Birds - Summer

Young Coots

Many birds have taken advantage of the lengthening summers (even though they don’t seem to be getting warmer, just wetter) to squeeze in a second brood of eggs and young. Whether it’s Muscovy Ducks that are frequently seen on Waterside in Ely, or the more selective about their location Coot, you may see young at the end of July and into August. Easy to spot due to their gangly appearance compared to other young and grey/black colouring they can be seen anywhere the water’s edge is a bit quieter
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Fen Rivers Way path upstream of the A142 bridge over the River Ouse (TL 545 793 or N+52 23' 22" E+0 16' 12"), River Ouse in Ely, close to Fen Rivers Way down stream (North) of Pocket Park (TL 554 803 or N+52 23' 54" E+0 17' 2") and Wicken Fen (TL 561 703 or N+52 18' 28" E+0 17' 15")

Swifts

High summer is the time to gaze skywards and start your relationship with Swifts. These masters of the air spend almost all their lives, including sleeping and mating, on the wing. Swifts are easily identified by their all black cigar shaped bodies and thin scythe like wings. Non breeding birds rove around Europe during the summer months and screaming groups of Swifts are a common sight and sound across Britain during the summer. You may also see breeding birds flying low around buildings where they are nesting, although these are becoming rarer. The RSPB are collecting sightings of screaming swifts nationally, and a map of Cambridgeshire Swift colonies, can both be found through the Cambridgeshire Bird Club (see ‘Useful Links’ column on the right). These surveys are very important in advising developers and builders about threats to Swift colonies when and construction or demolition work takes place
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Look skywards in any open area where there is a good supply of insects on the wing, water meadows, open meadows or recreation grounds

House Martins

The nests of these fast moving birds are often seen in the gables and eaves or under the soffits (or weatherboards) of house and buildings, hence the name. Only a few inches (10-12 centimetres) they can be recognized by a short, squared off, forked tail (they are part of the Swallow family), and more specifically by a white patch on the base of their back about an inch square seen easily against their bluey black plumage. A summer migratory bird to Britain, they arrive in April and depart in September October returning to sub-Saharan Africa to over winter before returning
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Look up under the edges of roofs, their nets often looking like upside down mud-huts, clinging onto underside and wall of whatever nook they have found. Their frequent travel back and forth to feed young is a good way to spot them. We’ve come across a nest right in the centre of Ely in a gable (TL 544 800 or N+52 23' 47.3" E+0 16' 6.3")

Corn Buntings

These chunky finch like birds are not very inspiring to look at but they are a farmland species that has declined dramatically around much of the country making the healthy populations on the Fens a national stronghold. Listening for the jangling song is a good way of locating them and they often sing from telephone wires making them easier to find. Feeding on insects and seeds these the males are often about a fifth bigger than females at around six to seven inches (15-18 centimetres). Both sexes have streaks of grey and brown running down the back of the body, and white and grey streaks on their underside
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Get looking on those telephone wires that stretch into the distance along Fen roads, and listen for that jangling song

Marsh Harriers

We keep mentioning Marsh Harriers as they are such graceful birds to watch (until they take to their roost that is). Having been less evident whilst breeding the adult birds are now joined by their young and will be often seen from the car hunting across fields or moving between feeding areas
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Birds gathering in some numbers to roost in the evenings can be seen at Harrison's Drove at Wicken Fen (TL 556 697 or N+52 18' 14" E+0 16' 49"), Coveney (TL 508 820 or N+52 25' 2" E+0 12' 7"), reed banks on the South-East side of the larger of the pits at Roswell Pits (TL 555 807 or N+52 24' 10" E+0 17' 4") or looking across the Ouse Washes at Oxlode (TL 485 862 or N+52 27' 14" E+0 11' 3")