Friday 31 May 2013

It's been 10 days since my last run, so I really need to get back into the habit.

A 10k run to Lode today.  The weather was cool for May and a bit misty.  The course was rather muddy in places due to the recent rain.

A Grey Wagtail was seen at the pond in Quy.  A Heron and the Swan family with 5 cygnets were along Quy Water.

A Great Spotted Woodpecker was seen flying along Fen Road.  Otherwise several Whitethroats seen/heard and a few House Martins, Swifts and Swallows.

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.

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.

Tuesday 9 April 2012

An afternoon run today (after a visit to the dentist).  I ran the Lode 10k route.

This afternoon I saw my first Swallow of the year over Quy Water just before Anglesey Abbey and a bit further on by the bridge into Anglesey Abbey my first Kingfisher of the year.  I saw a Jay here too.

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.

Wednesday 3 October 2012

A slow run to Bottisham and Lode this morning.  At 47:31 this was 5 minutes down on my PB.  Weather was cool and dry.

A Swallow flew across the Newmarket Road. A Peacock was on the grass verge opposite Lode Social Club.  2 Jays were seen along the bridleway.

Sunday 23 September 2012 - Bourn to Run 10k

My second time at this event.  Weather was dry and cool (about 11 degrees), with a light breeze.  The course started with a quick downhill "dash" through the village (4 minutes for 1st 1km), followed by a gradual climb up to the 6km mark.  Between 3 and 4km was the steepest part.  A good time of around 22:15 at the halfway mark. From 7km the course was downhill.

I managed to cross the finish line with a final sprint just before the clock ticked to 45:00 minutes and got a chip time of 44:53.  This is over 2 minutes better than last year's Bourn to Run and not far off my 10k PB.

A large flock of House Martins were flying around the grounds of Bourn Hall at the start.  A couple of Swallows seen near the airfield.

Wednesday 2 May 2012

A 10 mile run this morning to Oily Hall.  The weather was slightly drizzly at the start and fairly cool.  The ground was muddy in places, especially at the start of Anglesey Abbey woods and along the bridleway.  A reasonable time of 1 hour 29'20".

A few House Martins seen over Station Road and a couple of Swallows.  A Heron flew up from the river at the start of Quy Water.  2 Green Woodpeckers were seen at Lode Mill and another at Frolic Farm.  A Great-Spotted Woodpecker was seen along the track to the Lodestar fields.  A male Kestrel was here too.

A total of about 5 Roe Deer were seen this morning.

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.

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 5 October 2011

10k Lode route again this morning. Weather was dry, overcast and windy. Mornings are getting noticeably darker now. I did some speed work in the first half of the run and achieved my best time to Lode Mill of 15'29". I was tired for the second half and had a head wind, but managed to finish in a good time of 50'08".

A Heron flew up from the bank of Quy Water. 11 Moorhens seen along Quy Water this morning and another 3 on Bottisham Lode and 3 in the field at the start of the track to the Lodestar fields. 2 Roe Deer were seen in a field towards White Fen.

4 Swallows flew over at the end of the sugar beet fields, making slow progress in the wind. A Jay and a Kestrel were seen along the old railway line.

A Cormorant flew over Main Street in Quy.

Sunday 18 September 2011

A tiring Lode 10k this morning. Weather was dry, bright and warm. The ground was wet in places though due to overnight rain. Not a bad time of 50'50".

A Kingfisher flew along Quy Water in the direction of Station Road pond. There was also a Heron here and 4 Moorhens. A few Swallows and House Martins around.

4 Roe Deer were in a field along Fen Road.

In Station Road on the way back a Barn Owl was seen perched on a barn door.

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.

Tuesday 13 September 2011

An 8 mile run to Horningsea this morning. Weather was dry and bright but very windy. At the start it was quite cold in the wind, however towards the end of the run it was quite warm. A good time today of 1 hour 5'51".

3 Swallows seen at Allicky farm and a few more hirundines high over Horningsea. There were a lot of Partridges around today in various places.

At Honey Hill a group of 6 Buzzards flew out together from the bushes and just around the corner another was on the track, which flew off to join the others. At the start of the bridge over the A14 there was a flock of around 30-40 Goldfinches.

Sunday 11 September 2011

A 12 mile run this morning to Swaffham Prior. Weather was dry and warm but very windy. A good time of 1 hour 39'40".

Several House Martins over Vicarage Meadow and a lot in Main Street, including around 25 on telephone wires. 2 Green Woodpeckers in Swaffham Bulbeck. A Kestrel was seen as I entered Swaffham Prior and another as I left the village near the football ground on Station Road.

A Corn Bunting was perched on telephone wires along the road to Upware. Another Green Woodpecker was seen along the track to the Lodestar fields. 1 or 2 Swallows seen too.

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 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.

Monday 22 August 2011

An 8 mile run this morning to the end of White Fen Drove. Weather was dry and bright but rather cold. The grass was quite dewy. Time was not too bad at 1 hour 07'10".

Following on from Friday's note about the harvest, there are still a few wheat fields Left along White Fen Drove. The Linseed has been harvested though.

Large numbers of Swallows and House Martins seen this morning. Over 100 House Martins perched on telegraph wires and feeding in Station Road. Around 25 Swallows perched on telegraph wires along Fen Road, Lode.

A Green Woodpecker was heard along Quy Water and a Grey Heron was in the usual place along Bottisham Lode. The Swan family were swimming along Quy Water - the cygnets (all 7 still surviving) are now getting quite big. A Kestrel was seen along Fen Road.

Friday 19 August 2011

As it had been raining all say on Thursday, I chose a primarily road route today. I ran the 9km route through Bottisham to Lode Mill. Weather was dry and bright.

All the fields along the route have now been harvested except for the Linseed near Angelsey Abbey.

Apart from several Swallows and House Martins nothing of note seen today.

Wednesday 10 August 2011 - Kretowiny, Poland

Whilst on holiday in the Warminsko-Mazurskie region of NE Poland I enjoyed a couple of runs around the local area at Kretowiny. The first run of 10k took me out of the resort area, which is set in a peninsular at the southern edge of Jezioro Narie (Lake Narie) along the road to the T-Junction at the end of the lake. A short distance along the road a sandy track headed into the forest past a small reed-bordered lake. The track then crossed under the railway line or headed back past a very small lake into the forest. At this point not knowing where either track ended up, I turned back to the road. Half a mile along the road a track headed back into the forest at Kretowiny

Several Swallows were seen around the route. Along the road heading out of Kretowiny there were some Tree Sparrows in a garden. A Marsh Tit was seen in the forest on some cut logs near the railway line.

On the way back 2 Common Cranes were in a grass field on the shore of Lake Narie. Their bugling calls were very loud and could clearly be heard even the birds were 300 metres away.

Setting off

Jezioro Narie, Kretowiny

Roadside shrine at Kretowiny

Small lake in the forest

Track heading back to Kretowiny

Distant view of 2 Cranes

The Forest at Kretowiny

Jezioro Narie at the top end of Kretowiny