Good birding near Cambridge?

[ColonelBlimp]

I've got a uni interview next Friday and to take some of the stress away I'd like to go birding on the Saturday.

I will have access to a car, but I'll only have bins on me-no scope till my birthday! :t:

Any good sites? Particularly ones with chance of hen harrier as haven't connected with one this year.

[simon]

I've got a uni interview next Friday and to take some of the stress away I'd like to go birding on the Saturday.

I will have access to a car, but I'll only have bins on me-no scope till my birthday! :t:

Any good sites? Particularly ones with chance of hen harrier as haven't connected with one this year.

Fowlmere RSPB Reserve http://www.rspb.org.uk/reserves/guide/f/fowlmere/directions.asp,
Wicken Fen NNR http://www.wicken.org.uk/
Woodwalton Fen http://www.greatfen.org.uk/visit-woodwalton.php

All have had Hen Harrier sightings this year

[TomSmith]

I found Fowlmere a delightfully restful place to go birding, especially at this time of year. Not much rare around, although they do get Hen Harrier fairly regularly. It's also very small-scale which will suit you with only binoculars.

If you choose Wicken, the Cam Washes just south of Upware are also worth a quick visit, as is Kingfisher Bridge reserve to the north of the Fen.

This thread (http://birdforum.net/showthread.php?t=107387) might also give you a few ideas.

Good luck for the interview!

Tom

[Stephen C]

Hi

Check the rspb website for their reserves (I used to enjoy fowlmere a lot but may be you can even get to the norfolk coast - fabulous), a google search may turn up something, there may be a yahoo group and even take a look at the latest sightings map from the home page of BF to see if you have any goodies in the area.

All the best

[ColonelBlimp]

Well I got to Wicken Fen first this morning which was truly superdupercraptastic-absolutely nothing around due to it being absolutely freezing and throwing it down. Nothing about except two dunnocks and quite a lot of fieldfares/redwings.

Apparently hen harrier were "a certainty around four o'clock"-a bit sh*t for me, having to leave by twelve or so!

Then went on to the Ouse Washes RSPB site-again the weather was atrocious but did have the good sighting of a "funny gull", which I thought looked a lot like Iceland Gull to me. Nice views of a green woodpecker, and two GSWs by the visitor centre. Lovely views even through bins of wigeon dabbling about by the bottom of the slope in front of the hides.

Then had the bad experience of reading that across from the hides the many white spots were actually including something I have not seen this year, e.g. a LOT of Bewick's swans. Sadly no scope means no tick!!!

On a lighter note interview went quite well, or at least I thought so. This will inevitably mean I have done uber-sh*t in actual fact!