31st May - mostly cloudy, light-mod N, 15C

Lilbourne; afternoon.

Garganey back again.  Four Little Egrets, a Redshank, Kestrel.  Male Yellow Wagtail.

Soar Brook Lake, evening.

Rather quiet, was surprised to see three Sand Martins (with House Martins), feeding around the lake - I wonder were they are nesting.

30th May - showers, light-mod NNW, 15C

Lilbourne Meadows; late afternoon.

Oystercatcher family, a Redshank.  Yellow Wagtail pair feeding.  Four Little Egrets.  Shoveler pair, 

Two great Spotted Woodpeckers in hedgerow saplings.

Stanford reservoir; evening.

Drake Garganey (found earlier by Chris), likely the one from Lilbourne Meadows.

Cuckoo calling.  c200 Swift overhead, plus Swallows and House Martins.

29th May - broken cloud, some short light showers, light -mod W, 17C

Lilbourne Meadows; evening.

Drake garganey still present, also the Ringed Plover.  A couple of Lapwing and a Redshank.

Four Little Egrets.  Three Shovelers.

A Yellow Wagtail pair and another male came in.

28th May - frequent showers, mod-fresh SW, 17C

Lilbourne Meadows; evening.

Drake Garganey again.  Oystercatcher pair with two juvs, a Ringed Plover.

Yellow Wagtail pair.

Three drake Shovelers and a female.

Four Little Egrets and Two Grey Herons.

27th May - sunny intervals and showers (most pm), mod SW, 16C

Lilbourne Meadows; morning

Single Dunlin and Redshank.  Two Curlew dropped in.  Three Little Egrets.  

Male Yellow Wagtail feeding.  Three drake Shoveler and one female.

A few Swifts and House Martins passed over.

Brandon Marsh; afternoon

Three Hobbies hawking, a Ringed Plover asleep, Little Ringed Plovers too.

Blackcap and Garden Warblers still singing.

Plus all the other usual birds.

A nice, newly emerged Lime Hawk Moth was spotted by some visitors and they showed it me, easily missed on the tree trunk.

A single Red Admiral.

Shawell Sandpit/landfill;  NE sandy lane pit only;  evening.

Main sightings were a single Dunlin and a Shelduck pair

26th May, sunny spells and showers, light-mod SW, 18C

Lilbourne Meadows; morning

Nothing new about from a flew through Ringed Plover.

Eyebrook reservoir; afternoon.

Highlights included a pair of Garganey, an Avocet, an Egyptian Goose.  Plenty of Common Terns, many nesting on the exposed shingle at various locations.  

Garden Warbler singing well near the 'bunker'.

25th May - mostly sunny, light ESE, 19C

Lilbourne Meadows; morning and afternoon.

A smart drake Garganey was showing well, sitting on the grass next to the water, alas I had not photography kit with me.  I could not find it after lunch.

A couple of Shoveler drakes and Little Egrets too.

DIRFT 3; afternoon.

Along the path adjacent to M! a number of butterflies, Small Heath, Common Blue, Peacock and Large White.

A Whitethroat was singing and Lapwing in territory.

Shawell Sandpit and Landfill area;

Surprisingly quite a few Gulls in for a Saturday afternoon, principally Lesser Black Backed.  

I didn't count the Raven today, but over 30, with some fledglings being given food still.  Seven Mute Swans, which is quite a good number for here.

24th May - mostly cloudy, light SW, 15C

Lilbourne Meadows; afternoon.

A Teal pair, a drake Shoveler (as always) which chased off a pair that came in.  Gadwalls, Mallards, Little Grebe.  Three Little Egrets.

A Yellow Wagtail.  Several Swifts feeding over the bank.

Stanford reservoir;

There seems to be a good number of Common terns this year, so hopefully there will be a productive breeding season.

c50 Swifts and House Martins over, two Buzzards and a Red Kite.

A Treecreeper pair feeding fledglings, not long out of the nest.  Several Garden Warblers still singing well.  The Reed Buntings seem to be singing more now too.

23rd May - Cloudy, light NW, 15C

Another cool day.

22nd May - rain practically all day, light WNW, 15C

Lilbourne Meadows; afternoon.

The nice surprise today was to find a Red-necked Phalarope on the pools, 

21st May - cloudy, showers am, light NW, 15C

 Willey; a Red Kite  over the Perkins fields area mid-morning.

A Little Ringed Plover at a new nearby lake.

20th May - sunny periods, light NE, 20C

Lilbourne Meadows; later afternoon.

A Greenshank, two Shelducks, a male Yellow Wagtail, Three Little Egrets.

Four Gadwall, drake Shoveler, seven Black-headed Gulls feeding.

19th May - Sunny periods, steady NE, 16C - North Norfolk

A visit here today, unfortunately all the scarce birds seemed to have moved off last night, however there always plenty to see.

Choseley Barns area - the keen wind kept the passerines hiding, so no Corn Bunting.  However, a pair of Grey Partridges along Chalk pit lane stood out.  Also, two Marsh Harriers hunting the fields, keeping the Hares alert.   A couple of red Kites and a Kestrel too.

North Point Pools; a lovely Spoonbill flew over.  Plenty of the other regular birds expected here.

Cley NWT; Pretty quiet.  Avocets had young about, a Common Sandpiper, Three Black-tailed Godwits Sandwich Terns off shore.

Titchwell RSPB;  Black and Bar-tailed Godwits, a Mediterranean Gull, single Ringed Plover, a good number of Common terns on the islands.

18th May - Hazy sun am, sunny spells pm, 20C, light NNE-NE

Lilbourne Meadows; morning.

Disappointingly still no wader passage.

Red Kite Over, a male Yellowhammer flew over the field to alight on hedge top.

Otherwise similar to recent visits.

Brandon March; afternoon;

A nice selection of birds on the east marsh, including Redshank, Oystercatchers (2 pairs - one with young), Little Ringed Plovers, Lapwing pairs, a female Goosander (sleeping).  Two Little Grebes

Male and female Cuckoo, Garden Warbler., Lesser Whitethroat singing too.

On the tip area, 6+ Green Hairstreaks, 2 Small h#Heaths and a Burnet Companion moth.

17th May -Sunny intervals, 20C, light SSE

 Soar Brook Lake; afternoon early.

Grey Wagtail female and 3 juvs.

Lilbourne Meadows;

The Mallard with 15 ducklings again, a a Coot with 3 young.

Four Little Egrets, a Lapwing still in territory.   A Green Woodpecker heard and a Greenfinch singing.

Stanford reservoir;

Nothing new, the local Oystercatcher pair flew over.

Plenty of Common Tern activity.

16th May - rsain most of the day, sometimes heavy., 18C

Lilbourne Meadows; evening.

Four Little Egrets, drake Teal and Shoveler,, several Gadwall, two Stock Doves.

Mallard with 15 ducklings.  24 Canada Geese.  Single Lapwing.

15th May - Sunny spells, light SE, 20C

Lilbourne Meadows; evening.

A Common Sandpiper, a Little Egret, Tufted Duck pair.  Shoveler drake, Oystercatcher. 

14th May - Light rain till mid-day, then cloudy, mod SE, 16C

Lilbourne Meadows - early afternoon.

Wood Sandpiper still present, plus two Common Sandpipers, a Dunlin and a Redshank.  Plus the usual Ducks.

Several Swifts about, plus a few House Martins - the latter not seen often here.

19 Starling busily gathering food on the sheep pasture and taking it off.

13th May - cloudy, light-mod, fresh evening, S-SE-ESE, 19C

Lilbourne Meadows; evening.

A Wood Sandpiper (often feeding with the regular Redshank), two Common Sandpipers, usual Lapwing.

17 Canada Geese - most have been some passing birds.  Two Little Egrets, Shoveler pair, Teal -pair and single drake, Gadwall - pair and single drake.

Stanford reservoir; evening.

Two Hobbies hawking low over the water.  Plus the other regulars.

12th May - sunny and very warm, 25C, light E

Lilbourne Meadows; morning.

Still no wader passage on the flood pools, but 5 Little Egrets feeding.

Five Buzzards circling and calling over head, 4 drake Gadwall and a single drake Shoveler, otherwise similar to recent visits.

Northants wood; afternoon.

Two Nightingales singing, Green Woodpecker, Garden Warbler and Blackcap, a Green Woodpecker also a Cuckoo.  Red Kite with nest.

Still so few butterflies around after the very wet and cold April, only a few Orange-tips, a Brimstone, Red Admiral and a couple of Speckled Woods.

11th May - Sunny, light ESE, 23C

Lilbourne Meadows, morning.

Nothing new today.  Whitethroat singing near the entrance gate, two Little Egrets and Redshank.

Rutland Water; afternoon.

Went to see/hear the Savi's Warbler.

Passage waders included a Turnstone, a Greenshank, two Grey Plovers, and a Sanderling.

Several Hobbies overhead.  A couple of Swifts.  Two Jays flying over the reed bed.

Cuckoo singing.

A regular colour ringed Black-headed Gull 2CCS.

10th May - Sunny, ,24C, light ESE

Stanford reservoir; afternoon.

Eight Black terns were still present from this morning. 

Cuckoo singing, a Common Sandpiper on the spillway overflow wall.

Back to the Song Thrush, Paul Bunyard spotted it singing this morning and took this fabulous video of it singing, enjoy.

Lilbourne meadow, evening.

Nothing new in, a Redshank was present, at least the flood pools are drying and we shall soon have some mud.  Teal and Shovelers pairs again.

Eleven Starling were busy collecting food and taking it off to youngsters somewhere close.

9th May - Sunny, 23C, light NNE

Lilbourne Meadows; afternoon

The Dunlin was still present and a Redshank showing.

Lesser Whitethroat singing.

Stanford Reservoir; evening

Nothing new, a Raven calling.

Whitethroat, Garden Warbler, Blackcap, Chiffchaff and Sedge Warblers all singing.

There was a Song Thrush singing beautifully from a branch in the sun and I tried to get video bu it was no good, however see tomorrows notes.

8th May - Mostly sunny, 22C, light SSW

Lilbourne Meadows - evening

Dunlin still, single Lapwing, Gadwall and Teal pairs, Shoveler, two drakes and a pair.  A single Little Grebe feeding.  Whitethroat singing.

Shawell sandpit/landfill;

Egyptian Goose and Little Grebe pairs.

Great Spotted Woodpecker in the spinney. 

7th May - Sunny periods, 19C, light NNE

Lilbourne Meadows; afternoon and evening.

Common Sandpiper, Redshank and a distant Dunlin.  Green Sandpiper and three Tufted Ducks in the evening.

Gadwall pair, Shoveler drake.  Lapwing displaying.

Goldfinch pair.

6th May - Sunny, light NE, 18C

Lilbourne Meadows; morning.

Common Sandpiper, two Redshanks, Mallard with a brood.  A Shelduck. Gadwall two drakes. A  Little Egret.  Two Stock Doves.

Two Roe Deer and a Fox on the bank.

Shawell sandpit/landfill;

Five Gadwall drakes, a Little Egret (unusual here).   A Coot with 5 youngsters.

Green and Great Spotted Woodpecker.

Eyebrook reservoir; afternoon.

Acres of mud but no waders!  But, a Redshank and Oystercatcher on the stony area of the 'island' area.

Five Black Terns, 12 + Common Terns.

Stonechat pair, inlet area.  A Red Kite and Buzzard.