Woofs and Wellies Wandlebury Ring

A wet windy morning did not deter  walkers with or without their dogs from supporting ACT's (Addenbrookes Charitable Trust) first sponsored walk at Wandlebury Woods on Sunday morning. Here is the start of the walk. Unfortunately some of the route markers got blown away so I ended up standing in a part of the wood that  no one passed. Other images on  FlikR Click Here 

Cambridge Rugby Union Football Club win 46-7

On a very windy afternoon with rain, cloud and sunshine alternating, Cambridge demolished Clifton by a margin that could have been much larger without the wind as kicking conversions proved tricky and dangerous for the player supporting the ball.  

First Spring Migrant Sightings at Paxton

Two or three Chiffchaffs were in full song on Tuesday at Paxton Pits in the warm sunshine, while a Squirrel gorged itself on the catkins getting covered in yellow pollen. All the chaffinches that I saw had deformed feet - either  “tassel foot” (papillomatosis)  or “scaly foot” (cnemidocoptosis - small mites). The new Hayden hide is now open at Paxton - a metal construction replacing the wooden one which arsonists destroyed last year. There were lots of Reed Buntings and Tits feeding on the table outside the hide, plus a Wren and Robin. In the taller woods, Green and Greater Spotted Woodpeckers were very active yaffling and drumming.

Spring is Underway at Paxton Pits

I hoped to find a pair of Great Crested Grebe displaying but, although they were obviously paired up and seeing off intruders, no display today. However lots of breeding activity from the Cormorants etc although the tufted duck males are still going around in large rafts.There is a family of Golden Eye not yet left for northern parts. Male Gadwall and Teal are looking immaculate.

2015 Cambridge Sevens Rugby Day

On Wednesday I photographed a day of U18s 7-a-side Rugby at Cambridge Rugby Union Football club with teams competing from various schools some quite a distance from Cambridge. There was some great fast open play - this together with the misty conditions made exciting photography though a bit more light would have been welcome. Many more photos on Chris Fell's site

 http://www.chrisfellphotos.com/20150318cambridge7s/

Markers of Spring

As usual on March 21st I recorded what is blooming in the garden (well yesterday in the sun actually). A little bit behind last year (http://pin-sharp.blogspot.co.uk/2014/03/markers-of-spring.html) with Coltsfoot, Primrose, Red nettle, Sweet violet, Blackthorn and Alkanet in flower, together with Japonica and Forsythia but the Ivy-leaved toadflax is not yet out.