Friday 15 April 2011

A run to Oily Hall (NT) this morning. Weather was cloudy and cool, but warmer then earlier this week. Some light overnight rain in Quy, but roads were dry in Lode. Just under 10 miles in 1 hour 27'19". A pair of Reed Buntings were seen along Quy Water just before the start of Anglesey Abbey, and a Sedge Warbler was heard here. A Green Woodpecker was seen just before Lode Mill. A Roe Deer was in the field at the end of White Fen Drove. On the way back a Swallow was flying along Bottisham Lode by the bridge at the start of White Fen Drove. Another Reed Bunting (male) was seen in the usual ditch just after the Lodestar fields and 6 Lapwings in the fields here too. A Buzzard flew low over the bridleway. The Marsh Marigolds are again flowering well this year in the single clump along Bottisham Lode.

Wednesday 7 July 2010

8 mile run to the end of White Fen Drove again today. Weather was pleasantly cool after some light rain (and a few more spots in Lode). A quick start to the mill. I decided to try adding a few 1 minute speed runs which I did at just after 4 miles, just after 6 miles and again in the last half mile. It took a little while for my breathing to recover after the first speed run but the next 2 were easier. This resulted in my best ever time for this course by more than 2 minutes with a finish time of 1 hour 04'55".

House Martins in Vicarage Meadow (with 3 confirmed nests - all but 1 are hard to locate under the eaves) and in Station Road. Up to 20 Swifts in Mill Road, Lode. A Heron was seen along Bottisham Lode. The verges along Bottisham Lode (with the cow parsley having now finished flowering) have been cut, unfortunately no kingfishers seen today. 3 Yellowhammers heard singing along the grassy section of White Fen Drove.

Between the barley fields were 2 Reed Buntings and at least 4 Skylarks. A Greenfinch in Station Road, Quy.


A lot of wild flowers along the railway line and bridleway.

Wednesday 16 June 2010

An 8 mile run to the end of White Fen Drove. I came back a different way to normal by carrying straight on after returning down White Fen Drove towards Quy Fen, and joined the railway line further down.

Weather was cool with some breeze. The grass (quite long in places) was dewy. My time was 1 hr 08'18".

Again lots of Swallows, House Martins and Swifts around. A Grey Heron seen along Bottisham Lode and (another) was flying passed the end of White Fen Drove. A Pied Wagtail also along Bottisham Lode. Along the new route back 2 Reed Buntings were seen and 2 Skylarks.

The field boundaries along White Fen Drove had many Poppies.

Poppy

Friday 21 May 2010

Last week's run was clearly too early to return to running after my injury. A few more days has made a big difference as I was able to run 10k fairly comfortably today, in a time of 55'45". What a difference a week makes to the weather too. Last week the nighttime temperatures were below zero, we now have day time temperatures in the mid 20's. This morning it was dry, sunny and warm (even before 7 am). The grass along Quy Water was a bit dewy though.

Swallows, House Martins and a Swift in Station Road and a few screaming swifts in Mill Road, Lode. Along Bottisham Lode I managed to see a Kingfisher despite the fact that the verge has become overgrown with Cow Parsley (anthriscus sylvestris). Further along Bottisham Lode towards the start of White Fen Drove were a couple of Swallows and a Kestrel in the usual place, and a small patch of Bluebells. Yellowhammers and Whitethroats seen in various places.





Bottisham Lode - through the Cow Parsley.














Bluebells on the verge.

Tuesday 13 April 2010

A 10k run this morning along Quy Water to Lode Mill then out as far as the start of White Fen Drove before turning back and returning along the old railway line. Quite a cold start with some ground frost. The conditions however were good with the path along Quy Water past Anglesey Abbey very dry. The only muddy patch was the short stretch of track leading to the old railway from Lode. My time of 55'45" was reasonable given my stiffness after Sunday's 10 mile race.

A Great-Spotted Woodpecker was on a telegraph pole in Station Quy both on the way out and and coming back. A Green Woodpecker heard in the trees as Anglesey Abbey. Several Wrens, Great Tits and Song Thrushes singing and plenty of Chaffinches around, a couple of Goldfinches too. A Lapwing was displaying over the field just before Anglesey Abbey. A Swallow was on the roof of the cottages in Fen Road, Lode. A Sparrowhawk in Lode.

A large clump of Marsh Marigolds flowering well in Bottisham Lode.

A Muntjac along Quy Water in the trees at Anglesey Abbey and 2 Roe Deer just before White Fen Drove.

Thursday 4 March 2010

The same route to Bottisham and Lode again. Weather again cold, frosty and bright. The snowdrops are still looking good in the old moat at Quy Hall. They are late this year due to cold weather in January/February.

Some signs of approaching Spring, with Woodpigeons nest building at Bottisham Village College, a Starling carrying nesting material in Lode and a drumming Great-Spotted Woodpecker at Lode Mill. It's been a while now since I last heard a singing Song Thrush, but 1 heard this morning in Station Road, Quy. Another 3 Song Thrushes seen, also 4 pairs of Partridges and a flock of about 20 Goldfinches along the bridleway. A Skylark was seen in a field in Bottisham and a Little Egret flew over when I was coming out of the village. Still a few Fieldfares about.

Monday 15 February 2010

An early start this morning (6:37). Very cold at first but warmed up once the sun came up. Ran to Bottisham and Lode and then out through Lode to White Fen. Then back to Quy via Lode Mill. Most of the route was on road. The grassy stretch along White Fen Drove and the old railway line back to Quy were not muddy this morning as the ground was frozen. Total distance was 9 miles in a time of 1'24:50.

Plenty of wildlife seen this morning. At least 7 Song Thrushes heard signing at various points around the route. Also 3 pairs of Red-Legged Partridges. Kingfisher, Grey Heron, Kestrel and 2 Moorhens along Bottisham Lode. 2 Yellowhammers and a Kestrel along White Fen Drove. 6 Roe Deer on White Fen and another couple at the other end of the adjacent field. Grey Wagtail at Lode Mill. 4 Grey Squirrels along the old railway line. A lot of snowdrops in the old moat round Quy Hall.

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