Tuesday 21 May 2013

A morning run along my usual Lode 10k route.  The weather was cool but dry.  There was no dew so the section with long grass was dry underfoot.

The pair of Swans were seen on Quy Water with at least 6 small cygnets.  A hare was seen at the end of the bridleway.  A few House Martins and a couple of Swallows about.  Otherwise nothing of note to report.

Sunday 21 April 2013

Good conditions this morning. I ran the 10 mile route along Heath Road to the Wilbrahams and back through Teversham Fen.  Apart from one short stretch along Little Wilbraham River where the path was still flooded it was pretty dry.

There were a lot of birds in the hedgerows along Heath Road, including a Corn Bunting, Reed Buntings, Yellowhammers, Chaffinches, a Meadow Pipit, Linnets and 2 Wheatears.  A Buzzard was seen here too and a Hare.

A Chiffchaff was heard on arrival in Great Wilbraham and 2 more at Little Wilbraham Fen.  4 Swallows were seen and a male Marsh Harrier was soaring over the reedbeds at Teversham Fen.

Wednesday 17 April 2013

A cool morning with the ground slightly damp after light overnight rain.  Today I ran the 8-mile route to the end of White Fen Drove.

A lot of wildlife was seen this morning:-
A Heron, Several Moorhens and a Swan along Quy Water.
A pair of Lapwings just before Anglesey Abbey - chasing off a Crow.
2 Green Woodpeckers heard (one seen) at Anglesey Abbey and another on the grass of the field along the track parallel to the railway line.
2 Chiffchaffs heard at Anglesey Abbey and another at Quy Hall.
A Jay was seen at Lode Mill.
A Fox walked across the road along White Fen Drove and a Hare was seen here too.
A Buzzard flew off from a telegraph post along the track to Lodestar.
2 Roe Deer were in the fields after Lodestar.
A Great-Spotted Woodpecker was seen in Station Road.
Also several Blackbirds, Chaffinches, Wrens, Dunnocks, Yellowhammers, Blue and Great Tits either seen or heard.

Sunday 31 March 2013

Today I ran the basic 14.2km Heath Road route, I didn't want to endure the slippery mud of Teversham Fen again.  Conditions were much the same as Friday.

A Buzzard flew over the Newmarket Road at Bottisham.  Again several Yellowhammers and Chaffinches and 2 Hares seen in a different field. 3 Kestrels seen in various places.

Friday 29 March 2013

I tried a new route today, taking the Heath Road byway from just past Bottisham to Great Wilbraham.  This is a really good wide grassy track with some nice up and down hills.  The track was pretty dry.  The planned route was 14.2km but when I got to Little Wilbraham I decided to extend the run through Teversham Fen, making the total distance 16.4km (just over 10 miles).  This latter part of the run was very muddy and almost impassable in one place where the Little Wilbrham river had overflowed over the path.  Despite the mud this is a very scenic route along the meanders of this chalk stream.

Along Heath Road there were several Yellowhammers and Chaffinches.  2 Hares were seen just after the 6km mark.  At Teversham Fen 2 Teal flew up from the stream and a Kestrel and male Marsh Harrier were seen.

Tuesday 5 March 2013

An 8 mile run to Horningsea today.  The tracks are still generally fairly dry, except the end of the bridleway.  Finished in 1 hour 08:30.

A Buzzard was seen perched in a tree at Honey Hill.  About 150 Fieldfares were in the field just before the pink house.

A Reed Bunting was in the ditch from Horningsea towards Quy Fen.  Just before Quy Fen 3 Roe Deer were in the field to the North.  A Hare was seen just passed Allicky Farm.

Tuesday 6 November 2012

This morning I ran along Colliers Lane to Anglesey Abbey and back through Bottisham, going to the end of the village rather than taking Bell Road.  The weather was cold and frosty.

There were 3 Hares in the field at the start of the road from Lode to Bottisham and a Great-Spotted Woodpecker flew onto a telegraph pole at the farmhouse on the left hand side of the road opposite the small spinney.

Wednesday 23 April 2012

A 9.5 mile run this morning to Lode, White Fen Drove, Quy Fen and Allicky Farm.  Weather was dry but the grass was a bit dewy in places.

Moorhens with chicks along Quy Water and another sitting on a nest.  An almost full grown chick was on the pond just before Quy Fen.

A Hare was seen along White Fen Drove

Tuesday 8 May 2012

A bright evening after all the recent rain, so I went out for a run as soon as I got home.  I set off for Wilbraham Fen, with no set route in mind.  After running down the main central path I crossed the wheat fields along the footpath near the windmill and came back to the start along Little Wilbraham River.  I then headed back down the central path and returned to Quy via the Six-Mile Bottom road.  A total distance of 9.2 miles.

A Buzzard flew up close along the hedgerow in d'Engaynes as I arrived.  In the main fen were Reed and Sedge Warblers, Reed Buntings, 2 Cuckoos and a Short-Eared Owl.  Whitethroats, Chiffchaffs, Willow Warblers and Yellowhammers were seen or heard too.

When I got back to Quy there was a Hare on the cricket pitch.

Friday 27 April 2012

A run to Horningsea this morning.  Weather was dry and fine.  The ground was muddy in places after the heavy rain of the last few days, but fortunately the puddles were all avoidable.  A fairly slow run at 1 hour 09'49" for the 8 mile course.

3 Buzzards were seen, along the track to Allicky Farm along the byway before and after the pink house.  A Jay was also seen along the track to Allicky Farm and a Great-Spotted Woodpecker after the farm.  A Chiffchaff was heard in Station Road, Quy and a few Skylarks heard too.  2 Swallows were seen in Station Road and another 2 in Horningsea.

A Hare was on the track just before the bridge over the A14.

Wednesday 7 September

An 8 mile run this morning to the end of White Fen Drove. Weather was dry but cool with a strong South-Westerly wind. My time was a reasonable 1 hour 7'30".

A few House Martins and Swallows around. The Swan family were on Quy Water as well as 6 Moorhens, including 1 juvenile. 2 Jays flew across the track just before Lode Mill. A Kestrel was seen at the Jack of Clubs and another at the Crane farm.

Along the track to the Lodestar fields a Jay was heard and a Green Woodpecker seen. There were 4 Reed Buntings in the ditch between the sugar beet fields.

It was a very good morning for mammals. A Muntjac was seen in the woods at Anglesey Abbey. A total of 8 Roe Deer - 5 in a field to the North of Fen Road and another 3 in the field just before White Fen. Here at the the end of the track there were 2 Hares. On the way back down White Fen Drove a Stoat came out of the undergrowth and promptly ran back in again when it saw me. And of course there were the usual dozens of Rabbits.

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.

Monday 25 July 2011

An 8 mile run this morning to Horningsea. The weather was dry, bright but quite cool. My time was 1 hour 8'27".

A Green Woodpecker was seen along the track to Allicky Farm. A group of about 10 young Red-Legged Partridges flew away from the track to Horningsea. A Buzzard and a Hare seen at Honey Hill. A few Reed Buntings, Skylarks and other small birds seen.

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

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 13 April 2011

A 9.5 mile run this morning to Little Wilbraham Fen. Weather was bright and cool. Time was 1 hour 20'54". I felt pretty comfortable throughout the run. A pair of Pied Wagtails were seen on Man Street Quy and another 1 in Albert Road. A Green Woodpecker flew along the driveway to Quy Park. A Marsh Harrier, Sparrowhawk and Kestrel were all seen over the fen. A few Whitethroats and Chiffchaffs were heard singing. Along the track at the far end of the reserve were 2 hairs and a male Linnet. In the field just before the Six Mile Bottom road there were a couple of skylarks.

Friday 25 March 2011

Little Wilbraham Fen again this morning, but a slightly different route. On reaching the Fen, I ran down the centre of the Fen to L. Wilbraham, then back past the windmill along the left hand path then crossed Engaynes Field again to the right hand side of the Fen. I ran down the track towards L. Wilbraham again and turned left just before the end to reach the Quy to Six Mile Bottom road. From here the route was back over the A14 and into Quy via Albert Road. Whether was cold but warm in the sun. The grass was little frost in places early on. Legs felt comfortable on the run, but some back ache. Time of 1 hour 15'25" for 8.5 miles.

2 Marsh Harriers over the reed beds, several Lapwings and a few Hares again. A Muntjac was seen in the same place as Wednesday. A Chiffchaff was heard singing here too. On the final lap a Green Woodpecker was heard. Heading back to the road there were 2 Skylarks and another 3 along Albert Road.

Wednesday 23 March 2011

Been forced to take a break for a few days by a stinking cold! Ran a loop of Little Wilbraham Fen this morning. 7.5 miles in 1 hour 13'14". Weather was mild but cloudy. Great Spotted Woodpecker heard drumming by the Wheatsheaf pub in Quy. A Cormorant flew over. Muntjac along L. Wilbraham River, 5 Hares along the footpath leading back into the fen and a bit further on there was a Fox. Several Yellowhammers seen along the hedgerows bordering the footpath. 2 Moorhens were seen in a ditch just before the first farm. At the end of the fen, just before the boardwalk a Buzzard was sitting on top of a bush, but flew away as I approached. Otherwise lots of Pigeons, Corvids, Blackbirds and Chaffinches about.