Monday 30 May 2011

A gentle late morning (Bank Holiday) run along the Lode 10k route. Weather was dry, bright and fairly warm.

Several House Martins in Vicarage Meadow and Station Road. A Green Woodpecker was heard in the horse field along Quy Water. At Anglesey Abbey there was a pair of Mute Swans with 7 small cygnets.

Swifts head screaming in Mill Road. 2 Skylarks were seen over the usual field. A Chiffchaff was heard along Station Road near the pond and a Buzzard was soaring over Quy village.

Thursday 26 May 2011

Same 10k route again, marginally quicker than Tuesday at 54'32". Weather was dry, slightly cloudy and still windy. (A welcome light shower started shortly after I got back).

House Martins in Vicarage Meadow and several in Station Road. More House Martins and a few Swifts in Lode. A Heron seen again this morning along Quy Water. Chiffchaffs heard singing in Station Road and Anglesey Abbey. A Blackcap was singing just before the railway track. A few skylarks and a single (male) Reed Bunting. A Green Woodpecker flew along the track to the Lodestar fields.

At the end of the bridleway 2 Buzzards were soaring low over the fields.

Tuesday 24 May 2011

A dry bright but windy morning. I ran the Lode 10k route again today. A little slower than the last time at 54'45".

A Grey Heron was seen along Quy Water just before Anglesey Abbey and another in the usual spot along Bottisham Lode, just before the bridge. Several House Martins in Station Road and a few more in Mill Road. No sign of Swifts in Mill Road though.

2 Pairs of Reed Buntings in the usual place and 2 Skylarks here too. 2 Roe Deer were in a field towards Angelsey Abbey.

2 Chiffchaffs heard and several Wrens and Whitethroats.

Tuesday 17 May 2011

Lode 10k this morning. Weather was bright and reasonably warm. Feeling fairly tired this morning. Time was 53'48".

4 House Martins and 2 Swifts over Vicarage Meadow, about 8 House Martins and 2 Swallows in Station Road and 5 Swifts and about 10 House Martins in Mill Road. A Grey Heron seen along Quy Water just before Anglesey Abbey and another along Bottisham Lode. A Kestrel flew over the Lodestar fields. Here there were

also 2 Lapwings. Along the ditch between the 2 fields after Lodestar were a pair of Reed Buntings and at the far end another female. A Skylark was singing over the right-hand field.

Along the railway track a Hobby was seen. Several Wrens heard singing this morning and 2-3 Chiffchaffs. In Station Road there were 3 Goldfinches and in Stow Road 2 Greenfinches.

Wednesday 11 May 2011

Early morning run through Little Wilbraham Fen. Weather was cool and bright. The conditions through the fen were not good. The grass (and nettles!) have grown quite long along the central track, and this was very dewy this morning. A good time of 1 hour 8 minutes for the 7 and half mile run.

A few House Martins and Swallows seen in Quy. Fledgling Rooks were on the ground at Vicarage Meadow and through the trees alongside the park.

At Wilbraham fen, a female Marsh Harrier was sitting in a tree in the middle of the reedbed. A few Whitethroats and at least 3 Chiffchaffs were heard. Reed and Sedge Warblers heard.

2 Hares were seen in the field just before Little Wilbraham village.

Wednesday 4 May 2011

Lode 10k route this morning. Weather was same as yesterday but even colder. I incorporated a few fast runs into my usual routine and achieved a new record time of 50'46".

No House Martins seen this morning, but a Swallow over Station Road and 2 sitting on wires just before White Fen Drove. A Heron flew out from Bottisham Lode.

In the field after the Lodestar fields a Skylark was heard and a migrant Wheatear was seen. Again several Whitethrots heard and a couple of Chiffchaffs.

Tuesday 3 May 2011

A 4.6 mile slow/fast/exercise run this morning to Lode along Quy Water. Weather was dry and bright but very cold and slightly frosty.

3 House Martins in Vicarage Meadow and a single in Station Road. Several Whitethroats heard including 1 in full view on a telegraph wire in Station Road. A Muntjac was seen along the railway track.