30th April - Showers, breezy SSW/SW, 9C

Willey; Five Starlings searching for food among the cattle for youngsters this morning.

A Whitethroat was singing from the hedge near the top fields.

Later a Sparrowhawk was seen circling above the village.

The Robin pair were busy searching and carrying food for youngters around the farmyard.

A breakfast time I noticed a Magpie land on the creeper where the Blackbirds nest is, it was going in to the bush before it noticed me at the window.  I've not checked, but I suspect this clutch will/has been taken - as is nature.

29th April - cloudy, light rain for awhile early afternoon, then brighter, light WSW, 12C

Stanford reservoir; a morning exercise walk here, the dam was busy wwith four Pied, a White, a Yellow and male Grey Wagtail.  Also, two Common Sandpipers.

A Wheatear was spotted on the spillway wall.

Over the water seven Arctic and two Common Terns. Hirundines included c30 Swallows, 150 House Martins a quite a few Sand Martins.

photo Chris Hubbard

28th April - ran most of he day, light NE, 8C

Stanford Reservoir; late afternoon a fall of Arctic Terns was reported, I got there about 1800h for a walk and found a good number still present.

Also, a single drake Wigeon and a Common Sandpiper on the dam.

27th April - sunny spells, becoming cloudy by late afternoon.

Willey; an eye on the feed station, paddocks and church area today. A Lesser Whitethroat, Chiffchaff and Blackcap were heard singing.  Several Goldfinch, Greenfinch and Chaffinch were around. A single Tree Sparrow, along with c15 House Sparrows and 2+ Yellowhammers were at the feed station. A male Great Spotted Woodpecker popped in briefly.

Collard Doves are noticeable currently with several singing. The Goldcrest was again present singing from the Church lane area. A male Sparrowhawk flew over the church yard and settled in a garden bush.

26th April - sunny, light SSW, 21C

The weather is at least changing from a northerly quarter and becoming more seasonal in the coming days.

Willey; this morning early, a Lesser Whitethroat was singing behind Landscape View and a Whitethroat from the hedge near the top spinney.

Stanford reservoir; an afternoon walk here.  Two Wigeon today (m &f), at least 6 Gadwall. around the res I counted 9 Garden Warblers singing, plus all the other expected Warblers, including a Grasshopper Warbler 'reeling'.. A Cuckoo was calling from New covert and near the reed bed. A Jay flew over the water to the point area.  

Oddly a juv Raven was watched scrambling in the branches of the sallows over hanging Keepers bay, it didnt fly, but just kept moving away, presumably it 'crashed landed' in the sallows while flying over.

Seven Yellow Wagtails were on the dam paddock and in the spillway, along with 3 Pied and a Grey Wagtail. The 'Channel' Wagtasil,was also present

In the Keepers bay hedge, next to the fallow field there was at least 6 Linnets.

A good selection of common butterflies.

25th April - cloudy cool start, the sunny, light NE, 18C

Willey; a Lesser Whitethroat sing in Perkins area, and a Raven flew over this morning. Late afternoon two Green Woodpeckers were heard ‘yaffling’ around the village Moors lane area.

Bittesby area; a bike ride over here this afternoon, heading to the lake.  A Whitethroat and three Stock Doves were in the hedgerow behind the new warehouse. On the lake two broods of Coot, four Tufted Dick (2 pairs) and four Little Grebes (two pairs).  The Mute Swan was standing over her nest - not hatched yet though.  In the reeds at least three singing Redd Warblers, also Chiffchaff and Blackcap nearby.
On the receding flooded area a passing Little-ringed Plover had dropped in, along side a Pied Wagtail.  Over the bank a female Kestrel was present and two Jays were foraging on the ground.

24th April - sunny, 20C, light NE

Willey; little time today but zi did notice two Greylag Geese flying low south over the fields.

Cotesbach Landfill; a walk early evening plenty of Gulls around, including a single Common Gull and seven Black-headed Gulls, these usually drop sharply in numbers in the Spring as they move off to breed.
About 20 Sand Martins, a Yellow Wagtail, a Common Sandpiper, a Lapwing, a Red Kite, 11 Shoveler, 4 Teal, Grey Heron and a single Raven were notable.

Despite then bright sun and distance some records photos

23rd April- sunny, 20C, light NE

Willey; this morning a Lesser Whitethroat was singing down Moors lane opposite the sewage works.

Stanford reservoir; a walk here this evening.  On the water a single Shoveler and two Goldeneye were notable, a little later two Egyptian Geese (male and female) were on the dam.  A Common Sandpiper was also present there.
A Grasshopper Warbler was 'reeling'; again - the same place as the other day - and a Cetti's Warbler sang once. A Cuckoo was calling near the main reed bed, while a Grey Heron and Little Egret were hunting nearby.

22nd April - sunny, mod NE, 19C

Clarified Covid-19'lockdown' travel guidance now permits travel locally to the countryside for a walk which means I can walk round a few local sites and look what's about at the same time.  Which is fine, as I rarely other folks at these sites.

Willey; I counted 6 Swallows this morning, so definitely more have arrived.  Although no Whitethroat or Lesser Whitethroat yet,.

Stanford reservoir; the main sightings were; a single Wigeon, two Goldeneye, a Common Sandpiper, a Yellow Wagtail, a Grasshopper Warbler 'reeling', a Cuckoo calling, a singing Goldcrest and the first Garden Warbler of the year.

21st April - sunny, brisk NE, 16C

Willey;  this brisk wind is definitely keeping some birds in low profile with little new to report.  There does seem to be a few more Swallows around the village today, which is good to see. The Green Woodpecker is still pretty noisy around the immediate village area.

Cotesbach Landfill; a walk passed here early evening. The Shelduck pair were present and 7 Shoveler. I was surprised to see 5 Pochard though.  A Grey Heron dropped in and two Common Sandpipers were preening on a spilt.  House Martins, Swallows and Sand Martins were all feeding over the water.

20th April - sunny, brisk NE, 16C

Willey; a Yellow Wagtail was  with the cattle in the field first thing.

I counted the Rook nests in the Long Spinney, 112, this is down on last year (156) but does not mean too much in itself as the birds to interchange with other Rookeries in the area.

Stanford reservoir; several Arctic Terns passed through today, later 4 Little Gulls were reported too.

A 'channel' Wagtail has again turned up here, I wonder if its the same one as last year.

A Mallard had 12 ducklings and Greylag Geese pair have four goslings.

19th April - sunny periods, 16C, light-mod NE

Willey; Fieldfares still down the fields to the west this morning.

18th April - rain till midday, the cloudy, light NE, 10C

Willey; 0915h there were about 30 Fieldfare in a tree top to the west of the village, not seen any in the last couple of weeks so a bit surprising.

Mid-morning the paddock feed station and immediate area produced 23 species despite the rain.  Three Sparrows today.


Yellow Wagtails-

17th April - sunny spells, cloud increasing light rain early evening, mod NE, 13C

Willey; a look around Green and Pen lanes did not produce much at all.
Nuthatches are still noisy in the Long Spinney at 2 or 3 locations. The Green Woodpecker was heard throughout the day around the village. The Goldcrest was singing in the Yews again.

Still no new arrival of more Swallows, soon no doubt.

16th April - sunny, clouding over late pm, 17C, light ENE

Willey; a check of the feed station had two Tree Sparrows along with several House Spoaroows, Yellowhammers, Chaffinch and Greenfinch.,  A couple of COllard Dove and Great Spotted Woodpecker visited.  A Pheasant was feeding underneigh , along with Magpies.  A single Swallow flew over, also several Rooks and a Buzzard.

15th April - sunny, light breeze

A strangely quite day.

14th April - sunny, 12C,m light SE

Willey; a lovely sunny day.  Busy so not too much to report today.

Three Swallows around the village, should be others return any day now.

Another Mallard now has young, this time on the BH wood pond.

Six Buzzards were circling low around each other over the fields to the east, late afternoon.

13th April - wind and showers last night. Mod-blustery NE, sunny spells, 9C, feeling Cool

Willey; a cool windy day bringing an end to the exceptionally early warm spell.  Nothing too much to report today.  Feed station much the same species present.  Goldcrest singing a lot in church Yews.

Due to the virus lockdown this will be the first year that I will not counted the Rookeries in the 10-Km sq SP 58 for many years.  I will count our local one in the next day or so.

12th April - mostly sunny, cloudy and breeze increasing during the afternoon, 22C, SE

Willey; first thing a Buzzard was on the grass in a Sheep field seemingly chasing and catching some small prey, maybe insects.  Two Red-legged Partridges were in the neighbouring, currently, fallow field.

A check of the feed station and area produced a couple of Stock Doves feeding, at least 3 Greenfinches, later a male singing from the hedgerow nearby.  A Goldcrest was singing from the Church area and Bullfinch heard again in the church lane hedge.  Only one Tree Sparrow seen, along with the recent regulars.

11th April - sunny, 23C, light NW

Willey; first thing this morning a Mistle Thrush was singing from the Church.
With such settled weather things are fairly quiet too, with no new migrants to report.

A check of the feed station late afternoon produced a Stock Dove and single Tree Sparrow plus other regulars.

During the weekly shop trip to Lutterworth, this afternoon, a Mistle Thrush was singing from the trees near the old Rectory -cricket club off Coventry road.

10th April - sunny, 22C, light SE

Another super sunny day'

Willey; during breakfast I noticed this female Blackbird building a nest in the garden honeysuckle.

I noticed this Shied bug on the path this afternoon, need to check it out.

Mid-morning a Meadow Pipit was heard over the fields to the east, not seen much pipit migration here yet.  A Red Kite flew over and swooped low on to thje field before moving off. A Green Woodpecker called nearby.

Three Swallows were around the village today.  A Mallard on one of the ponds has hatched and has nine ducklings.

Unfortunately a Hedgehog became a road casualty last night on the Coal pit lane near the village turning.

9th April - hazy sunshine, light ENE, 22C

Virus 'lockdown' continues across the country.

Willey; Not too much to report today.  This morning 0845h, a Jay flew out of the Long Spinney over the road towards the Perkins spinney. Don't often see them out and about in the Spring, usually in the bigger woods.

A late check of the feed station produced two Tree Sparrows, a male Great Spotted Woodpecker plus the other usual current visitors.

8th April - sunny , very warm 20C, light SE

The amazing very warm weather continues.  It has been great for butterflies with many Peacock and Small Tortoiseshell about the fields, plus a few Brimstones.

Willey; the two Nuthatch were again noisy in the Long Spinney near Muswell Leys entrance.  A Blackcap was also singing in the old railway track nearby.

The Rooks have done well building their nests, watching them collect a beak full of soft material, moss and grass, to line the nest, is always interesting.  It must be one the best years for them that the weather has not caused them problems to re-build.

7th April - sunny, light S,

Willey; two Nuthatches were very noisy this morning in the Long Spinney near Muswell Leys.

This afternoon in the BH wood a Mallard pair were on the pond.

Later around the paddock and feed station three Tree Sparrows, several Yellowhammers and Chaffinches again.   A male Great Spotted Woodpecker popped in briefly. Two lovely looking male Greenfinch fed for a while. A Blackcap was singing nearby.

The Pied Wagtail was busy collecting nest material and rapidly disappearing until the roof tiles with it.

6th April, sunny spells, odd short light shower, light WSW-W, 15C

Willey;
A check of the feed station and paddock area just before lunch produced three Yellowhammers, Chaffinches, two Collard Dove, a single Tree Sparrow and Greenfinch and c10 House Sparrows.  The Green Woodpecker called nearby and a Goldcrest flew off from the church lane hedge.  Three Pied Wagtails landed in the paddock and had a dispute before fling away.

My attention was then drawn to an excited/alarm call, at first I thought Fieldfare, but then I realised it was not as it called again flying by and in to the bushes on the old railway track, then quickly flew off again along the hedge side northward giving me a further brief view.  It was a RING OUZEL.  Only my second record here, interestingly several have been reported moving through the Midlands today.

1750h, a single Swallow spotted flying over the village.

1830h, at least seven Goldfinch were in the red cherry tree near the church, eating buds probably.

5th April - sunny, becoming hazy cloud, mod S, very warm 18C

Willey; first Swallow of the year seen flying over the arable field off Green Lane.  More Linnets around this area this morning.

Bittesby - mere lane lake area.  A walk over here this afternoon, Red-legged Partridge heard, a small of of 11 Linnets flew up, Little Grebe 'trilling', Mallard pair and a few Coot on the lake, Mute Swan on nest still.  Chiffchaff, Blackcap and Goldcrest singing in thickets.  Stock Dove pair in display flight over field hedgerow.

Near Bittesby House a Bullfinch pair was seen in the hedgerow.

4th April - sunny spells, 15C, light S

Willey; this morning in the Long Spinney to the east a Nuthatch, Great Spotted Woodpecker and Chiffchaff were all present.  A Green Woodpecker was heard nearby.

Very quiet along Green and Pen lanes to the west, no winter Thrushes today.

However, at 1900h one Redwing flew from atop the hedgerow in church lane, it headed off north.


Shawell area;
This afternoon I walked round the paths near Cotesbach Landfill and Shawell Lagoons.  The Landfill had a good number of Gulls present, but distant.  It was noticeable that both Common and Black-head Gulls were absent.  Three Shelducks (a pair and single drake) were in the sandpit area, along with a few Shoveler, Teal and Tufted Duck.  Five Red Kite were seen along with several Buzzards.

A Fox was hunting along the top bank.

At the lagoons three Snipe  (can spot them below?) and two Lapwing were on show.  16 Wigeon are still present feeding on the mid-bank.  Many Herring and Lesser Black Backed Gulls are looking very smart now.