seeing a "female" Hen Harrier last Friday. From Dam Bank, near the Pumping Engine. I am happy to accept this record - it seems that he spent part of his life on the north Norfolk coast and was a regular at Cley. It might be best, though, to call it a ringtail. Jake A. Hinton Farm Reservoir. Wigeon now down to 3 from last count (250). I male 2 females. Tufted Duck 2 pairs Lt Grebe 2 pairs. 5 Greylag Geese .100 Gulls Mixed flock of Blackhead, Common and 3-4 Herring Gulls. Coots 6 Moorhens 8. Pair Pied Wagtails and 1000s of Pigeons on lower field. 1 pair Magpies. PM&ID I've just had a female or 1st year female Merlin circling over A1421, 1/2 mile North of Haddenham. Flew East towards Grunts Fen @09.07. Managed to pullover and see it through bins. It was about 1/2 mile North of the turning for Grunts Fen, Ely Way. Chris Boness |
| 15th March: Otter reported in drain near Old West River. PM Colts Foot along the Boot, Aldreth. Lakes Drove from south. Saw two brimstone butterflies. PM   |
| 14th March: 2 reports from local farmers. Hillrow. 20-25 Greenfinches coming to feed on spilled wheat. Claytons Bridge. Lt Egret. PM |
11th March: Couple of photos of Aldreth Ponds just wakening up from winter.  |
| 10th March: Haddenham/Aldreth Fens. Very quiet and still chilly wind. Little to report apart from usual corvids and Gulls around, mainly Black-headed gulls ranging widely in large groups, many in summer plumage now. Small birds keeping their heads down include Skylarks, Reed Buntings. Only birds of note were 2 male and 1 female Shoveller ducks in drain by Long Drove. Don't get them very often. Around Aldreth ponds several birds singing including Greenfinch 3 males and one pair prospecting nesting places. 1 GS Woodpecker "chwisicking" not drumming. PM&ID |
| 4th March: Male Hen Harrier hunting arable at Haddenham A1123 towards Earith. Steve Cooper (outside observer). |
| 1st March: Today the frogs are very active and there’s lots of spawn. I saw a sparrowhawk displaying over the road between Wilburton and Haddenham, coming down and landing in the hedge that goes along the footpath next to what was the orchard (now destroyed). Long-tailed tits collecting lichen- but not seen nest-building - it must be elsewhere. Barbara York. |
| 25th February: North of Small Fen today (25/2) - Whooper Swan c250, Bewick’s Swan 1 adult, Greylag Goose 160+. I was hoping that the grey geese were going to include something more interesting, but not today! Simon. |
| 23rd February: Storm Doris high winds have caused a very high number (1000s) of gulls, mainly Common (Mew) Gulls and Lesser Blackbacks to congregate in grass fields near College Farm behind Northumberland Close. It is a wind protected site with many high hedges and gulls have found this out and remain there for the duration of the winds. Per ID BY |
23rd February: Species now identified of a photograph taken on Fairchild's hedge-laying day 29 January 2017: Coralspot fungi and Hazel catkin. PM |
20th February: Taken in Aldreth on 19th February. Simon Stirrup. |
15th February: 250 Wigeons, 100 Mallard, 50+ Moorhens,20 coots,1 male Pochard, 11 Tufted ducks, 4 Little Grebes, 8Grelag Geese, and one resplendent male Mandarin duck. PM & I&SD. |
14th February: Male pheasants fighting in the Dickerson's back garden, Station Road |
| 14th February: Aldreth/Haddenham fens etc. Haddenham sewage plant 28 Pied Wagtails plus Grey Wagtail. Hoghill Drove mixed flock finches and sparrows including 2 Yellowhammers. Aldreth Engine Drain. Kingfisher The Boot 5 Common Buzzards circling. 250 Fieldfares + at least 4 Redwings. Dambank. Minimum 4 Goldfinches on Teasels. 2 grey Herons, 1 Cormorant in drain. Long Drove 6 Kestrels, 250 approx Golden Plovers,2750 Lapwings in 2 places, 3-400 fieldfares spread all over very large field,6 Reed Buntings on wires, 2000+ Blackheaded Gulls following tractor and plough. North Fen not observed. Not a bad day's birding in our local patch. PM&I&S D. |
13th February: Visiter to the garden this morning, just caught a starling.Ian. |
4th February: Here is an image of a Buzzard taken by Simon Stirrup near Aldreth this afternoon. A Little Egret was spotted in Long Drove and 13 Roe Deer on North Fen |
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31st January: HEDGE LAYING COMPLETED IN FAIRCHILDS.
Completed in Fairchild’s Bonfire field. From HPC Fairchild’s Fields Management Committee. |
| On Sunday January 29th there gathered the Fairchild’s hedge laying team intent on completing the work that had to be left from last years [2016] successful event. It was just a few yards at the bottom of the field by the kissing gate. Also last years work had to be inspected and judged to be a success insofar as how well the new growth had “bushed out”. A little titivating here and there and pulling out some aggressive bramble plants. Not an easy job that, as it grows so strongly, but we must not let it take over and smother all the erstwhile bushes like Hawthorn, Hazel and other berry bearing plants. It’s a great big thanks to Alastair, Ann, Chris, Chris, Gareth, Hazel, Jez, Kate, Robert, Stuart, Tim and of course, Buster the dog! To Haddenham Conservation Society for lending us the gazebo. And to Barclay and Loz for sourcing the binders for the top of the new-laid hedge” They could not come, but they still played their parts not least to Hazel for providing some super Tomato soup with added zest herb wise!     |
| 31 January 2017: Regular visits now to my garden include Yellowhammer and Reed Bunting. Stock Dove and a Muntjac played havoc with my garden foliage. Jake |
| 29 January 2017: AM - blackcap in garden. Sally Just a Common Buzzard but one of 7-8 we have in the parish this winter 2016-7. Chocolate ginger colour. Others vary from near all cream speckled to nearly black. PM  |
| 27 January 2017: We've just spotted a Tree Sparrow in our front garden (Orchard Way). Sally |
| 20 January 2017: Dambank/Long Drove. Lapwing 250+/-, Grey Partridge 3, Stonechat 1 male, Common Buzzard 3 Fieldfare 50+, Corn Bunting 4, Reed Bunting 2 pairs, Linnets 12+, Kestrel 3, Goldfinch 12+. PM&ID Photographs: Fieldfares in Aldreth Road orchard 19 January 2017   |
| 15 January 2017: Our invertebrate expert Rob Mills has been analysing his transept research in Fairchild's Meadows from 2016 and found a specimen of Mallota cimbiciformis ( a type of Hoverfly) which turns out to be very rare. We don't think it has ever been recorded in Cambridgeshire before. This is as all such record notifications subject to confirmation but is very interesting. PM  |
| 14 January 2017: Then maybe we have a visitation as there were 2 Tree Sparrows on feeders at Lode Way reported by Ann Biggs. PM 13 January 2017: There was a Tree Sparrow on our feeders this morning – despite the horrendous conditions. Only the second I have seen in Aldreth – the previous one was in the garden too. Simon.  |
7 January 2017: Common Buzzard and 120-130 part of Wigeon flock. Hinton Farm Reservoir 6/1/17. Photos ID  |
| 6 January 2017: Haddenham. Hinton Farm reservoir. 250+/- Wigeon. 2 Male Pochards. 15 Tufted Ducks. 3 Cormorants. 4 Little Grebes. 2500-3000 Fieldfares, 6 Mistle Thrushes. 1 Song Thrush. Aldreth Road garden. Male Bullfinch. Aldreth Road orchard. 2000 estimate Fieldfares, 1 Redwing. 1 each Great Spotted and Green Woodpecker. PM&ID |
| 4 January 2017: 250 +/- Lapwings being harried by 5-6 Black-headed gulls for worms etc. 1 Common Buzzard sitting in middle watching! Absolutely millions of Molehills everywhere. Some molehills on top of other molehills. I have never seen so many. PM |
2 January 2017: Up to 7 Bullfinches still feeding on Cherry emerging buds in garden in Aldreth. Photo by the Burgess family. |
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