Sunday 30 June 2013

Lode 10k again this morning.  The grass on the Lodestar field is now quite long and so is the stretch along the ditch just after.  Will probably need to take a break from this route until the grass is cut - the problem is knowing when they've cut it.

Skylarks and Lapwings seen in the field after Lodestar.  A Green Woodpecker seen too.

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.

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.

Sunday 22 April 2012

I ran the Lode 10k route in a good time of 48'37".  I set a new PB to Lode Mill of 15'19".  Weather was dry and cool.

A Swan was on the riverbank at the start of Quy Water.  A Blackcap was heard at the start of Anglesey Abbey woods. 2 Bullfinches were seen in the bushes along Bottisham Lode.

A Green Woodpecker flew out from the trees along the track to the Lodestar fields and another was feeding on the grass towards Quy Fen.  2 Reed Buntings, 2 Skylarks and 2 Lapwings were seen in the field after Lodestar.  The Lapwing were seeing off a couple of Crows.

A Jay was seen along the old railway line.  A Swallow was seen over Bush Farm in Station Road.

A few Chiffchaffs heard. 

Wednesday 28 March 2012

Lode 10k route this morning.  Weather was dry, bright but cold.  There was some frost on the grass.  The ground was very dry as we have had no rain for some time.  First run after the Sandy 10 mile on Sunday so I took it easy.  Time was 55'42".

5 Moorhens on Quy Water.  2 Lapwings, 2 Skylarks and a Reed Bunting in the field after Lodestar.  A Chiffchaff was heard at Quy Hall.

Friday 23 March 2012

A slow run round the Lode 10k route this morning.  Weather was foggy and fairly cold at first.  It warmed up as the sun started to burn through the fog.  Time was 56'12".

A single adult Swan was at the start of Quy Water, together with 2 Canada Geese.  5 Moorhens seen along the stretch to the mill.

A male Kestrel was seen at the Jack of Clubs.  2 Green Woodpeckers were at the end of the track leading to the Lodestar fields.  A Lapwing was seen over the field beyond Lodestar and a singing Skylark was heard.

Thursday 8 March 2012

An 8-mile run this morning to the end of White Fen Drove.  Fairly cold due to strong wind.  It was also very muddy in places.  A slow time of 1 hour 8'52".

The 2 adult Swans were on Quy Water, along with 5 Moorhens.  A Green Woodpecker was heard at Anglesey Abbey.

A Little Egret was in Bottisham Lode.  6 Roe Deer were in the field at the corner of Fen Road and White Fen Drove and another 2 at White Fen.  A Pied Wagtail was on the lawn of the crane farm.  3 Green Woodpeckers were seen along the track to the Lodestar fields in the poplar trees.  In the fields after Lodestar were 2 Skylarks, 2 Reed Buntings and a Lapwing.

Monday 27 February 2012

A run to the end of White Fen Drove this morning, in 1 hour 7'21".

The 3 young Swans were at the start of Quy Water and the 2 adults were right at the other end just before Lode Mill.  It looks like they have finally cut the ties ready to start the next brood.  A dead Rat was on the riverbank. A Great Spotted Woodpecker was hear drumming at Anglesey Abbey.

A Kestrel was seen along Fen Road.  A Lapwing was in the field after Lodestar.

Wednesday 23 November 2011

A fairly tiring Lode 10k this morning - still recovering from Sunday's half marathon.  Weather was dry but cold, with a touch of frost in places.  Finish time was 51'25".

A female Sparrowhawk flew over the trees at the edge of Quy Park. Swan family and 8 Moorhens seen along Quy Water.

A Heron was again seen along Bottisham Lode and a Woodpecker flew past.  In a field to the right there was a single Roe Deer, 4 more were seen running across the sugar beet field.

2 Woodpeckers flew over the track leading to the old railway line.  At the end of the old railway line there were about 50 Lapwings in a field with Black-Headed Gulls.

On the way back along Station Road a Buzzard flew low over the rooftops.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Tuesday 17 May 2011

Lode 10k this morning. Weather was bright and reasonably warm. Feeling fairly tired this morning. Time was 53'48".

4 House Martins and 2 Swifts over Vicarage Meadow, about 8 House Martins and 2 Swallows in Station Road and 5 Swifts and about 10 House Martins in Mill Road. A Grey Heron seen along Quy Water just before Anglesey Abbey and another along Bottisham Lode. A Kestrel flew over the Lodestar fields. Here there were

also 2 Lapwings. Along the ditch between the 2 fields after Lodestar were a pair of Reed Buntings and at the far end another female. A Skylark was singing over the right-hand field.

Along the railway track a Hobby was seen. Several Wrens heard singing this morning and 2-3 Chiffchaffs. In Station Road there were 3 Goldfinches and in Stow Road 2 Greenfinches.

Sunday 17 April 2011

A 7 mile run this morning along my usual 10k route through Lode, but coming back through Quy Fen. Weather was dry, bright and quite warm.

A single House Martin (my first this year) was inspecting an old nest in Station Road. A single Swallow was by the cottages along Fen Road, Lode. Further down Fen Road a Sparrowhawk flew along the side of the road and then circled around by the bridge at the start of White Fen Drove.

A couple of Lapwings were seen in the usual fields. A Green Woodpecker was heard along the track to Quy Fen and another at Quy Fen itself. A Buzzard flew over Quy Fen and another over the bridleway. A Heron flew over Station Road in Quy.

Several wrens and Whitethroats were heard along the route.

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.

Monday 11 April 2011

A run to the end of White Fen Drove this morning. Weather was bright and cool. 7.8 miles in 1 hour 7'23". A dead rat was on the path along Quy Water. A drumming Great-Spotted Woodpecker at Anglesey Abbey woods also a Chiffchaff here. A Grey Wagtail was at Lode Mill. 2 Swallows (first for this year) were seen in Lode. 2 Roe Deer were at the end of White Fen Drove and 2 Reed Buntings. Another pair of Reed Buntings were in the usual spot as well as a Lapwing in the field. A Kestrel was along the Bridleway and a Greenfinch was seen in Station Road.

Friday 8 April 2011

A break for a few days following food poisoning! A short 4.8mile run this morning to Little Wilbraham Fen. Weather was bright, but quite cold. Mist was hanging over the reedbeds. My time of 41'14" was good. Along the cycle path leading to Newmarket Road a pair of Jackdaws came out of what looks like a Kestrel nestbox. A Buzzard was sitting in tree in the middle of the reedbed. Reed Buntings and Yellowhammers were seen. Wrens and a possible Cetti's Warbler were heard. At the start of the track leading to the Six Mile Bottom road a Green Woodpecker was heard. At the end of the track a Lapwing was seen and a Skylark was singing. Just before the bridge over the A14 a Sparrowhawk flew past.

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.