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Cambridgeshire Birding (1 Viewer)

hi cambs birders,i am up in cambridgeshire around the ely area on tuesday from about 11,just wondering iff anyone can suggest the best place for a days birding,haven't really been to cambs birding before apart from graffham water but fancy trying somewhere different.Anyone help please???
 
robert burgess said:
hi cambs birders,i am up in cambridgeshire around the ely area on tuesday from about 11,just wondering iff anyone can suggest the best place for a days birding,haven't really been to cambs birding before apart from graffham water but fancy trying somewhere different.Anyone help please???
Click to expand...

Hi, Robert. Depends on what you're looking for, really. In one direction, Welney WWT and the Ouse Washes RSPB are not too far away and both worth a visit for Swans, Geese, Waders and Raptors. Ouse Washes is much quieter but they have good coffee and more swans at Welney. The Brecks are also within reasonably easy distance from Ely for woodland birds - the Hawfinches have been reliable at Lynford Arboretum and there are lots of Brambling about. There had been a Great Grey Shrike at Santon but we failed to find it yesterday. If you're interested in rarities there's been an American Wigeon at Needingworth for some time - see above in this thread and a Red-Necked Grebe at Fen Drayton recently.

Happy birding.
Helen
 
thanks very much helen,will definatly get to at least one of the above mentioned places,just got to make my mind up but once again thanks very much!
 
Barnacle goose

Was visiting Ferry Meadows yesterday (first time) and amongst a large group of canda geese was a lonesome Barnacle goose.

Does anyone know if this is an escapee/ resident? or was I just lucky with that spot!

Rest of area was pretty quiet.
 
There are a few feral Barnacle Geese present all year in this area and it's not unusual to find one or two with Canada or Greylag flocks.
 
dunno if it gets a lot of coverage as a birding site but just spent nearly 3 weeks as a guest of the good people at Addenbrooks hospital

try as i might i just couldn't get the ward sister to let me take an evening wander across that big field outside though ... but anyhow - from the window, had a lovely Barn Owl across the field several evenings, lots of Swifts (incredibly therapeutic just laying back and watching them wheeling about the sky), maybe a couple of Nightjars (bit distant and no bino's), bats too but i dont know what sort.

Dunno if i missed anything peculair to the area, but i guess its likeley
 
Spent a couple of hours at Fen Drayton yesterday - fantastic place.

Plenty of Cormorants, Tufted Duck, Widgeon and Pochards, lovely stately Grey Heron and many Mute Swans. 2 hours didn't really do it justice, and I'm sure the more experienced out there would have identified more.

Very few birders there - give it a go!
 
i didnt know this thread exisisted!

this is the first time i have seen this thread! I love birding in cambs there is normally something good about, which there never is at west suffolk.
i went to the ouse washes yesterday for a quick trip, not much about, the purple heron hasnt been seen since tuesday. A couple of tree sparrows on the feeders were nice birds giving comparisons to the house sparrows.
Is it to late for dotterel this year? or do they migrate later?
Hope to see some of you down fen drayton or wicken fen this winter!:t:
 
Fen Drayton

Hi, I was at Fen Drayton lakes last Sunday (rspb had an organised walk x 2hrs around part of the reserve - very interesting)

Fab weather last week and the lakes are starting to fill up with wildfowl - seen pochard, teal, tuftys, widgeon, one golden eye, shovelers and usual suspects mallard, coot etc. Also a few great crested grebes, comorants and herons.

Anyway apparently rspb have big plans for the reserve to make it more wildlife friendly and a better experience for us birders. One down side is that the guided bus scheme from Huntingdon to cambs will cut right through the reserve - building work starts next spring which will mean a certain amount of disruption to all - hence why I dont think they are marketing the site yet til the majority of the work is complete.

Still, a nice site and handy for me - and last sunday, the light was fabulous showing off the ducks/lake/trees to its best.
 
Fen Drayton yesterday produced drake smew with female, golden eye, green woodpecker plus all the usual waterfowl along with well over 1000 golden plover conducting an impressive aerial display. Many of the roads are flooded (now just two huge lakes!). On field oppersite Fenstanton to Fen drayton road (near A14) near to 100 fieldfares.
 
Hi all,
just wondering in anybody could help- im going to stay with grandparents in the village of Duxford, near Cambridge. any ideas of good places to go birding? i know about Fowlmere, and thats where i usually go when i stay in Duxford. just wondering if anybody knows of any other good birding sites nearby. is there somewhere at Royston? i seem to remember hearing that there is? if so, could anybody tell me what it is and how to get there?
Thanks, any help would be greatly appreciated,
Guy
 
mcmerlin said:
Hi all,
just wondering in anybody could help- im going to stay with grandparents in the village of Duxford, near Cambridge. any ideas of good places to go birding? i know about Fowlmere, and thats where i usually go when i stay in Duxford. just wondering if anybody knows of any other good birding sites nearby. is there somewhere at Royston? i seem to remember hearing that there is? if so, could anybody tell me what it is and how to get there?
Thanks, any help would be greatly appreciated,
Guy
Click to expand...

Guy

I don't know anyway near Royston apart from Fowlmere, it depends on how far you want to travel. You could probably reach Lakenheath in 40 minutes,
as well as Thetford Forest. In the other direction Paxton Pits, Fen Drayton are favourites of mine, again about 40 minutes.

Royston Heath is a nice walk, if you're determined to stay local.
 
Just seen this thread being revived....I've got a few days in Cambridge next week with one day birding somewhere near Cambridge. I was thinking of Fowlmere. Is that the best place close to C? I've never birded there so open to the best suggestions, want to make the most of only one day but will probably manage a short walk along the river too. Thanks.

Joanne
 
Depends how far you want to travel really. Fowlmere, Wicken Fen and Fen Drayton are all about 20 - 25 minutes. Lackford Lakes near Bury St Edmunds is only 40 minutes at the most, and Paxton Pits, Sandy Lodge, Grafham Water about the same.

I'm biased towards Fowlmere, but admit it can sometimes be hit and miss. The Marsh Harriers were clearly visable working hard from the elevated hide today, as were the Little Grebes.
 
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