Sunday 31 October 2010

My longest run to date. I extended my route to Swaffham Bulbeck by continuing to Swaffham Prior and reaching White Fen via Station Road. At 12 miles this was good training for my upcoming half marathon. My time of 1 hour 51'19" was not too bad.

In Swaffham Bulbeck a runner came out of his house ahead of me and ran down the street at a fair pace. I thought to myself "I'm sure he's not doing 12 miles". Sure enough, after about 100 metres he turned into the volunteer fire station and proceeded to open up the appliance garage doors. A few moments later 2 cars came up the street at high speed. I didn't get to see the fire engine heading to whatever the emergency was, as I had turned off the main road. Full respect to the men who do these jobs in their spare time!

I passed a Kestrel sitting on a telegraph pole just outside Swaffham Prior and another near Lode. Along the railway track there was a group of about 20 Fieldfares, my first sighting of these Scandanavian visitors this winter.

Thursday 28 October 2010

An early start this morning, well before sunrise, hence it was pretty dark for most of the run. Today I ran to down Albert Road to Bottisham and then to Lode, passed the mill and back along the railway line. A distance of 9k in 51'19".

Not much seen due to lack of light, but several blackbirds and robins heard signing. Blackbirds seen in the latter part of the run. A Muntjac was flushed out of the field immediately after Lode Mill.

19 October 2010 - Deer Lake, Boyne Falls, MI

On our trip to Michigan we stayed here for a week, at the Mountain Run at Boyne resort in Boyne Falls. The resort is popular for winter sports. About 3 miles from Boyne Falls is Deer Lake. A 10.5 mile run took me over the mountain, right round the lake and back again.






The run started off flat for the first mile and went passed the Grand Lodge. On the small lake opposite the Lodge there were some Mallards and many Canada Geese.










After passing the Lodge the route turned left along Mountain Pass Road and started the 1 mile or so climb.

Blue Jays, American Robins and Song Sparrows were seen.

From the top the final half a mile to the Lake is downhill and passes the golf course on the left-hand side.

There was a flock of Canada Geese on Deer Lake.

At the bottom of Mountain Pass Road, I turned right along Deer Lake Road to circle the lake anti-clockwise.

After about half a mile I turned left to go along the Northern edge of the Lake.

A mile along this stretch and then the road turned left again to go South down the E Jordan - Boyne City Road. Along this mile and a half stretch I saw a White-Breasted Nuthatch in a garden.

The road then turned left again onto the C48 Deer Lake Road.

From here it was a mile back to Mountain Pass Road. Along this stretch a Woodpecker was heard calling, but unfortunately not seen. There was also a roadkill skunk at the side of the road. Once I had run past it I could smell its strong musky odour.

Back at the Golf Course and ready to start the climb back up Mountain Pass Road.

At the chair lift the worst of the climb is over.






From here it's a nice downhill run back to the Lodge. Some Black-Capped Chickadees were seen in the trees.

Mountain Run at Boyne condos with the ski slope behind.

http://gb.mapometer.com/en/running/route_815748.html

11 October 2010 - Grand Rapids, MI

Our run of around 6 miles centred on Richmond Park in the NW suburbs of Grand Rapids. Setting out along Bristol Ave NW we turned into Richmond St NW passed the Washington Park Memorial Gardens then entered Richmond Park. House Sparrows and American Robins were seen along Richmond St. In Richmond Park we ran around the edge of the pond, which had many Mallards, Canada Geese and Ring-Billed Gulls.

We then turned onto Tamarack Ave and then right onto Sylvia St. This residential area became more industrial as we turned left onto Alpine Ave. Here we headed up to the railway line and turned left onto Parnell Ave just before the railway bridge. This road took us along beside the railway line into Walker township and back to Bristol Ave. More Robins were seen here as well as Mourning Doves and Blue Jays.

Turning left on Bristol Ave took us passed more industrial units then the West Catholic Central High School. As we crossed a small stream, just before the high school, a Great Blue Heron flew out. At the side of the road a bit further on was a roadkill Opossum.

Having completed the circuit we headed back down Richmond St again to the park where we headed into the woods at the edge of the park. This took us a steep hill and then back down again into the park. From here we headed home and saw a male Red Cardinal in a garden in Bristol St.

Thursday 7 October 2010

An 8 mile run this morning down White Fen Drove. A cold morning with mist over the fields near Quy Water. Still a bit dark when I set off as sun had not quite risen. I avoided the grassy section by returning along the road to Lode. Off-road the route was quite muddy in places. Finished in a time of 1 hour 7'30".

In the dim pre-dawn light several blackbirds were seen or heard. Mallards and Moorhens were flushed from Quy Water. A Grey Heron was in the field along Bottisham Lode, and in the lode itself on the return leg. Another Grey Heron was seen flying over Stow Road in Quy on the way back. 4 Roe Deer were in the field just before White Fen Drove, another was seen at the far end of the field next to the Crane farm and 2 more in a field along the railway track.

Over 300 corvids (mainly Jackdaws and several Rooks) flew towards Lode and several more were sitting on electricity cables along White Fen Drove.

A Green Woodpecker was seen along the bridleway and a Cormorant flew over. A Swallow flew over Vicarage Meadow.

Saturday 2 October 2010

Ran 10.2 miles this morning through Bottisham and Swaffham Bulbeck, then back along Swaffham Bulbeck Lode and through White Fen to White Fen Drove. The weather was fine and dry however the grass sections of the run were very wet and muddy in places. Finished in a decent time of 1 hour 32'41".

A late Swallow was seen in Bottisham. Along Swaffham Bulbeck Lode there was a Green Woodpecker and a pair of Mute Swans with 6 full-grown young. A Great-Spotted Woodpecker was heard in Quy Park.

Thursday 30 September 2010

A cold morning. Many places, particularly through the woods at Anglesey Abbey, were rather muddy. The grass along White Fen Droveway was very wet. I set out to do the 10k route, but when I got to White Fen Drove decided to do the extra couple of miles. At 1 hour 11'42" the time was not quick.

Pigeons and Corvids were again the main bird sightings. About 4 Moorhens seen/heard. Several signing Wrens heard. A male Kestrel was sitting on a telegraph pole along Fen Road, but flew off as I ran past. A Jay was seen along White Fen Droveway and another along the railway track. 10 Roe Deer in 4 small groups seen along White Fen Drove. On the return to Quy a Grey Heron was sitting on the bank of Quy Water at the start of the footpath.