Cambridgeshire Visit and Local Sightings

Sunday 30th April - Sunday 14th May 2017
Black Tern, WWT Slimbridge, 6th May
On 30th April I went with the West Midlands Bird Club to Cambridgeshire. The first stop was at RSPB Fowlmere where it was great to see and hear two Turtle Doves. By the time we arrived at the second stop, Paxton Pits, it was apparent that there had been an influx of Black Terns in the country, and one was reported at Paxton. There was unfortunately no sign of it, although the sight of up to 30 Common Terns was nice to see. I also dipped on Nightingale here but the numbers of warblers, especially the large number of Garden Warblers maintained interest. I eventually caught up with Black Term at WWT on 6th May.
Garden Warbler, Paxton Pits
A visit to Edge Common on 7th May produced three Duke of Burgundy butterflies and a few Dingy Skippers plus some Common Twayblade coming in to flower.
Duke of Burgundy, Edge Common, 7th May



Dingy Skipper, Edge Common, 7th May
Duke of Burgundy, Edge Common, 7th May
I had a mainly botanical afternoon at Siccaridge Wood on 12th May with the highlight being Lily of the Valley. I also noted lots of Sanicle and Wild Garlic plus a solitary Early Purple Orchid. I finished off my afternoon at WWT where a Spotted Flycatcher was showing from Stephen Kirk hide. An un-ringed immature Common Crane was present on the Tack Piece - not the 'Slim-chick' as it had an intact bill - it could be wild or from GCP parents, who knows.
Lily of the Valley, Siccaridge Wood, 12th May
Lily of the Valley, Siccaridge Wood, 12th May
Early Purple Orchid, Siccaridge Wood, 12th May
Sanicle, Siccaridge Wood, 12th May
Wild Garlic, Siccaridge Wood, 12th May
Spotted Flycatcher, WWT, 12th May
On the Saturday, 13th, I went to the forest with Andy and Mark where we had a good selection of woodland birds including a Wood Warbler and two pairs of Spotted Flycatchers. We had five Pied Flycatchers at Nagshead including four singing males and a female, a pair of Stock Doves, and heard a Firecrest. A Redstart was in the woodland opposite Woorgreens car park and a Dipper was at Wenchford.
Spotted Flycatcher, FOD, 13th May
Wood Warbler, FOD, 13th May
Stock Dove, Nagshead, 13th May
On Sunday, my BBS survey at SO7713 on a glorious sunny morning produced a good showing of Whitethroats, plus a Lesser Whitethroat, but I didn't hear a Cuckoo until I got back to my car outside of the square.
Whitethroat, Hardwicke, 14th May

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