31st March - Misty start, cloudy, mod-keen easterly, 10C, a little drizzle pm

 Lilbourne Meadows; morning.

Still c40 Wigeon present, a Little Egret, a Little Grebe, one Gadwall, Shoveler, Teal and Mallard.

Chiffchaff singing near main gate, a Robin pair - one collecting nest material.

DIRFT;

A quick look at the non-developed area by the A5, unfortunately soon to be developed.  An Oystercatcher, a Little -ringed Plover and Meadow Pipit were noted.

Stanford reservoir; afternoon.

Rather quiet, due to the weather no doubt.

A pair of Shovelers, two Shelduck on field pools, Red Kite over, a singing Song Thrush, single Goldfinch.

30th March - mostly sunny, mod SSW breeze, 15C

Stanford reservoir; afternoon.

Water birds were few, a drake Shoveler and 7 Goldeneye were notable.

A good number of Chiffchaffs around the reservoir now.

It was nice to see a early an Yellow Wagtail on the dam, my first March record.

Two Peacocks and a Comma butterfly too.

29th March - mod-brisk sometimes gusty SSW wind, with frequent (heavy) showers, mostly pm, 12C, but feeling cool

No obs today.

28thn March - cloudy, mod S wind becoming gusty with frequent squally/sharp showers, 9C, feeling cooler.

No obs today.

I did notice a pair Greenfinch yesterday enter the evergreens in the Church yard.  They have nested in these inn previous years.

27th March - Showers, 9C, but mod/brisk S - feeling like 5C, Showers

Lilbourne Meadows; afternoon

A quick look at the field flood pools. 

Only a few Wigeon now, c 10.  Shoveler, Teal, a Tufted Duck, Moorhens and Coots.  Little Gerbe pair.

Buzzard over  Linnets heard.

March 26th - mod high cloud, very light SE, 15C. Light rain started early evening.

Stanford reservoir; afternoon.

First butterfly, a Peacock.  A couple of Muntjacs seen too.

Two Fieldfares in the settling pool tree tops, a Little Egret on the field pools.

The Pink-footed Goose was with Greylags in the adjacent field near the spillway.

Seven Goldeneye, only 2 Wigeon seen. a Raven.

25th March - Light rain until midday. 9C,ight SSE

Willey;

Despite the mild, but wet weather, I've not seen a Butterfly anywhere yet.  However, Richard T said he saw a Brimstone a few days ago in his garden.

24th March - mod/fresh NW, 12C, sunny spells, mostly pm.

Willey; 

The Blackthorn in full flower along the church lane hedge - waiting for the singing Blackcap and passing Ring Ouzel!

Lilbourne Meadows; afternoon.

A Curlew and Oystercatcher pair on the rough meadows before flying off.

c20 wigeon, 65 Teal, 7+ Gadwall, c 15 Shovelers on the flood pools.  

Little Egret, three Buzzards overhead in territory dispute, A hunting Kestrel.

DIRFT;

Three Little Ringed Plovers, two Lapwings, one displaying.  A single Linnet and Meadow Pipit.

23rd March - Initially bright, the showers developing, short and sharp at times, brisk NW ,8C, feeling cold

Shawell sandpit/landfill; morning.

Fairly quiet, Shoveler 4, Teal, Tufted Duck c30, a Little Grebe. House Sparrow at the Redlands feeder.

Rain stopped play!

Stanford reservoir; afternoon.  Views mostly around dam area.

Chiffchaff 2, Goldeneye 3, Red Kite over.

Oystercatcher pair at inlet field pools and 3 Lapwings on the field (one displaying).

No Wigeon seen

22nd March - Sunny spells, light WNW, 12C

Stanford Reservoir; afternoon.

Goldeneye 3, Wigeon 15, Shoveler 3, Raven, Grey Heron 2.

Pink-footed Goose with Greylags still, on adjacent field near overflow.

Chiffchaff 3.

21st March - mostly cloudy, a few sunny spells pm, light/mod SW, 15C

Shawell Sandpit/Landfill; evening.

Three Shelducks, 21 Teal, Tufted Ducks, 9 Red Kites, Ravens, Grey Heron over, a Buzzard

20th March - cloudy, some drizzle and showers, 15C, light SW

Soar Brook Lake; 

Oystercatcher pair in residence, otherwise rather quiet.

Lilbourne Meadows, evening.

Two Little Egrets, 16 Shoveler, Shelduck drake, Tufted Duck pair, Teal, a Little Grebe.

19th March -0 showers, light SW, 15C

 Busy again, but I did notice a Muntjac in the Long Spinney just after the village turning.

18th March - cloudy/showers am, sunny intervals pm, 15C, light SW

No obs today

17th March - rain un til nearly mid-day, another 12mm, saturating the ground. Sunny spells and warm, 15C during the afternoon.

Stanford reservoir; afternoon.

After the rain the reservoir is very 'discoloured' again due to the river flowing through bring the run-off straight in.  This make it unfavourable for the ducks as it becomes difficult feeding conditions.  

so, I was surprised to find 8 Pintails (4m/4f) resting on the water.  Also, 8 Goldeneye.

For me,  a count 8 is good for here, only once before and the only higher count is of 10. both in the autumn.  

Here's some data of my Pintails obs here since Sept 2011, excluding todays count..

16th March - sunny start, clouding over, light breeze SW-S, 11C, shower evening

Lilbourne Meadows; afternoon.

Skylarks and Meadow Pipits have returned, some song.

A Peregrine sat in a tree near the flood pools.

Oystercatcher pair near a pool. c100 Wigeon, Shoveler, Teal.  

9 Fieldfares, 6 Stock Doves.

Shawell sandpit/landfill;

14 Red Kites, c30 Ravens, 2 Great-crested Grebes (unusual here).

Teal, Shoveler, Gadwall, Tufed and Mallard.

15th March - mostly cloudy, light/mod SW, 14C, showers pm.

Willey;

0900h - a Barn Owl flew from the barn yard in to the old tree near Hurls Furlong gate.  Pellets have been found under the barn where there is a box, the tree also has some cavities.

14th March - cloudy, a few short breaks, light/mod SW, 14C, showers late afternoon.

Willey; 

Red Kite over SW, 0850h.

c 20 Fieldfare over NW.

13th March - Cloudy, light/mod SW, 12C

 No obs today.

12th March - rain all morning, then cloudy, mod SW, 8C

 Willey; afternoon.

Two Red Kites over south, one whistling

A pair Mallard over, towards back field pond.  A male Yellowhammer and two Chaffinches at the paddock feed station

11th March - drizzle first thing, then cloudy/dull at time, light NW, 8C

Willey; this morning a Goldcrest was singing quietly in the Church Yew.  A couple of Ravens flew over low, squabbling as they went.

Lilbourne Meadows; late afternoon.

Usual duck selection, c150 Wigeon, c 25 Teal.

Great Spotted Woodpecker, Long-tailed Tit,

10th March - rain most of the day, 13mm by evening. Light E, 8C

Mere Lane Lake; morning.

14 Tufted, two Little Grebes.  Mute Swan pair.

Soar Brook Lake;

Oystercatcher pair, a Great-crested Grebe (infrequent here), two Little Grebes, only one Wigeon.

9th March - sunny spells, mod E, 12C. Chilly in the wind

Stanford Reservoir; 1300h

A highlight was to see the Firecrest that Chris found this morning near the inlet, always a treat to see this colourful, busy bird.  Spent a lot of time in an Ivy covered bush.  A Goldcrest too, that confused some!!

Stanford Hall;

Two Oystercatchers were lake side, 41 Wigeon, 3 each Grey Heron and Little Egrets.

52 Canada and 14 Greylags.  One Cormorant.

8th March - mostly cloudy, brief sunny spells late afternoon, mod/breeztye, 9C, but feeling cold

Lilbourne Meadows; afternoon, field pools.

19 Shoveler, Teal, Gadwall, Wigeon, Mallard, Little Grebe pair, Coots and Moorhen.

A male Sparrowhawk flew through, a few Redwings and Fieldfares.

DIRFT - A5 pools

Five Shelducks

7th March - dull, low cloud early, slowly lifting, a few sunny spells late afternoon, light E, 10C

Willey;

Lambing in full swing now.

Mistle Thrush singing well still in BH wood area.  Great Spotted Woodpecker drumming too.

A Buzzard over mid- morning.

6th March - dull/low cloudy first thing, lifting, patchy cloud pm, light ESE, 10C

Willey; a Red Kite over fields behind village pons, 1450h.

5th March - Sunny spells, light NE, 11C

Stanford-on-Avon; late afternoon- monument fields and lakeside (Northants)

Green Woodpecker, Grey Heron, Great White and Little Egret.

Plenty of Greylags and Canada Geese present.

Two Song Thrush, one singing.

Stanford reservoir;

The Gull roost is much smaller now.  Only a handful of larger Gulls.  About 80% Common Gulls, the rest Black-Headed.  

A Buzzard was around the dam area.

4th March - Frost -2C last night. Sunny am, cloudier pm, 9C, light SE

Busy.

But, the Mistle Thrush was singing just about all morning near the BH wood.

3rd March - Frost -2C last night. sunny am, patchy cloud pm, light W, 9C

No rain today - yet!! (2100h)

Lilbourne Meadows; afternoon.

c300 Wigeon, c15 Shoveler, c20 Gadwall, c 50 Teal, 2 Little Grebe, a Little Egret.

c250 Golden Plover circling very high, gaining height and lost from view.

Four noisy Carrion Crows in an Oak tree draw my attention, in the tree a Raven.  It was pulling off dead/rotten bark from branches.  It eventually flew off east towards the wind turbines with a beak full.

A Mink was seen along the Clifton brook (BCN WT informed).

DIRFT;

An Oystercatcher, 37 Lapwings, a few Wigeon and Teal.

Stanford-on-Avon.

The Cattle egret was present in the monument field area again, among the Sheep.

2nd March - cloudy, light-mod SE/S, 6C, light rain/showers pm

Willey; 

Nice to see a Yellowhammer (m) and 3 Chaffinches at my feed station this morning.

A Collared Dove pair are busy building in the garden pyracanth bush.

Misterton; morning.

Nuthatch calling, 2 Goldcrests busy feeding in Ivy.  Red Kite over.

Shawell Sandpit/landfill; afternoon.

10 Red Kites, 20 Ravens, Green and Great Spotted Woodpeckers.

Only a few Gulls, including this colour ringed GBBG.

Stanford Hall;

c40 Wigeon, Great White Egret lakeside.

Stanford on Avon, monument fields

Cattle Egret still present.

Also, c25 Siskin and 12 Goldfinch feeding lane and lake side trees.  Green Woodpecker

Stanford reservoir;

Rather quiet, only looked from dam end.  Drake Goosander, 43 Wigeon, 2 Goldeneye, 3 Grey Herons, 6 Red-legged Partridges.

Pink-footed Goose with Greylags grazing on pasture near outflow river.

1st March - Rain most of morning, then showers, light-breezy at times SE/SW, 7C

WIlley;

Despite the miserable weather a Great Spotted Woodpecker was drumming from an Ash tree in the back field.

Stanford on Avon; afternoon.

The Cattle Egret was again feeding on the monument fields flood pools.

A Little Egret was lake side (Leics), whilst 8 Grey Herons were present, most on the island (Northants).

c25 Siskin were in the trees feeding, with a few Goldfinch too.