Photos from 2003 and earlier

Please note that the copyright of all images remains with the photographer and no image may be reproduced without the photographer's permission.

Hooded Crow - Jim Lawrence, Eye Tip, Peterboroough, 5th December 2003.     Picture 2.     Picture 3.
There was a time when Hooded Crow appeared in some numbers every winter in Cambs., but it is now a very scarce bird indeed. As it is now decreed a separate species from Carrion Crow, you can at least tick it off!

1st winter Caspian Gull - Dick Newell, Long Drove, Cottenham, 3rd December 2003.     Picture 2.     Picture 3.
This cracking bird is ringed with a metal ring on its right leg. The ring has a protruding clip. Rings of this type are used in Poland, Ukraine, Russia, Belarus and Estonia (per Ronald Klein). Most Polish rings are on the left leg, but occasionally mistakes are made, so all we can say is that it comes from one of these countries. The 3rd picture is the same bird at Grunty Fen on 6th December.

Willow Tit - Jim Lawrence, Ouse Washes, 7th November 2003.     Picture 2.     Picture 3.     Picture 4.
Jim Lawrence did well to get these pictures of such a scarce bird in Cambs. Willow Tits are well known to be difficult to separate from Marsh Tits, especially when they exhibit a glossy cap, as this bird seems to have. Willow Tit is also supposed to have an outer-tail feather at least 4 mm shorter than the other tail feathers - a close examination of these pictures seems to show a longer outer tail feather. However, the largish bib, thick neck, very white cheeks and obvious wing-panel all indicate a Willow Tit.

Adult Caspian Gull - Dick Newell, Landbeach, 5th November 2003.
This huge bird is still growing P10, which is late. However P10 has the necessary large white tip and long white tongue on the inner web (captured on another poor shot). I believe it is the same bird as this from last winter. This picture is not a particularly good template to learn how to pick out a Caspian Gull.

Rose-coloured Starling - Chris Martin, Histon, 1st November 2003.     Picture 2.
I bet this surprised Chris when he saw it on his fat balls! Rose-coloured Starling is scarce anywhere, particularly Cambs. The age of this bird is being debated.

2CY Glaucous x Herring Gull - Dick Newell, Landbeach, 29th October 2003.     Picture 2.
There are enough traits in this bird to show that it has Glaucous Gull somewhere in its ancestry, including: head, bill and body shape; scapular and tertial pattern; white tips, chevrons and translucency in the primaries, as well as the bill colour. It even has a broken eye-ring

3CY Caspian Gull? - Dick Newell, Landbeach, 29th October 2003.     Picture 2.
Although this bird has a pale iris, the head-shape, bill shape, greenish bill, beady eye, and whitish legs point towards a Caspian Gull. However, its identification has been challenged, as some think it may be a michahellis. Support for this view may come from the lack of a mirror on P10 and red on the bill, neither of which are typical for a Caspian of this age. Views are welcome. There is also support for it as a Caspian. I now have an open mind about it.

Adult Ring-billed Gull - Dick Newell, Landbeach, 29th October 2003.     Picture 2.
It's about time one of these turned up on a Cambs tip. This is the 3rd county record (if accepted). The bird is still growing P9 and P10.

Twite - Jim Lawrence, Fowlmere, 28th October 2003.     Picture 2.     Picture 3.
Inland Twite are something of a prize, and certainly a very scarce bird in Cambs. This bird was a very nice find by Doug Radford. The colour-ring combination, together with some sharp-eyed ring-reading of part of the metal ring by Lee Evans reveals that this bird is R547780, ringed as a juvenile on 25th September 2003 at Cant Clough Reservoir, Lancashire (SD8930), subsequently controlled at Light Hazzles Reservoir (SD9620) on 28th September 2003, when it was recorded as a juvenile female.

"Omissus" Herring Gull - Dick Newell, Milton, 25th October 2003.     Picture 2.
The dark mantle, long wings, red eye-ring, and yellow legs could all indicate michahellis, but this is one of those Herring Gulls from somewhere east of the Baltic. It has not finished its primary moult and the wing-tip pattern is wrong for Yellow-legged Gull.

Three gulls - Dick Newell, Landbeach , 23rd October 2003.     Picture 2.     Picture 3.
The gull season is upon us. Here is an adult "omissus" Herring Gull, an adult Yellow-legged Gull and a 2CY (2nd winter) Caspian Gull. With its yellow legs, one might be tempted to call the omissus a michahellis, but it is the wrong shape and is far too late finishing its primary moult.

Leucistic Blackbird - Bob Tonks, Milton, 19th July 2003.
This leucistic bird not only lacks melanin in its plumage, but also in its soft parts. The eye appears dark in this view.

Juv/1st winter Grey Phalarope - Steve Blain, Grafham, 29th September 2003.     Picture 2.
This juvenile bird is well advanced in its moult to 1st winter plumage. It is not often that one sees a phalarope walking; in the first picture, one can just about make out the coot-like lobed feet.

Adult Greenshank - John Oates,Wicken Fen, 24th September 2003.
A photogenic shot.

Adult Red Knot - Jim Lawrence, Grafham, 25th September 2003.
Another uncommon inland shorebird, this adult seems to have retained some breeding plumage scapulars.

1st winter Purple Sandpiper - Jim Lawrence and Chris Martin, Grafham, 25th September 2003.     Picture 2.     Picture 3.
Purple Sandpipers are very unusual inland. Two turned up at Grafham in 2001. Picture 3 was taken by Chris Martin.

Northern Wheatear - Stuart Elsom, Morborne Hill, 21st September 2003.
Always nice to see inland, this young bird looks like the nominate race.

Death's-head Hawk-moth - Dick Newell, Cottenham, 21st September 2003.     Picture 2.
Richard Thomas had quite a shock when he heard this crashing into his moth trap. Death's-head Hawk-moth is a regular, but very scarce vagrant from Africa. It coincides with a large invasion this year of Hummingbird Hawk-moths.

Juvenile (male) Ruff - Dick Newell, Holt Fen, 18th September 2003.
Juveniles are just so much smarter at this time of year than adults.

1st winter Pied Wagtail - Dick Newell, Holt Fen, 18th September 2003.
While at first sight, this bird seemed older, in contrast to all of the other paler grey-backed birds present, its creamy yellow face means it must be a young bird, probably a male.

2CY Caspian Gull - Dick Newell, Holt Fen, 17th September 2003.     Picture 2.
2nd winter Caspian Gulls are relatively scarce. The ringed bill is one of the things to look for in a bird of this age, as well as the white head and distinctive head-shape, big tail with black tail-band, long legs, whitish underwing and axillaries (though this is not so diagnostic at this age). (Picture 2 is the same bird taken on 21st September).

Juvenile Pectoral Sandpiper - Chris Martin, Holt Fen, Stretham, 12th September 2003.     Picture 2.     Picture 3.
This bird was discovered independently by John Parslow, John Oates and Chris Martin - who found it in his camera when he got home!

Hummingbird Hawk-moth - Jonathan Heath, Cambridge, 8th September 2003.     Picture 2.
Hummingbird Hawk-moths are regular but quite scarce in Cambs. These remarkable pictures were taken by Jonathan, aged 12, with a shutter speed of only 1/128 second.

3CY Greenfinch with tick - Chris Martin, Histon, 8th September 2003.
Not the usual sort of birders' tick. Presumably it will eventually fall off.

Juvenile Spotted Flycatcher - Chris Martin, Histon, 8th September 2003.
Spotted flycatchers are excellent posers.

3CY Little Gull - Dick Newell, Holt Fen, 11th September 2003.
This bird behaved more like a phalarope than a gull. It is moulting from 2nd summer to 3rd winter plumage, the outer primaries are still growing.

Juvenile Little Stint - Chris Martin, Holt Fen, 4th September 2003.
Juvenile Little Stints can be quite variable, this one is less orange than some.

Juvenile Curlew Sandpiper - Chris Martin, Holt Fen, 2nd September 2003.
Juvenile Curlew Sandpipers are so photogenic..

Juvenile Ringed Plovers - Dick Newell, Holt Fen, Stretham, 31st August 2003.     Picture 2.     Picture 3.
These three pictures show examples of a juvenile nominate Ringed Plover (hiaticula), Tundra Ringed Plover (tundrae) and Little Ringed Plover (dubius) - all together.

Corncrake - John Oates, The Nene Washes 5th July 2003.
This bird was raised at Whipsnade, and was photographed here at the Nene Washes prior to it's release. 55 Corncrakes have been released on the Nene this year in the first stage of a collaborative project between RSPB, English Nature and ZSL's Whipsnade Wild Animal Park. It is hoped the young birds will migrate successfully to Africa, where corncrakes regularly winter, and return to the Nene Washes next spring to begin nesting. Based on the success of the first full year of the project it is hoped that the project will release up to 100 birds a year for the next five years.

Juvenile limosa and islandica Black-tailed Godwits - John Oates and Dick Newell, Cam Washes 18th July and Holt Fen , 5th August 2003.     Picture 2.
These 2 pictures of a juvenile colour-ringed limosa and a juvenile islandica illustrate how distinctive these two forms are in juvenile plumage. Limosa exhibits virtually no rufousness on its scapulars, wing-coverts or tertials, and is only slightly warm around the neck, in contrast to islandica which exhibits a lot of rufousness in all of these feather tracts.

Red-footed Falcon - John Oates, Wicken Fen, 22nd August 2003.     Picture 2.
Another John Oates find, now an annual bird in Cambs., this confiding young male has entertained many during its stay.

Hoopoe - Bruce Martin, Limekiln Road, Cambridge, 12th August 2003.     Picture 2.
Aren't Hoopoes nice - shame we don't get more of them.

Bearded Tit - Richard Billington, Wicken Fen, 17th August 2003.     Picture 2.
These two juvenile female Bearded Tits are a rare sight in Cambridgeshire, and even rarer bird for ringing.

Manx Shearwater - John Oates, Grafham, 2nd August 2003.     Picture 2.     Picture 3.     Picture 4.
In the field, this bird looked quite brown and with the indistinct hook behind the eye, might have tempted a more exotic identification, but it is a worn bird, moulting its wings, so it is at least a year old (2CY).

Adult Greenshank - Dick Newell, Long Drove, Cottenham, 30th July 2003.
This bird has started its scapular moult into winter plumage.

Juvenile Marsh Harrier - Bruce Martin, Cambs, 12th July 2003.     Picture 2.     Picture 3.
These portraits show just how smart a fresh juvenile Marsh Harrier can be.

portlandica Arctic Tern - Richard Patient, Grafham Water, 12th July 2003.     Picture 2.
"portlandica" is a term used in the Handbook for the 1st summer plumage of Arctic Tern. This plumage is rarely seen in NW Europe (are any members aware of other Cambridgeshire records of this age?) Following on from the Common Tern pictures below and Cambirds discussion, the following are key identification features for this individual:
- very short black legs
- short entirely black bill
- overall smaller and daintier than Common Tern, particularly the small neatly rounded head
- largely white forehead, with a black triangle extending backwards from the eye
- long tail streamers extending well beyond primary tips
- in flight, largely pale wings, and translucent under primaries with neat black trailing edge.

Juvenile Great White Egret - Bruce Martin, Cam Washes, 8th July 2003.
This bird, found by John Oates, was ringed at the Lac de Grande Lieu, Loire Atlantique, France on 30th April 2003. It was later seen in Kent. It is one of several ringed birds seen in the UK recently from the same location.

Second summer Common Tern? - Dick Newell, Long Drove, Cottenham, 7th July 2003.
This is a good candidate for an identifiable 2nd summer Common Tern. Although its legs and bill are similar to an adult, it has a black carpal bar (a feature of immatures and winter-plumaged adults) and white forehead. This would indicate that it is probably an immature. There is one dark primary in between 2 sets of paler ones showing the point at which it arrested its moult last year. The inner primaries are new and it seems to have arrested again.

Yellow-legged Gull, 2nd summer (= 3CY) - John Oates, Grafham Water, 7th July 2003.
It's not just the yellow legs (coated in green algae) that makes this a Yellow-legged Gull, but also the enormously long wings, the red eye-ring, robust bill and relatively dark shade of grey.

Juvenile Common Tern - John Oates, Grafham Water, 5th July 2003.
This fresh young juvenile makes a nice comparison with the 1st summer bird at Long Drove.

First summer Common Tern - Dick Newell, Long Drove, Cottenham, 1st July 2003.
It is unusual for Common Terns to return north in their 1st summer, they normally stay south, so this is somewhat of a rarity. It is also possible that this bird is a 2nd summer, as occasionally they do not achieve adult plumage until they are even older.
There were also 4 adults at the other end of the pool.

Juvenile Reed Warbler - Luca Patriccioli, Welney, Norfolk, 16th June 2003.
Distinguishing juvenile Reed Warbler from Marsh Warbler usually requires the bird in the hand. However, good pictures like this open up new possibilities. Although one needs to be careful because the wing may not be fully grown in such a young bird, the fact that P8 is similar in length to P10 favours Reed - which, of course, is the overwhelmingly most probable at Welney.

Icelandic Black-tailed Godwit - Dick Newell, Long Drove, Cottenham, 19th June 2003.
The deep copper tones, heavily patterned scapulars, tiger-striped tertials, heavy barring on the belly and short bill make this easy to distinguish from the southern Black-tailed Godwit L. l. limosa. One of 3 birds present, this bird is probably a male.

Red-necked Grebe - Stephen Blain, Paxton and Grafham, 30th May and 1st June 2003.     Picture 2.
It looks like the long staying summering bird at Fen Drayton has been replaced by 1 each at Grafham Water and Paxton Pits (picture 2).

Greylag Goose? - Richard Patient, Fen Drayton, 1st June 2003.     Picture 2.     Picture 3.     Picture 4.
Is this a rather extreme Greylag Goose or a mixture with White-fronted Goose in its ancestry? It is not uncommon for Greylag to show some white around the bill and also a few small black bars on the belly sometimes. Opinions are welcome.

Tufted Duck hybrid? - Richard Patient, Fen Drayton, 19th May 2003.     Picture 2.
Is this an oddly-coloured drake Tufted Duck or a mixture with Tufted in its ancestry? There seems to be more black in the bill tip than most Tufted Ducks and in the field there was an orange tinge to the yellow eye. Size and structure is as Tufted. Whereas some female Tufted Ducks exhibit a scaup-like white blaze, this bird has a black blaze. If just a Tufted Duck, then the pale head could be explained by some form of leucism or fading due to delayed moult. If a hybrid, then what else is involved? Opinions are welcome.

Purple Swamp-hen P. porphyrio poliocephalus - Bruce Martin, Fen Drayton, 17th May 2003.     Picture 2.
This bird turned up first in 1999 when it provoked a major twitch, but it turned out to be one of the poliocephalus group of races. Poliocephalus, is different from the southern European form, and is sometimes known as Grey-headed or Indian Swamp-hen. Its origins were eventually traced to Hamerton Zoo, having been bred in captivity. (see CBR 1999 p.112). The original provenance of its ancestors is unknown.
There are more pictures here

Avocet - atmospheric shot - Richard Patient, Godmanchester, 15th May 2003.

Mediterranean Gull, 1st summer - Richard Patient, Godmanchester, 15th May 2003.

Buff-breasted Sandpiper - Dick Newell, Wicken Fen, 11th May 2003.
This bird, found by John Oates on 10th May, is the 5th or 6th record for Cambs, the first in Spring, and is perhaps the only Buff-breasted Sandpiper ever observed displaying in the UK. There are more pictures here and here.

Dark-bellied Brent Goose - Richard Patient, Godmanchester, 10th May 2003.

Wheatear, male nominate oenanthe - Richard Patient, Fen Drayton, 3rd May 2003.

Ring Ouzel - Jim Lawrence, Croydon Hill, 24th April 2003.     Picture 2.

Ring Ouzel - Bruce Martin, Mepal, 16th April 2003.     Picture 2.

Ring-necked Parakeet - John Oates, Little Eversden, 6th March 2003.

Nuthatch - Simon Stirrup, Hinchingbrooke CP, February 2003.

Waxwings - David Heath, Kings Hedges, Cambridge, February 2003.

Gadwall - Alan Wadsworth, Fowlmere, February 2003.

Brambling, Corn Bunting, Tree Sparrow - John Oates Ouse Washes, February 2003.     Picture 2.     Picture 3.

Hawfinch - John Oates (picture 1), Bruce Martin (picture 2) Ferry Meadows, Peterborough, February 2003.     Picture 2.

Waxwing - Darren Frost, St Neots, January 2003.

Red-crested Pochards - Darren Frost, Barleycraft, Needingworth, January 2003.

Long-tailed Duck - Darren Frost, Meadow Lane, St Ives, January 2003.

Brent Goose ssp. (2nd CY) - John Oates (picture 1), Richard Patient (picture 2) Barleycraft GP, January 2003.     Picture 2.
The clear demarcation on the lower breast, the pale belly and the brownish upper-parts (seen in the field), might indicate a Pale-bellied Brent Goose B. b. hrota, an extreme rarity in Cambs. However, the lack of any white smearing on the flanks might indicate that this bird has failed to moult its flank and belly feathers, and therefore it could just as easily be a Dark-bellied Brent Goose B. b. bernicla.

Hybrid male Green-winged Teal x Eurasian Teal - John Oates, Wicken Fen, 22nd January 2003.

Bittern - John Oates, Wicken Fen, January 2003.     Picture 2.

Red-crested Pochard x Pochard hybrid - John Oates, Fen Drayton, January 2003.     Picture 2.

Waxwings - Bruce Martin, St Neots, January 2003.     Picture 2.

Kittiwakes (2nd CY) - John Oates, Grafham Water, January 2003.     Picture 2.

Scaup (female) - John Oates, Grafham Water, December 2002.

Great Grey Shrike (1st CY) - Bruce Martin (picture 1), John Oates (picture 2) and Alan Wadsworth (picture 3), between Hinxton and Duxford, December 2002.     Picture 2.     Picture 3.

Slavonian Grebe - Simon Stirrup, Fen Drayton, November 2002.

Slavonian Grebe - Bruce Martin (picture 1) and John Oates (picture 2), Fen Drayton, November 2002.     Picture 2.

Great Northern Diver (juvenile) - John Oates, Grafham Water, November 2002.

Long-tailed Duck (male) - John Oates, Fen Drayton, November 2002.

American Golden Plover - Jono Leadley, Holme Fen, Aldreth, November 2002.     Picture 2.

Arctic Skua - Jono Leadley, Grafham Water, October 2002.

Red-necked Grebe (juvenile) - Bruce Martin, Grafham Water, 8th October 2002.

Glossy Ibis - Bruce Martin, West Walton (Norfolk), September 2002
... but it did fly along the River Nene into Cambs.

Leucistic Lapwing - John Oates, Stretham, October 2002.     Picture 2.

Unusual male Wigeon - John Oates, Wicken Fen, October 2002.
The male in the centre exhibits a greenish mask and paler cheeks and is probably a hybrid.

White Stork - David Heath, Long Drove, Cottenham, October 2002.

Spotted Redshank - Steve Dudley, Priors Fen, October 2002.

Great Grey Shrike - Steve Dudley, Nene Washes, October 2002.

Jack Snipe - Steve Dudley, Ferry Meadows, October 2002.

Great White Egret - Steve Dudley, Sawtry Roughs, October 2002.

Black-necked Grebe - Steve Dudley, Orton Brick Pit, October 2002.

Osprey - Alan Wadsworth, Hauxon, October 2002.

Hybrid aythya - John Oates, Fen Drayton, 29th September 2002.
This is a female hybrid Pochard and the other parent could well be Lesser Scaup. It was smaller than other Pochards, with a shorter bill and it lacked the distinctive Pochard head profile. The body plumage was like a female Pochard, but a shade darker. Scaup spp features included the distinct white face blaze and pale ear spot.

Osprey - David Heath, Hauxon, September 2002.

Black-necked Grebe - Tony Mills, Fen Drayton, December 2001.

Red-backed Shrike - David Wege, Girton, Cambridge, 28th September 2001.

Waxwing - Darren Frost (copyright), Arbury, Cambridge, 21st April 2001.     Picture 2.     Picture 3.

Greenland White-fronted Geese - Dick Newell, north of Manea, 18th February 2001.

Iceland Gull (second-winter) - Dick Newell, Milton Tip, 17th February 2001.

Glaucous Gull (juvenile/first-winter, small individual) - Dick Newell, Milton Tip, 16th January 2001.

Glaucous Gull (juvenile/first-winter, large individual) - Dick Newell, Milton Tip, 13th January 2001.

Glaucous Gull (juvenile) - Dick Newell, Grunty Fen, December 2000.

Caspian Gull (adult) - Dick Newell, Grunty Fen, December 2000.

Jackdaw ('eastern' form) - Dick Newell, Grunty Fen, 9th December 2000.

Red-backed Shrike - Dick Newell, Cottenham, September 2000.     Picture 2.

Isabelline Shrike - Paul Hackett, Nene Washes, September 2000.     Picture 2.     Picture 3.     Picture 4.     Picture 5.

White-rumped Sandpiper - Paul Hackett, Ouse Washes, September 2000.

Mediterranean Gull - Dick Newell, Morborne, 23rd September 2000.     Picture 2.

White-winged Black Tern - Dick Newell, Grafham Water, 28th August 2000.     Picture 2.     Picture 3.

'Kings Lynn' Gull - Dick Newell, Fisher Fleet, Kings Lynn (Norfolk), 28th August 2000.     Picture 2.

Little Egret - Simon Stirrup, Cottenham, July 2000.

Unidentified gull - Dave Hatton, Milton Tip, 15th November 1998.     Picture 2.     Picture 3.     Picture 4.