2 Sept - sunny, very light southerly, 24C

Willey; this morning 35 Swallows on the wires.  A Green Woodpecker and Nuthatch in the Long Spinney near Muswell Leys, with a Raven calling from the field behind.

Cotesbach Landfill; fairly quite here this morning, only 1 Red Kite seen, a Sparrow Hawk, Kestrel and 3 Buzzard too.

Stanford reservoir; a walk around here this afternoon was interesting.  On the water ducks were increasing, with 5 Wigeon, 9 Shoveler,4 Pochard,  6 Teal, plus Tufties, Mallard and Gadwall.  Grey Lag Geese, c150, and a few Canada' Geese were on the dam.  Also, on the dam a Common Sandpiper. Little Grebe was heard in the reeds near the hide.
The scarcest bird was a Whinchat feeding from the adjacent hedgerow, a record shot in the bright light and heat haze.  A Whitethroat and Blackcap were in the hedge too, and often chased it.

On the Leices inlet side 2 Spotted Flycatchers were atop the thorn bushes, a Willow Tit along with a good number of Willow Warbler and Chiffchaff.

A good number of Dragonflies and some Butterflies - Speckled Wood, Green-veined White,  Common Blue and Small Copper.