Wednesday 31 August 2011

Lode 10k this morning. Weather was overcast and cool. No stopwatch this morning so no time available.

Marquees have started to be put up for the Lodestar Festival this weekend.

A lot of House Martins in Station Road. The Swan family were swimming along Quy Water in the wooded section at Anglesey Abbey. A Heron was on Bottisham Lode, also a few Moorhens including 1 young bird.

A Green Woodpecker was seen along the track to the Lodestar fields. Along the ditch between the sugar beet field there were 6 Reed Buntings (presumably a family group) and also a Skylark. A Great Spotted Woodpecker flew across the track just before the railway line and another Green Woodpecker was seen along the bridleway. Finally another young Moorhen was seen at the pond on Station Road.

Saturday 27 August 2011

No parkrun this morning as I was marshaling. When I got back I went out for a 10 mile run to Oily Hall (NT). The weather was warm and dry. A good time of 1 hour 25'39". My time to the mill was an impressive 15'50".

A Kestrel was seen along Fen Road and at the end of White Fen Drove I heard then saw 2 Buzzards circling. The Buzzards pretty much followed me to the farm track at the end of Oily Hall, at which point they were low overhead, at treetop level.

About 6 Pied Wagtail were on the grass at the polo fields. On the further field a polo match was taking place. As I got back to bridge over Bottisham Lode a Heron was standing in the middle of the field.

Wednesday 24 August 2011

Lode 10k this morning. I came back along the road to the railway line at Lode rather than across the wet grass at the Lodestar fields. Weather was cool with the odd spot of drizzle. A good time of 53 minutes exactly.

A Barn Owl flew across Station Road in the usual place. Good numbers of House Martins (Station Road) and Swallows (Fen Road, Lode). The Swan family were on Quy Water just past the back entrance to Anglesey Abbey. A Jay was heard in the woods just before Lode Mill. A Heron was in the usual place on Bottisham Lode. About 12 House Sparrows in Station Road.

A few fish seen at Lode Mill.

Monday 22 August 2011

An 8 mile run this morning to the end of White Fen Drove. Weather was dry and bright but rather cold. The grass was quite dewy. Time was not too bad at 1 hour 07'10".

Following on from Friday's note about the harvest, there are still a few wheat fields Left along White Fen Drove. The Linseed has been harvested though.

Large numbers of Swallows and House Martins seen this morning. Over 100 House Martins perched on telegraph wires and feeding in Station Road. Around 25 Swallows perched on telegraph wires along Fen Road, Lode.

A Green Woodpecker was heard along Quy Water and a Grey Heron was in the usual place along Bottisham Lode. The Swan family were swimming along Quy Water - the cygnets (all 7 still surviving) are now getting quite big. A Kestrel was seen along Fen Road.

Saturday 20 August 2011

Cambridge Parkrun. Weather was dry, bright and fairly warm. Finished in a time of 22:27.

A Chiffchaff was heard.

Friday 19 August 2011

As it had been raining all say on Thursday, I chose a primarily road route today. I ran the 9km route through Bottisham to Lode Mill. Weather was dry and bright.

All the fields along the route have now been harvested except for the Linseed near Angelsey Abbey.

Apart from several Swallows and House Martins nothing of note seen today.

Wednesday 17 August 2011

An 8 mile run this morning to Horningsea. Weather was dry and bright. Not a particularly quick time at 1 hour 9'27".

A Great Spotted Woodpecker was heard in Main Street. A large flock of House Martins were flying around Station Road. A Buzzard flew across the track to Allicky Farm and a bit further on a Hare ran along the track.

A Kestrel flew from its perch in on a Pylon at the start of the track around Fen Ditton and hovered over the field. The 2 Buzzards were seen and heard calling. Another Great Spotted Woodpecker was heard at the pink farm house at Honey Hill and a little further on a Green Woodpecker was seen. Just before the bridge over the A14 4 very small Partridge chicks flew up from the edge of the track.

Wednesday 10 August 2011 - Kretowiny, Poland

Whilst on holiday in the Warminsko-Mazurskie region of NE Poland I enjoyed a couple of runs around the local area at Kretowiny. The first run of 10k took me out of the resort area, which is set in a peninsular at the southern edge of Jezioro Narie (Lake Narie) along the road to the T-Junction at the end of the lake. A short distance along the road a sandy track headed into the forest past a small reed-bordered lake. The track then crossed under the railway line or headed back past a very small lake into the forest. At this point not knowing where either track ended up, I turned back to the road. Half a mile along the road a track headed back into the forest at Kretowiny

Several Swallows were seen around the route. Along the road heading out of Kretowiny there were some Tree Sparrows in a garden. A Marsh Tit was seen in the forest on some cut logs near the railway line.

On the way back 2 Common Cranes were in a grass field on the shore of Lake Narie. Their bugling calls were very loud and could clearly be heard even the birds were 300 metres away.

Setting off

Jezioro Narie, Kretowiny

Roadside shrine at Kretowiny

Small lake in the forest

Track heading back to Kretowiny

Distant view of 2 Cranes

The Forest at Kretowiny

Jezioro Narie at the top end of Kretowiny

Friday 5 August 2011

This morning I ran roughly the same route as Wednesday - the difference being that I came back along the road to Lode and along the railway track rather than across the Lodestar fields. Yesterday it rained nearly all day and I didn't fancy the wet long grass! A much better run today with a time of 1 hour 4'10".

Up to 50 House Martins sitting on a roof in Station Road. 10 Swallows at the cottages along Fen Road, Lode and 6 sitting on telegraph wires by the bridge at the start of White Fen Drove. Heron in the usual plave along Bottisham lode. A Moorhen with 2 young on Quy Water.

Wednesday 3 August 2011

A slow run today to the end of White Fen Drove. 8 miles in 1 hour 12'49". Weather was dry and fairly warm, especially towards the end. Due to overnight rain the grass was wet, especially the long grass between the sugar beet fields.

Several House Martins in Vicarage Meadow and Station Road. The Swan family were all resting on the bank of Quy Water. A Green Woodpecker was seen in the woods at Anglesey Abbey. A Heron was in the usual place along Bottisham Lode, there was a male Kestrel here too. Far fewer sightings of the Kestrel this year compared to last year. At the bridge opposite White Fen Drove there were about 30 Swallows.

Monday 1 August 2011

Lode 10k this morning. Weather was dry, warm but cloudy. Time was not too bad at 54'15".

Lots of House Martins flying around Vicarage Meadow and Station Road. A Great Spotted Woodpecker was heard in Station Road and one seen just before the old railway line. The Swan family were at the pond in Station Road. A large flock of goldfinches along Quy Water again this morning. A Heron was in Bottisham Lode just before the bridge. 1 Reed Bunting and 3 Skylarks at the sugar beet fields.

Saturday 30 July 2011

Parkrun again this morning. A good run in a time of 22'11".

No bird sighting to report, but I got stung by a wasp, just after the first 1km.

Friday 29 July 2011

A short run to Lode again this morning. Weather was again dry. A bit quicker today at 38'39".