May 15, 2008
Desperately seeking Red-foots
Something's going on with Red-footed Falcons. The number of individuals seen up until last week in France was conservatively estimated at 550. There has been a flock of 60(!) in Switzerland. Cambs has recorded this species annually for several years, and with the first British sightings trickling in, I decided to bike here there and everywhere last weekend to try and find my own. My first evening's birding in appropriate habitat at Teversham Fen, yielded a Marsh Harrier and reeling Grasshopper Warbler. Friday evening I got to Milton Country Park and squeezed in an hour's birding before the Cambs bird club meeting.
My efforts were rewarded with my first of the season Garden Warbler, a purring Turtle Dove and renewing some old friendships with Cambirders.
On Saturday I got up at the crack of dawn to cycle out to Fen Drayton, and came across my first Cambs Cetti's Warbler - a species which seems to have flourished since I was last here. To my surprise, this one actually sat out in the open for a bit.
Sedge Warblers were abundant.
Common Terns were hawking over the lakes, and a couple of Avocets a single Oystercatcher were also seen. Walking the footpath along the river produced a pair of Egyptian Geese, one with an abnormally white head.
Grey Heron with freshly-caught eel.
I got back to Cambridge in time for lunch, by which point it seemed way too hot for any more bike-birding. I had another early start on Sunday morning and got out to Swaffham Prior Fen just before 7am, where this Barn Owl was still out hunting.
7 Grey and 4 Red-legged Partridges were out foraging in the freshly-ploughed fields.
The Cam Washes had a large feeding flock of Mute Swans...
... amongst which was a Black Swan.
Other wildfowl included another pair of Egyptian Geese, many Shelduck, Gadwall, Tufted Duck and best of all, a drake Garganey.
A bright male Yellow Wagtail landed on the path in front of me.
Kingfisher on the River Cam.
I biked along Wicken Lode, where at least 4 Cetti's Warblers were singing, a Grasshopper Warbler reeled and Turtle Doves purred while a Marsh Harrier and Hobby wheeled overhead - fantastic place.
Baker's Fen has had a good run of waders, and on my visit had 4 Greenshank and 2 LRPs, plus calling Redshank and Lapwings engaging in their tumbling display-flight.
A Reed Warbler posed relatively out in the open here.
In the midday heat of my bike-ride home, few birds were active. This Rook was sweating it out on a lamp-post at Stow-cum-Quy.
Ironically, the following Monday a female Red-foot was seen briefly at Fen Drayton. Still, new Red-foots are turning up every day and I have the feeling that more will be showing up in the county over the next few weeks..
Posted by rjhall at May 15, 2008 3:37 PM