29th July, sunny intervals, mod WSW, 22C

Willey; c25 Swallows. mostly juvs, sitting on the telegraph wires 1630.

Lilbourne Meadows; morning

Six green and one Common Sandpiper, plus a Little Egret and Grey Heron.

Shawell Sandpit; morning

A juv Marsh harrier was found hunting.  It sometimes chased a Carrion Crow, sometimes dropping down over the water.  The Red Kites did not take too kindly too it and sometimes engaged with it.  This gave a great opportunity to compare their sizes, the Harrier being smaller.

Fortunately, it did rest on a bank for a while and I digiscoped a few record photos from distance.

The other good find was a female Shoveler with four mid-sized duckling, these disappeared in to the vegetation and were not in view for long.  The Shoveler is a scarce breeder in Leicestershire.

Little Grebes now seem to be doing well with two further broods, parents feeding chicks on the water and two and a four.  Plus a mixed group of six adults and juvs together and others could be heard too.