30th Nov - a good frost last night, at least -4C, sunny spells today, but steady NW feeling cold, 3C

Cotesbach; this morning a look along Sandy Lane and then the landfill area.  A Red Kite was present over the pools field, a Sparrowhawk was being harassed by a Carrion Crow and a juv Buzzard was still calling loudly in the wood nearby.  A Great-spotted Woodpecker was in the Ash tree top, with c100 Starling in the other Ash trees, moving off to the landfill area.  Goldfinch were feeding on thistles and a single male Bullfinch was working the hedgerow. A Grey Wagtail flew over with several Pied Wagtails feeding on the frozen Pools field.
The number of Gulls at the landfill was most impressive, several thousand.  Yesterday, there was news of both Glaucous and Iceland Gulls in the north Midlands, so I thought a good chance of an early one here. After lots of scanning and checking of resting birds on the nearby fields I failed to find one, but with the northerly cool weather the chances are increasing, and it would be so easy to miss one too.  

Stanford reservoir; unfortunately this afternoon shooting on adjacent land was causing some temporary disturbance to the waterfowl so spotting these was difficult today.  A couple of noisy displaced Jays were in the tree tops.  c200 Fieldfare and a few Redwing were on the Northants side before moving off south.  A few Goldfinch were about feeding when along came the long-tailed Tit flock, several Goldcrest were with them and one Chiffchaff.

29th Nov -frosty last night, sunny am, cloudy pm, NW breeze, 5C

Shawell; I had a look around this area as there are plenty of trees and Yews at the church.  Not too much found actually, nice to see a Nuthatch and Treecreeper though.

28th Nov - mostly sunny, light westerly, cool, 5C

Burbage Common; I visited here this morning to hopefully see the Hawfinch which have been around the extension and arboretum area.  Another person said they had seen one a little while ago in an Oak Tree where they had been on previous days, so I positioned myself to watch this area.  While waiting a couple of Jays, Redwing, Fieldfare, Bullfinch, Meadow Pipit were seen, then a Hawfinch call was heard in flight the other side of the trees, alas no sighting.  After further waiting and still no sighting I decided to move a look elsewhere, again no luck today.

Willey; the feed station area was busy today, new additions include 2 cock Pheasant with the regulars.

27th Nov - broken cloud, 8 C, light westerly

Monks Kirby; I checked the stubble field finch flock again this morning, there was c70 Chaffinch, a male Brambling and 4 Yellowhammers.  Also the church area was checked as it has lots of Yews, but no Hawfinch were found.

Willey, late afternoon a flock of c200 Starling flew over low and fast to a roost somewhere to the north.

26th Nov - mostly cloudy, light NW, 6C

Monks Kirby; a  look here this morning first at the trees and stubble field at the entrance to Newnham Paddox.  In the leaf litter under the trees a few Chaffinches were feeding, eventually I found a Brambling among them.  On the stubble field I spotted a flock, ~100, of Chaffinch.  These kept flying to and from the nearby hedge, among them was a Yellowhammer and a male Brambling.  A dog walker came along and disturbed them, so I will have to go back and check the flock again.

In the tree belt just passed the church several Redwing were feeding, also Nuthatch, Coal Tit and Great-spotted Woodpecker, about 12 Stock Dove were on the field adjacent, a Jay and Collard Dove were nearby too.

Stanford Reservoir; fairly quiet here this afternoon, the only notables were a Kingfisher, Cetti’s Warbler and a single Male Goosander.

25th Nov- short snow shower early, cloudy sunny intervals pm, cold light NW, 5C

Misterton; a look around the lake and church area first thing produced the usual birds, a roving Long-tailed Tit flock with other Tits present, a couple of Treecreeper and others heard, a single Nuthatch calling. A Pair of Shoveler on the lake, a few Mallard and Moorhens.  A Buzzard again hunting for food on the pasture.

Willey; a time watching my feed station area and church lane where the Hawfinch has been seen.  All the regulars on the feed station including Coal Tit, Nuthatch, Greenfinch, Chaffinch.  On the lane Blackthorns Song Thrush and Blackbird were eating sloes, while Redwing were concentrating on Holly, Yew and Ivy berries.

Shawell Lagoons; some Gull watching here after lunch, a good number were present. Common, Black-headed, Herring, Lesser and Greater-black Backed eventually Carl spotted  a second winter Caspian Gull.  Further searching produced a near-adult and an adult Yellow-legged Gull.

A probable Peregrine Falcon flew over at speed, only a single little Grebe and Grey Heron were other birds of note.

24th November - frosty morning then sunny, very light SW , 7C

Stanford Reservoir; I was just getting ready to leave to visit after lunch when Chris called and said he had found a Great-northern Diver just off the dam.  So it was off to see it immediately, sure enough, on arrival it was still present and showing well, I managed some digiscoped record photos, the low bright sun adding to the effect.

Our last record here was one that stayed Dec 04 to Feb 05; and before then one briefly 1978, so a very infrequent occurrence here.

23rd Nov - sunny morning, some cloud pm, lighter SW, 10C

Willey; 0815 a Hawfinch flew over me calling west from the hedge direction where I have seen one previously.  After lunch a Kestrel was one the wires along the Moors lane.  Mid afternoon a Green Woodpecker flew over the road at the bend.  About 1600h a Bullfinch flew over home.

Claybrooke Mill area;  2 Kestrels were hunting the field next to the lane junction near the mill.

22nd Nov - windy, Strong gusts, cloudy, very dull at times, mild 14C

Unseasonally mild again, but the gusty strong SW wind kept much out of sight so locally nothing of note. At Monks Kirby a Kestrel was hunting by sitting on the telegraph wires over a field that provided a more stable base than hovering in to the strong wind.

21st Nov - cloudy, damp, mild 12C, SW mod- freshening

Stanford Reservoir; afternoon - Red-crested Pochard pair, 4 Little Egret, Grey Heron, all the other usual ducks and Gulls, usual roving Tit flock otherwise fairly quiet, probably due to the wind and dullness.

20th Nov - cloudy, Oct light shower, light/mod SW, 11C

A busy day, so no obs time.  I noticed a good number of Redwing and Fieldfare about and after lunch a Kestrel flew low over the house.

19th Nov - touch of frost, mostly sunny, light westerly, 6C

Monks Kirby; a look around the old cemetery area first, then a walk from Newnham Paddox entrance along foot path northward.  In the trees at the entrance a Chaffinch flock was feeding, a Greenfinch and Brambling too.  Redwing and Fieldfare were around, a Great-spotted Woodpecker near the cottage.  A flock of ~60 Chaffinch flew towards me over the arable field and then turned north and disappeared behind the middle wood.  ~10 Linnets were feeding on the stubble field.

Stanford reservoir; after lunch a visit here, most notable were 11 Goosander, the Red-crested Pochard pair, Little grebe, a Barn Owl hunting, 8 Snipe flying after being disturbed off the adjacent field by a paraglider and Water Rail calling in the by-pass.

18th Nov - cloudy, very light SW, 10C

Misterton; a look here first thing as it is a potential area for Hawfinch, did not find any. Had first site records for Shoveler and Gadwall.  Plenty of woodland Tits, Treecreeper and Nuthatch, 2. Buzzards on the pasture, probably after worms.

Shawell Lagoons; after lunch a visit here for Gulls, foe what ever reasons the number of  Gulls here has been disappointing recently and the same today, probably only a couple of hundred, Common, Lesser-Black Blacked, Greater-black Backed, Herring and Black-headed Gulls were in.  Very little else, but I did spot a Water Rail feeding on the edge of the reed bed with a Moorhen.

I then checked the Beech trees near Stanford Reservoir for Brambling, but quite here too.  The Red-crested  Pochard pair could be seen distantly on the Reservoir.

Then on to a large fallow field near North Kilworth that looks suitable for a Short-eared Owl, not seen but worth keeping an eye on this area.  Interestingly there was a flock of 120 Chaffinches feeding on the adjacent sown field.

17th Nov - mostly sunny, broken cloud, frost last night, 6C, v light SW

Willey: Sparrowhawk on garden bird table at breakfast.

Had wait for a windscreen repair so decided to watch the feed station and try to get photos of the Redwings feeding in the hedge.  One bird appeared atop of the hedge and I swung the scope round with the phone camera on and snapped - it was a Hawfinch, I managed 3 quick shots before it dropped down in to the thicket.  The same area as the one I saw on the 4th Nov.

It did manage a few Redwing photos too, but the bright sun was washing the colours out and focus was tricky.

On the feed station the usual Tits, Nuthatch, House Sparrows and 2 Great-spotted Woodpeckers, Jackdaws, Wood pigeon, Chaffinch. plenty of Redwing and Fieldfare on the adjacent field, a Kestrel hunting and c200 Starling feeding.

A neighbour told me he had Red Admiral, Peacock and a Brimestone butterfly in the last couple of days on garden flowers.

16th Nov - bright am, cloud, light rain brief mid-day then clearing, light SW, 11C

Willey; This morning was taken up with a Stanford reservoir wardens meeting, may be making progress on some activities, especially the Tern rafts which should be built next month.

After lunch I had a walk to the local wood.  On the way there were 24 Collard Doves on the horse manege, the most I've seen for a while here.  In the wood area about 50 Redwing and a few Fieldfare were feeding, a couple of Great-spotted Woodpeckers, a Jay, Goldcrest, Treecreeper, Buzzard, c 25 Stock Dove flew in and a few other common species were around.

15th Nov - cloudy, misty, very light wind, 11C

Willey;  first thing a Cormorant and the odd Meadow Pipit flew over the village.  I think the light fog/ mist must have held up Thrush movement last night as there was a noticeable increase in Filedfare and Redwings around.  On the feed station the Nuthatch and Coal Tit were tucking in, plus the other regulars.

Stanford Reservoir; after lunch a visit here, first a couple of Little Egret were in the inlet area, Flying off along the river.  Plenty of Fieldfare and Redwing, ~400 and 150 respectively, but there could easily have been many more as the whole group was very mobile on the bushes and fields.  A couple of Lesser Redpoll, ~20 Goldfinch and ~10 Linnet were feeding on the rough area seed heads.

A few Chaffinch were feeding on the game cover near the top lake, a single Brambling was found among them.

Finally, 4 ‘redhead’ Goosanders flew in and settled on the water near the hide.

14th Nov - cloudy, dull, light SW, 12C

No obs again, back to normal tomorrow,

13th Nov - cool

No obs due to being in meetings in London.

12th Nov - sunny, cool, mod/fresh NW, 7C

Stanford Reservoir; a morning visit produced a nice variety.  All the usual ducks, plus the Red-crested Pochard pair still.  A Little Egret was on the point.  Plenty of Redwing and Fieldfare around the hedges and fallow field.  Finches included Goldfinch ~30, Linnet ~ 20, Lesser Redpoll ~6 plus Chaffinch and a couple of Yellowhammers.
Skylark, Meadow Pipit, Grey and Pied Wagtails were around and a couple of Kingfisher flew along the waters hedge.
Although there were a few Long-tailed Tits, there was no big mixed roving flock, but several Goldcrest, Blue and Great Tits were in the general area.

11th Nov - mostly high cloud, light NW, 10C

Lutterworth country park, a look here early was rather quiet today, most notable were 6 Greenfinch feeding in the tree tops.

Willey; a late morning check at my feed station showed all the regulars were present, GS Woodpecker, Nuthatch, Coal Tit, Greenfinch and ~35 House Sparrows.  Redwings were busy feeding on the Yew berries and flying around, maybe some new arrivals, at least 50 and a few Fieldfare.

Shawell Lagoons; just as I arrived a load of Gulls were leaving and only a few stayed, with the others disappearing. So it proved rather disappointing, whereas in the distant many hundreds could be seen over the fields and heading towards the landfill.  Some days they can stay, other days they move off early, just the way it goes.

Some northerly weather forecast, hopefully this will encourage some white-winged Gulls to come down from the far north, usually Glaucous and Iceland Gulls begin to appear here from after mid-December with most in the new year.

10th Nov - broken cloud, NW mod, sometime breezy am, 10C

Willey; a Kestrel was sitting on the telegraph wires along the village lane this morning.

Eyebrook Reservoir; after lunch I was just about to head off to Stanford Reservoir when news came of a Ferruginous Duck here, so I decided to go a see.  It had been off the ‘island’ but wasn’t showing when I got there.  The island is really a small peninsular, but you can not view the end of it easily, which of course is exactly where it was.  After a while it did show, a drake still a little in eclipse plumage, among a small group of Pochards and eventually preening on the edge of the shore, but a little too distant for a photo.
Also, present were a nice selection of wildfowl, a little later 10 Barnacle Geese flew in, probably from the Rutland Water flock.  Quite a few Pintail were present, with Teal, Gadwall and several Shelduck.
At the inlet ~500 Golden Plover, a few Dulin, 2 Ruff, many Lapwing and a Redshank were feeding.  A single Goosander flew over.  A Barn Owl hunted along the lane verge.  A couple of Red Kite were over the nearby fields.

9th Nov - High broken cloud, light W - NW, 12C

Frolesworth manor lake; I was greeted here by a Raven calling in the nearby Tree. On the lake there was a few Tufted Duck, a Great-Crested Grebe and ~ 50 Black-headed Gulls.  On the adjacent stubble field at least 15 Skylarks, with some singing a little.  On the game cover ~50 Linnets and 10 Chaffinch we’re feeding.

Stanford Reservoir; at least 300 Fieldfare and 50 Redwing were feeding on haws and adjacent field.  6 Lesser Redpoll were on the flower heads feeding and a few Linnet were on the sown field.

On the water the Red-Crested Pochard pair were present, along with 33 Common Pochard. Teal numbers remain high, at least 300.  Little Grebe was heard in the reeds.

Photo Chris Hubbard

A Great-spotted Woodpecker was in the willows, where later the roving Long-tailed Tit flock roved feeding, which included a Willow Tit.  A Water Rail was seen in a brief short flight landing near the by-pass channel, then called loudly for a while.  A female Grey Wagtail was feeding at the outflow.

A Barn Owl was spotted sitting on a log the far side, listening for prey, managed some distant record shots, then a Snipe flew passed.

8th Nov - mostly sunny, 9C, light SW

A busy day.
Willey: Briefly looked at feed station nice to see a couple of Tree Sparrows and Great- spotted Woodpeckers with all the usuals.

7th Nov - rain on and off and heavy pm

Grim weather few obs today.


Stanford Reservoir; pair Red-Crested Pochard were new in.

6th Nov - a grass frost last night, sunny day, very light SW, 10C

A busy day with little obs time, but I did notice 2 Great-spotted Woodpeckers flying down the church lane, a few Redwing were attending the church Yew trees and some on the nearby Holly Tree eating the berries, a couple of Woodpigeon were enjoying them too.  A Mistle Thrush was also around as usual visiting the usual berrried bushes.

5th Nov - sunny intervals, light WNW, 9C, cool

Willey; generally much quieter today with fewer birds around, especially Thrushes. Both Green and a  Great-spotted Woodpecker were around.

Stanford Reservoir;  on a couple of adjacent recently sown fields I counted 69 Stock Doves that were feeding with a Woodpigeon.   Fieldfare were also in good numbers with one flock c400 feeding on haws and in the tree tops.  Of course a few Redwings were present too.

In the roving Tit flock, with the Long-tailed Tits were a Coal and Willow Tit.

On the water 11 Pochard were in today and a couple of drake Goldeneye.

As I was watching the Gulls at the inlet end aringtail Hen Harrier flew over, making fly-up before going out of view behind the Willows.

4th Nov - rain till 1030, then mostly cloudy, with light- fresh WNW, 10C

Willey;  Hawfinch - late morning I did some more watching on the paddock feed station, thick lane hedge and church yard as this area is very attractive to feeding birds at the moment.  On the feed station 2 Nuthatch were present, plus all the usuals, including up to 30 House Sparrows.

I spotted a rather stocky bird in the top of the nearby Ash Tree, thinking it was likely to be the Great-spotted Woodpecker I was surprised to see it fly towards me in a bounding undulating flight with broad wings and a warm buff colour.  It landed in the hedge, almost exactly where yesterday’s  Ring Ouzel was, and I could see immediately the large bill and small black bib of a female Hawfinch.  My first ever record here.

Over the last couple of weeks there has been an invasion of Hawfinch from mainland Europe to the UK.  Not sure why this happened, may be a seed failure somewhere, but very occasionally this does occur, so hopefully I will see more locally in the weeks to come.

Shawell Lagoons. Few Gulls here this afternoon, and Grey and Pied Wagtsil were working the shore, 7 Magpies were squabbling on the middle bank, otherwise not much action to report.

3rd Nov - mostly cloudy, very light SW, 13C

Willey; Ring Ouzel - I spent some time this morning watching my feed station area and thick hedges around the church area.  There was clearly a fall of Blackbirds last night (another spinney earlier held a good number and later I heard that Holme in Norfolk had a fall too), there were several in the hedge and moving in to the church yard to eat the Yew berries, plus a few Redwings.  After a while of watching the coming and goings of Thrushes a ‘blackbird’ flew Up on to the hedge top, it seemed different and instinctively I raised my binoculars to view, it was a lovely female Ring Ouzel, it flew in to the church yard Yew Tree, after 10mins or so I saw it flew back in to the hedge and out of view. A great surprise and my first local patch record.

Stanford Reservoir; a look here in the afternoon, plenty of Redwing and Fieldfare were in the bushes. Four Snipe flew over and landed somewhere further down.  The Black-tailed Godwit was on the point.  All the usual birds were around, maybe more Wigeon, Tufted Duck and Goldeneye had arrived.  A Kingfisher zipped by with a small fish and a Grey Wagtail flew passed calling.

2nd Nov - cloudy, light SW, 13C, a bit dull pm

Willey;  this morning a Kestrel was at the village street-coal pit lane junction, before flying off over the fields.

Rutland Water;  late morning news came that a Cory's Shearwater had been found in the north arm and showing well (I had also heard of a Lesser Yellowlegs not too far from me - and had thought about going to see it), after finishing some jobs the Cory's won and I set off to find it.   I did find it flying out over the reservoir and sometimes settled on the water.  Quite why this turned up today is a puzzle, no storms etc, amazing to see inland.  Others, including Chris Hubbard had made it earlier than me and had close views, Chris managed some photos too.

Cory's Shearwater (C Hubbard)

1st Nov - sunny periods, light SW, 13C

Stanford reservoir; this afternoon there was quite a few more Fieldfare around.  A Kestrel called and flew by, nearby a Green Woodpecker also called, a roving Tit flock contained at least 20 Long-tailed Tits and a Jay flew in to the nearby wood.
Wigeon numbers looked like they have increased, Teal numbers still high for this site, Gadwall and Shoveler numbers about the same.