End of year breakdown

2016 over and done with on with 2017. But before all that let's see how the year went. So during 2016 I recorded 107 species of birds seen at Burwell Fen. This was down on 2015 by 4, those missing from the list were: Bitten, Grey Phalarope. Avocet and Black Winged Stilt. Strangely I was only thinking about Bittens today as I was walking along Harrison's Drove. Often heard during the spring but I've rarely seen them! Maybe more time needs to be spent around Adventures Fen rather than Burwell! Let's see what the new year brings.!

Yet another catch up!!

So September and October have disappeared and here we are half way through November and not an entry! I promise I have been out and about over the fens in search of birds but little to report other than the usual!

However Tuesday 11th November saw the dogs and I wandering down the bank at Burwell. There had been reports of a Great Grey Shrike in the area while we had been away in Spain so we had tried a few days earlier with no luck. So it was a pleasant surprise when it suddenly appeared on the wires.

Sadly as I manoeuvred closer it took flight and disappeared behind a tree. 20 minutes of searching proved fruitless and so we moved on!

The fen has been partly flooded. Not, it would seem, to the depth of previous years so we wait and see what is drawn in over the winter. 

July passes and now in August!

Well June and July has passed by with out much comment! Birding slowed  and nothing really of interest around. Instead took to planning and walking a variety of circular walks around Cambridgeshire, Norfolk and Suffolk.

It's only now that things are beginning to hot up bird wise. Burwell Fen becoming more inviting as migrant waders being to come in. Today saw good numbers of Green Sandpiper (7) and  Greenshank (3), along with Redshank (2), Ruff (2) and Black tailed Godwit (2). The odd Common Sandpiper putting in the occasional appearance as well. Swift still present with Sand Martin mixed in.

Little Egret numbers increasing it seems daily with 39 present the other day. Water Rail showing well with a number of juvenile showing well.

A Little Wild Area

Away from birdwatching I've been busy revamping my veg patch and workshop. Both were beginning to show signs of decay and in fact the workshop was disappearing under the weight of the old apple tree and tons of ivy!

Workshop/garage after stripping of the greenery and cladding

New cladding and chippings down!

The old raised beds have been replaced with new sleeper beds and have been planted up following the Square Metre approach. The polytunnel has a new location against the fence and a splendid new compost container built.

New raised beds and polytunnel relocated!

I'm particularly pleased with the wild area under the old apple tree. For years this was the chicken run, but since the fox visited us it gave me an area to develop as a wild flower meadow. This summer it is looking really good with a wonderful display of Ox-eye Daisies, Red Campion and other flowers.

I shall cut it in August and then a couple of more times in the late autumn and hopefully it will be as good as this year.

On a birding front, the Cuckoo is calling from down by the river and a pair of Mistle Thrush have  breed somewhere in the immediate area. The Blue Tits have left the box by the study while we were away and I discovered Great Tits in one of the boxes in the garden.

The warm weather continues. Happy Days!

Week beginning: 07/06/2016: June: Summer is here..... but for how long?

A week into June and having just returned from Spain (more about that later) it is good to see that we have brought back some sun with us. Sadly not the variety of birds seen in Spain.

Monday 6th: 09.15 to 10.32. Walk along the bank at Burwell Fen. The grass long and wet but very pleasant to walk through. However Max, with his little short legs found the going hard. Annie loves the long grass and is forever in and out of it. Occasionally you hear her taking a long drink from the river.

Little to report bird wise. Little Owl on Tubney Fen and a Short-eared Owl in the meadows towards Burwell. The usual waterfowl and a high flying Hobby.

Number of Species seen: 32

Tuesday 7th: 08.55 to 10.15: Wicken Fen from Upware
Another hot day! I really enjoy this stroll past the narrow boats and over the horse bridge. I've decided that the naming of boats is a real art form and should be celebrated.

Reed Warbler were present throughout. Many feeding noisy young that followed them around. Cuckoo could be heard calling from a number of different locations and Chiffchaff and Blackcap kept up a barrage of calls. A Garden Warbler seems to in a well established territory in the trees by the bridge, calling constantly.

House Martin and Swallow present in good numbers by the lock gates but where are all the swifts? A nice family party of Canada Goose attracted Annie's attention!

Number of species seen:36

Norfolk Trip

26th to 29th April

My spring visit to the Norfolk coast coincided with cold winds from the North-West and hence very little spring migration going on! If you ever want to book a visit to Norfolk always go the week before or after the one I have booked!

First stop was Welney for an hour or so. 35 species recorded including a very nice Great White Egret in breeding plumage.

Then headed to Roydon Common (11 species). This was a first visit and I enjoyed exploring the wooded area, finding Common Lizard warming themselves in the sun. Coming out of the woods headed towards the common when the skies opened and sleet set in.

Next stop Snettisham Country Park (31 species) and two very nice female Redstart amongst the usual suspects!

27th April

Up and out early for a walk around Brancaster (26 species). A few migrants around but not the numbers of last year, the cold northerly wind still acting as a blocker. After an excellent breakfast at The Ship Inn set off to Burnham to see if a change of location could bring something new. 54 species but nothing new. However a nice group of 60 plus Sanderling gathered on the lee-ward side of a bank was of interest.

Stopped by Thornham Sports Field to see if any Ring Ouzel were around . None about but a very nice flock of 25 Whimbrel feeding on the field produced some good close views.

Thornham Marshes produced 19 species in the short time I was there including Grey Plover and so on to Titchwell via Choseley Barns but sadly no Dotterel (they appeared the day after I returned home..... see what I mean about booking for a week after me!). Amongst the 69 species were a nice pair of Mediterranean Gull.

28th April

Another good breakfast at The Ship set me up for a visit to Stiffkey (33 species) and a walk towards the whirligig. Lots a Lesser Whitethroat around and calling well and good numbers of Blackcap, Whitethroat and Chiffchaff. 

Kelling Water Meadows produced the Ring Ouzel if a somewhat distant view!

The views of Yellow Wagtail and Stonechat were closer and better!

As were the Common Lizard

Cley and Salthouse finished the day off but produced little in the way of anything new! And so ended my Spring tour of Norfolk. Sadly nothing new but still that's what birdwatching is all about!

Spring creeps in!

Is it me or is spring a little slower coming this year? I thought I'd make use of the power of my Bird Journal to do a little comparison study of the more common migrants seen on my patches.

Species	Soham Lode Patch		Burwell and Barker’s Fen Patch
Whitethroat	02/05/2015	18/4/2016	14/04/2015	25/04/2016
Swallow	07/05/2015	17/04/2016	24/04/2015	15/04/2016
Sand Martin	None Recorded	None as yet	09/05/2015	15/04/2016
House Martin	None Recorded	22/04/2016	09/05/2016	15/04/2016
Swift	07/05/2015	5/05/2016	07/05/2015	25/04/2016
Cuckoo	3/05/2015	2/05/2016	26/05/2015	25/04/2016
Willow Warbler	02/05/2015	None as yet	06/05/2015	25/04/2016
Garden Warbler	02/05/2015	18/04/2016	01/05/2015	None as yet

The arrival of the Swallows, Sand and House Martin was particularly impressive on the 15th of this month. The day had started with rain and wind. Around 3pm there was a brief window of good weather and so we made for Burwell Fen. On arriving all seemed fairly quiet but after a while there was a noticeable build up of dark clouds and increasing wind from the south east and with it came the swallows etc. for 40 minutes or so they came through swooping over the reed beds and many resting of the reeds.

Good to find a pair of Garganey present on the 15th :

Also putting in an appearance were three Arctic Tern and a couple of Short Eared Owl for good measure!

18th April

Two pairs of Garganey present this afternoon and seven Marsh Harriers (4 female/Juv)

Santon Warren: 13th April

A really pleasant morning for a wonder around this brilliant location. The dogs and I went out for an hours walk and came back three hours later. Plenty of Tree Pipit, Woodlark, Willow Warbler and Chiffchaff around:

A walk along the river produced three Mandarin Duck, two males and a single female:

April already...... what have I been doing?

Two posts in January and that's it! What have I been doing! Well not only enjoying early retirement but plenty of jobs to be done around the house and so on! I have been out and about birding but with little to report. January passed without anything much exciting other than a Great Grey Shrike at Santon Warren on the 15th.

The fens remained quiet, this, I think, was due to us not having any real harsh weather. Numbers of ducks were generally smaller than last year and some species very scarce!

February passed quietly with little to show form a number of visits to Burwell and Baker's Fen. A Coal Tit  was a new species for the Sidings Patch on the 12th along with the only Chiffchaff seen this winter. A Mistle Thrush set up territory in the back garden which was a welcome addition to the garden tick list.

Workshop rebuilding seemed to dominate March but was able to get a number of visits to the Fens in. However not much improvement  in terms of numbers or unusual species.

End of March saw us off on a family trip to Donegal! At last something different to see and a different environment to bird in. Have been visiting this area for more years than I'd like to admit too and in all that time I've never seen another birdwatcher, so I always have the area to myself. A number of trips to Mullaghderg produced good numbers of Long Tailed Duck and Black Guillemot. Eider ducks were present as were Razorbill and Black and Red Throated Diver. Two Sandwich Tern but in a very brief appearance as did a couple of passing Raven.

Black Guillemot displaying

Carrackfinn produced a good number of Stonechat (7), Curlew(27) and Golden Plover (60) and three Red-breasted Merganser. Sand Martins were also present but as yet no Wheatear. Sadly, for the second year running no Chough to be found anywhere in the area and once again, despite numerous tales of sightings, no Golden Eagle to be found!

Back to the Fens and two rather tubby dogs after a week in kennels. Chiffchaff calling along the sidings with at least three different birds marking out their area. A trip this morining to Baker's Fen produce a very nice pair of Garganey on the flooded field behind Charlie's hide. Shelduck present as were Oystercatcher and Redshank.

Barway Triangle

Late afternoon stroll around the Barway Triangle. The lack of birds seems to be continuing! No large flocks of the expected winter visitors and only a couple of small flocks of finches. Three Gadwall and a Kingfisher were the highlights. Large number of Mute Swan spread out over the fields and a Buzzard passed over with the unwanted company of a couple of Carrion Crow.

New Year......New Goals?

Well a whole year has passed. 220 species seen throughout the year, which is an increase of 4 on 2014. life count now standing at 336.

Species seen in UK only: 173

Local patch (Railway sidings) there were 12 species missing from the 2014 figure of 47!

The Lode circular walk also saw a drop of species recorded with only 63 as opposed to 71 in 2014.

Burwell Fen was also down with only 111 species recorded down 8 from 2014.

Number of complete lists submitted to BTO: 264

Highlight of the year.... Waxwing at Stanton Warren.