Thursday 16 May 2013

A good run along the Lode 10k route.  The grass is getting quite long on stretch along the ditch after the Lodestar fields and was very wet with the dew this morning.  Weather was bright and fairly warm.

A few House Martins were seen in Vicarage Meadow, Station Road and in Lode.  A few Whitethroats and Skylarks heard.  A pair of Grey Partridges were in the field at the end of the bridleway.  A Kingfisher flew across the pond in Station Road on the way back and a Great Spotted Woodpecker was seen a bit further on.

As I got home 2 Little Egrets flew over.

Tuesday 17 April 2012

A short run to Lode and back along the old railway line this morning.  It was raining quite hard at the start and with a strong cold wind it was quite unpleasant.  Fortunately the rain stopped by the time I got to the Lode Mill but wind was just as cold.

A Grey Wagtail was seen at Lode Mill and a pair of Grey Partridges along the old railway line.  A couple of Chiffchaffs heard.

Wednesday 14 March 2012

I managed an earlier start today so I was able to run just under 10 miles to Oily Hall.  Weather was dry and not too cold.  Finished in a decent time of 1 hour 27'02" a new PB for this course.

6 Moorhens were seen along Quy Water and the adult Swans were mating just before Lode Mill (quite a romantic spot!).  No sign of last year's youngsters now.  A Green Woodpecker was heard in the woods opposite Anglesey Abbey.

A Heron was seen flying off along Fen Road.  A Buzzard was over Oily Hall and 3 more seen later between the old railway line and Quy Fen.  3 Roe Deer were also at Oily Hall.

2 Reed Buntings and 2 Skylarks in the usual place.  Several pairs of Partridges about.

Wenesday 22 February

Now, almost over my cold, I  had another run to Bottisham and Lode Mill this morning.  The weather was not too cold but quite windy.  A slowish time of 48'07".

3 pairs of partridges seen along Railway track and Bridleway.  The first pair, which I got the closest look at, looked like Grey Partridges.

Wednesday 26 October 2011

Another late start so again just a short run to Lode. Weather was dry but quite cold. After a steady start for the first 3/4 of a mile I picked up the pace to finish in a PB of 36'03", over a minute quicker than previous best.

A Heron was again seen along Quy Water. At the start of Anglesey Abbey woods a Sparrowhawk dashed across the river. Today I counted 10 Moorhens along Quy Water, with another 2 at the mill pond and 3 at the Station Road pond. Several Blackbirds and Wrens heard in the woods at Anglesey Abbey.

12 Partridges were in the field at the start of the bridleway, a bit further on a Buzzard flew out from the oak trees. A Great Spotted Woodpecker was heard in Station Road and just before the crossroads another flew down the road.

Wednesday 19 October 2011

Lode 10k this morning. Weather was dry but cold and windy. Not too dark this morning as the half-moon was bright in the cloudless sky, before the sun came up. A slower run than recent ones in a time of 52'13".

Twelve Moorhens seen along Quy Water and 2 more just after the mill. Along Fen Road a Heron and Kestrel were seen and a Green Woodpecker heard.

The right-hand sugar beet field has now been harvested and the left-hand one has been started. A large group of Partridges in the field after the sugar beet fields. Another Green Woodpecker was seen along the track to the old railway line.

2 Pied Wagtails were on a house roof in Station Road.

Monday 10 October 2011

An early evening run straight after work today. Just enough time for the Lode 10k route before it got too dark. Weather was warm but very windy. I made good time to Lode Mill (15'31") and with 2.5 miles to go found myself maintaining a good pace and not feeling tired. I managed to keep this up (and even increased the pace slightly) to the end to finish in a PB of 48'50", 50 seconds quicker than previous best.

The Swan family were on the pond in Station Road. Today's Moorhen count along Quy Water was 12. 3 or 4 White Pheasants were at the edge of the woods at Anglesey Abbey, a batch of these must have been released for the shoot.

2 groups of Partridges seen.

Wednesday 21 September 2011

Lode 10k route again this morning. Weather was dry and fairly bright. The ground was wet though due to overnight rain. A slower time today of 53'44".

2 Buzzards seen along Quy Water. One over the horse field at the start of the footpath heading towards to Quy Hall and a second one flew into the trees at the start of Angelsey Abbey. There were 2 Kingfishers here too.

A total of 16 Moorhens counted along Quy Water. A Grey Wagtail was seen at Lode Mill, initially flying up onto the roof and then down into the pond after the mill.

A group of around 15 Partridges again seen just after the sugar beet fields.

Several Finches and Tits seen along the track leading to Quy Fen.

Thursday 15 September 2011

A good run along the Lode 10k route this morning. Weather was dry and bright but cold. At least the wind has died down now. I managed to knock over a minute off my PB for the route with a time of 49'40". For the last mile and three quarters I quickened my pace to my 5k race speed.

Along Quy Water there were a few Mallards, the Swan family and 11 Moorhens (5 juveniles). At the horse fields at the start of Quy Water there were 2 Green Woodpeckers. Just before Anglesey Abbey woods a Kestrel flew over and a Bullfinch flew into the woods. 2 Squirrels seen in the woods too. A little further on a Heron took off from the water and another Green Woodpecker was seen just before Lode Mill.

Another Heron was standing alongside a ditch near the track to the Lodestar fields. Through the poplar trees along the track I heard another Green Woodpecker and a Jay.

2 Skylarks were seen over the sugar beet fields and along the track at the end about 15 Partridges flew up. 2 more Squirrels were along the old railway line. In Station Road there were a few House Martins and a Swallow. 4 more House Martins at Vicarage Meadow.

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 20 July 2011

Lode 10k run this morning, I did 3 fartlek sessions during the run. Weather was cool,cloudy and slightly windy. A better time today of 53'00".

House Martins and Swifts in Quy and Lode. A flock of around 20 Goldfinches were feeding on thistles along Quy Water. One moorhen with chick along Bottisham Lode. A Green Woodpecker was seen along the track to the Lodestar fields and also a Roe Deer. 2 more Roe Deer were sitting down in a field to the left of the railway track. 2 Reed Buntings, 5 Skylarks and 7 Partridges were seen in the sugar beet fields.

Friday 15 July 2011

Another slow run along the Lode 10k route, around 56 minutes (I must get my stopwatch sorted before the next run!), Weather was dry, bright, quite warm and quite windy.

Barn Owl again seen in Station Road - what a lovely sight. Several House Martins and a few Swifts in Quy and Lode. Family of Swallows sitting on telegraph cables by the cottages along Fen Road.

Moorhen with young chicks on Quy Water and 2 with young chicks along Bottisham Lode plus 3-4 single adults along the lode. A Jay was seen just before Lode Mill.

Reed Buntings and Skylarks again just after the Lodestar fields and another Skylark singing over the barley field along the railway line. A Great Spotted Woodpecker was seen along Bottisham Lode and a very vocal Green Woodpecker along the bridleway. Also along the bridleway a covey of 12 Red-Legged Partridges flew away into the field.

Along the track parallel to the old railway line there were lots of small birds, including: Chaffinches, Greenfinches, Goldfinches, Blue Tits and 2 Long-Tailed Tits.




Lode Mill

Thursday 31 March 2011

Lode 10k this morning. Weather was cool, dull and windy. The ground was wet from overnight rain, but fortunately not too muddy. A slow time of 57'35". 2 Green Woodpeckers heard and a Great-Spotted Woodpecker was drumming hear the house at Anglesey Abbey. Chiffchaffs heard singing at the start of Anglesey Abbey woods and along the track leading to the railway line. 3 pairs of partridges seen. A pair of Reed Buntings were in the usual spot and about 5 Skylarks here in the fields. Another Skylark was seen in the field along the bridleway. At the end of the bridleway there was a flock of about 100 Fieldfares, they will probably use the strong SW wind today to head back up North. A Jay was seen just before Lode Mill and a pair at the Lodestar fields. 2 Roe Deer were in the field along Fen Road.

Tuesday 15 March 2011

Lode 10k route today. Weather was cool and dry.

Green Woodpecker in horse paddock at start of Quy Water. A Great Spotted Woodpecker at the start of the Lodestar fields. A Grey Partridge was on the road along Fen Road and a Heron in the usual place. At least 3 (possibly 5) Reed Buntings along the ditch. 2 Skylarks and a Lapwing here too.

A group of about 20 Fieldfares seen along the bridleway. Yellowhammer at the bend in the bridleway.

Tuesday 8 March 2011

Bottisham and Lode again this morning. Cold and frosty, but bright and sunny. The frost meant that there was no mud this morning. A respectable time of 1 hour 4'45".

At the end of Bottisham Lode there were 2 Herons, A Green Woodpecker heard calling and a Lapwing and Stock Dove flying over. A Lesser Black-Backed Gull was seen over the Lodestar fields. Passed the fields were the usual Reed Bunting and a Skylark. Another 10-12 Lapwing flew over. 3 pairs of Partridges seen. A few Yellowhammers were seen and along the track leading to the old railway line there was a Jay.

Along the bridleway another group of about 10 Lapwings were in the field.

Thursday 3 March 2011

A slightly longer run to Bottisham and Lode this morning going passed Quy Church. Weather was cold but dry. The railway track and bridleway had dried out quite a bit since Tuesday.

A single Moorhen and a Heron seen along Bottisham Lode. 5 pairs of Partridges in the fields passed the Lodestar area and a Reed Bunting and 3 Skylarks.

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.

Thursday 3 February 2011

Not too cold this morning, with just a little touch of frost in places. A head wind coming back though. Much lighter this morning, even before 7. Same run as Tuesday except I came back via Lode Mill rather than the Lodestar fields.

Plenty of birds around today. A pair of Partridges flew across Albert Road. There seem to be more Blue Tits, Great Tits and Chaffinches preparing for Spring. A lovely male Sparrowhawk was sitting on a post by the bridge near Lode station. He flew off along the lode towards the mill as I went past.

2 Herons in this lode this morning. A few Starlings on the telegraph wires in Mill Road also Collared Doves and Jackdaws. More Doves and Jackdaws in Station Road, Quy.

A couple of Song Thrushes heard today.

Friday 24 December 2010

Having finished work early today for Christmas, I had an afternoon 10 mile run to Oily Hall. The ground was still frozen and covered in snow, so the conditions were good for running. Time was 1 hour 27'06".

Along Bottisham Lode there were a few Moorhens and a Little Egret ( a first on my runs), just before the bridge a Kingfisher flew down the stream. At Oily Hall a Buzzard flew over and 3 Roe Deer were seen in an adjacent field. A Kestrel was hunting over Oily Hall and I followed him along the road for a while, where he made a couple of attempts to catch voles.

Another Buzzard was seen over the Lodestar field. A flock of about 12 Partridges flew across the field here. There were many winter thrushes about, with many Blackbirds, several Fieldfares and at least 1 Redwing.