Thursday 25 April 2013

Due to overnight rain I avoided the potentially muddy areas and ran the 9km route through Bottisham to Lode Mill and back along the old railway line.

A Collared Dove was seen sitting on a nest on the side of a house in Lode at the same spot as last year.  Several firsts for the year today:
- Several Whitethroats heard (1 seen);
- Blackcap heard, where the track from Lodestar joins the old railway line;
- A male Bullfinch seen along the old railway line;
- 2 House Martins in Vicarage Meadow.

I also saw or heard, a Kestrel, 2 Swallows, several Yellowhammers, Chaffinches, Long-Tailed Tit, Geat Tits, Robins, Dunnocks, Blackbirds, House Sparrows, Chiffchaffs and Skylarks.

Wednesday 13 March 2013

A steady 10k run to Lode as I'm feeling a bit under the weather.  It was cold and frosty, although it was quite a bit warmer coming across the Lodestar fields.

A Jay was seen in Station Road, Quy and a Moorhen and Coot were at the pond.  Along Quy Water there were several Mallards and Moorhens.  " Green Woodpeckers flew across the track at Lode Mill into the grounds of Anglesey Abbey.

2 Reed Buntings were in the ditch after the Lodestar fields.  A flock of about 15 Lapwings flew over the railway track.  Yellowhammers, Wrens, House Sparrows, various Thrushes and Chaffinches were also seen.

Wednesday 14 November 2012

9k run to Bottisham and Lode this morning.  The weather was dry and fairly warm.  The railway track and bridleway are still very muddy.  The mud slowed by down for the final mile and a half, overall time was 46'44".

Several House Sparrows heard in Albert Road this morning.  A Great Spotted Woodpecker was seen flying over in Lode.  5 Moorhens were at Lode Mill and a few Long-Tailed Tits were in the bushes just after the mill.

Tuesday 30 October 2012

A slight variation on the Bottisham and Lode run which involved setting out through Quy and past the church to Newmarket Road.  Rather than 9k this run was just over 10k.  A reasonable time of 52'42".  With the end of BST it was lighter than previous mornings.  I managed to trip over the gate along the railway track this morning, landing on my face in the mud.  Fortunately the ground was quite soft.  A cut knee and hand were my only injuries.

A lot of birds seen in Lode this morning.  Near the old hall (awaiting renovation into houses) their was a Chaffinch, Long-Tailed Tit and a few House Sparrows.  4 Swallows were perched on wires in Mill Road (my latest ever Swallow sighting).  Just past Lode Mill 2 Muntjacs ran from the field into the trees.

Friday 18 November 2011

Another fairly steady Lode 10k.  Weather was fairly bright, after the sun came up, but with a cold wind.  Finished in a time of 52'41".

A Heron was seen at the start of Quy Water and another in the usual place along Bottisham Lode.  8 Moorhens were seen along Quy Water this morning and the 5 Swans were just before the Mill.  A Muntjac ran off across the field as I rounded the corner at the Mill.

Again several House Sparrows heard in Mill Road. 

A male Kestrel was perched on top of a telegraph pole along the track to the Lodestar fields.  5 Skylarks and 2 Roe Deer were seen in the sugar beet fields.  The Deer stayed with me for about half a mile, bounding off ahead each time I caught up with them. 

A Group of about 50 Black-Headed Gulls were in a field alongside the old railway line.

Thursday 10 November 2011

A rather tiring Lode 10k this morning. Weather was dull with grey skies, but not cold. A Reasonable time of 51'58".

13 Moorhens along Quy Water, with 2 more just after the mill. The Swan family (2 adults, 3 young) were on Quy Water just after the bridge at the back entrance to Anglesey Abbey.

House Sparrows were again heard from bushes on both sides of Mill Road.

A Kestrel and Heron were seen along Fen Road. A Skylark was at the sugar beet fields. Surprised to note that the left-hand field has still not been completely harvested, just a strip near the road.

Along the track to the old railway line there was a Song Thrush, Jay and Green Woodpecker.

Wednesday 2 November 2011

An 8 mile run this morning to the end of White Fen Drove. Weather was dry and bright. Mornings are lighter again now that the clocks have gone back. Although the run didn't seem particular fast, and was relatively effortless, I managed a new PB for this course of 1 hour 3'44".

The adult Swans and 3 young were o Quy Water feeding with the domestic white geese from the village pond. This is the second time now that I've only seen 3 young with the adults. I presume the other 4 have "left home" rather than died or been attacked. This view could be true as I saw a youngster (1 of the 4 missing?) on Bottisham Lode.

11 Moorhens counted today on Quy Water, 3 more on Bottisham Lode and 3 at the start of the track to the Lodestar fields. A Kestrel and a Jay were also seen and a Heron was on Bottisham Lode.

Several House Sparrows were heard in Mill Road, Lode and there were several Jackdaws and Starlings here.

5 Skylarks seen just before the bridleway. Here a Cormorant flew over. A Barn Owl was perched at the entrance to its barn in Station Road.

Friday 30 September 2011

Lode 10k this morning. Weather was dry, cool and misty - more so in Quy than Lode. An easy run this morning in 52'51".

A Heron flew up from Quy Water at the horse fields. A Little further on the Swan family were feeding. Another pair of Swans were just past the back entrance to Anglesey Abbey. Another double figure count of Moorhens on Quy Water this morning with 12 seen. At the edge of woods at Anglesey Abbey there were 2 white hen Pheasants.

At the start of Mill Road a lot of House Sparrows were heard calling on both sides of the road. A Jay was seen along the old railway line and 2 Cormorants flew over. A Green Woodpecker was heard along the bridleway.

About half a dozen House Martins were feeding over Vicarage Meadow.

Friday 9 September 2011

Lode 10k route this morning. Weather was overcast and not as windy as Wednesday. Time was not too bad at 53'31".

A Grey Heron and half of the Swan family (1 adult and 4 juveniles) were on Quy Water. Only a few House Martins seen over Station Road, have most of them left now?

There were plenty of Moorhens around though, with 2 at the pond, 13 on Quy Water, 1 at Lode Mill and another in a field off Fen Road. Several of the Moorhens were juveniles. 4 Green Woodpeckers seen/heard too - 1 heard at Anglesey Abbey, 2 feeding on the grass towards Quy Fen and another seen at the start of the bridleway.

There were about 6 Reed Buntings between the sugar beet fields. A flock of about 20 House Sparrows in Station Road.

Also 4 Grey Squirrels were seen. 2 at Anglesey Abbey and 2 on the old railway line.

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.

Thursday 24 February 2011

7.5 miles this morning through Bottisham and Lode to the start of White Fen Drove. Not too cold this moring and dry. Very muddy from the Lodestar fields to the end of the bridleway. Feeling very exhausted this morning especially after 5 miles, however time of 1 hour 06'54" was not too bad.

A few Song Thrushes heard singing and two seen chasing in Lode. A Buzzard was sitting on a fence post along Bottisham Lode. 2 Greenfinches seen at the end of the bridleway and another was singing along Station road. Green Woodpecker seen flying away. 5 pairs of Partridges seen and a group of 4. Wrens were heard singing. A Cormorant flew over Lode and a small group of about 4 House Sparrows were seen in Lode.

In the usual feilds after the Lodestar, there were 3 Skylarks and a Reed Bunting along the ditch. Along the railway line a Sparrowhawk flew low along the bottom of a hedge.

Friday 31 December 2010

A 10k run this morning along my usual 10k route. The path along Quy Water and through the woods at Anglesey Abbey was very muddy. Weather was cool but dry, although slightly misty. A slow time of 58'24". Lode Mill was working today.

5 Moorhens and 2 Little Egrets along Bottisham Lode, also a male Kestrel. A Great Spotted Woodpecker flew into the Poplar trees at the Lodestar fields. Again plenty of Blackbirds and Fieldfares around. Just before the railway track there were several Chaffinches and a Goldfinch. In Station Road, Quy there was a flock of about 8 House Sparrows.

Friday 26 November 2010

A good run this morning on a cold frosty morning. The temperature was around -2 to -3. I ran the same route as yesterday, but set off later (having driven Joanna to Stansted Airport). It was already starting to get light, but Jupiter could still be seen well over the A14. A very quick time this morning of 45'55".

A group of House Sparrows were heard in a garden in Albert Road and just before "The Missing Sock" 2 Muntjacs ran across the road, narrowly avoiding an oncoming car.

Lots of Blackbirds around and at the end of the old railway line there were several Fieldfares. A Cormorant flew over the old railway line and 2 more over Station Road. At the start of the bridleway there was a flock of around 20 Starlings. Just before Station Road a Buzzard was seen flying away across the field.

4 Moorhens again at the pond.