Monday 28 February 2011

Monday, 28 February

Fen Drayton Lakes - redhead Smew, Kingfisher, 2 Oystercatchers, Cetti's Warbler, 4 Siskins (Andy Cotton)

Cambridge - 11 WAXWINGS at the Panton Arms 13:50h (Saimon Clark); Peregrine over the airfield (Iain Webb)

Paxton Pits - Water Pipit, 3 Avocets, 3 redhead Smew, 5 Ringed Plovers (Martin Davis)

Sunday 27 February 2011

Sunday, 27 February

Godmanchester - c.25 WAXWINGS along London Road opposite Sweetings Rd junction(Paul Andrew)

Hardwick - 22 WAXWINGS on the old St Neots Road (Louise Bacon, Vince Lea)

Fen Drayton - Bittern, 5 Smew, c.120 black-tailed godwits, 2 pairs of Oystercatchers, Peregrine, pair of Stonechats, 2 corn buntings, Barn Owl, Curlew, Lesser Redpoll, Great White Egret (c/o Neil Renwick)

Grafham Water - RED-NECKED GREBE still near Savages creek, 4 Scaup, 9 Goosander, Dunlin (Mark Hawkes, Duncan Poyser, Ben Green)

Cambridge - Peregrine on the Chimney of the Museum of Technology (Daniel Osborne)

Upware - 12 WAXWING (Tim Dee & Claire Spottiswoode)

Tubney Fen - Brambling (Tim Dee & Claire Spottiswode)

Ely - 1100 Golden Plover, 320 Lapwings just south of the BF Pits (Staurt Sharp)

Saturday, 26 February

Grafham Water - RED-NECKED GREBE along north shore near Savages, Scaup off lagoons, Curlew over, Dunlin, 8+ Goosander in Littless creek, 2 Pintail, Cetti's Warbler still singing in lagoons, 11+ Redshank (Mark Hawkes)

Cambridge - 8 WAXINGS in Leys Avenue (Jonathan Heath) and 9 by Panton Arms (Andrew Knights & Neil Marriott)

Ferry Meadows - c.450 Siskin, 4 Red Kites above Overton Lake, Little Owl (Matt Webb); 61 WAXWINGS at Lynch Bridge (Don Gardener)

Ravensthorpe - 65 WAXINGS around the house and surrounding trees in Holdfield (Mike Weedon)

Friday 25 February 2011

Friday, 25 February

Cambridge - 39+ WAXWINGS on Panton Street 08:00h (Sarah Howlett); c.20 birds, which departed towards the University Botanic Gradens 08:30h (Rob Law); 25 birds present 1535-15:45h at least (Matt Silk); Peregrine over the Addenbrooke's site 16:30h (Peter Holt); Peregrine at the Museum of Technology (Chris Went)

Fen Drayton Lakes - 2 Green Sandpipers over, 3 Smes (Dennis Hall)

Longthorpe Tower - 36 WAXWINGS nearby 10:30h (John Saunders)

Peterborough - 25 WAXWINGS in Central Park Close 13:00h (John Saunders)

Ferry Meadows - 10+ WAXWINGS near Lynch Bridge c.13:00h (as per Mike Weedon)

Godmanchester - 20+ WAXWINGS along London Road (Paul Andrew)

Grafham Water - Avocet at lagoons this afternoon (Colin Addington)

Thursday 24 February 2011

Thursday, 24 February

Cambridge - c.20 WAXWINGS at the Panton Arms 08:00h (Dermot Cooper); Peregrine at the Museum of Technology 17:30h (Rob Law)

Fen Drayton - 6 Goosanders (Jacqui Miller); 2 redhead Smew, 2 Cetti's Warblers (Dennis Hall)

Little Wilbraham Fen - 3 ringtail Hen Harriers, 2 Cetti's Warblers, 3 Buzzards, c.30 Grey Partridges (Matt Silk)

Colne GPs - Green Sandpiper, Oystercatcher, 3 Little Egrets, 3 Buzzards (Mark Eaton)

Great Fen - 23 Whooper Swans, 2 Marsh Harriers, 2 ringtail Hen Harriers, 4 Buzzards, Peregrine, 3 Tawny Owls calling, 2 Long-eared Owls calling, 4 Short-eared Owls, 2 Woodcocks (Duncan Ritchie)

Wednesday 23 February 2011

Wednesday, 23 February

Peterborough - Peregrine on the Power Station tower, Storey's Bar Road (Peter Beesley)

Great Fen - 24 Whooper Swans, 3 Bewick's Swans, 2 Marsh Harriers, 30 Golden Plovers (Duncan Ritchie)

Paxton Pits - 2 Curlews over, 14 Smews (Martin Davis)

Cambridge - up to 52 WAXWINGS at the Panton Arms today (Ed Bullmore; Rob Law; Trevor Dant); 20+ probable WAXWINGS reported at Mill Road cemetery

Wicken Fen -  7 Marsh Harriers, 2+ ringtail Hen Harriers, 2 Barn Olws (Christian Boness)

Tuesday 22 February 2011

Tuesday, 22 February

Cambridge - 19 WAXWINGS opposite Panton Arms in Panton Street this morning (Sarah Howlett; Claire Spottiswoode, Tim Dee); 42+ WAXWINGS along Huntingdon Road near no. 170 at 13:15h (Richard Thomas)

Dogsthorpe - 40+ WAXWINGS by the fire station 09:30h (David Withrington)

Southorpe Paddock SSSI - Merlin, c.10 Bramblings (Matt Webb)

Barton - GREAT GREY SHRIKE still present (Matthew Mellor)

Grafham Water - Knot (as per rarebirdalert.com)

Monday 21 February 2011

Monday, 21 February

Cambridge - c.15 WAXWINGS near the Panton Arms (Dermot Cooper); 20 WAXWINGS 09:15h (Ed Bullmore); 20 birds still at 12:30h (Matt Mason); 15 WAXWINGS at Churchill College briefly this afternoon (James Westrip)

Godmanchester - 42+ WAXWINGS near the junction of Sweetings Road and Porch Close (Paul Andrew)

Milton - Merlin over A14 nearby (Tim Dee, Claire Spottiswoode)

Paxton Pits - male and 2 redhead Smew (Tim Dee, Claire Spottiswoode)

Sunday 20 February 2011

Sunday, 20 February

Fen Drayton - 2 red-head Smew still on Trout Pond (Neil Renwick)

Grafham Water - BEARDED TIT, male calling and showing well in reed bases of pool in NW corner of the lagoons, female Scaup, Cetti's Warbler, Mediterranean Gull in roost, Curlew, 2 Goosander (Mark Hawkes)

Barton - GREAT GREY SHRIKE still present (David Heath)

Huntingdon - c.90 WAXWINGS Glebe Road (Mike Everett)

Paxton - Merlin, Grey Plover, 2 Goosander, 10 Smew, Barn Owl, Grey Partridge (Martin Davis)

Little Wilbraham Fen - 3 Hen Harrier, 2 Marsh Harrier, Common Buzzard, Cetti's Warbler, Woodcock, Water Rail (David & Jonathan Heath, Jeff Stenning)

South Bretton - 23 WAXWINGS flying south over playing field (Don Gardener)

Dogsthorpe fire station - c.70 WAXWINGS (Lois Chapman)

Ferry Meadows - 20 WAXWINGS in a tree at the North end of Lynch Lake (John Gallagher)

Saturday, 19 February

Fen Drayton - Stonechat in ditch just east of the bailey bridge on the entrance road, 2 red-headed Smew on the Trout Pond (Dennis Hall); Mediterranean Gull on Drayton Lagoon (Richard Thomas)

Little Wilbraham Fen - 2/3 ringtail Hen Harriers in to roost at dusk, 2 Water Rails, (David Heath & Jeff Stenning)

Barton - GREAT GREY SHRIKE still present (Toby Austin / Roger Horton)

Cambridge - 19 WAXWINGS in Panton Street (Roger Horton)

Trumpingdon - 190 Golden Plover in the fields next to the M11 (Mike Foley)

Friday 18 February 2011

Friday, 18 February

Godmanchester - 20 WAXWINGS along London Road c.08:30h (Martin Amos)

Dogsthorpe - c.55 WAXWINGS over south-west (David Withrington); 71 WAXWINGS at the firestation 12:20h and then along Park Road (Brian Stone)

Ferry Meadows - 200+ Siskins (Brian Stone)

Cambridge - 40 WAXWINGS reported at the corner of Courtney Way & Gilbert Road c.13:00h; along Gilbert Road by no. 83 at 15:15h (as per Richard Thomas); 14 WAXWINGS in the University Botanic Gardens c.13:00h (Mike Foley); 20 WAXWINGS along Panton Street (Rob Law; Nigel Russell)

Upwood - WAXWING corner Fairmead Park, Canberra Ave (John Wells)

Thursday 17 February 2011

Thursday, 17 February

Barton - GREAT GREY SHRIKE present yesterday and today. Please park sensibly and stick to the footpaths. Further site details as Monday, February 7 (as per Louise Bacon).

Chatteris - ringtial Hen Harrier nearby (Lousie Bacon, Vince Lea, Colin Kirtland)

Dogsthorpe - c.80 WAXWINGS outside the fire station at lunchtime but flighty (David Withrington); present again 14:45h (Keith Stapleford)

Girton - c.35 WAXWINGS over Welbrook Court 15:00h (John Pilgrim)

Cambridge - 20 WAXWINGS at Panton Street 15:30h (Nigel Russell)

Ouse Washes - 2000 Golden Plovers, 200+ Pintails, Peregrine, 2 Marsh Harriers, Buzzard, Barn Owl (Joe Lynn)

Witcham - 2 ad Peregrines, male Merlin, 7 Tree Sparrows (David Hopkins)

Ferry Meadows -  12 Snipe, 110+ Siskins, Little Owl (Don Gardener)

Fowlmere - Cetti's Warbler (Mike Foley)

Wednesday 16 February 2011

Wednesday, 16 February

Castor Hanglands - Lesser Spotted Woodpecker (Peter Beesley)

Isleham Water Meadows - Peregrine, 2 Buzzards, 9 Redshanks, 73 Teal (Dave Palmer)

Six Mile Bottom - 8 Buzzards (Dave Palmer)

Haslingfield - 100+ Corn Buntings at Chapel Hill (Chris Richards)

Cambridge - 20 WAXWINGS in Panton Street (David Barr)

Paxton Pits - 2 fem Smew, 2 male Goldeneyes (Tony Lowe)

Woodwalton/Great Fen - 4 Marsh Harriers, ringtail Hen Harrier, Peregrine, Merlin, 5 Short-eared Owls, 4 Long-eared Owls, 3 Barn Owls, 4 Tawny Owls (Ron Harold)

Tuesday 15 February 2011

Tuesday, 15 February

Ferry Meadows - 21 WAXWINGS among poplars at the mound by Lynch Lake briefly 08:30h (Matt Webb)

Holt Fen - 2 Short-eared Owls 13:30h (Colin Head)

Nene Washes - 2 Common Cranes, 709 Bewick's Swans,  550 Whooper Swans, 16 Pink-footed Geese, 1790 Golden Plovers, 4 Dunlins, 2 Ruff, 2 Oystercatcher, 7 Marsh Harrier, 7 Buzzards, Hen Harrier, 2+ Peregrines (Charlie Kitchin, Andy Cotton)

Woodwalton/Great Fen - 2 Woodcock, 23 Whooper Swans, 60 Corn Buntings (Ron Harold)

Monday, 14 February

Cambridge - 18 WAXWINGS along Panton Street, Peregrine on chimney of Museum of Technology (Rob Law)

Bedford Purlieus - Lesser Spotted Woodpecker (Peter & Jan Farbridge)

Sunday 13 February 2011

Sunday, 13 February

Girton - 10 WAXWINGS in garden Girton Road just north of corner Pepys Way (Peter Herkenrath)

Barton - GREAT GREY SHRIKE still present (Matthew Mellor)

Waterbeach GP's - Bittern seen in flight and in far right hand side reed bed as viewed from the hide, Oystercatcher (David & Jonatahn Heath)

Milton C.P. - Cetti's Warbler, Chiffchaff (David & Jonatahn Heath); Little Grebe (Sam Boden)

Ouse Fen - Hen Harrier, Water Pipit, 3 Red-crested Pochards (Richard Thomas)

Grafham Water - RED-NECKED GREBE from fishing lodge early morning, Scaup, Avocet, 2 Pintail, Red Kite, 7 Goodander, 3 Little Egret, 111 Goldeneye (Mark Hawkes, David Hollin, Chris Shurlock)

Wilbraham Fen - Hen Harrier, 2 Marsh Harriers (Dave Griffiths)

Maxey Pits - 2 Mealy Redpoll, 3 Goosander, Jack Snipe (Mike Weedon, David Lindo)

March Farmers - 16 Pink-footed Geese, 2 COMMON CRANE (Mike Weedon, David Lindo)

Saturday, 12 February

Cam Washes, Waterbeach - Dunlin, Green Sandpiper, 13 Redshank, Little Egret, Merlin, 5 Common Buzzard, 30+ Golden Plover (David & Jonathan Heath)

Paxton Pits - 2 Ringed Plover, 2 Dunlin, Oystercatcher, Green Sandpiper, Curlew, 2 Little Egret, 3 Shelduck, 9 Smew, 60 Goldeneye, 2 Common Buzzard (Martin Davies); Bittern recorded in visitors book.

Little Wilbraham Fen - ringtail Hen Harrier, Marsh Harrier, Water Rail (David & Jonathan Heath)

Grafham Water - 4 Scaup, 9 Redshank, 2 Oystercatchers, 2 Little Egrets (M. Rogers)

Southorpe Paddocks - 2 Peregrines (Matt Webb)

March Farmers - 2 COMMON CRANE, 5 Ruff, 8 Dunlin, 3 Marsh Harrier, Black-tailed Godwit (John Saunders)

Ferry Meadows - Little Owl (Don Gardener)

Friday 11 February 2011

Friday, 11 February

Hampton Hargate, Peterborough - 40+ WAXWINGS off Leaf Avenue (Chris Jones)

Huntingdon - 72 WAXWINGS along St. Peters Road 12:00h (Ted Stephens)

Thursday 10 February 2011

Thursday, 10 February

Peterborough - c.40 WAXWINGS over Railworld c.08:40h (Brian Stone)

Huntingdon - 15+ WAXWINGS along Redwongs Way (Steph James)

Girton - 45 WAXWINGS in tree-tops near the school 13:30h, but mobile (Mike Crosby)

Wednesday 9 February 2011

Wednesday, 9 February

Cambridge - WAXWING north over Emmanuel Street 08:12h (Joe Taylor)

Great Shelford - 31 WAXWINGS near Scotsdales Garden Centre this morning (Mike Foley)

Castor Hanglands - Lesser Spotted Woodpecker drumming 11:30h (Leon Smith)

Ely - 10 WAXWINGS on Norfolk Road this afternoon (Stuart Sharp)

Huntingdon - 50+ WAXWINGS in St. Peter's Road 12-13:00h (Roger Orbell)

Tuesday, 8 February

Grafham Water - 8 Little Egrets from Mander CP 13:00h (Matt Rodgers)

Monday 7 February 2011

Monday, 7 February

Barton - GREAT GREY SHRIKE still in hedgerow in front of radio-telescopes this morning (Rob Law)

Please could anyone visiting the Barton Countryside Restoration Trust site keep to publicly accessible areas at all times. One or two people may have wandered when the bird is not showing. Areas such as the disused railway line and farmland south of it are not CRT or public land. The CRT has good relations with their neighbours. If the CRT is viewed as a source of trespassers, such relations could be jeopordised.

The CRT has guided paths which visitors are most welcome to use. The main area where the shrike has been seen is a hay meadow near to the radio telescopes). At this time of year no harm will come from wandering freely across this grassland. However, other areas are really not suitable for general walking. Please accept this at times when the bird is not showing. 

Grass strips around fields are conservation measures for which farmers recieve payment; they are not paths. Walking on them will disturb the wildlife they are intended for, and use as footpaths can lead to disqualification of the payment.


Huntingdon - c.60 mobile WAXWINGS at St. Peter's Road Inudustrial Estate (Mike Everett)

Barleycraft/Needingworth - ringtail Hen Harrier over 10:45h (Brian Groombridge)

Buckden - 18 WAXWINGS in a private garden, 40 present on 5 January (Mark Ward)

Girton - Peregrine over 15:50h (Peter Herkenrath)

Fen Causeway, Cambridge - Little Egret on Coe Fen 08:50h (Rob Law)

Sunday 6 February 2011

Sunday, 6 February

Cambridge - 15-20 WAXWINGS Fitzroy street at 09.40h, flew towards Victoria road (Jeremy Lindsell)

Barton - GREAT GREY SHRIKE still present, Peregrine, Red Kite (Ian Ellis & Beth Ludlow)

Paxton Pits - immature Peregrine, Little Egret, pair of Shelduck (Jamie Wells); adult Mediterranean Gull on A1 pits, 3 Smew on Sailing lake, 7 Goosander (Mark Brandon)

Grafham Water - 2nd winter ICELAND GULL roosted off Mander car park this evening, 2+ Scaup (Mark Hawkes, Matthew Rodgers); 15 Goosanders, 2 Little Egrets (Audrey & Gwyn Williams)

Comberton - female Eider (probable escape) south of village on small stream west of road to Little Eversden (Michael Crosby)

Ely - 33 WAXWINGS in Norfolk Road (Stuart Sharp)

Saturday, 5 February

Barton - GREAT GREY SHRIKE at Lark Rise Farm 60m east of telescopes (Matt Mellor)

Grafham Water - RED-NECKED GREBE from Dudney hide, Scaup (M. Rogers)

Hilton - 3 Pink-footed Geese with Greylags in a field off Potton Road, at TL 29768, also Woodcock (Hugh Venables)

Fen Drayton - redhead Smew on Far Fen Lake, Stonechat on access track (Hugh Venables)

Needingworth: 8+ Smew, 4 Siskin (Hugh Venables)

Cottenham - 2 Brambling in private garden (Vicki Harley)

Cam Washes - Green Sandpiper, 2 Little Egret, 5 Pintail, 16 Shoveler, Ross's Goose, Barnacle Goose, 8 Shelduck (Gavin Paterson)

Ouse Washes, Welches Dam - 35 Tree Sparrow, c.150 Stock Dove (Gavin Paterson)

Thursday 3 February 2011

Thursday, 3 February

Barton - GREAT GREY SHRIKE in hedges north of Bourn Brook 600 metres east of the telescope dishes 08:45h, but mobile.  (Roger Horton); present at 15:00h (Vic & Pauline Cozens). This is a working farm with very limited parking space, which is at the CRT office area. Please park considerately and do not block access to the office, any roads or fields. Those working at the office will notice poor parking very quickly. The office is the white building with a black door. On the door is a map with notes on finding the areas where the shrike has been seen. CRT office postcode CB23 7AG. It is on the Haslingfield Road; coming off the A603 it is very soon on the right hand side, signed as 'Birds Farm and the CRT'.

Girton - 11 WAXWINGS in Pepys Way briefly, 09:30h (Peter Herkenrath); 16+ WAXWINGS in the area 12:30h (Andy Symes)

Bar Hill - 14 WAXWINGS by Little Meadow (Tony Roberts)

Grafham Water - 4 (3 imm. male & adult male) Scaup, fem Common Scoter (Colin Addington)

Fen Ditton - 2 Little Egrets nearby this morning (Rob Pople)

Longthorpe - 36+ WAXWINGS present opposite entrance to Longthorpe Tower 10:45h & 16:15h (John saunders)

Milton Tip - 2 ad Yellow-legged Gulls (James Hanlon)

Barleycraft/Needingworth Pits - 34 Smew, 250+ Golden Plovers (James Hanlon)

Wicken Fen - 3 Marsh Harriers, Barn Owl, Buzzard (Dave Palmer)

Wednesday 2 February 2011

Wednesday, 2 February

Barton - GREAT GREY SHRIKE still present 09:00h but often elusive, also Short-eared Owl (Vince Lea)

Longthorpe - 40 WAXWINGS opposite entrance to Longthorpe Tower 10:00h (Peter Beesley)

Huntingdon - c.30 WAXWINGS at TL243734, corner of Sallowbosuh and Coneygear Road (Mick Twinn)

Tuesday 1 February 2011

Tuesday, 1 February

Cambridge - FIRECREST heard along Hobson's Conduit, in the pines south of Brooklands Avenue (Iain Webb)

Longthorpe - 19 WAXWINGS at Longthorpe Tower this morning (Brian Stone); 60+ birds present 15:30h (Peter & Jan Farbridge)

Needingworth - 14 Smews, a Flamingo sp. in flight towards Ouse Fen (Mark Eaton)

Peterborough - 6 WAXWINGS over Candy Street 09:45h (Ben Fraser)

Cambridge - c.25 WAXWINGS in Eachard Road still (Christoph Zockler); Little Egret east over Mill Road/Thoday Street 07:55h (Joe Taylor)

Coveney Byall Fen - 60+ Corn Buntings (Mike Burdekin)

Ely BF - 5 Marsh Harriers (Colin Kirtland)

Maxey Pits - 5 Goosanders (Malcolm Holley)