January 13, 2011 · 5:38 pm
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Here come the lists (for the record)

It seems appropriate and useful to list the creatures I encountered this year (2010) during my rambles in the vicinity of Oakington, Cambridgeshire. I am not an expert naturalist and know only the more common birds, trees, flowers, butterflies, etc. by sight, so this is by no means a definitive listing of species to be found in the district. I must have missed some. However, the paucity of wild creatures hereabouts is alarming, no doubt the result of habitat loss and the over-management of every square foot of land. In five years’ time this list will, no doubt, be even shorter. These then are the creatures I came across within a two-mile radius of my house, an area of some 12 ½ square miles:
(sorry, there seems to be no way of adding columns to this site)

 

Mammals (10 species)

Red Fox

Reeves’ Muntjac or Barking Deer

Brown Hare

European Rabbit

Stoat

Grey Squirrel (and black sub-species)

Hedgehog

Common Pipistrelle

European Water Vole (heard)

European Mole

Note: During the year I saw no shrew, mouse or dormouse, nor other deer, bat or vole, nor badger (although there is an active sett in the district). This is surprising to say the least.

 

Brook Life

Freshwater Mussel

American Crayfish

Pike

Chub?

European Eel

 

Reptiles & Amphibians

Grass snake

 

Butterflies (12 species)

Large White

Small White

Orange Tip

Ringlet

Meadow Brown

Speckled Wood

Comma

Red Admiral

Painted Lady

Peacock

Brimstone

Gatekeeper

 

Birds (59 species)

Great Crested Grebe

Cormorant

Grey Heron

Little Egret

Mute Swan

Canada Goose

Mallard

Buzzard

Sparrowhawk?

Kestrel

Pheasant

Red-Legged Partridge

Moorhen

Lapwing

Snipe or Jack Snipe

Herring Gull

Black-Headed Gull

Common Gull

Woodpigeon

Collared Dove

Barn Owl

Tawny Owl (heard)

Little Owl

Kingfisher

Great Spotted Woodpecker

Green Woodpecker

Cuckoo (heard)

Skylark

Swift

Swallow

White/Pied Wagtail

Grey Wagtail

Wheatear

Robin

Blackbird

Fieldfare

Song Thrush

Redwing

Blackcap

Chiffchaff

Goldcrest

Wren

Great Tit

Coal Tit

Blue Tit

Long-Tailed Tit

Magpie

Jay

Starling

Rook

Jackdaw

Chaffinch

Goldfinch

Greenfinch

Twite

House Sparrow

Dunnock

Reed Bunting

Yellowhammer

Out of 331 bird species reported for the county of Cambridgeshire, the meagre 59 that I positively identified in this district during the year is woeful indeed.

5 Comments

Filed under writing / rambles / landscape / nature

5 responses to “Here come the lists (for the record)”

  1. So Resourceful
    February 25, 2011 at 5:41 pm

    Very interesting. What would be nice would be more images to accompany your lists, but perhaps photographing the elusive animal life of the fens was tricky?
    Perhaps you would consider sketching some of your viewings?

    Reply
  2. Trevor Taw
    January 16, 2011 at 11:41 am

    I thought the list of bird life was quite impressive. Very surprised by the lack of bat sightings. A couple of positives for me were the lapwings and hares, I’d be interested to see if these are increasing on your patch.

    Reply
    • dawnpiper
      January 16, 2011 at 4:53 pm

      I only saw hares on two or three occasions throughout the year. Very scarce I would say. Lapwings aplenty in winter and early spring, but what really surprises me, no other plovers at all. The great crested grebe was unusual in that it was not on water at all, but in a field, well away from any lake, albeit injured. Best sighting? Probably the barn owl quartering the open banks of the brook. But buzzards, kestrels and sparrowhawks are always a delight. Why are we drawn so to the hawks and birds of prey?

      Reply
  3. dawnpiper
    January 13, 2011 at 6:03 pm

    None positively identified. Not wild or feral ones anyhow. Once, when peering into the water of the brook, I thought I saw something….

    Reply
  4. richard goodall
    January 13, 2011 at 5:50 pm

    humans?

    Reply

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