Week commencing 10th September

Monday 10th

Decided to give Burwell Fen and surroundings a miss this week and so set out to Barway just along the river from home to check out the flooded fields after walking the dogs. We have a little loop of about 45 min walk that we normally do but on this occasion decided to go the other way towards Shropshires in order to check out the lakes that are on the other side of the river. The first held a few Mallard and a couple of Mute Swan. The second had been drained and although looked inviting to waders held nothing at all.

I then decided to push on a little further and my 45 min dog walk became a splendid three hour stroll across the far side of Soham Mere to Kingfisher Bridge and a return along the banks of the River Cam. During the whole journey only saw a couple of tractors and spoke to one chap at KB.

Across Soham Mere towards Soham

A couple of Buzzard were calling and circling out towards Pantile Farm and attracting the attention of the local Lapwing. A good number of Swallow and House Martin were hunting over the fields. The hedgerows are certainly full of berries and we can only hope for plenty of winter migrants to descend upon them!

Rosehips

It was good to walk through Kingfisher Bridge as I haven't been there in such a long time and see the changes that have happened, such as a nice area near the Wardens Office and the clearance of many of the trees giving a more open and fen-like aspect to the place.

The Kingfisher Bridge Water Buffalo

There were good number of Sand Martin feeding over the fields and on the lakes plenty of Greylag and Canada Goose. The attractive margins held a couple of Green Sandpiper, seven Snipe and at least a dozen Ruff. Wildfowl numbers were good with the usual suspects present. 

Walking back along the Cam came across two Egyptian Goose then a little further on a further ten! A record for any of my locations! Good numbers of Snipe were along the bank.

Grey Heron and two of the twelve Egyptian Goose.

A very pleasant walk, well worth repeating. Link to the route here

35 Birds (35 Species)

Buntings, Sparrows and Allies   (Emberizidae)

Reed BuntingEmberiza schoeniclus

Count1

Time11:38

GeoTagTL 5381 7367

GenderMale

Good ViewYes

Chickadees and Tits   (Paridae)

Blue TitCyanistes caeruleus

Count2

Time10:42

GeoTagTL 5506 7321

Good ViewYes

Coal TitPeriparus ater

Count2

Time10:56

GeoTagTL 5470 7291

Good ViewYes

Great TitParus major

Count1

Time10:42

GeoTagTL 5506 7321

Good ViewYes

Great TitParus major

Count2

Time11:34

GeoTagTL 5384 7355

Good ViewYes

Cormorants and Shags   (Phalacrocoracidae)

CormorantPhalacrocorax carbo

Count9

Time11:09

GeoTagTL 5415 7293

Good ViewYes

Crows, Jays, and Magpies   (Corvidae)

MagpiePica pica

Count2

Time11:01

GeoTagTL 5447 7288

Good ViewYes

Ducks, Geese, and Waterfowl   (Anatidae)

Canada GooseBranta canadensis

Countc50

Time11:09

GeoTagTL 5415 7293

Good ViewYes

Canada GooseBranta canadensis

Count11

Time11:45

GeoTagTL 5371 7391

Good ViewYes

Egyptian GooseAlopochen aegyptiaca

Count12

Time11:54

GeoTagTL 5362 7426

Good ViewYes

Photo TakenYes

GadwallAnas strepera

Count16

Time11:34

GeoTagTL 5384 7355

Good ViewYes

GenderMixed flock

Greylag GooseAnser anser

Countc70

Time11:02

GeoTagTL 5447 7288

Good ViewYes

MallardAnas platyrhynchos

Countc30

Time11:32

GeoTagTL 5385 7354

Good ViewYes

Mute SwanCygnus olor

Count5

Time11:32

GeoTagTL 5385 7354

Good ViewYes

Mute SwanCygnus olor

Count7

Time11:45

GeoTagTL 5371 7391

Good ViewYes

Mute SwanCygnus olor

Count4

Time12:16

GeoTagTL 5363 7523

Good ViewYes

Falcons and Caracaras   (Falconidae)

KestrelFalco tinnunculus

Count1

Time11:34

GeoTagTL 5384 7355

Good ViewYes

Grebes   (Podicipedidae)

Great Crested GrebePodiceps cristatus

Count3

Time11:34

GeoTagTL 5384 7355

Good ViewYes

Great Crested GrebePodiceps cristatus

Count2

Time11:57

GeoTagTL 5365 7434

Good ViewYes

Little GrebeTachybaptus ruficollis

Count2

Time12:06

GeoTagTL 5357 7476

Good ViewYes

Hawks, Eagles, and Kites   (Accipitridae)

BuzzardButeo buteo

Count1

Time10:07

GeoTagTL 5507 7441

Good ViewYes

BuzzardButeo buteo

Count1

Time10:16

GeoTagTL 5534 7408

Good ViewYes

Herons, Egrets, and Bitterns   (Ardeidae)

Grey HeronArdea cinerea

Count1

Time11:31

GeoTagTL 5385 7354

Good ViewYes

Grey HeronArdea cinerea

Count1

Time11:44

GeoTagTL 5371 7391

Good ViewYes

Little EgretEgretta garzetta

Count3

Time11:31

GeoTagTL 5385 7354

Good ViewYes

Little EgretEgretta garzetta

Count2

Time11:45

GeoTagTL 5371 7391

Good ViewYes

Kingfishers   (Alcedinidae)

KingfisherAlcedo atthis

Count1

Time11:34

GeoTagTL 5384 7355

Good ViewYes

Leaf-Warblers   (Phylloscopidae)

ChiffchaffPhylloscopus collybita

Count1

Time10:42

GeoTagTL 5506 7321

Good ViewYes

ChiffchaffPhylloscopus collybita

Count1

Time11:01

GeoTagTL 5447 7288

Heard OnlyYes

Old World Flycatchers   (Muscicapidae)

RobinErithacus rubecula

Count1

Time10:56

GeoTagTL 5470 7291

Good ViewYes

Old World Sparrows   (Passeridae)

House SparrowPasser domesticus

Count7

Time10:42

GeoTagTL 5506 7321

Good ViewYes

Plovers and Lapwings   (Charadriidae)

LapwingVanellus vanellus

Count3

Time10:17

GeoTagTL 5534 7408

Good ViewYes

Rails, Gallinules, and Coots   (Rallidae)

CootFulica atra

Count19

Time11:39

GeoTagTL 5379 7376

Good ViewYes

CootFulica atra

Count11

Time12:06

GeoTagTL 5357 7476

Good ViewYes

Sandpipers and Allies   (Scolopacidae)

Green SandpiperTringa ochropus

Count2

Time11:31

GeoTagTL 5385 7354

Good ViewYes

RuffCalidris pugnax

Count9

Time11:32

GeoTagTL 5385 7354

Good ViewYes

SnipeGallinago gallinago

Count5

Time11:32

GeoTagTL 5385 7354

Good ViewYes

SnipeGallinago gallinago

Count8

Time11:56

GeoTagTL 5365 7434

Good ViewYes

SnipeGallinago gallinago

Count3

Time12:05

GeoTagTL 5356 7472

Good ViewYes

Siskins, Crossbills, and Allies   (Fringillidae)

GoldfinchCarduelis carduelis

Count23

Time12:05

GeoTagTL 5357 7475

Good ViewYes

GoldfinchCarduelis carduelis

Count11

Time12:07

GeoTagTL 5358 7482

Good ViewYes

GoldfinchCarduelis carduelis

Countc30

Time12:14

GeoTagTL 5363 7510

Good ViewYes

Swallows   (Hirundinidae)

House MartinDelichon urbicum

Count5

Time10:13

GeoTagTL 5525 7419

Good ViewYes

Sand MartinRiparia riparia

Count21

Time11:12

GeoTagTL 5409 7295

Good ViewYes

Sand MartinRiparia riparia

Count13

Time12:24

GeoTagTL 5375 7575

Good ViewYes

SwallowHirundo rustica

Count6

Time10:13

GeoTagTL 5525 7419

Good ViewYes

SwallowHirundo rustica

Count11

Time12:13

GeoTagTL 5364 7505

Good ViewYes

Wagtails and Pipits   (Motacillidae)

Pied WagtailMotacilla alba

Count6

Time11:55

GeoTagTL 5362 7426

Good ViewYes

Woodpeckers   (Picidae)

Great Spotted WoodpeckerDendrocopos major

Count2

Time10:06

GeoTagTL 5505 7443

Good ViewYes

Great Spotted WoodpeckerDendrocopos major

Count1

Time11:02

GeoTagTL 5447 7288

Heard OnlyYes

Green WoodpeckerPicus viridis

Count1

Time10:58

GeoTagTL 5460 7288

Good ViewYes

Wrens   (Troglodytidae)

WrenTroglodytes troglodytes

Count2

Time10:17

GeoTagTL 5534 7408

Good ViewYes

Barway Flooded Fields

Called in on the way home. Good numbers of wildfowl present along with Little Egret, Ruff and Snipe. A single Hobby was hunting over the flooded area

A poor shot of a Hobby!

as was a female Marsh Harrier. 

Female Marsh Harrier

The whole area is looking really good and we can only hope that its still around to attract the winter wildfowl.

Ruff

Ruff

Ruff

Ruff

22 Birds (22 Species)

Crows, Jays, and Magpies   (Corvidae)

Carrion CrowCorvus corone

Count3

Ducks, Geese, and Waterfowl   (Anatidae)

Canada GooseBranta canadensis

Countc30

GadwallAnas strepera

Count39

Time13:03

GeoTagTL 5612 7600

Good ViewYes

GenderMixed flock

Greylag GooseAnser anser

Count218

Time13:03

GeoTagTL 5612 7600

Good ViewYes

MallardAnas platyrhynchos

Countc50

Mute SwanCygnus olor

Count3

Time13:07

GeoTagTL 5611 7598

Good ViewYes

ShelduckTadorna tadorna

Count3

ShovelerAnas clypeata

Count9

GenderMixed flock

TealAnas crecca

Countc30

GenderMixed flock

Falcons and Caracaras   (Falconidae)

HobbyFalco subbuteo

Count1

Time13:02

GeoTagTL 5611 7599

GenderMale

Good ViewYes

Photo TakenYes

New Area SpeciesYes

Grebes   (Podicipedidae)

Little GrebeTachybaptus ruficollis

Count3

Time13:04

GeoTagTL 5610 7599

Good ViewYes

Gulls, Terns, and Skimmers   (Laridae)

Black-headed GullChroicocephalus ridibundus

Count5

Hawks, Eagles, and Kites   (Accipitridae)

Marsh HarrierCircus aeruginosus

Count1

GenderFemale

Herons, Egrets, and Bitterns   (Ardeidae)

Grey HeronArdea cinerea

Count2

Little EgretEgretta garzetta

Count13

Time13:04

GeoTagTL 5610 7599

Good ViewYes

Rails, Gallinules, and Coots   (Rallidae)

CootFulica atra

Count34

Time13:02

GeoTagTL 5612 7600

Good ViewYes

Sandpipers and Allies   (Scolopacidae)

RuffCalidris pugnax

Count11

Time13:06

GeoTagTL 5610 7599

Good ViewYes

SnipeGallinago gallinago

Count5

Time13:06

GeoTagTL 5610 7599

Good ViewYes

Starlings   (Sturnidae)

StarlingSturnus vulgaris

Count15

Swallows   (Hirundinidae)

Sand MartinRiparia riparia

Count17

SwallowHirundo rustica

Count17

Wagtails and Pipits   (Motacillidae)

Pied WagtailMotacilla alba

Count4

Tuesday 11th

Morning walk around the local patch. The morning was grey and blustery and with very little about other than a small group of Long Tailed Tit moving through the bushes with a few Blue Tit mixed in.

Called into Barway on way home from the dump and made sure that I had my telescope with me! Plenty of wildfowl about with good numbers of Wigeon (100+) and a similar number of Gadwall. Mallard and Teal in plenty.

At least five Black-tailed Godwit feeding amongst the ducks and twelve Ruff were visible. One Ruff has a badly deformed or broken right leg and seems to be spending its time either sitting on the water or the concrete parking area.

Ruff with badly injured or deformed right leg

Right leg can be seen protruding from beneath it's body. 

The female Marsh Harrier was hunting over the area and a juvenile Hobby was resting on the telegraph wires nearby.

At least fifteen Little Egret present over the whole area and large numbers of Sand Martin feeding over the water.