6th July- am sunny intervals, pm cloudy, practically still later, 18C

A quick look around the local lake this morning showed the usual birds were present.  I am puzzled by the Mute Swans though. There were nine cygnets originally, today five were visible, but a cob Mute keeps driving them in to the reeds. I am wondering whether this is not the cob from the pair that bred but an interloper.  Nor have I seen the pen with the, now, large cygnets.

Whitethroat with food, Lesser Whitethroat, Chiifchaff, Reed, Sedge and Willow Warbler were all seen, also Goldcrest heard from the bushes.  A male Bullfinch flew atop a bush and repeatedly called, others were heard, presumably a family party.

Meadow Brown and Ringlets were fairy numerous, but no other butterflies were seen today here.

Evening visit to Stanford reservoir was fairly quite, the cloud cover made it dull.  Only a single (unringed) Common Tern was seen, sitting on the duck decoy used as a marker by the fishermen.  110 Greylag and 20 Canada Geese, about 40 Mallard, 20 Tufted duck, the drake Goldeneye and Pochard still.  A group of 10 young Swallows were on the wires near the outflow.  A Cetti's Warbler sang, along with the usual warblers, while five Goldfinch flew overhead.