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Birds
April 2008.
For interesting bird sightings in Cambridgeshire go to the Cambridge Bird Club site select here
Buzzards nest in the large woodland area to the south of the village between Saxon Street, Kirtling, Dullingham Ley and Ditton Green, where they are now resident (picture right). These impressive birds of prey, usually associated with the west country and Wales, can quite often be seen soaring in wide circles high over the woods or surrounding farmland. They can be distinguished by their 'pieu' mewing calls and broad upturned wing tip feathers spread like fingers. They are often mobbed by crows. Their favourite food, rabbits, abound in the area but buzzards will also take beetles that they can spot on the ground with their remarkable eyesight.
Less likely, but still possible is the sight of Red Kites, distinguished from the Buzzard by their narrower wings and forked tails.
Bullfinches can often be seen along the Kirtling Roadside where it runs past Ditton Park Wood.
March 2008. Goldfinches are irresistibly drawn to gardens where nyger seed is on offer.
Unusual visitors to the garden in winter or early spring, siskins often consort
with flocks of goldfinches, here a male (right), and a goldfinch, feed on nyger seed.
The British Trust for Ornithology has an excellent website at www.bto.org/migwatch
This page sets out to record anything interesting in the world of wildlife happening around Wood Ditton so please e-mail your observations so that we can publish them and share notes. Send comments by clicking on webmaster@wood-ditton.org.uk (Note that if your PC does not have a mail link programme you will need to enter the e-address and send in the normal way)
