Wednesday 29 June 2011

Lode 10k this morning. Weather was dry and bright but rather windy. Felling a bit stiff after long run at the weekend, so not a quick run (54'20").

Family of Swans were in the same place on the bank of Quy Water. Several Swifts were feeding along here. A little further on there was a family of fledged Blue Tits and in the woods at Anglesey Abbey a Blackcap was singing.

A Mallard with very small ducklings was on the bank of Bottisham Lode. At the bridge 6 Swallows, including young birds, were flying around. A Jay was seen again along the track to the Lodestar fields and at the end of the track there was a Hare.

No sightings of Lapwings since the large flock seen a week or so ago. They must have moved on now after breeding. A male Yellowhammer was almost camouflaged as it sat on a falling tree along the railway line.

A Chiffchaff was singing at Quy Hall, and a Coot with a chick was on the pond. The highlight of the day was a lovely Barn Owl in Station Road. This was a very pale, ghostly white bird.

Sunday 26 June 2011

A new route this morning. Initially I intended to run about 8 miles to Horningsea and Fen Ditton, but at Horningsea decide to go a bit further and run up to Clayhithe and back along the River Cam to Baits Bite Lock. Then when I got back to Feb Ditton I decided to extend the route again to go along the edge of Little Wilbraham Fen and back along the Six Mile Bottom road to the Missing Sock and Albert Road. The total distance was 13.5 miles in a time of 2 hours 1'40". The weather was warm and dry, but with enough cloud for it not to be too warm.

A Heron was standing on the bridge in Station Road. Several Whitethroats and about 3 Chiffchaffs heard. A Kestrel, 2 Green Woodpeckers and lots of Skylarks seen too. Swallows were seen along the Cam and a Hare was along the track round Fen Ditton.

Thursday 23 June 2011

The same 10k route today. Weather was cloudy but dry and still windy. I included 3 Fartlek sessions today. Finished in a good time of 53'23".

A Flock of about 40 Starlings flew over Main Street. A Heron flew low over Station Road towards the park. Another Heron was along Quy Water. The Swan family were in the same place as Tuesday. A Chiffchaff was singing at the start of Anglesey Abbey Woods and another heard on the way back at Quy Hall.

2 Green Woodpeckers seen by the bridge on Fen Road and then another 2 along the Lodestar track. 2 Swallows again at the bridge.

Several Skylarks in the field today and a male Reed Bunting, no sign of any Lapwings. A Song Thrush was singing at the top of a dead tree along the track to the old railway line.

In Station Road there were 6 Swallows flying around the cottage (fledged birds?). Just before the crossroads 2 Kestrels flew over Station Road towards the park.

Song Thrush at the top of a dead tree

Tuesday 21 June 2011

Lode 10k. Weather was dry and bright, but the grass was dewy.

A Buzzard was flying low over Quy Park. 2 Coots with a large chick were on Quy Water just through the first gate. The Swan family were resting on the bank a bit further on. Usual sightings of House Martins, Swallows and Swifts.

A Jay was along the track to the Lodestar fields. On the grass field there was a flock of about 15 Lapwings. A couple of Skylarks and a Reed Bunting over the sugar beet field.

Sunday 19 June 2011

Mill Road - Lode

Lode 10k this morning. Weather was dry but cloudy.

A Kestrel was seen over the horse fields at the start of Quy Water. A Green Woodpecker was on the grass just before Lode Mill and a young bird was seen along the track to the Lodestar fields. 2 Lapwings and 4 or 5 Skylarks were over the fields. Another Skylark was seen towards the end of the railway track.

A large fish (Chub?) was seen from the bridge over Bottisham Lode.

Saturday 18 June 2011

Cambridge parkrun. Weather was dull and rainy early on, but had cleared by the time the run started. It was then quite warm, but lots of puddles around. At the end of the first 1km I realised that I hadn't set my stopwatch, so pacing was a bit difficult. After 3.5km I was overtaken by the 23 minute pacer so pushed on a bit to keep up. It turned out that he has ahead of his time and I finished in a very good PB of 22'27".

Before the run a Great Crested Grebe with 2 chicks was seen from the visitor centre along with a Kingfisher. During the run 3 Chiffchaffs were heard.

Thursday 16 June 2011

The same route as Tuesday. Weather was similarly dry and bright (perhaps a bit warmer). Today I included 4 sessions of Fartlek and achieved a PB for the course of 1 hour 4'53".

The Swan family was seen along Quy Water with, I'm pleased to note, all 7 cygnets. A young Moorhen was also seen a bit further along.

For the first time this year I saw a male Kestrel by the Jack of Clubs farm just before White Fen Drove (although I did see him there on Sunday when cycling). Here I also saw what could have been Roe Deer ears sticking out above the ears of wheat.

Along the track to the Lodestar fields a Great-Spotted Woodpecker was heard and further away to my right a Cuckoo was calling. 2 Lapwings, a Reed Bunting and a Skylark were in the next fields. Another Lapwing flew over just before the railway track.

Tuesday 14 June 2011

8 mile run this morning to the end of White Fen drove. Weather dry and bright. A good time of 1 hour 5'35".

Usual sightings of House Martins, Swallows, Swifts and Whitethroats. Heron seen along Bottisham Lode. Along White Fen drove an Egret (Little Egret of maybe even Cattle Egret) was seen sitting in a tree across the field - too far away for positive ID.

Saturday 11 June 2011

A new PB at Cambridge Parkrun this morning. I kept up with the 22.5 minute pacer for the first 2k or so then gradually dropped back to finish in a time of 22'50".

Before the run a large carp was seen from the visitor centre.

4 Chifchaffs heard and a Cetti's Warbler was singing in the bushes at the northern end of Deep Pool. Several Coots on the lakes some with young.

Thursday 9 June 2011

The same 8 mile route as Tuesday. Weather was cool, dry but mostly cloudy. A better time today of 1 hour 6'53".

On Quy Water there was a Mallard with 6 small ducklings and another one with 6 almost fully grown. A Cormorant flew over. A Blackcap was singing in the woods at Angelsey Abbey. A little further on a Heron flew up from Quy Water.

At the Lodestar fields there was a Lapwing and in the fields beyond a pair of Reed Buntings and a Skylark.

Tuesday 7 June 2011

This morning's run was to the end of White Fen Drove (8 miles). Weather was dry, fairly bright but a little dewy on the grass. Time was 1 hour 8'05".

A Great Spotted Woodpecker was calling in the grounds of the old vicarage in Quy. The Swan family were on Quy Water - the cygnets are growing well (at least 4 seen this morning). A single Roe Deer was in the field between Quy Water and the railway track.

A Sparrowhawk flew along Fen Road in Lode. A Reed Warbler was seen clearly along White Fen Drove. There were also Reed Buntings here. In amongst the wheat there are lots of poppies.

A Jay was seen again along the track to the Lodestar fields. A Green Woodpecker was seen at the end of the bridleway.

Several Whitethroats seen and heard and the usual House Martins, Swallows, one or two Swifts and a couple of Skylarks.

Sunday 5 June 2011

Lode 10k route again but I added on a visit to Quy on the way back. Weather was cooler than yesterday and rather cloudy.

A lot of fish seen at Lode Mill. A Great Spotted Woodpecker heard along the track to the Lodestar fields and a Lapwing and a few skylarks in the fields after.

Saturday 4 June 2011

Cambridge Parkrun this morning. A large turnout on a warm sunny morning. My best time this year at 23'04". This was 1 second quicker than my last run but tantalizingly still 3 seconds behind my PB.

2 Chiffchaffs heard.

Friday 3 June 2011

Initially a cool, cloudy and slightly misty morning. The sun soon broke through the clouds to lift the mist and the temperature warmed up. I ran the usual Lode 10k route in a better time than recently of 52'04", having made good time over the last couple of miles.

A Little Owl was perched on a shed roof in the horse field along Quy Water. The pair of Swans were on Quy Water again with at least 5 cygnets.

7 Moorhens were seen including one young bird along Bottisham Lode. Here there was again a Heron.

Along the track to the Lodestar fields there was a Jay and a Great Spotted Woodpecker. 3 Lapwings seen in the fields past the Lodestar fields (planted with sugar beet this year) and a couple of Skylarks and a male Reed Bunting.

Several House Martins and Swallows seen but only 1 Swift. A pair of Mistle Thrushes seen in Lode.

Wednesday 1 June 2011

Lode 10k with Joanna this morning. Weather was dry and bright.

House Martins and Swifts in the usual places. Green Woodpecker heard yaffling along Quy Water. Moorhen chicks seen at Anglesey Abbey and along Bottisham Lode. A Heron was also seen along Bottisham Lode.

2 Skylarks seen, but no Reed Buntings today.