Chiffchaff

A Chiffchaff was found at Fowlmere early morning in a mixed Tit and Goldcrest flock.

Brambling

Tom and I went bird ringing in the morning at Great Chishill. We caught a female Blackbird, two Robins, and a male Greenfinch which Tom released.

Late afternoon at Fowlmere I found a Brambling amongst the Chaffinches at their usual pre-roost site. The first there this winter.

Brimstone

A Brimstone was seen in Foxton flying in the morning sunshine. A stark contrast to one week ago when everywhere was covered in snow.

An afternoon visit to Fowlmere produced little.

Wicken Fen

Being a nice day and in the area, I spent the last part of the afternoon at Wicken Fen, mainly around the Bakers Fen area. Water levels on the fields were quite high due to the recent snow melt and there were good numbers of Anus ducks, particulalry Wigeon and Teal, but also Gadwall, Mallard, and Shoveler, as well as around fifty Pintails.

Two Barn Owls were also seen, as well as around two hundred very distant Swans, almost certainly Whooper Swans. A Hen Harrier was also noted amongst the usual Marsh Harriers (three.)

Fowlmere and Shepreth L-moor

Very little of note. A Snipe was heard at Shepreth.

Shepreth L-moor and Red Kite

Not much to see, but good fun playing in the snow!

 

Later in the day, myself and Sam went to watch QPR draw against Nottingham Forest. A Red Kite was a surprise sighting on the A1 just south of Nottingham.

Footprints

 

More overnight snow, so I took these pictures after a Blackbird fed on some food I’d put down. That gave me an idea to go to Fowlmere to see what tracks were left. Not too much was seen (just a Snipe) but Tom enjoyed the identification process when I returned…

 

 

 

Squirrel	Fox
Muntjac	Badger
Brown Rat?

Fieldfare

Whilst I was in Cambridge, Tom noticed a Fieldfare on the garden lawn feeding on apples I had put down. This is the first time one has actually been in the garden so he took this quick snap…

Snow

 

Heavy overnight snow continued for much of the day. Five House Sparrows were noted whilst walking along Station Road in Foxton, the first time I'd noticed more than a single individual there this year, though still well down on last year's numbers.

A walk around Fowlmere late afternoon produced very little apart from a flock of around thirty Corn Buntings, though the scenery was pretty…

Shepreth and Foxton

A Buzzard was perched in Shepreth village on the way to the L-moor, where nothing was seen. Fowlmere was pretty much the same, close views of a Fox being the highlight at dusk.