31st Oct - Considerable rain during the night, cloudy am, sunny spells pm, light S, 12C

Lilbourne Meadows; afternoon.

Flood pools full now.  c100 Teal and C100 Wigeon, 4 Gadwall, a Shoveler. c30 Starlings feeding on the meadow.

DIRFT - behind railway, non-developed area.

16 Golden Plovers, 2 Shelduck (same ones as at Shawell last weekend), 12 Shoveler.

50+ Common Gulls plus, HG, GBB, LBB and BHG.

30th Oct - Mostly sunny periods, light SSW, 14C

Willey;

A mixed flock, c100, Redwings and Fieldfares eating Hawthorn berries along Hurls Furlong hedge, 0830h.

A lone Mute Swan flew over low, south, unusual sight here.

During the afternoon a single Coal Tit appeared at my feed station, not seen one here all year.

29th Oct - sunny, then broken cloud-sunny spells, light S, 12C

Stanford reservoir; morning.

Really quiet, all the regulars, a drake Goldeneye still and female Bullfinch.

Lilbourne Meadows; afternoon.

c15 Goldfinch, Meadow Pipit, Stonechat pair still.  Kestrel and Buzzard. 

Usual Ducks on the flood pools.

DIRFT: afternoon.

c200 Golden Plovers (were flushed by something), with Lapwings, c30 Wigeon, Mallards, Greylag and Canada Geese on the A5 development area pools.

On the pools behind Royal Mail - 6 Dunlin with Gulls and c130 Golden Plovers.

Shawell Sandpit and Landfill area; late afternoon.

Two Shelducks (surprisingly),  19 Shoveler, 75 Teal, five Little Grebe, 7 Red Kites, 6 Ravens.

I stayed to see how many Starlings were coming in to roost, with them gathering on the landfill before crossing the road to the reed bed area.  I estimated  5000 Starlings.

28th Oct - mostly cloudy, a few showers late afternoon, 14C, light SW

Lilbourne Meadows; morning.

Stonechat pair in usual place, seven Goldfinches, Wigeon, Teal and Shoverlers on the field food pools.

DIRFT;

55 Golden Plovers, c30 Lapwings, c300 Greylag Geese, c30 Canada Geese.

Stanford reservoir; later afternoon/evening;

Drake Goldeneye, more Fieldfares than recently.

Adult Mediterranean Gull in to roost.

27th Oct - foggy start, cloud slowly breaking to late sun, 12C, very light SW

Willey;

I've put some feeders up and these have been very popular with Blue (10+) and Great Tits (4+) today.  Also three Greenfinches and of course, the Jackdaws found the feeders.

26th Oct - light rain/drizzle, slowly clearing to sunny periods mid afternoon, light SW, 11C

 Willey;

A Purple Thorn was spotted in the house yesterday evening.

This afternoon; five Greenfinches in the Church Yews feeding, a few Redwings too.  A couple of Goldfinches around, a Green Woodpecker called and a Great Spotted Woodpecker heard too.

25th Oct - misty early, becoming broken cloud and sunny spells pm, light SW, 12C

Willey;

During the morning several flock of Fieldfares (20-50 size) moved over southward, some stopping to feed then moving on.  A few Redwings with them too.

1600h - a male and female Blackcap in the Church lane hedge, feeding and sunning.

DIRFT- Crick; afternoon.

c170 Golden Plovers, Lapwings, 4 Shovelers, 12 Wigeon, a Grey Heron.

Lilbourne Meadows;

Stonechat pair still in the same area.  A Buzzard and Kestrel, a single Reed Bunting, otherwise fairly quiet.

24th Oct - Cloudy am, sunny spells pm, very light ESE, 13C

Willey; 

Nine Collared Doves on the wires today.

Stanford reservoir; afternoon.

Rather quite, all the regulars plus the only new bird was a drake Goldeneye.

Red Admiral in the sunshine and a Muntjac.

23rd Oct - sunny spells, light ESE wind, 14C

Lilbourne Meadows; afternoon.

The Stonechat pair still present in same area.  26 Goldfinch.

Plenty of Wigeon and Teal, two Mute Swans, Lapwings.

DIRFT;

152 Golden Plovers, Lapwings, 4 Shoveler, 4 Wigeon, a Teal, Greylag and Canada Geese, a Little Egret and a Grey Heron.

c20 Linnets and Starlings feeding.

22nd Oct - Sunny spells, 12C, light NW

Lilbourne Meadows; morning.

Viewed the rough pastures this morning.  Meadow Pipits, Skylarks, several Reed Buntings, c200 Starlings, and tow Stonechats.

Some interesting fungi spotted.

DIRFT; morning.

Although leveled this development area is flooded after recent rain and still offers potential until further development occurs.  A (distant) Curlew, c 60 Lapwings, two Golden Plovers, a Snipe, Mallard, three Wigeon, a Grey Heron and a good number each of Greylag and Canada Geese.

Stanford reservoir; afternoon.

All the regulars, a Great Egret was feeding along the edge, a secretive female Bullfinch feeding in the boundary hedge.  A Jay near the Leics feeder area, a single Meadow Pipit on the dam.

A number of Dragonflies, Darters and Hornets about.

A cropped image -

21st Oct - mosty cloudy, light breeze, 11C

Willey; Eight Collared Doves on the Telegraph wires this morning.

Lilbourne Meadows; morning.

Similar birds as yesterday, more Wigeon though.

c35 Goldfinch on the bank teasels, Fieldfare and Redwings around.  Green Woodpecker heard.

Shawell Sandpit/landfill; morning.

c50 Teal, 11 Shovelers, Wigeon 4, Gadwall 4.

Eyebrook reservoir; afternoon.

Red-throated Diver, two Cattle Egrets and Great Egret all showing well.

At the bridge bird feeders a Coal Tit was showing well.

20th Oct - rain and breezy night. Light/steady rain all day, mod E, 14C

Lilbourne Meadows; morning

More duck here now, c60 Wigeon, 2 Gadwall, c90 Teal, a Shoveler and Mallards. c25 Canada Geese.

Several Redwings and Fieldfares around, 6+ Blackbirds.

Goldfinch flock, one Linnet and Reed Bunting.

19th Oct - rain last night. Showers today, mod SE, 16C

Willey;

At last few Redwings on the Church Yew trees today, plus a Mistle Thrush on the Holly tree.

Lilbourne Meadows; afternoon.

On the field flood pools - 93 Teal, 3 Wigeon, 11 Moorhens, 9 Mallards, 1 Shoveler and 4 Canada Geese.

c30 Starlings were feeding on the pasture, along with 4 Fieldfares, a Stock Dove flew in and a Mistle Thrush flew over.  c10 Goldfinches were feeding on Teasels on the bank.

18th Oct - cloudy, mod Easterly breeze, 14C

Lilbourne Meadows; afternoon

A quick look at the flood pools - 93 Teal, 8 Wigeon, 18 Canada Geese, and 8 Moorhens.

Also, one Lapwing.

A couple of Redwings in dead tree top.

17th Oct - mostly sunny, mod ENE, 14C

Willey; Comma Butterfly 1520h.

Shawell Sandpit/Landfill; afternoon.

16 Red Kites, two Buzzards and Ravens, feeding and enjoying the wind.

Eight Shovelers, 26 Teal, plus Tufties and Mallard.  4+ Little Grebes, six Moorhens.

c60 Great black backed Gulls and three Common Gulls among the LBB and Herring Gulls.

c500 Starlings on the landfill.

Several Hornets about the spinney area and a Red Admiral was sunning itself.

16th Oct - Frost again last night, high flat cloud, very light ESE, 11C

Willey; midday.

A Red Kite flew over low, eastward.

A Goldcrest around the Church Yews, and 5 Blackbirds, two Song Thrushes on the berries, but no Redwings.  A Green Woodpecker in the Church lane.

Lilbourne Meadows; afternoon.

Now 90 Teal on the newly flooded field area.

15th Oct - A air frost last night. Sunny, light NW, 11C

Willey; a Red Kite over low northward at 1150h.

Bittesby (area now designated for future Magna Park development country park).

Male and female Stonechat on the fallow field.

Stanford reservoir; afternoon.

Great Egret and two Grey Herons feeding, female Pintail, c15 Little grebes, 5 Chiffchaffs.

A few Redwings and c15 Fieldfares.  A Kestrel, three Red Kites and a Buzzard over.  A Jay.

14th Oct - sunny periods, mod NW, 13C

Lilbourne Meadows; afternoon.

The flood pools have been part restored after the recent rain, and 62 Teal were taking advantage of the new area.  A Buzzard flew over and a Jay was doing the rounds.  

In the rough area three Stonechats were found and a Roe Deer was feeding under a tree.

A Little Egret and Grey Heron were around the pools, a Shoveler drake flew in.

c20 Linnets were feeding on the weeds.

13th Oct - Rain duringn the night, cloudy am, then rain/showers pm, 17C, gusty, then mod SSW, 17C

Stanford reservoir; afternoon.

Two drake Red-crested Pochards,, Shovelers up to 60, also more Pochard today, 25.

c 50 Redwing on the Leics side, also c12 Goldfinches.

Four Whooper Swans were spotted off the point, feeding.  One was also found first thing this morning by C Hubbard, these may have come in this afternoon, maybe during a rain/windy spell.  

12th Oct - cloudy, very light SW, 14C

Willey, morning.

Several small groups of Redwings flying SW first thing, a few stopping on the bushes for a while.

Two, maybe three, male Blackcaps in the Church lane hedge, a Goldcrest too.

Male Sparrowhawk, 14 Goldfinches and two Greenfinches.

Stanford reservoir; afternoon.

The four Red-crested Pochard, still, 18 Teal, otherwise similar to last visit

1th Oct - cloudy, light SW,18C

Willey;

Two Chiffchaffs in the Church land hedge, morning..

10th Oct - light SW, 20C, sunny spells am, then mostly cloudy

Willey;

Red Admirals still around.

Lilbourne Meadows; afternoon.

Two little Egrets at a pool, a few Meadow Pipits about.

Four Stonechats found, three Males and a 1W.

I've included the out-of-focus male because you can just see it shows the plumage variant of having white feathers at the top of its tail.  Hopefully. I can get in-focus shots next time - if it stays still!!

9th Oct - sunny, very warm, 23C, light SSW

Willey;

First thing two  flocks of redwings flew low over, heading SW.  

Big movement into the country yesterday and today

8th Oct - Mostly sunny, light SSW, warm 22C

Willey; a jay flew out of the field in to the Long spinney near the allotments, no doubt gathering food to store.

Lilbourne Meadows; morning

c25 Goldfinch, c80 Linnets, a male Stonechat, Meadow Pipits and Skylarks.

Stanford reservoir; afternoon.

Four Red-crested Pochard, a female Pintail, Pochard 2, Teal 1 plus the other usual Ducks.

Chiffchaff and Blackcap.  Roving Long-tailed Tits flocks, with Goldcrest.  c15 Goldfinch feeding in the pines. 

More Common Gulls now with the LBBs and HGs.

Two red Kites.  2+ Ravens around.  

Comma, Red Admirals and Migrant Hawkers, Darters plus others.

7th Oct - cloudy am, hazy sunshine pm, light/mod WSW, 23C

Shawell sandpit/landfill; morning.

c150 Greylag, and 8 Canada Geese, an Egyptian Goose flew in.  Eight Teal, 1 Shoveler and 40 Tufted Ducks.  Four Little Grebes.  

A Red Kite, several Ravens.

A Red Admiral and Small White.

Lilbourne Meadows; early afternoon.

Unfortunately still no 'flood' pools - awhile away if the dry weather continues, however 14 Moorhen were busy feeding on the field.  A Buzzard 'hanging' in the wind over the bank.

6+ Red Admirals.

Stanford reservoir, afternoon.

The four Red-crested Pochards are still present, Shoveler numbers are up c40.  Pochard five.  Mute Swans c80.  Otherwise, just the usual birds seen

A Brimstone and several Red Admirals, plus Darters and Dragons, including this Migrant Hawker.  Fungi are beginning to show well now too.