Monday 29 March 2010

The clocks went forward at the weekend to BST so it was dark when I got up this morning. I could have sworn it wasn't raining when I first looked out, but it certainly was when I left the house. Decided to shorten my run to simply a loop of Bottisham, however by the time I reached the pub in Bottisham (the point at which I would turn back to Quy) it had stopped raining so I decided to do the rest of my normal route. By the time I'd reached Lode though it was raining again. At least it wasn't too cold and the running was fairly comfortable. With the short cut, which became an extension the total run was 10.5km, and my time was 1 hr 0'39".

The rain reduced the number of birds seen, however Song Thrushes were again very evident, another singing bird discovered along the Newmarket Road at the far end of Bottisham. Blackbirds too were singing well this morning. 2 Grey Squirrels along the railway track, several Chaffinches and 2 Goldfinches at the end of the bridleway.

Friday 26 March 2010

The same run today as Monday. Weather was fairly mild but rather windy - a head wind coming back. A bit muddier than recently due to heavy rain Thursday evening. A slight improvement on Monday's time at 1hr 14'15".

A few Partridges seen in various places. A Grey Heron along Quy Water and a Chiffchaff singing in the woods at Anglesey Abbey, my first of the year. Song Thrushes singing in the usual places at Lode Station and Station Road, Quy. Also 2 signing on either side of the road at the start of White Fen Drove, one in the hedgerow along the Drove and the other the other side of Bottisham Lode. A few Yellowhammers seen and a few singing Wrens. Great-Spotted Woodpecker again drumming at Lode Mill. A flock of about 10-12 Redwings at the end of the bridleway, presumably a pre-migration gathering. A Sparrowhawk flew over Quy Park. A Squirrel was in the bushes along Bottisham Lode.

Wednesday 24 March 2010

This morning's run with Joanna was to Bottisham and Lode and back along the old railway track. From Lode Mill I ran back down Mill Road and back again to let Joanna catch up. Total distance of 9.6km. Weather was quite warm, but cloudy and windy.

Skylarks singing along Newmarket Road and the Bridleway. Song Thrushes singing in Lode and Station Road, Quy. 1 Wren singing in Station Road. A Great Spotted Woodpecker drumming again at Lode Mill. At the end of the bridleway there were a few Goldfinches and a Greenfinch. 4 Partridges seen along Albert Road and Jackdaws carrying nesting material into a chimney in Station Road.

Monday 22 March 2010

I ran on my own this morning. Went along Quy Water to Lode Mill then out along Fen Road and White Fen Drove, then retraced my steps to the mill where I came back along the old railway line. Fairly warm this morning. Still not over my weekend stiffness hence a slower time than previously. 7.8 miles in 1hr 15'30".

Male Bullfinch and a Heron seen along Quy Water. A Green Woodpecker heard in the woods at Anglesey Abbey and another one seen just before Lode Mill. Lots of wrens singing and several Yellowhammers. A few singing Song Thrushes too, including one in its usual spot along Station Road, Quy. Another Heron seen along Bottisham Lode and a single Roe Deer, also a Lapwing flew over. A Kingfisher between the old station in Lode and the mill. A small flock of Goldfinches seen in White Fen Drove.





The rear entrance to Anglesey Abbey along Quy Water (no public access)

Sunday 21 March 2010

A late afternoon run today with Joanna to Bottisham, Lode and back along Quy Water (rather than railway line for a change). Weather was fairly warm (first day of Spring today!), and the path along Quy Water had dried out quite nicely. Legs a bit stiff today after Saturday (walk at Lakenheath Fen (RSPB), a round of golf and village Ceilidh in the evening.) This slightly shortened run is about 5.3miles.

Not so many birds seen as on morning runs.

Along Quy Water I noticed several regular animal tracks across the field where they obviously make regular trips. Not sure if these are fox or deers paths.

Friday 19 March 2010

The usual Bottisham and Lode run this morning. Weather much warmer and the off-road sections were fairly dry. A bit windy though. Stiffness in my right leg slowed me down today. 9km in 51'45".

Restoration work still going on at Lode Mill. I hope this doesn't disturb the Grey Wagtails.

Quite a few signing birds heard/seen: 2 Skylarks along the Newmarket Road, Wren and several Dunnocks between Bottisham and Lode, Yellowhammers along the bridleway and a Song Thrush in Station Road Quy. Also a flock of about 8 Goldfinches at the end of the bridleway. 2 Squirrels, 1 in Bottisham and 1 along the railway track..

Monday 15 March 2010

Bottisham and Lode again this morning. Quite a bit warmer than recent mornings. A bit windy for the final part of the run. Not quick this morning due to quite a bit of stiffness. 9km in around 52'30".

A Fox seen along Albert Road. A Green Woodpecker seen flying over Bottisham Village College and another one heard at the Lode end of the railway track. One Song Thrush seen singing.

Thursday 11 March 2010

An evening run today as I was home early from a training seminar. A change of time and a change of route. After a couple of weeks of very little rain, I decided to try along Quy Water to Lode Mill (this has been far too muddy recently). The riverbank was much better the only really muddy area was at the gateway just as you enter the woods at Anglesey Abbey. Form the Mill I ran down Fen Road (along Bottisham Lode) the down White Fen Drove. At the end of the Drove I came back via the grassy droveway and retraced my steps to the Mill. I then took the usual route back along the old railway line. Total distance of 7.8miles in a time of 1'09"55. I seemed to make particularly good time over the last mile.

3 Moorhens on Quy Water and 4 on Bottisham Lode. A Green Woodpecker in Station Road, Quy, a Wren at Lode Mill and a Kestrel seen along Fen Road in Lode. Also 2 Partridges seen. At the end of White Fen Drove there were 6 Roe Deer. Along Quy Water there was a strong smell of Foxes.

Wednesday 10 March 2010

I ran the same route as yesterday but with the addition of running a mile out of Lode along Bottisham Lode to the start of White Fen Drove and back to the mill. The weather was a bit warmer this morning with a light cloud cover. The railway track was sticky with mud, but the bridleway had dried out quite a bit. Total distance run 7.6 miles in a time of 1'09".

Several Black-Headed Gulls were on a house roof in Bottisham. The advantage of the add-on along Bottisham Road produced a singing Song Thrush, Kingfisher, Kestrel, Moorhen and a Muntjac.

A Great-Spotted Woodpecker was in the small wood just passed Lode Mill. Along the railway track 2 male Blackbirds were seen fighting. At the end of the bridleway there was a Wren. A Long-Tailed Tit seen along the railway line and generally a lot of Chaffinches and Blackbirds.

Tuesday 9 March 2010

Bottisham and Lode with Joanna this morning. Cold but not frosty. The railway track was fairly muddy, otherwise the route was not too bad.

A Green Woodpecker seen along the road from Bottisham to Lode and another along the bridleway. A Skylark seen in a field along the railway track. Song Thrushes seen in Quy, lode and at Lode Mill. A flock of about 100 Woodpigeons along the bridleway and at the where it joins Station Road about 10 Pheasants.



Lode Mill

Saturday 6 March 2010

Went to Sandy with Joanna to check out the route for the Sandy 10 mile race coming up in April. The run starts uphill and we wanted to check this out. The intention was to run the first couple of miles of the course and then return. The hill up through the trees after crossing the railway line is quite steep, but actually not too bad. Just as the road (which has blocked off to through traffic for several years now) joins the main road to Everton (not the one in Liverpool!), it goes steeply downhill for 100metres before going back up. Something to be aware of for the finish.

On reaching roughly the 2 mile mark I was ready to turn back, Joanna however had other ideas and wanted to carry on for the whole 10 miles. Somewhat reluctantly (as it was already getting late in the afternoon and there is no path along the road) I agreed.

Fortunately there was not much traffic and the verge along the road was fairly wide and flat, so it was easy to step off the road to avoid oncoming vehicles. Most Cambridgeshire verges have gullies dug in them to allow water to drain off the road. Maybe the easy draining sandy soil here doesn't require this.

The stretch from Everton to the edge of Potton seemed a long way, but is less than a mile. From here the road back towards Gamlingay took us passed the half way stage and into Cambridgeshire. The triangle loop was completed with a 3/4 mile stretch back into Bedfordshire and into Everton.

The route then retraced our steps back to the sand hills of Sandy. Along this downhill stretch I was able to pick up some speed, at times almost sprinting as I allowed gravity to carry me down the steeper bits.

All in all I found this quite a comfortable run and this has given me confidence for the actual event. Our time was 1'49". My target of under an hour and a half should be OK.

Thursday 4 March 2010

The same route to Bottisham and Lode again. Weather again cold, frosty and bright. The snowdrops are still looking good in the old moat at Quy Hall. They are late this year due to cold weather in January/February.

Some signs of approaching Spring, with Woodpigeons nest building at Bottisham Village College, a Starling carrying nesting material in Lode and a drumming Great-Spotted Woodpecker at Lode Mill. It's been a while now since I last heard a singing Song Thrush, but 1 heard this morning in Station Road, Quy. Another 3 Song Thrushes seen, also 4 pairs of Partridges and a flock of about 20 Goldfinches along the bridleway. A Skylark was seen in a field in Bottisham and a Little Egret flew over when I was coming out of the village. Still a few Fieldfares about.

Wednesday 3 March 2010

The same run as yesterday but on my own. Slightly cold and frosty this morning, a bit cloudier than yesterday. Conditions underfoot the same with the bridleway being a bit muddy. Time for the 9km of 50'39".

The same small birds seen including a goldfinch and a singing male Yellowhammer along the bridleway. Pleased to see a wren in Station Road as concern raised by local birders that they have not fared too well during he cold winter. A Green Woodpecker was seen along the bridleway flying off across the field. 2 Partridges along the old railway track. A few rabbits seen and a Fox on the other side of the field along the old railway track.

Tuesday 2 March 2010

Slightly cold and frosty this morning. Ran with Joanna to Bottisham and Lode. As we got to the main road at the end of Albert Road the sun was just rising, by the time we got to the Bottisham turn the sun had just about cleared the horizon. Slightly muddy along the bridleway. Distance run 9km.

Tits (including Long-Tailed), Chaffinches, Greenfinches and a Goldfinch seen. 7 Partridges along Albert Road and Newmarket Road and another 2 along the bridleway. A Jay along the old railway line. Joanna also saw 6 Roe Deer here, just after the gate halfway along, unfortunately I missed these.