Thayer's Gull

Thayer's Gull at Minsmere. A lifer. Shame the views were either prolonged but poor, or good (including wing stretch and flight) but very brief. Lucky to see it at all I guess and it took some work just to get those views. Was seen much better yesterday I'd have probably gone then if the pictures were available. Looks spot on. A good day which included a few new migrants: Sand Martin, Swallow, and Sandwich Tern. A couple of Caspian Gulls, at least four Mediterranean Gulls, and a pair of Firecrests were the supporting cast.

 

Minsmere
28 March 2016 11:56 - 18:33
Overcast 11C 35+W
Mute Swan, Greylag Goose, Greater Canada Goose, Barnacle Goose, Shelduck, Wigeon, Gadwall, Teal, Mallard, Shoveler, Pheasant, Cormorant, Little Egret, Marsh Harrier, Buzzard, Moorhen, Avocet, Oystercatcher, Lapwing, Ringed Plover, Black-tailed Godwit, Turnstone, Dunlin, Redshank, Sandwich Tern, Black-headed Gull, Mediterranean Gull, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Herring Gull, Thayer's Gull, Caspian Gull, Great Black-backed Gull, Woodpigeon, Barn Owl, Magpie, Jackdaw, Carrion Crow, Firecrest, Blue Tit, Great Tit, Marsh Tit, Bearded Tit (heard), Sand Martin, Swallow, Cetti's Warbler (heard), Chiffchaff (heard), Starling, Blackbird, Robin, Dunnock (heard), Pied Wagtail (heard), Chaffinch, Goldfinch, Linnet, Reed Bunting, Rabbit, Grey Squirrel

Fowlmere Ticks

Double Fowlmere ticks today. One a bird: Coal Tit, singing near the water cress beds; the other a mammal: Water Vole, also by the water cress beds. Other highlights included two Redshanks, five Shoveller (three males and two females), and a Great Black-backed Gull, all scarce at Fowlmere.


The Short-eared Owl was seen roosting, and after it had left in the evening I returned to collect a pellet.

Fowlmere
23 March 2016 08:05 - 10:00
Overcast 8C 6SW
Greylag Goose, Teal, Shoveler, Pheasant, Grey Heron, Buzzard (heard), Water Rail (heard), Moorhen, Coot, Lapwing, Redshank, Great Black-backed Gull, Woodpigeon, Green Woodpecker (heard), Magpie, Jay (heard), Jackdaw, Rook, Carrion Crow, Goldcrest, Blue Tit, Great Tit, Coal Tit, Cetti's Warbler (heard), Long-tailed Tit, Chiffchaff, Wren, Blackbird, Fieldfare, Robin, Dunnock, Chaffinch, Goldfinch, Linnet (heard), Bullfinch (heard), Yellowhammer (heard), Reed Bunting (heard), Grey Squirrel, Water Vole, Muntjac

Botanic Gardens and Foxton

Not a bad day considering I was in an office for most of it. Went for a late morning walk in the Botanic Gardens in Cambridge where I saw the first butterfly of the year, a Comma (took a phone-photo); quickly followed by the second, a Peacock. Then I saw the first bat of the year, probably a Pipistrelle sp.. It circled above my head fluttering around a conifer, when out of the corner of my eye, I saw, but the bat evidently did not, a Sparrowhawk. The Sparrowhawk glided slowly across and picked it out. It was so close to me I could actually hear the noise of the bat being crushed in the Sparrowhawks talons! Not a good start to the year for the bat, and probably just a snack for the Sparrowhawk, but pretty exciting for me.

In the evening I went to check on the Short-eared Owl. I didn't see it, but there were fresh droppings in it's day-time roost. Along the way there were 27 Golden Plover, some in full summer plumage, so I took some poor photos of them too.

Cambridge Botanic Gardens
22 March 2016 11:28 - 12:21
Sunny 11C 6NW
Mallard, Sparrowhawk, Moorhen, Woodpigeon, Magpie, Carrion Crow (heard), Goldcrest (heard), Blue Tit (heard), Great Tit, Treecreeper (heard), Wren (heard), Blackbird (heard), Robin (heard), Chaffinch (heard), Goldfinch (heard), Peacock, Comma

Red Kite

Walk around Foxton at lunchtime: Highlight a Red Kite. In the evening I carried further on down and saw the Short-eared Owl. Then to Fowlmere at dusk where the highlight was a Cetti's Warbler (heard only).

Fowlmere
21 March 2016 Overcast 5C 4NW
Greylag Goose, Teal, Mallard, Shoveler, Pheasant, Water Rail (heard), Moorhen, Coot, Lapwing, Woodpigeon, Green Woodpecker (heard), Magpie, Jackdaw, Rook, Carrion Crow, Goldcrest, Blue Tit, Great Tit, Cetti's Warbler (heard), Long-tailed Tit, Treecreeper (heard), Wren, Starling, Blackbird, Fieldfare, Song Thrush, Robin, Dunnock, Chaffinch, Yellowhammer (heard), Reed Bunting (heard)

Fen Drayton

First day of spring and headed up to Fen Drayton for the afternoon. Still a North-easterly wind hampering migrants, but sunnier than of late and felt like spring. Highlights were an unseasonal Spotted Redshank and excellent views of a Short-eared Owl. Checked the Short-eared Owl in Foxton on the way home, and still present.

Fen Drayton
20 March 2016 12:58 - 17:29
Patchy cloud: overcast later with light rain. 11C 8NE
Mute Swan, Greater Canada Goose, Egyptian Goose, Wigeon, Gadwall, Teal, Mallard, Pintail, Shoveler, Pochard, Tufted Duck, Goldeneye, Red-legged Partridge, Pheasant, Cormorant, Little Egret, Grey Heron, Great Crested Grebe, Marsh Harrier, Sparrowhawk, Buzzard, Kestrel, Moorhen, Coot, Lapwing, Black-tailed Godwit, Redshank, Spotted Redshank, Snipe, Black-headed Gull, Common Gull, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Herring Gull, Stock Dove, Woodpigeon, Short-eared Owl, Green Woodpecker, Magpie, Jackdaw, Rook, Carrion Crow, Goldcrest, Blue Tit, Great Tit, Skylark, Cetti's Warbler (heard), Treecreeper, Wren, Starling, Blackbird, Robin, Dunnock, Chaffinch, Greenfinch (heard), Linnet, Bullfinch, Reed Bunting, Rabbit, Muntjac

Spring?

Singing Blackcap (not seen) and a Blue Tit taking nesting material into a nest-box in the Botanic Gardens, Cambridge. In the evening, the Short-eared Owl was still around Foxton.

Cambridge Botanic Gardens
10 March 2016 13:30 - 13:57
Cloudy 10C 6N
Mallard, Moorhen, Black-headed Gull, Woodpigeon, Magpie, Jay, Carrion Crow, Blue Tit, Great Tit, Blackcap (heard), Blackbird, Robin, Dunnock (heard), Chaffinch, Goldfinch (heard)

Short-eared Owl

The Short-eared Owl was hunting around both sides of the Fowlmere-Newton road tonight.

Foxton and Shepreth L-moor

Went for a decent walk with Michelle in the morning and walked towards the spot where I'd seen the Short-eared Owl a few days before. No sign, but Owls aren't at their best in the morning. Did see a decent flock of Linnets and Siskins.

Tried later afternoon (this time took the car all the way down to the Newton Road) and found it fairly quickly. So then headed to Shepreth for a walk around there.

 

Foxton
06 March 2016 09:45 - 11:50
Patchy cloud 5C 4NW
Red-legged Partridge, Grey Partridge, Pheasant, Buzzard, Lapwing, Black-headed Gull, Woodpigeon, Collared Dove, Green Woodpecker, Great Spotted Woodpecker (heard), Magpie, Jackdaw, Rook, Carrion Crow, Goldcrest (heard), Blue Tit, Great Tit, Skylark (heard), Long-tailed Tit, Wren, Blackbird, Fieldfare, Mistle Thrush, Robin, Dunnock, House Sparrow, Chaffinch, Goldfinch, Siskin, Linnet, Yellowhammer (heard), Corn Bunting, Rabbit, Brown Hare, Fallow Deer
Shepreth L-Moor
06 March 2016 17:10 - 17:55
Overcast after light sleet 2C 5NW
Mallard, Pheasant, Sparrowhawk, Buzzard, Moorhen (heard), Black-headed Gull, Woodpigeon, Magpie, Jackdaw, Rook, Carrion Crow, Blue Tit, Great Tit, Long-tailed Tit, Wren (heard), Starling, Blackbird, Fieldfare, Robin (heard), Dunnock (heard), Chaffinch, Bullfinch (heard), Yellowhammer, Rabbit

Short-eared Owl in Foxton

A Short-eared Owl seen whilst a driving - well, passenger en-route to Cambridge Utd - between Foxton and Newton. Only the second sighting in Foxton, the last being in May 2013.