31st Aug - high broken cloud, very light S, 17C

 Willey; first thing c25 Swallows on the wires, at 1300h there was c80.\\The count down to their departure has begun!!

Tope fields, 0845h, two Wheatear.

Cotesbach Landfill; this morning the number of teal has increased to 16 today.  Two Shoveler, but only a single Pochard visible.   A Common and Green Sandpiper were present, whilst a Greenshank flew in calling but decided to leave.

Stanford reservoir; this afternoon- fairly quiet.  Plenty of Chiffchaffs, a few Willow Warbler,  Blackcaps, Whitethroat and Lesser Whitethroat were about.  Tits flocks included Goldcrest today. 

A Little Egret and Grey Heron along the north side.  No new duck species seen (Wigeon were reported this morning).  A Common Sandpiper was on the dam. 

A few Butterflies, Speckled Wood and Peacock, and Dragonflies were more numerous today.

30th Aug - mostly light cloud, 17C, light N

 Cotesbach Landfill; this morning a single Swift again feeding, along with Sand and House Martins.  Six Red Kites over the landfill area, along with c 300 Starlings feeding.

A Green and Common Sandpiper in the sandpit area, plus the other recent regulars ( Teal, Pochard, etc)

Croft Hill; checked out here this afternoon for Flycatchers, the wind wasn't too favourable from the north, but I did find one Spotted Flycatcher.  Other birds included several Chiffchaff, Willow Warbler, Nuthatch, Great Spotted Woodpecker and Raven.

29th Aug - cloudy, light drizzle/rain late afternoon, Light-mod NW, 14C. Cool last night 8C

Willey; this morning a female Redstart showed well in the Hurls furlong hedgerow, near the gate.

c25 Swallows were feeding in the lee of BH wood.

Measham; popped herein the morning  to see the Rose-coloured Starling that had been reported around the houses.  After an hour of searching I found it on telegraph wires, showed well before moving off with Starling.

Cotesbach landfill; a look after lunch, nothing new, but again plenty of House Martins feeding and a single Swift.

Stanford res; a walk from the inlet to outflow. Here also a good number of House Martins c200, some Sand Martins and Swallows.  Eight Gadwall, six Pochard. 

A Yellow and Grey Wagtail in the spillway.   

28th Aug - rain all morning-light N, 15C, short bright spell afternoon before rain and fresh N, 12C

Stanford reservoir; a check this morning in the rain, the single juv Shag was present on the dam (first since 1984).  

A distant photo through the rain of the European Shag.

Two Common Sandpiper and Common Tern (dam), Six Gadwall, Swallows, House and Sand Martins.

Cotesbach Sandy Lane; a look here around the pools, which were empty. A Red Kite flew over.  The rain stopped and passerines started to feed in the bushes. Goldcrest, Willow Warbler, Chiffchaff, Lesser Whitethroat, Long-tailed and Blue Tits.