Cambridgeshire Birding (1 Viewer)

[Phil Andrews]

Grafham Water 24 July. Mediterranean Gull juv on the dam at 0630. Different bird to yesterday, this one has a red ring. Number should be readable later from photos. 3 Common Sands and 5+ Yellow-legged Gulls. Not forgetting the Mandarin still on the dam!

Med Gull colour ring P1J1 or something close to this. https://www.flickr.com/photos/[email protected]/27893952694/in/album-72157664662036243/lightbox/

Ring number appears to be PTJ1 when examined forensically, see screenshot. Presumably an eastern European number ? Poland? https://www.flickr.com/photos/[email protected]/28520001865/in/album-72157664662036243/ To be continued...

Hi Matt

Red PTJ1 - which you had on the 24th July 2017 - was ringed on the 20th May 2016 at Wejdyki in north east Poland, approx 50 miles from the Baltic coast; it was also noted at the same site on the 20th June 2016. It was present in the gull colony at Upton Warren NRm, Worcs alongside other first summer Med Gulls between the 26th and 29th April 2017.

Phil

 

[Matthebirder]

Grafham Water 21 Jan; a nice drake Scaup showing well off the dam with Tufted Ducks in blizzard conditions https://www.flickr.com/photos/[email protected]/24950981287/in/album-72157664662036243/ A very obvious large bird bullying the Tufted Ducks unlike the recent hybrid bird here:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/[email protected]/37907505921/in/album-72157664662036243/

Also the regular Green Sandpiper on the dam with the Redshanks, but unapproachable as usual. 8 Goosanders at fishing lodge. (3 Chiffchaffs at Huntingdon Sewage Works)

 

[Matthebirder]

Hi Matt

Red PTJ1 - which you had on the 24th July 2017 - was ringed on the 20th May 2016 at Wejdyki in north east Poland, approx 50 miles from the Baltic coast; it was also noted at the same site on the 20th June 2016. It was present in the gull colony at Upton Warren NRm, Worcs alongside other first summer Med Gulls between the 26th and 29th April 2017.

Phil

Thank you for the information; shows the importance of getting the shot.

Edit:
Just realised this was 24 July 2016 not 2017; so it was at Grafham around a month after last being seen in Poland and long before the next sighting in Worcs.

 

[Matthebirder]

Grafham Water 27 Jan early am; 2 Bewick's Swans in the bays between Littless and Savages hence no photos to see if they are the 'regular birds' seen each winter.
A very obvious female Greater Scaup; a real big bird on her own off Mander Carpark but distant. At least 10 Goosanders now.

Still 3 Common Chiffchaffs at the nearby sewage works at Stirtloe but no other forms obvious between 0800-0900: interested to see the reported Siberian Chiffchaff still....

 

[Matthebirder]

Grafham Water 28 Jan pm; the 2 Bewick's Swans finally photographed in Littless Bay https://www.flickr.com/photos/[email protected]/39919502642/in/album-72157664662036243/
Male and female Scaup in front of what would have been Valley Creek Hide; such a shame it was removed and replaced by a useless heap of junk nearby in totally the wrong place....

Not sure these are the same Bewick's ; here are 3 from a year ago https://www.flickr.com/photos/[email protected]/31500020742/in/album-72157664662036243/lightbox/ inconclusive?

 

[amelia1730]

Recorder for Huntingdon

Would someone kindly give me contact details for our local recorder please?
Many thanks

 

[Matthebirder]

I would try the Cambridge Bird Club ; as far as I know Huntingdon would be covered under Cambridgeshire rather than the old county of Huntingdonshire.

 

[amelia1730]

Thank you very much.

 

[mark clements]

https://www.bto.org/volunteer-surveys/birdtrack/bird-recording/county-bird-recorders lists all county recorders.
Best
Harry

 

[Matthebirder]

Grafham Water 3 Feb ; male and female Scaup off Mander Carpark and at least 9 Goosanders. Very few Tufted ducks now but masses of Goldeneyes well worth close inspection just in case...

An interesting Chiffchaff possibly the bird reported as 'Siberian' at Stirtloe sewage works briefly?; very grey bird with green in the wings. Unfortunately it wouldn't call despite some encouragement. Poor shots but worth a look maybe https://www.flickr.com/photos/[email protected]/39353868664/in/album-72157664662036243/
At least 2 other birds present.

 

[Matthebirder]

Stirtloe Sewage Works 'Chiffchaff' 4 Feb; the very grey bird still present and finally allowed some close ups after another 5 hours of waiting.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/[email protected]/40085055341/in/album-72157664662036243/
This bird watched on a several circuits but doesn't call so rather inconclusive still. Presumably the bird being reported as a 'Siberian' recently. Common Chiffchaff singing briefly early morning but not seen.

 

[Matthebirder]

Stirtloe Sewage works 17 Feb; mid day brief visit. At least three chiffchaffs with one appearing to be the same grey individual. Only Common Chiffchaff heard singing, still unsure how this bird isn't a 'abietinus' without the call or song being heard?

 

[GWB77]

Matthew - the Stirtloe Siberian Chiffchaff has been heard calling on occasions (not by me I must add), and calls like Siberian Chiffchaff. However, separating on plumage alone always leaves me wondering where collybita-abietinus-tristis starts/ends, and I wonder if even the vocals are that distinct to each race?

 

[Matthebirder]

Matthew - the Stirtloe Siberian Chiffchaff has been heard calling on occasions (not by me I must add), and calls like Siberian Chiffchaff. However, separating on plumage alone always leaves me wondering where collybita-abietinus-tristis starts/ends, and I wonder if even the vocals are that distinct to each race?

That is good news, maybe a video clip of it calling would be useful if I can fit in another day or two down there.

 

[Matthebirder]

'Siberian Chiffchaff' still 25 Feb at Stirtloe Sewage works main entrance. A couple more shots obtained and still no call heard in two hours. https://www.flickr.com/photos/[email protected]/39587623005/in/album-72157664662036243/lightbox/

Very brief views of a 'grey buzzard' at Grafham with a very pale tail around the lagoons; maybe a Rough-legged but not seen well. Five Common Buzzards around the dam and certainly not the odd bird with them. Worth keeping an eye on.

 

[Matthebirder]

Grafham Water 4 March ; post winter freeze up. 3 Common Scoters, 3 Scaup (females). A large white -winged gull briefly late pm- lost unfortunately while running to get a view. Probably Glaucous, not seen in the roost. Dunlin still from previous day on the dam with 3 Redshanks. At leat 3 Goosanders still. We need some new recruits around the reservoir- I fear birding is a dying pastime - 1 day after some persistent real winter weather I saw not a sole with a telescope......................?!
Serveral small bats out at dusk around the fishing lodge!

 

[GWB77]

We need some new recruits around the reservoir- I fear birding is a dying pastime - 1 day after some persistent real winter weather I saw not a sole with a telescope !

It's feeling like a dying pastime to me too, but that's because I've a newborn underfoot..... :-O

I didn't actually think the weather was that harsh (well, the duration of it wasn't really long enough to cause much effect). That said; drake Eider in Bedfordshire today is a little gripping! Re-orientating no doubt.

 

[mark clements]

I fear birding is a dying pastime - 1 day after some persistent real winter weather I saw not a sole with a telescope..!

I miss it there, and I'm in and out of central London most days now, it is a truncated pastime

Thanks for the updates though.

Harry:t:

 

[Matthebirder]

Late update from Saturday : i forgot to mention still a chiffchaff at Stirtloe sewage works in the usual tree that the Siberian inhabited. The light was terrible with the snow so can’t be certain if the bird was the Sibe. Noted that there were no Goldcrests present in the ivy.

 

[GWB77]

Would someone kindly give me contact details for our local recorder please?
Many thanks

Hopefully I can help. The Cambridgeshire Bird Club covers the whole of Cambridgeshire (including Huntingdon & Peterborough). Louise Bacon is the current county recorder for the Club, and details can be found here;

http://cambridgebirdclub.org.uk/index.html

Hunts Fauna and Flora Society also collects bird records from the old county of Huntingdonshire, but an agreement between the two clubs means that the CBC now shares its records with the HFFS (well, at least they did when I was County Recorder for CBC). I'm not sure if the HFFS still produce an annual report, but the CBC do and welcome all records of birds.

Mark Hawkes