16th July - cloudy until evening, light sometimes fresh breeze SW, 22c

Willey; this morning a family of Long-tailed Tits were working their way along the Long Spinney to the west, a Nuthatch was calling there too.  A Goldcrest sang a little from the church yard Yew tree.

Stanford reservoir; an afternoon visit produced some interesting obs.  The common butterflies were out, Meadow brown, ringlet, Red Admiral,  a Brimestone, Large, Skipper, several "Whites' and a Small Copper, this I have not seen here for a while.  A Hare got up and ran across the adjacent arable field.

A Southern Hawker (female) was working the bushes along the path, when settled blending in to the vegetation.

On the inlet pool a Little Grebe was present, with low water on the main reservoir it is not suitable for them there.  Waders included a Greenshank, 2 Redshank, 3 Little-ringed Plovers (all juvs), 2 Oystercatchers and 3 Common Sandpipers.  A Little Egret fed at the inlet with the Lapwing and a Red Kite flew over.  On the central island area there was several Pied Wagtails (families), a single Yellow Wagtail and Juv Starling feeding.  Only 1 Common Tern was seen resting.

Redshank and Lapwing

A Tufted Duck female had 2 mid-sized young in the bay, along with the Shelduck family still.  There are 3 other well grown Shelduck that must have flew in from elsewhere.  The single drake Pochard was spotted swimming off shore.