Nature in Cambridgeshire
recent records

This section contains recent observations and sightings of local natural history interest.
If you have any suitable records, please send them (preferably as email attachments) to Martin Walters.

To get the ball rolling I have put some of my records below. If you find this page interesting, it will be gradually expanded and re-organised.

Wicken Fen, 20 May, 2001

Marsh harrier (pair over Adventurers' Fen)
Hobby (several, some hunting insects over the Lode beyond AF)
Kestrel
Garden warbler (several in song)
Cormorant
Oystercatcher
Redshank
Lapwing
Heron
Turtle dove

Cambridge City (Tenison Road area)

28 April, 2001 First house martins seen.
30 April, 2001 First swallow seen.
3 May, 2001
First hobby seen flying towards Botanic Garden (BG).
Pair of mute swans flying W.
First swifts (party of about 5).
7 May, 2001 Hobby circling, then flew towards BG.
20 May, 2001
Probable honey buzzard circled high over house, mobbed by 2 carrion crows, then flew E.
24-May, 2001
Hobby soared high over garden, then towards Parker's Piece, before heading S.
2 July, 2001 Great spotted woodpecker.
9 July, 2001 Female sparrowhawk soaring.
14 July, 2001 Parakeet flew west, calling.
30 July, 2001 Male sparrowhawk flew along gardens, towards Mill Road end.
3 August, 2001 Sparrowhawk flew over.
3 September, 2001 Female sparrowhawk around. Single swift.
1 October, 2001 Groups of house martins leaving.
3 October, 2001 Single swallow heading S.
9 October, 2001 Large movement S of house martins (plus a few swallows).
15 October, 2001 Mixed flock of great, blue, coal and long-tailed tits in garden.
26,27,28 October, 2001 Redwings heard passing over.
19, 20, 22 October, 2001 Red admiral in garden.
early November, 2001
Fieldfares moving over.
Evening gatherings of starlings over Parker's Piece.
11 November, 2001 Woodcock flushed from undergrowth on Paradise, Coe Fen.
27 November, 2001 Pair of redpolls in birch.
29 November, 2001 Very mild, song thrush singing.
6 December, 2001 Song thrush singing. Sunny, mild. Young mute swan flew by, as did 6 magpies. Male blackcap in apple tree.
10 December, 2001 Starlings feeding on red apples in Mawson Rd garden; blackbirds on next door's yellow apples and on holly berries.
11 December, 2001 Male sparrowhawk hunting along gardens.
13 December, 2001 Three male blackcaps on sycamore. Blackbirds, starlings and redwing in apple tree.
14 December, 2001 (frosty, sunny) Several blackbirds, 2 redwings, a blackcap and pair of blue tits in apple tree. Redwings also feeding on holly berries.
15 December, 2001 (frosty, sunny) Three males and one female blackcap in sycamore. [Are these resident, or winter visitors from central Europe?]
28 December, 2001 Flocks of redwings have almost stripped the holly of berries over the last few days.
4 January, 2002 Great spotted woodpecker (male) in old apple tree opposite, chiselling at bark.
15 January, 2002 Great spotted woodpecker (male) in sycamore, then flew to trees further up alley.
20 January, 2002 (rather mild) Blackbird singing at dawn.
23 January, 2002 Male sparrowhawk flew over house.
24 January, 2002 (wet, mild, getting colder) Blackbird and song thrush singing this am.
29 January, 2002 Song thrush singing am. Also chiffchaff (probable) in sycamore.
29 January, 2002 Mistle thrush singing in top of tree at junction of Glisson Road and Gonville Place, about 2.15 pm. Song thrush singing in garden; also chiffchaff present.
30 January, 2002 Male blackcap in garden.
5 February, 2002 Chiffchaff in garden.
12 February, 2002 2 redwings in sycamore; blackcap singing.
13 February, 2002 (mild, sunny) Blackcap singing.
25 February, 2002 (mild) 2 blackcaps in full song, as were song thrush and chaffinch; redpoll in birch.
26 February, 2002 (windy, mild) Blackcap singing; sparrowhawk display flight.
27 February, 2002 Heron flew over towards BG, about 5.15 pm (nearly dusk).
6 March, 2002 Male sparrowhawk hunting along gardens, about 10.45 am.
20 March, 2002 Mistle thrush, robin, blackbird all singing. Sparrowhawk in display flight towards BG, about 11.30 am.
22 March, 2002 Pair of mute swans flew W. Crow mobbing male sparrowhawk over Parker's Piece, c 9.45 am.
25 March, 2002 Crow mobbing sparrowhawk, towards BG.
27 March, 2002 Two crows and a jackdaw mobbing female sparrowhawk, about 11.30.
4 April, 2002 Female sparrowhawk soaring over gardens.
15 April, 2002 Male sparrowhawk hunting along gardens, about 11.20 am.
26 April, 2002 1st swift, over house and garden.
3 May, 2002 3 swifts over garden, heading towards town
9 May, 2002 Lesser whitethroat singing in garden
15 May, 2002 Redpolls over garden
16 May, 2002 Lesser whitethroat singing in garden
10 June, 2002 Sparrowhawk
14 June, 2002 Sparrowhawk carrying prey towards BG, later hunting along terrace. Song thrush started to sing again
18 June, 2002 Flock of about 12 Canada geese flew over, heading S
20 June, 2002 Chaffinch, song thrush in full song, after breeding lull
19 June, 2002 Painted lady on buddleia in alley
2 July, 2002 Sparrowhawk carrying prey over towards Downing College
29 November 2002 Great spotted woodpecker (male) in old apple tree opposite, chiselling at bark. (cf last January)
12 December 2002 Pair of blackcaps; redwings
21 February 2003 Blackcap in full song, has been for some time
27 April 2003 First house martin
28 April 2003 First swift
1 May 2003 Green woodpecker flew over, towards BG
2 June 2003 Cormorant flew over, heading S
05 June 2003 Great spotted woodpecker flew over towards BG
8 July 2003 Hobby swooping around house, about 2.30 pm
13 October 2003 Green woodpecker in trees along alley
31 October 2003 Carrion crow eating holly berries
1 December 2003 (week beginning)
Mixed flocks of rooks and jackdaws heading NW towards ?communal roost at dusk