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Welcome to the Cambridgeshire Bird Club- founded over 100 years ago in 1925
Welcome to the Cambridgeshire Bird Club- founded over 100 years ago 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
Congratulations to Roger Hardie for the selection of his Buff-breasted Sandpiper as the Photo of the Month for September. See it here
Next indoor club meeting November 13th: At St John's in person, Marek Borkowski is our speaker, who will entertain us with tales of living alongside one of Europe’s premier marshland sites in north-east Poland - Biebrza Marsh and the ancient Bialowieza Forest.
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
Photo of the Year 2025: Congratulations to Jan Michelac for his superb Grey Heron holding a small Pike. See it, and the 2nd and 3rd placed photos here
Since last year there is free membership to anyone aged 25 or younger. Join us!
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
November 13th: At St John's in person, Marek Borkowski is our speaker, who will entertain us with tales of living alongside one of Europe’s premier marshland sites, and home of the Great Snipe. Since 1976 he has given guests a unique experience of the fauna, flora, habitats, history and everyday life in the Great European Wilderness (now NE Poland) from the local perspective of a host permanently living and protecting nature there, above all the home Biebrza Marsh and the ancient Bialowieza Forest
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 - September
Picture of the Month - September
Buff-breasted Sandpiper © Roger Hardie Grafham Water 25 September 2026
Andrew Dobson chose September's Photo of the Month: "It’s all about being at the right place as the news breaks of a Cambridgeshire rarity – especially when it only lingers for a couple of hours. Roger Hardie captured the character of a Buff-breasted Sandpiper when it appeared briefly at Grafham Water. Roger posted a series of photos of this shorebird/wader (after all, it is from North America) – although you won’t see it wading in the water. A nicely back-lit composition showing off its wonderful plumage. A worthy winner for Photo of the Month. There were many other impressive contributions including Ed Gill’s series of Sparrowhawks, Garth Peacock’s Corn Bunting, Jeremy Smith’s Temminck’s Stint, and Jon Heath’s pairing of Osprey and Red Kite."
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.
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