Embedded Files
Welcome to the Cambridgeshire Bird Club- founded in 1925
Welcome to the Cambridgeshire Bird Club- founded in 1925
The Cambridgeshire Bird Club promotes the study, recording and conservation of birds in Cambridgeshire and encourages a wider interest in natural history and the protection of county wildlife habitats.
We record the County's birds in our Annual Report, so we need your records. We have a stunning Gallery, so we want your photos. We have field projects, we have indoor meetings and trips, and we keep you informed with our monthly emailed bulletins. We have links to active bird ringing groups. And have a look at our Facebook and our Twitter (X) sites.
You can see What's About? and we urge you to report interesting, sensitive or confidential sightings to the County Recorder.
We email Club members with many announcements but we also use our website to provide information. We hope you enjoy your visit and come back soon.
Announcements
Announcements
TODAY - October 9th. By Zoom only, opens 7.15pm, talk starts 7.30pm. By Harry Appleyard (rather than Tim Jones as promoted earlier on). "A year at magical Spurn". Harry guides us through the ornithological year at this famous east coast migration hotspot in Yorkshire. Harry,(alongsideTim) is a very keen birder, freelance ornithologist and naturalist, he is also part of the management team at Spurn Bird Observatory
The 2024 Annual Report can now be purchased at only £17.50, P&P included. See here
The 2023 Annual Report is now available to read on-line in Publications>Annual Reports. Or, See here.
Club e-Bulletins up to April are now available to all to read. They contain records, photos, articles and event reminders: read these recent ones here
Congratulations to Simon Stirrup for his Hobby contribution to the Photo of the Month for August. See it here
Photo of the Year 2025: Congratulations to Jan Michelac for his superb Grey Heron holding a small Pike. See it, and 2nd and 3rd place photos here
Since last year there is free membership to anyone aged 25 or younger.
Other announcements
Other announcements
The Chair's Report for 2025 and other documents for the 2026 AGM on 13 March are available to read here
Bird flu in wild birds, latest - reporting to Defra of dying and dead birds suspected to be infected with bird flu can now be done online. Start at https://www.gov.uk/guidance/report-dead-wild-birds - reporting takes about five minutes. Best to have location details at hand. Reports can also be added to BirdTrack. Also, read the RSPB narrative here https://www.rspb.org.uk/birds-and-wildlife/avian-influenza-updates
The CBC recording checklist can be viewed and downloaded here
Club Bulletins back to the first issue in 1951 have now been digitised and were added to the website in 2021- read them here
Do read Bob Jarman's Centenary Lecture presented at the Club's Centenary Dinner 16 April. Read here Also to be found under 'Publications'
Next club indoor talk
October 9th : The talk starts at 7:30pm, by Zoom only. The Zoom connection opens at 7:15pm. We are privileged to have Harry Appleyard speaking on "A year at magical Spurn". Harry guides us through the ornithological year at this famous east coast migration hotspot in Yorkshire. Harry is a very keen birder, freelance ornithologist and naturalist, he is also part of the management team at Spurn Bird Observatory.
From Spurn notes in 2025: Harry has practical habitat management experience, doesn’t shy away from some domestic cleaning, is a fantastic all-round naturalist, enjoys working with volunteers, and has a passion for engaging people with wildlife. As a keen birder and someone already familiar with the area, we can’t wait to see what he turns up, bird-wise, in 2025 – no pressure, Harry!
Over to Harry to introduce himself:
“To say I’m honoured to be taking up this role would be a huge understatement. I know I have big shoes to fill, but I do so in the comfort of being in a community with some of the best birders Britain has to offer.
Spurn suddenly became my second home and office at the same time when I undertook a Practical Conservation Traineeship for Yorkshire Wildlife Trust from October 2021 to October 2022, continuing to work for them in much of the time since.
My love for birding, as well as for butterflies, dragonflies, and damselflies, started back home in the landlocked suburbs of Milton Keynes. Through regular patch walks and “nocmig” since 2008, I’ve recorded over 140 bird species within about 2 miles of home, including Yellow-browed Warbler, Lesser Spotted Woodpecker, Common Cranes, Nightjars, and Quail.
Since I started my conservation career up here, Spurn has well and truly lived up to its reputation as a coastal birding paradise, providing countless lifers and seasonal surprises, not only in the form of birds but also insects and cetaceans. I can’t wait to get stuck in and work alongside you all this year. 2024 was an amazing year here, so let’s make 2025 even better.”t delithe appointment of Harry Appleyard as our Assistant Warden for the 2025 season. Harry will be joining us from April to November to fulfil a hugely diverse role that utilises his wealth of experience and enthusiasm for the position.
X (fomerly Twitter)
X (fomerly Twitter)
We will let you know when we can resume feeds to this website
Photo of the year 2025
Photo of the year 2025
Congratulations to Jan Michalec for his winning photo of a Grey Heron. Second place goes to Garth Peacock's Great Reed Warbler and Jan Michelac's Peregines take third place. Click here to view all three photos. and click 2025 candidates to see all the candidates.
Picture of the Month - August
Picture of the Month - August
Hobby © Simon Stirrup 26 August 2026
Joe Parham selected the Photo for August: " I have decided to pick out a few images for discussion in the photo of the month competition for August. Firstly, Matthew Binns' capture of one of two Temminck's Stint at Dernford reservoir. The photo nicely captures the clean-white outer-tail feathers of this diminutive wader. Also noteworthy was Chris Kenyon's capture of a juvenile Cuckoo and its Reed Warbler 'parent'. Yet, despite this stiff competition, I think a worthy winner for this month is Simon Stirrup's capture of an adult and juvenile Hobby on the wing. I can imagine it's very hard to capture the agility of a Hobby in a still image, but this picture goes some way in providing it, with the adult bird presumably about to feed its youngster a dragonfly."
Picture of the Month - July
Picture of the Month - July
Stonechat © Cookie Shorten Wicken Fen 9 July 2026
Mike Foley chose the Picture of the Month for July.
“With more attention to juveniles at this time of year, I was particularly drawn to Jan Michelac’s juvenile Cuckoo at RSPB Fowlmere. An actin shot, the Host Reed Warbler caught perfectly in motion as it approached the Cuckoo, gape already wide in expectation. Tracey Graves’s photo of a Whitethroat at RSPB Ouse Fen had an ethereal tone to it: both the bird and brambles are silhouetted against a coloured yet dimly lit sky and the bird itself seems suspended and motionless in the air. Steve Cooper’s colourful Black-tailed Godwit at Dernford Reservoir also caught my attention.
However, I have chosen Cookie Shorten’s juvenile Stonechat as the picture of the month. In good pose, the photo reveals that even a fairly drab-looking bird has features that are worthy of attention”.
The 2024 Report No. 98 is now available to purchase at £15.00 including postage and packing.
The 2024 Report No. 98 is now available to purchase at £15.00 including postage and packing.
Where's that site?
Where's that site?
If you are unsure of the location of the less well-known birding sites, check our Gazetteer, which also provides standardised names to include in recording checklists for the Club's database and Birdtrack. Check the Grabagrid map which provides precise site grid references, and also shows pop-up vice-county boundaries
Notes by Erica on the club trip to Eldernell, 15 May
We parked at Eldernell and walked up onto the bank with vast open views across the wash. A Hobby flashed past, hirundines and a few Swifts off in all directions. The Site Manager, Peter Beckenham, provided an overview of the long history and present-day challenges and management of the Washes, interrupted by a surprisingly long haul flight by two Bitterns seemingly defying gravity with their slow beating wings. Bitterns, closer by, boomed. We walked towards the Low Wash past woodland with scopes out for a very obliging late Redwing and Snipe displaying over the reedbed. Then, looking across the wet grassland of the Low Wash, the first sightings of Common Crane pushing through the swampy ground. Marsh Harriers hassled by Lapwing, Sparrowhawk, Spoonbill, Little Egret and Grey Heron in flight, a range of warblers, waders and wildfowl all added to the evening.
Centenary Lecture presented by Bob Jarman on 16 April 2025 at the Club's Centenary Dinner
Centenary Lecture presented by Bob Jarman on 16 April 2025 at the Club's Centenary Dinner
Avian Flu in wild birds -latest
Avian Flu in wild birds -latest
AVIAN FLU: Please under no circumstances go near or touch wildfowl suspected to have avian flu, leave this to the professionals.
Bird flu in wild birds: On 9 November 2025 Rob Partridge reported dead and dying Whooper Swans and Mute Swans on the Ouse Washes. The reporting to Defra of dying and dead birds suspected to be infected with bird flu can now be done online. Start at https://www.gov.uk/guidance/report-dead-wild-birds - reporting takes about five minutes. Best to have location details at hand.
Read the RSPB narrative here https://www.rspb.org.uk/birds-and-wildlife/avian-influenza-updates
Lists and facts
Lists and facts
County birders life lists, individual record year lists / record day lists, garden lists and other records - view them here
County birders life lists, individual record year lists / record day lists, garden lists and other records - view them here
Found and injured bird? Contact a rehabilitator. Baby birds? Read here and also here
Local bird news from Cambirds.
Google Sites
Report abuse