Thursday, March 31, 2011

Sparrowhawk

Female Sparrowhawk, Willingham, 31st March 2011 © Colin Brown

Buzzard

Buzzard, Fen Drayton Lakes RSPB, 31st March 2011 © Colin Brown

Lesser Black-backed Gull

Lesser Black-backed Gull, Fen Drayton Lakes RSPB, 31st March 2011 © Colin Brown

Greylag Goose

Greylag Goose, Fen Drayton Lakes RSPB, 31st March 2011 © Colin Brown

Monday, March 28, 2011

Long-tailed Tit

Long-tailed Tit, Thorpe Hall Peterborough, 28th March 2011 © Peter Beesley

Jackdaw

Jackdaw, Thorpe Hall Peterborough, 28th March 2011 © Peter Beesley

Chaffinch

Chaffinch, Peterborough 28th March 2011 © Peter Beesley

Goldfinch

Goldfinch, Peterborough, 28th March 2011 © Peter Beesley

Coot

Coot, Ferry Meadows, 28th March 2011 © Peter Beesley

Wednesday, March 23, 2011

Meadow Pipit

Meadow Pipit, Grafham Water, 23rd March 2011 © Ian Tulloch

Yellowhammer

Female Yellowhammer, Grafham Water, 23rd March 2011 © Ian Tulloch
'One of a flock of around 20 near the start of the path to the dam, flitting between the long grass and surrounding trees' IT

Dunlin

Dunlin, Grafham Water, 23rd March 2011 © Ian Tulloch

Cetti's Warbler

Cetti's Warbler, Fowlmere RSPB, 23rd March 2011 © Gary Thornton
Often heard but seldom seen and rarely photographed as well as this.

Tuesday, March 22, 2011

Cetti's Warbler

Cetti's Warbler, Fowlmere RSPB, 22nd March 2011 © Mo Sibbons

Monday, March 21, 2011

Treecreeper

Treecreeper, Paxton Pits NR, 21st March 2011 © Garth Peacock

Great Tit

Great Tit, Paxton Pits NR, 21st March 2011 © Garth Peacock

Robin

Robin, Paxton Pits NR, 21st March 2011 © Nigel Sprowell

Treecreeper

Treecreeper, Paxton Pits NR, 21st March 2011 © Nigel Sprowell

Chaffinch

Male Chaffinch, Paxton Pits NR, 21st March 2011 © Nigel Sprowell

Reed Bunting

Male Reed Bunting, Paxton Pits NR, 21st March 2011 © Nigel Sprowell

Sunday, March 20, 2011

Colour-ringed Waxwing

Colour-ringed Waxwing, Cambridge, 20th March 2011 © Christoph Zockler.

This young Waxwing has quite a back story. It was initially ringed as a first winter male in Aberdeen on 27th November 2010 by the Grampian Ringing Group. It was then refound and photographed by Chris Beach in Welwyn Garden City, 667 KM south south-east of Aberdeen on 10th January 2011. Relocated again in Cambridge by Christoph Zockler on March 20th, it was with a flock of forty birds in Eachard Road, CB3  and had moved back 50 km north north-east of Welwyn. No doubt it is part of the movement of Waxwings now rapidly moving north spurred on by the recent warm weather. J.L.

Kestrel

Female Kestrel, Fen Drayton Lakes RSPB, 20th March 2011 © Nigel Sprowell

Barn Owl

Barn Owl, Fen Drayton Lakes RSPB, 20th March © Nigel Sprowell

Saturday, March 19, 2011

Robin

Robin, Cambridge, 19th March 2011 © Colin Brown

Barn Owl

Barn Owl, Turves, 19th March 2011 © Andy Bayes

Thursday, March 17, 2011

Red-legged Partridge

Red-legged Partridge, Fen Drayton Lakes RSPB, 17th March 2011 © Garth Peacock

Little Owl

Little Owl, Private Site Cambridgeshire, 17th March 2011 © Andrew Knights

Monday, March 14, 2011

Cambridgeshire's first 'Greenland' Redpoll?


A putative 'Greenland' Redpoll (left) with Lesser (middle) and 'Mealy' (right) Redpolls for comparison, Gamlingay, 12th March 2011 © Jim Lawrence.

Note Greenland (rostrata) and Mealy (flammea) Redpolls are lumped as forms of Common Redpoll -following current BOU Taxonomy - along with a further 'Icelandic' race islandica. Icelandic Redpoll closely resembles the Greenland race rostrata though it is usually much paler. Together, Greenland and Icelandic Redpolls are also often known as 'North Western' Redpoll.



Mark Thomas first trapped this putative 'Greenland' Redpoll on March 5th when he was struck by its 'enormity' in the hand, dark tones and heavily streaked underparts. He re-trapped this same bird on Saturday morning when I took these pictures.





In addition to the distinct morphological characters of this bird and the supporting biometrics Mark recorded, we also heard it give a very different call to the more highly pitched tones of other birds present, on release. J.L.



Here the 'Greenland' Redpoll with a 'Lesser' Redpoll (right) for comparison.

You can read more about this bird here.

Common Redpolls





Two different 'Mealy type' Common Redpolls, Gamlingay, 5th March 2011 © Mark Thomas.

Mark is currently ringing a mixed flock of more than 100 Redpolls visiting his Gamlingay garden. This migrant flock predominantly contains Lesser Redpolls Carduellis cabaret which occur in Britain, Central Europe and South West Scandinavia. Some 'Mealy' Redpolls like the ones above are also present - these typically greyer-toned birds emanate from Fenno-Scandinavia.

You can see more of Mark's Redpolls and follow his blog here.

Carrion Crow

Carrion Crow, Fen Drayton Lakes RSPB, 14th March 2011 © Colin Brown

Great Crested Grebe

Great Crested Grebe, Fen Drayton Lakes RSPB, 14th March 2011 © Colin Brown

Sunday, March 13, 2011

Wigeon (possible hybrid)

Odd Drake Wigeon, Berry Fen, 13th March 2011 © Richard Thomas
'This is (probably) the same bird that has been in the Ouse Fen / Berry Lagoon area for the past couple of winters. As you can see, it has extensive green sides to the head, paler areas on the cheeks, and a rather pale forehead flash. However, I can't see any other pro-American features. An odd Eurasian Wigeon or a second generation hybrid?' RT

Mediterranean Gull

2CY Mediterranean Gull, Fen Drayton RSPB, 13th March 2011 © Richard Thomas

Pied Wagtail

Pied Wagtail, Peterborough, 13th March 2011 © Andy Bayes

Rook

Rook, Doddington, 13th March 2011 © Andy Bayes

Sparrowhawk


Juvenile Male Sparrowhawk, Huntingdon, 13th March 2011 © Derrick Jackson

Thursday, March 10, 2011

Mallard

Drake Mallard, Fen Drayton Lakes RSPB, 1oth March 2011 © Colin Brown

Reed Bunting

Male Reed Bunting, Fen Drayton Lakes RSPB, 10th March 2011 © Colin Brown

Bullfinch

Male Bullfinch, Fen Drayton Lakes RSPB, 10th March 2011 © Colin Brown