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ZEISS DTI thermal imaging cameras. For more discoveries at night, and during the day.

Cambridgeshire Birding (2 Viewers)

Yes, there has been a Bar-headed Goose there for awhile now. It is presumed to be an escaped bird from somewhere. There are several at large in Cambridgeshire (like most other counties)
 
Thanks Mark. By the way I heard that the Glossy Ibis goes to Fen Drayton to Roost. Haven't been there for a while so thought I would head down there this week end. You usually get loads of redwing and fieldfare and a good selection of wildfowl in the Autumn/Winter.
Tina
 
Yes, from the reports on Birdguides, it looks like the bird remains at Sutton Gault during the day, but is sometimes seen at Earith, then every evening it is reported at Fen Drayton. It then reappears at Sutton Gault the next morning, so it must roost at Fen Drayton. I was lucky enough to get down to Sutton Gault about a week ago and had distant (but nice) views of the bird in the sunset. It struck me how small the bird was - about the same size as some of the nearby Mallards! Good luck to everyone who goes for it, and lets hope it remains for many to enjoy...
 
Does anyone know whereabouts Over Fen is? I presume it's near Over village. AG Plover there this morning according to Birdguides, so I was understandably interested...
Cheers
Sim
 
Over Fen (now known as Ouse Fen), is at TL375725. The bird is actually at Mare Fen now. The best place to view is to go down the Overcote road in Over until you come to the river opposite the Pike & Eel. Park there and walk left over the stile for about
a quarter of a mile to view. (Walk on the track leading slightly away from the
river not along the river bank).
It is not possible to see the birds from the Over to Swavesey road. And for
those who don't know - that road is closed to through traffic from Swavesey at
the moment.

The bird is with 1500 Golden Plovers. Good luck
 
Cambs - biridng

Hi there,

Planning a trip to Graffham Water, Nene/Ouse Washes area this weekend.

Never been to the area before but would love to see the reported Gt N'ern Diver, Bar Headed Goose and Bewick Swans.

Any tips from Cambs locals would be much appreciated.

With thanks in advance:t:
 
Brilliant visit to Grafham Water this morning - saw the Black-Necked Grebe - a 1st for me along with Red-Breasted Merganser. Didn't manage Gt Northern Diver or Red-Necked. But a Peregrine hunting over the water more than made up for that. Superb, I'll defo get back to G-Water.

Then nipped up to Ouse Washes - oodles of Whoopers and cracking views of the Tree Sparrows from the visitors center along with Brown Rats!

Brilliant birding County Cambs - 60 species inland was a top Sunday.
 
Hi Jonny - glad you had a good visit yesterday. I found the Black-necked early morning, and the Red-necked was often present in the same area. The Diver was close -in to the the dam, and there was a Common Scoter at the west end of the reservoir. Where was the Merganser? I spent 4 hours there yesterday and didn't see it.

Cheers
Mark
 
marklhawkes said:
Hi Jonny - glad you had a good visit yesterday. I found the Black-necked early morning, and the Red-necked was often present in the same area. The Diver was close -in to the the dam, and there was a Common Scoter at the west end of the reservoir. Where was the Merganser? I spent 4 hours there yesterday and didn't see it.

Cheers
Mark
Click to expand...

Hi MarK,

Blimey, gutted I missed out on Red-Necked & Diver. Never mind.

Had two views of Merganser one male & one female. Both in flight, first one from the car park with the visitors center from which you can walk up to the hides (possibly Mandeer?) then the male from the next car park along towards Ellington (think its called Plummer - although the gates are closed for winter).

Was a brilliant spot, really deserves longer than the morning we spent there - next time I'll set aside a full day I reckon.

Cheers.
 
Hi Jonny

Thanks for the extra info. Were they definately Mergansers and not Goosanders? Goosanders are regular here in winter, Mergansers are scarce visitors
 
1st bird was defo a Merganser - I got really good views as did the group of birders I was with.

2nd view - I got a less prolonged view although I would have said Merganser, as did the birders behind me who got better views. I was scoping my 1st Black-Necked Grebe at the time! Edit: Having double checked the guidebooks - this 2nd bird could have been a Goosander... I am not confident enough in the view I got. Defo one good sighting tho.

Happy hunting anyway.

Cheers.
 
Last edited:
First bird female, second bird male.

Just had a look & Red Breasted Merganser were widely reported on G-Water last week.

I was there all morning and failed to see the Scoter or Diver its is a big old bit of water. So no matter how good your birding prowess its not unlikely you could have missed it - they were both in flight.

There is a tendency to doubt and question on this forum which can be productive, but more often that not ruins positive threads - other Grafham Water birders saw the RBM with my m8 and me, worth askin round if my sighting isn't satisfactory for ya.

If it helps I have wintering Goosander on my local patch and worked Wales with RBM last year - I am familiar with both birds.
 
Jonny, I'm not doubting you, just trying to get the correct facts for the Clubs database.

Where is your information coming from? there was only one report of RBM at Grafham Water last week (seen briefly on Wednesday 5th by Colin Addington, our resident birder, and he hasn't seen it since).

I have been watching Grafham for 10 years now, and am fully aware how hard it can be to find things there. There are only four regular watchers, and we were all out Sunday morning, and none of us saw the RBM (so I'm not sure who you mean when you say other Grafham birders saw this bird). None of the regulars saw a RBM on Sunday, and no-body has reported one to either the Bird Club website, or cambirds forum.
 
All I can do is confirm the first sighting - include as you see fit.

birdguides reported the sighting you mention above. I cannot vouch for who the birders with me were - although one was with me when I first spotted the Peregrine at the visitors center & then again while watching the Black Necked Grebe. While watching the grebe one chap got a call regarding the Diver off the dam by the tower.

Was there a lot of Goosander present on Sunday, and you suspect mis-identification? Is that your point?

I just find the above dialogue frustrating.
 
The guy who got the phone call was Colin - it was me who rung him to report the diver close-in by the dam (as I knew birders were looking for it). He said he hasn't seen a RBM since Wednesday - so, is this the chap who was with you?

Where did you get the info that they had been "widely reported"?

You have already said the second may have been misidentifed.
 
marklhawkes said:
The guy who got the phone call was Colin - it was me who rung him to report the diver close-in by the dam (as I knew birders were looking for it). He said he hasn't seen a RBM since Wednesday - so, is this the chap who was with you?

Where did you get the info that they had been "widely reported"?

You have already said the second may have been misidentifed.
Click to expand...

Bored of this now. If that's the case then yep Colin was with me when the 2nd bird flew over as one another chap who was with us earlier on, we were then joined by a 3rd birder & moved over to get better views on the black necked grebe.

I said it was widely reported as I remembered it been reported on birdguides.

Have you seen the following websites:

www.mynameismarklhawkesandiamwellupsetididntseearedbreasted merganserattheweekend.com

Or try,

www.becauseimissedabirdongrafhamwateronsundayitwasntthere.com

You have bored me to this.
 
I don't know what your problem is Jonny - may be you need to take a step back and chillout just a little.

I'm just trying to find out what was seen where and when. I've found a number of RBM's at Grafham over the years (it wouldn't even be a patch year-tick!), so I can asure you that I'm not bothered about missing it. As you only saw the Black-necked Grebe after I pointed you in the right directions with the relevant websites (and then found it for you!) perhaps you should have a little more respect.

If you took the time to check Birdguides, you will see there was only the one brief sighting last week!

You may well be bored (no-one is forcing you to read this though!), but your immature attitude does little to inspire confidence. I wonder why you have become so defensive....
 
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