30th April - Foggy start, clearing to sunny spells, light SSE, 17C

Willey; this morning a Lesser Whitethroat was singing from the hedge in the Perkins area.  I also went to listen for the Lesser Spotted Woodpecker and fortunately heard it drumming again in the same area as previously heard.

Stanford reservoir; a very settled evening and I wanted to check for the 'channel' wagtail.  Not many Yellow Wagtails are coming to the dam in the evening now, most must have moved into territories or moved on, the 'channel' did not show.

Not a lot else was happening, a couple of Little Ringed Plovers flew on to the dam and rested  A Little Egret flew over west, no doubt to roost.

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29th April - misty start, sunny spells 15C, light easterly

Stanford reservoir; a ringer on his early morning set-up disturbed a Long-eared Owl from a bush, this is the first record here for 19 years.  So, I decided it may be worth a evening visit until dusk in case the Owl roosted nearby and hunted on the reservoir edge or fallow field which looks ideal.

Needless to say no LE Owl was spotted until dark.  The only reward was a 'reeling' Grasshopper Warbler in the dark, listen here

Grasshopper Warbler reeling (Chris Hubbard)

28th April - cloudy, sunny intervals late afternoon, 14C, light-mod NW turning NE

Cotesbach landfill area; 2 Little Egret, 7 Red Kite, Only a pair of Teal, 3 Shelduck, 2 Great crested Grebe, 10 Sand Martins and Swallow, a Goldcrest singing in the hedge tree.

Stanford reservoir; a Cuckoo calling, more Garden and Reed Warblers singing now, a single Grasshopper warbler reeling occasionally and one Lesser Whitethroat heard. At least 2 Cetti's Warblers singing.  4 Common Tern, 6 Shoveler and an Egyptian Goose.
2 Yellow Wagtails on the dam, plenty of Hirundines again overhead.

2 Wheatear in the adjacent field.

27th April - moderate - strong gusty westerly ‘storm Hannah. 10C, cloudy

No obs today.

26th April - light - mod southerly, 15C, sunny spells & light showers

Stanford Reservoir; a look during the afternoon here. A Little Egret on the dam, 4 Common Tern, 7 Yellow Wagtails, Oystercatcher pair flew along reservoir, Garden Warbler singing, along with all the other Warblers. Bullfinch pair, House and Sand Martins in good numbers along with Swallows feeding over the reservoir.

25th April - sunny spells, showers forming, some thunder, wind southerly light-mod then SW, 15C

Willey; a check of my feed station this evening showed at least 6 Tree Sparrows and 4 Yellowhammers were present, so I'll keep feeding seed for awhile yet.

Stanford reservoir; a look this morning produced 4 Common Tern, 6 Shoveler and the first brood of Grey Lag Goose goslings; more Mallard broods are present now too.  Chris had seen a Black Tern first thing, but this was in and straight out.  A Lesser Whitethroat was singing along with other Warblers.  A Common Sandpiper and 3 Yellow Wagtails were on the dam.

In the nearby field 5 Fieldfare and a male Wheatear were feeding.

Late afternoon a text came that there was a Whimbrel on the dam, so off to see it, we don't get too many of these on the ground unless the water is very low.  It was still present and I got some record pics.

Again the 'Channel Wagtail' was present with 8 Yellow Wagtails.  " Little Ringed Plovers were also on the dam and a Red Kite flew over.  As this morning a sizeable flock of hirundines was present feeding overhead.

24th April - cloudy warm am, showers pm, 15C, southerly.

Willey; a Sparrowhawk passed over the village circling upsetting the Swallows momentarily.

Stanford reservoir; an evening visit, particularly for the Yellow Wagtails hoping to see the 'Channel Wagtail' again - not disappointed.  At least 18 Yellow Wagtails came in to the pre-roost gathering.  The 'Channel Wagtail' showed well, here are a few of the numerous pics I took.

23rd April - mostly cloudy, light ENE, 20C

Willey; 0830 a Little Egret flew over low eastwards.

Stanford reservoir; a look this evening included a Common Sandpiper and 2 Little Ringed Plovers. A Grey Wagtail and 4 Pied Wagtails on the dam and Yellow Wagtails gathered pre-roost, 14 in total.

However, I spotted a interesting Wagtail, always far which I considered a 'Channel' Wagtail.  After sharing a picture and comparing to past photos I concluded it was a 'Channel' Wagtail.

Although light was going and the bird was distant for good pictures I managed some record shots.

On the field near the entrance were 10 Fieldfare and 1 male Wheatear.

22nd April - sunny, hazy sun and cloud later, light SE, 23C

Willey; a Yellow Wagtail was with the cattle in the field to the east of the village.
Things got better, at another location I heard a Woodpecker drumming, immediately I knew it was a Lesser spotted Woodpecker, carefully moving slowly to the area I still could not see it, it moved to another tree and drummed - still not visible, finally it flew from the tree across a clearing and disappeared in the canopy. There may even have been a second bird drumming a little further away - need to carefully listen another day.

Cotesbach landfill; a look here before lunch, as they were not tipping today only a few Gulls were around. 4 Red Kite were present, a Mistle Thrush was singing from the spinney. 3 Lapwings, a single Shelduck and a couple of Teal were in the sand pit area.
Several butterflies were on the wing including a Holly Blue.

Stanford reservoir; an evening check here produced 2 Little ringed Plovers, a Common Sandpiper, an Oystercatcher pair flew over the dam, 5 Yellow Wagtails were present too. On the nearby field 15 Fieldfare and 3 Skylark were feeding. A Red Kite passed by eastward.

21st April - 23C, sunny, very warm, light SE

Stanford reservoir; the crab-apple tree is in full bloom.  The fragrance and insect activity and 'hum' when under it is fantastic.

The first Cuckoo heard here this year was calling - great to hear one again - with the Reed Warblers just returning. Several Whitethroat and more Sedge Warblers heard today.  A Common Sandpiper on the dam and later 7 Yellow Wagtails.  A Grasshopper warbler reeled a little in the Blowers Lodge bay area.  A single Little Egret and 2 Grey Herons were around.

On the field (1800h) 36 Fieldfare were feeding.

20th April - sunny, light ENE, 23C

Willey; it is not usual now to see a Hare in our immediate village area, so it was a disappointing surprise to see a road causality near the village.
Croft Hill; a look here this morning, nothing out of the ordinary. Both Green and Great-spotted Woodpeckers, a pair of Linnets, a Stock Dove flew over.  Yet, another road casualty seen here - a hedgehog.

Cotesbach Landfill; Carl text to mid morning say he had several seen Wheatear, Yellow and a White Wagtail in the sand-pit area.  I saw a male and female Wheatear, a Little Egret was present too. After awhile of scanning the distant Gull flock coming from the landfill area for a late 'white-winger' Carl spotted a juv Iceland Gull, as it disappeared out of view - I didn't get on it. It did not show before I left but Carl did see it fly off later,

Shawell Lagoons;  A check on the lagoons later did not find the Iceland Gull.  In the evening it was reported in the Draycote Water roost.  We have had them here previously during April.

Stanford reservoir;  the rest of the afternoon was spent walking round here.  One thing abiout the exceptionally warm Spring wen have had and the current very warm spell is the number of common butterflies that are around.  orange-tip are very numerous, with Comma, Peacock, Brimstone in good numbers too. Speckled Wood have begun to appear.

Birds included, Little Egret, Common Sandpiper, Reed Warbler, a single Wigeon and 2 Shoveler, and a Common Tern. On the dam was 7 Yellow Wagtails.

19th April - sunny, very warm, 22C, very light ENE

Theddingworth; two Ravens flew along canal eastward calling. A Kestrel was around and a Buzzard. In the lake at least 8 Toads were in a mating ‘knot’.

There were loads of insects out today, Bees could be heard on the flowers including many Bee-fly.

Shawell Lagoons; a look here before lunch produced 5 Wigeon, one appears to have a damaged wing, not sure if it can fly or not.  2 Lapwing, I Great-crested Grebe and the usual Tufted Duck and all the usual Gulls.

Stanford reservoir; a look this evening, 5 Fieldfare on the field.  At the dam 2 Little ringed Plover, a Common Sandpiper, a male Grey Wagtail, a White Wagtail, 4 Pied Wagtails and 16 Yellow Wagtails.  A Snipe flew overhead calling.  A Green Woodpecker came on the dam and stared feeding.

18th April - cloudy and misty early, cloud thining to hazy sunshine and very warm, 20C, light ENE

Willey; more Swallows back today. Nuthatch and Green Woodpecker still very vocal in the area.

Cotesbach landfill; a look after lunch produced 7 Red Kites feeding and 6+ Buzzards were around too.. The Gulls were again distant and gave no real chance to view them.  Shelduck pair, Shoveler 4 and 19 Teal were present.  My first 'year' record here for Sand Martin, 3, hopefully more yet and they find a suitable place to nest.  A pair of Linnets fed on the ground.

Stanford reservoir; This evening in the newly sown field there were c 150 Fieldfare and 5 Redwings - surely they cant be around much longer.
On the reservoir dam passage waders included 4 Little ringed Plover, 1 Common Sandpiper and 2 Green Sandpipers. On the water a single Wigeon and Shoveler, 5 Teal was seen, no Goldeneye spotted.  The first brood of Mallard ducklings, 10, was being led under the bushes by their mother.

A Grey Wagtail was on the spillway and 2 Yellow Wagtails, these flew to the dam.  I checked the dam and further Yellow Wagtails appeared, by dusk there were 15 Yellow Wagtails. They all flew off, bar one, presumably to roost nearby. Unfortunately they were at the furthest end of the dam - not suitable for decent photos

17th April - cloudy, thinning to haze sunshine, light NE, 18C

Willey; two Swallows back in the village this evening, a male  and female.  At 1900h a couple of Fieldfare flew over, calling, SW.

Stanford Reservoir;  on the field opposite the entrance 45 Fieldfares and 5 Redwings. On the water 2 Goldeneye (females) still.  A Whitethroat in Blowers Bay was singing. and a Goldcrest along the railway boundary. A Great spotted Woodpecker flew in to trees near the dam. On the dam 2 Pied Wagtails and 3 White Wagtails, a single Yellow Wagtail joined them.

16th April - cloudy, becoming hazey, light variable E-N, 15C

Willey; this morning a Bullfinch male flew over the lane in to the allotments hedgerow.

Cotesbach landfill; a look this evening. The Gulls were all around the landfill side before the majority departed towards Draycote Water.  2 Yellow Wagtails were with the Pied in the sand pit area.  ( Shoveler and 11 Teal, 2 Shelduck and a pair each of Canada and Greylag Geese.  Several Swallows were flying around and a couple of Red Kite.

Stanford reservoir; on the way here I stopped to look over the cultivated field where the Fieldfare were then other day. This evening there were c150 and 7 Redwings feeding, along with a few Yellowhammers, Pied Wagtails, Starlings and a Skylark.

At the reservoir there were 2 Common Sandpipers and 2 Little ringed Plover on the dam, the former new in today. More hirundines hawking overhead. Only 2 Goldeneye spotted and 2 Shoveler.

15th April- mostly sunny, 13C, moderate SE, feeling warmer

Stanford Reservoir; at look here mid afternoon,  The wind was keeping much hidden and fairly quite. Several Orangetip butterflies were about.
On the dam 2 Little ringed Plovers still.  6 Goldeneye still, only two Shoveler seen. A Red Kite over the fields at the inlet end.  A couple of Bullfinch were heard in the thicket, a male Yellowhammer flew in from the adjacent fallow field,  Two Cetti’s Warblers were singing.

14th April - night frost. Cloudy, light - mod Easterly, 9C, feeling cool

Willey; the local Rookery count was 4 higher then last year at 156 nests.

13th April - ground frost last nigh. Sunny start the sunny spells. Light - mood ENE, 9C, feeling cool. Odd short hail shower mid-day.

Cotesbach Landfill; a look here after lunch, strangely there were no Gulls in the sand pit area, some over the landfill but most were circling noisily very high and moving off, could not tell why they didn't want to settle as normal.  Anyhow, there was 6 Red Kite and several Buzzards in the area plus a male Yellow Wagtail on an island, while 5 Swallows fed over the boundary trees.

Shawell lagoons; It seems many Gulls decided to drop-in here at least a 1000 (LBB, GBB, Herring and Common), no 'white-wingers' though.  There were 23 Wigeon on the water, a Great-crested Grebe, plenty of Tufted and a couple of Teal.  4 Lapwing were resting on the shore ignoring a Red Kite that flew over low.

Stanford reservoir; Green Sandpiper and Yellow Wagtail on the dam.  13 Goldeneye still, one Shoveler and a single female Pochard. On the adjacent field about 70 Fieldfares and 1 Redwing were feeding.  otherwise, much the same as recent days, no further new migrant arrivals.

As I mentioned yesterday eggs are predated frequently early in the season, the other common egg remains often found after those of the Mallard, like this one.

12th April - -3C last night. sunny spells am mostly cloudy pm, 10C, light ENE

Willey; 4 Fieldfares and a Redwing in trees behind village about 1400h.  Then 6 flying South at 1715h over fields.

Stanford Reservoir;  A Great White Egret at the river outlet area.  On the dam Little ringed Plovers, 4 today, the Green Sandpiper and Yellow Wagtail.

On the 3 April, 4 young Coots were seen by Chris, these are still present near the dam.  However, not all Coot nests are successful, as I found one predated egg on the path today.

11th April - frost last night -3C. Mostly sunny, light Easterly, 12C

Willey; a quick check on the feed station before lunch produced 6 Tree Sparrows still feeding here.

Cotesbach landfill; after lunch a look here, plenty of Gulls, mainly over the landfill area and far side so to distant to view well with the heat shimmer.  No unusual Gull in the near sandpit area with the resting group.  Also present were 3 Red Kite, 26 Teal, only 3 Shoveler, a Little Grebe and a brood of Mallard ducklings (5) -first I've seen this year. A Raven flew in and perched on top of a spoil heap before flying to the landfill.

Stanford reservoir; checked here in the evening.  In the field opposite the entrance at least 100 Fieldfares were feeding.  On the dam the 2 Little ringed Plover, Green Sandpiper and White Wagtail still.  20 Goldeneye were in a group, 5 were males, only 2 Shoveler - looks like most may have moved on to breeding locations. A couple of Swallows at the dam end.

10th April - mostly sunny, light-mod NE, 10C feeling cooler

Willey; this morning first thing c100 Fieldfares were feeding on the sheep pasture to the west, including 1 Redwing.  A little later a single Swallow was feeding over the field, probably the one seen in the village a couple of days ago.

Stanford reservoir; a quick look late afternoon produced the Green Sandpiper and passage Little ringed Plovers still.  a walk along the dam produced the sites first Yellow Wagtail for the year, a superb bright male.  When coming back passed the dam a White Wagtail was near the waters edge.

This morning Chris had found a Wheatear in the field opposite the site entrance, it was still there when I checked, also the Yellow Wagtail had moved here and was one the freshly cultivated field.