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Click on "Programme & Volunteering" to see the Working parties |
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Click on "Flora & Fauna Record" to go to the Birds and Wild Flower Systematic lists
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BREAKING NEWS: November, December 2014 and January, February 2015
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| 28 February 2015: A surprise was a male Reed Bunting feeding on red millet on 2 extended occasions this afternoon in our garden. This is the first time we have seen a Reed Bunting actually in the garden. Also, it is the only bird that I have seen feeding on the red millet this winter. Otherwise buying the millet has been a waste of money! Simon. |
24 February 2015: Record shot of Wigeon and Coot feeding on grass near to east end of parish. NH |
| 21-22 February 2015: On 21st February there were 60 Mute Swans on Ewell Fen and hundreds of Lapwing and Golden Plover to the east of Chain Corner (just in our parish) On 22nd February I heard a flock of Whooper Swans flying over Aldreth at c 08:30. Simon. And another Jay from Simon 'On a frosty morn...!'  |
| 22 February 2015: An interesting late report from about 2 weeks ago is of about 50 Wigeon grazing grass by a farm reservoir near to Hinton Hall is very unusual. PM |
| 19 February 2015: Managed to get round before the rain set in but only real thing to report is that the 3-4000 Lapwing along Dambank as reported last time are still on the same two fields. They are occasionally parasitized by some 20 odd Blackheaded Gulls and perhaps there were around 10-12 Golden Plover. I find it surprising that these two fields can supply enough food for all those birds for a week or ten days. There were also around 150 Fieldfares to one edge of same field. Round towards Nineacre Wood there were around 30-50 more Fieldfares with 2 or 3 Redwings. A Little Egret was active going from drain to drain. ID&PM |
15 February 2015: Here are some more fabulous Jay images from Simon Stirrup.    |
| 11 February 2015: Report on Nineacre Wood work party by John Burgess: Yesterday we put the new tools to good use and had a very successful morning in Nine Acre Wood. There were six volunteers including myself, we managed to clear a ‘scallop’ at the path edge at the far end of the wood. We still have to reduce the height of some of the stumps but generally it went very well. No accidents or near misses to report, everybody had a good time, the weather was ideal and a treat to be out. I will take some photos and send them on. It will be interesting to see what effect this has made, literally watch this space. All the best. John. [Also of interest seen by a member of the work party at Nineacre Wood - a Goldcrest. Arnott Barclay Late record of 30 odd Wigeon spent two days around Hinton Hall reservoirs. A very nice turn up for this private site. Kingfishers also seen with Great Crested Grebes, Little Grebes Pochards, Tufted Ducks and Greylag Geese. PM. Just a couple of long shots of Common Buzzard on post surveying part of 4000 odd Lapwings. They are unconcerned as they know it could not kill one unless the prey was sick. PM&ID   |
| 9 February 2015: Dambank. It was good to get out on a fine morning and see a lot of birds like 4000+/- Lapwings with a few Golden Plovers mixed in. Ewell Fen 50 odd Mute Swans. 3 Kestrels back on sites that were once thought traditional but there was a spell when some were absent in some years. 3 Common Buzzards. 1 of which was close to Lapwing flock on a post and the plovers were not concerned even when it moved. Plenty of gulls of various species but no Glaucous seen! On a field at top end of Long Drove were tractors were working were 10-12 Pied Wagtails with many Starlings and a nice find by Ian was a juv/female Stonechat. Always a great bird to see. No sign of Whooper/Bewicks today. ID/PM Here is another image of a Jay taken in our Aldreth garden yesterday (8th February). More to come when I have time to go through them.  |
| 2 February 2015: Aldreth - Heard 2 Great Spotted Woodpeckers drumming this week and Brambling again in garden. Simon |
| 31 January 2015: On 30th January we had 3 Lesser Redpolls feeding at our niger seed feeder and a male Brambling feeding below the feeders. The Brambling was still present on 31st. Simon Stirrup |
| 29 January 2015: North of Hillrow Causeway. Abt 420 Whoopers and a few Bewicks Swans. On winter wheat and near some puddled water. Scattered Lapwings. South of Causeway towards Aldreth 2 parties of 2 Shooters on a rough shoot were disturbing many birds but 50+/- Mute Swans moving around. Odd Fieldfares, Redwing, Linnets and Goldfinch plus small flock of Pied Wagtails minimum 6 but likely more. PM (Thanks to Michael Church for ride around) |
| 27 January 2015: c. 200 swans on the Sutton side of the A1123 before Earith (opposite where the sinking bungalow was rebuilt). Hillrow Causeway. These are mostly Whoopers with a few Bewicks among them. Reported by Alan James. Along The Boot and Dambank the swans were all Mute Swans -34 south of The Boot and 4 off DBD. Also had a Merlin. There were plenty of Swans to the north, but none near the proposed wind farm. Simon Stirrup. I came back down Long Drove, there were 46 on Dennis’s rape at Dam Bank corner with yellow beaks, and about a dozen on Mappledorams. (The Boot).Even with my binoculars I couldn’t tell beak colour on them on those. Michael Church. (This shows swans are moving about quite a lot looking for food in undisturbed places (PM) |
| 25 January 2015: A Red Kite was reported over the northern end of the village this morning and then flew south. I walked down the High Street looking for it but no sign. I wonder whether it is last winter’s bird? One was reported over Berry Fen just before Christmas. Simon Stirrup |
| 23 January 2015: At Chain Corner, there were at least 12 Bewick's amongst c. 220 Whooper Swans on the fields to the east. That means they were in Haddenham Parish. Report per Mark Eaton, Cambirds website. A little owl was seen on a post opposite the turn off to Grunty fen on Station road the other day. This was the exact spot one was seen a couple of years ago. Also very possibly one from College farm, where they are known to be resident. Sheila D. |
| 19 January 2015: Several Reports of Bullfinches seen include 1 male in bushes along Old Railway Line to Wilburton. 1 male in a Bury Lane Garden. Pair coming to tall Cherry tree in Aldreth fairly regularly. Interesting report by Robert Norman who watching from his house in the orchard along Aldreth Road saw 2 Foxes hunting Bank Voles and other small rodents by pouncing on them repeatedly. Also 3 Barn Owls hunting the same prey regularly. PM Little Egret by Bury Lane per Jake Allsop. Here is another image of a Jay taken in our garden in Aldreth. In the past we have rarely seen Jays here, but recently up to 3 Jays have been coming for food and have been burying peanuts in the lawn. Simon Sturrup.  |
15 January 2015: Melanistic Blackbird. The white-marked Blackbird shown visits Barbara York's Duck Lane garden several times a week and we would like to know where else it is seen in Haddenham. Please can you let Paul Mason know by email. Alternatively ring 01353 740219. If you see one with a different colour detail we would also like to know. Haddenham, Aldreth or Wilburton.   One Peregrine, probably female on size, crossed the Earith/Willingham Road, just before Earith, heading for Ouse Fen yesterday morning. This report picked up from Cambirds website.This would men it had come from Haddenham side over Old West River. PM. |
| 14 January 2015: 5 Bury Lane Records: 1-2 Reed Buntings several days in weeks beginning 7 and 14 December, mostly taking seed from feeders. 2-3 Yellowhammers, max count 6 at one time, several days in weeks beginning 21 and 28 December, feeding on seed scattered on the ground. 1 Bullfinch, male, 13 January, perched for a while in bullace. 1 Little Egret on 14 January, flying mid-height south over field below my garden. In the last week, gull flock has built up to about 40 birds, mostly Blackheaded Gulls, but 15 Commons counted in one flock. Otherwise, the usual garden birds, including 4-6 Longtailed tits regular on feeders. Jake. 1 Barn Owl flew over garden yesterday and across into college Farm. Sheila Dickerson |
| 5 January 2015: Guppys Pond: We have seen the kingfisher regularly, so all seems well with them. Only one swan on the pond at the moment and a very cheeky squirrel pinching the bird food. Apart from that, all seems normal. Wendy Lanman |
5 January 2015: A couple of images from our garden over the Christmas period. Simon Stirrup.  |
| 29 December: Twentypence Road. Wilburton. I have a party of 10-12 Long-tailed Tits visiting my feeders daily. Never had so many together before, they must have had a successful breeding season? No sign of a white headed one which according to the Times today would be a visitor from Scandinavia!! Happy New Year from Susan Everitt |
23 December: Beautiful Plume Moth. One of several in garden at bottom of Station Road. Ian & Sheila Dickerson. These are becoming more common than in past, per Rob Partridge local Moth Recorder.  |
18 December: Ian and Sheila Dickerson had a lovely visitor to the fatballs on their feeder: |
| 15 December: Simon Stirrup had a quick look on the Fen yesterday evening: Ewell Fen – Mute Swan 32, Buzzard 1 (missing feathers from left wing), Dam Bank Drove – Buzzard 1 (very pale), Stonechat 1, Long Drove – Corn Bunting 7. |
9 December: SEASON'S GREETINGS TO ALL: |
| 8 December: Starting with a Pied Wagtail in High Street outside Spar shop (was it waiting to go in a la Tesco style recently when it was proposed that it be shot.) there were 3-4 more at the local sewage plant with a nice Grey Wagtail and 3-4 Meadow Pipits all dodging the rotating spray bars. Then seemingly thousands of Fieldfare plus occasional Redwing all over the place. Aldreth hedgerows were much quieter with only a few winter thrushes. Wintering blackbirds didn't seem so obvious as other years but I expect they are not far away. Common Buzzard at Tinkers Lane. Out on the fens there were so many people and tractors there was a mish mash of stuff spread out but it was difficult to count what was about with various gulls and about 80-100 Lapwings constantly on the wing from place to place. Small numbers of Chaffinches and Linnets. On way back by Cut Drain by Aldreth a Water Rail flew low along it and disappeared. A good mixture of a morning. PM&ID |
2 December: Slime mould as found in John Burgess's Aldreth garden early November. Slime Mould is not a fungus but a genus of its own but does vary in colour and where it is found. PM. |
| 29 November: Up to 500 Fieldfare flew over the house in a very wide loose flock yesterday, flying from the north, low enough to hear them calling. Sheila and Ian D. |
| 28 November: Following on from Paul M. message on 24 November, we too have a Song Thrush in full flow from 7.00am each morning down Station Road. Lovely! S & I Dickerson |
| 24 November: I had a Song Thrush singing this a.m. In garden by The Green so is Spring coming or going? PM |
| 23 November: The lady who does my garden, Caroline Furlong, saw a Goldcrest in the leylandii hedge at the end of her property {she lives in a cottage on the Rampart). She is keen on birds and wildlife, and her description was good (no chance of Firecrest!). Jake. |
21 November: Good day out on Haddenham/Aldreth fens. Fieldfares in full force with 500 app each in 2 places. No Redwings obvious with them but may be. Mainly by Aldreth Ponds and to east of there out in fields. 1 Jay, several small birds in bushes low including 1 Goldcrest male. Then on to Long Drove where 30-40 Goldfinch and numerous Linnets difficult to count because they where both feeding on roadway but in and out of sugar beet foliage. Returning via Dambank although we had already been along there with nil to speak of now there were newly arrived 800 app Lapwing in company with 100+ Common Gulls and app 50 Golden Plovers which moved on. 3 Corn Buntings on wires. So a good morning's watching. PM & ID |
7 November: North Fen. Start with 4 Roe deer. Then 1500+/- Golden Plover, 300 app Lapwings and scanning for a yank goldie found instead a Sanderling. Quite amazing! feeding with Goldies and couldn't make it out properly for some time. Wasn't feeding like a plover going hither and thither picking up whatever and pale and near white. Couldn't believe it first and never seen one before feeding on ploughed fen field. Sure of it now though. Otherwise Kestrel pair present and 1 Common Buzzard which had to dismiss from being a Rough Leg. Then to Long Drove where little but 3 Fieldfares in wheat field among corvids. Dambank finished with 15 Grey Partridges. Sanderling first for Haddenham parish. Where are the rest of the Fieldfares? They are not in the hedgerows full of berries! PM & ID. |
| 6 November: I saw one of our white-winged blackbirds today, feeding on the hawthorn at the entrance to my cul de sac. It’s months since I last saw it. Barbara York |
| 5 November: Turtle Dove here again 2.00pm Sheila D. From Paul Mason: Opinions as to what these two are will be appreciated.   |
| 3 November: 1. Aldreth Road garden Dr Findlay. 2 Jays, several Long-tailed Tits and 1 Coal Tit. PM. 2. This morning, there were thirteen Collared Doves feeding in my back garden. Thirteen! I hope for everyone's sake that this is a record. Jake 3. Amazed to see a Turtle Dove on the lawn which then flew up to the wires before a good photo could be taken! Also 2/11 approx. 500 Lapwings and 500 Golden Plover in field this side of Long drove from Earith Road. Ian and Sheila D.   |
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