29th June - cloudy, breaking pm to sunny intervals, 26C, light SW

Shawell Sandpit and Landfill area; late afternoon.

The Ferruginous Duck was still present.  Again, the light, heat haze, dark water reflection plus distance is making it very hard to get a  half decent photo.  So, hopefully it hangs around awhile.as indeed the three did last autumn.  I'm sure its a female, dark eye, and pretty certain its an adult, but clearer views and pics would help.

28th June - cloud clearing to sunny periods, mod-blustery SW, 28C

Willey; 0840h, a male Redstart along top fence line.  Earliest I had at Willey.

Lilbourne Meadows; morning

Rather quiet, two Little Egrets, three Green Sandpipers and a Little Ringed Plover.

Shawell Sandpit/landfill; morning.

The Egyptian Geese family still together, now well grown into juvs.  Four Lapwings, a drake Teal and two drake Pochard with then Tufted and Mallards.  a Grey Heron.

whilst scanning through the ducks I spotted a reddish-brown duck with a grey bill swimming towards me, although distantly, when it turned sideways I could see white under tail coverts.  A Ferruginous Duck.

Despite the bright sunshine and distance I had reasonable views before I lost it, further I had not got my digiscope adapter with me.  I returned after lunch but could n ot find it.

I looked again, 2000h, and found the bird again, again awful light and distant but managed a few record shots.  Hopefully better tomorrow.

27th June - light pre-dawn shower, sunny spells, mod-blustery SW, 26C, humid

Willey; a Red Kite briefly over small field being mown to the east early afternoon.

Lilbourne Meadows; evening

Five Green Sandpipers, an Oystercatcher, a Little Ringed Plover, Lapwing., a grey Heron

5 Marbles White, one each Gatekeeper, Peacock, Small Heath, Green-veined White, several Small Skippers

26thJune - sunny periods, mod-blustery W/SW, 22C

Willey; a red Kite over 1610h.  Some grass due to be cut in the next few days, so this should attract several to the fields to seek prey.

Lilbourne Meadows; evening.

Waders included 2 Green Sandpipers, a Redshank, a Curlew dropped in, Lapwing and each Oystercatchers and  Little Ringed Plovers.

Three Grey Heron.

The Curlew was distant on the west pool and only viewable through a gate, so digiscoping was difficult.

25th June - sunny periods, 25C, light SW

Willey; a Lesser Whitethroat was heard singing at 0730h from the lane-allotments hedge.

Claybrooke Cemetery; afternoon

I checked for Spotted Flycatcher, but none found, just a busy Robin, a Green Woodpecker and Goldcrests.

Swift Valley; evening

A visit here to search for Purple Hairstreak butterflies.  At first I could not find any, but by scanning the very tops, crowns, of the Oaks from a distance with nthe binoculars I could see some.  Eventually a good viewing point was found and there seemed to be Hairstreaks everywhere, but high up, none coming down at all.

Birds included Green Woodpecker, Blackcap, a Bullfinch, and Chiffchaff

24th June - cloud clearing to sunny spells, blustery SW, 25C

Willey; a Mistle Thrush on the lawn at 2112h

Lilbourne Meadows; evening.

Notable le were six Green Sandpipers, a Redshank, three Oystercatchers.

The two Lapwing chick, now quite large, are still present on the west pool mud.

23rd June - Sunny spells, blustery SW, 22C

Lilbourne Meadows;, evening

Two green Sandpipers and a Grey Heron. Little grebe, Grey Wagtail, Gadwall.

Shawell Sandpit/landfill area

Several Sand Martins, Green Woodpecker, six Red Kites, Ravens.

A drake Pochard and three Teal were new.

Pleanty of Little Grebe nesting activity.

22nd June - brisk SW, 22C, sunny spell, cloudy increasing and cooling

Lilbourne Meadows; morning.

I counter 40 Marble White, with others present in the areas adjacent to the counting.

Two Green Sandpipers, three Oystercatchers, a Little Egret and three Grey Herons.

A Common blue, a Small Heath, a Red Admiral, Small Tortoiseshell, Meadow Browns, Large White and Ringlet.

    

Stanford reservoir; afternoon.

Several Swifts, a Little Egret, Grey Heron, Garden Warbler and Blackcap, nine Goldfinch.

Nice selection of common butterflies, including a Painted Lady.

Quite a few Dragonflies today.

21st June - hot, peak 29C, humidity high today, clouding over with a couple v short light showers before cleraring, light SE

Shawell Sandpit/Landfill area; afternoon

The Egyptian Geese family still present, with the goslings nearing juv stage.

Six+ Red Kites, Ravens and plenty of other corvids.

More Coots with broods on the water, Little Grebes noisy, hopefully further young to come.

Two Grey Herons stalking for food.   

First Black-headed Gull back after the breeding season

20th June - Mostly Sunny, 30C, light SE

Newbold Quarry NR; afternoon

Went to check for Silver -washed Fritillary butterflies, seen four.

Lilbourne Meadows; evening

17+ Marbled whites counted.

Green Sandpiper still.  Green Woodpecker on the 'adjacent meadow.

19th June - Sunny, hot 28C, very light breeze.

 Lutterworth;

I checked the buildings off the Leicester road for roof nesting Gulls, I counted 11 Lesser Black-backed and one Herring Gull flying around the buildings and on the roofs, they eyed me suspiciously.  Eventually I managed to find one LLB nest that had a incubating bird on, I'm sure there are other nests out of sight.  I'll have to check with a drone when young have hatched and large.

It was pretty hot up there, as they were panting a lot.

18th June - mostly sunny, light SW, 26C

Lutterworth; morning

Belated news of a Hoopoe, so checked a few areas, not found.  Several House Sparrows and also five Swifts over Greenacres estate.

However, I did come across a Roe Deer that had not spotted me until it was quite close in the paddock adjacent to Brookfield Way.

Magna Park; central; afternoon

I checked out an area which has held Marbled White in the past, I found just one today.  Also three Green Woodpeckers - two were juvs.

Swift Valley WWT; evening

Looked for Purple hairstreak, but non definitely seen   Other Butterflies included Red Admiral,  Large Skipper, Large White, Meadow Brown and Comma.

Lilbourne Meadows; evening

A quick check here; Green Sandpiper, a Oystercatcher and Redshank still.

Two juv Little Grebes, five lapwings, five Swifts over.

17th June - Sunny, 25C, light breeze W

Mere Lane lake area; afternoon.

Pair of Little Grebes feeding a juv.  Singing Reed  Bunting and Warblers still.

Mute Swan pair with 6 cygnets still.

Lilbourne Meadows; evening

10 Marbled Whites this evening.  Very attractive  even with closed wings.

A Little Egret and two Grey Herons, a Green Sandpiper and two Redshanks.  Two Oystercatchers feeding on the meadow.  Moulting drake Shoveler.  Large lapwing chick seen feeding on the mud, through the gate.,

A single Roe Deer on the bank.

16th June - Sunny, light W/SW, 25C

Lilbourne Meadows; evening

Lapwings, Redshank, Green Sandpiper, and a Snipe

A Little Egret and Grey heron.

Reed Bunting and Sedge Warbler singing.

Lots meadow Brown, Large and Small Skippers, 7+ Marbled White

15th June - mostly sunny, mod SW, 20C

Lilbourne Meadows; evening

Wood and Green Sandpiper.

Shoveler drake (moulting now), Redshank, Lapwing - one large chick visible, Gadwall, juv Little Grebe.

Linnet and Goldfinch.  Reed Warbler.

Shawell Sandpit/landfill area;

Egyptian Goose family still., 6 Mute Swans, 6 adult Little Grebes and two juvs, 10 ravens, drake Pochard with the mallards and Tufties. three Buzzards over, a Grey heron feeding.

14th June - sunny periods, light-mod SW, 22C

 WIlley; a Jay flew in to the top spinney first thing from the Hurls Furlong hedge.

Husbands Bosworth Sandpit; evening

Three pairs Little Grebe, five Tufted Dusks and c10 Mallards, 10 Lapwings, two Coots and a Moorhen, a male Yellowhammer.

13th June - mostly sunny until late afternoon, then high cloud, light S, 26C

I heard today that the Ferruginous Ducks that Carl and I watched  last September at Shawell sandpit have been accepted by the BBRC - take a look back at thew photos.

Soar Brook Lake; morning

Four Ravens over, three Cormorants, a Little Grebe, Tufted Duck - a single drake and a pair, Mallard and Greylag Gosse with young.

Cotesbach-Sandy Lane; evening.

A Lesser Whitethroat in the hedge.

11 Red Kites sunning/warming themselves on the slope of the old sand pit.

Lilbourne Meadows;

New was a Wood Sandpiper.  Also a Green Sandpiper and Redshank, a single Little Egret and Little Grebe

A Green Woodpecker, five Long-tailed Tits in the hedge, plus other regulars.

12th June - sunny spells, showers pm, mod E-S, 22C

Newton 5-Arches; evening

A Whitethroat was singing from atop a bush.  A Red-legged Partridge was in the adjacent field.

A single Marbled White was found, along with Small Heath and several Meadow Browns.

Lilbourne Meadows

New in were two green Sandpipers.  Also, a Little Egret flew in.

A Redshank, two Stock Doves, Swifts 14 - over the bank

11th June - mostly sunny, light-mod SE, 23C

Willey; morning

Great Spotted Woodpecker, Chiffchaff and Blackcap in BH wood, but no Spotted Flycatcher seen yet.

I noticed a Buzzard take a young Jackdaw from a tree along the allotment field hedge.

Site A:  Four Little Ringed Plovers with one juvenile

Site B: Nine Little Ringed Plovers with 3 juveniles and two chicks.

Lapwing chicks 6 in total (3 in photo, 1 mostly hidden)

10th May - Sunny spells, mod SW, 18C

Lilbourne Meadows;

Several Small Heath and a Small Tortoiseshell along the footpath parallel with M1. 

Chilcote; NW Leics; evening

Whilst at Manor Farm I noticed they had nesting House Martins, Swallows and House Sparrow (in nest boxes)

9th May - sunny spells, mod SW, 18C

Willey;

A Mistle Thrush was singing this afternoon and a Raven flew over.

A Kestrel was seen hunting near cross-in-hand roundabout.

Lilbourne Meadows; evening

Rather quiet, two Redshanks, two Little Egrets, Kestrel hunting, four Swifts over

8th June - sunny spells, mod-breezy at times W, 17C, odd spots rain at times

Lilbourne Meadows; morning

Nothing new, pretty quiet today.

Shawell Sandpit/landfill areas

The Egyptian Goose family (7 goslings) still present.  10-15 Sand Martins over the south pit.

Three pairs Little Grebes, six Red Kites and a Buzzard. Six Lapwings.   Another Coot brood of seven chocks on the water.

Newton Five Arches; afternoon

Nice selection of the commoner birds, including Warblers and Great Spotted Woodpecker.

Looking for Butterflies, but a not too many around due to the cool, windy conditions.  Speckled Wood, Green-veined White, Meadow Brown, Large Skipper and Common Blue.

A Giant Cranefly, possible Buff tip Moth caterpillar and Marsh Orchids.

7th June - sunny intervals, showers mid afternoon/evening, light SW

Lilbourne Meadows; evening

Three Little Egrets, a Grey Heron.

A Lapwing covering three chicks from the rain; three other adults present.  A Redshank. 

Little Grebe juvenile.

6th June - showers, light SW, 17C

Lilbourne Meadows; afternoon.

Just the regulars, plus a Great Spotted Woodpecker.

Stanford reservoir; evening

Drake Teal, Pochard and Shoveler on dam. 

Grey Wagtail pair and four juvs.  House, Sand martins, Swallows and Swifts feeing over the water.

Two Oystercatchers

A 'raft' of Coots plus those on the dam totalled 94.. 

5th June - Light rain early, then sunny spells, Light-mod SW, showers evening and cool, 16C

Lilbourne Meadows; evening

A quick look, rather quiet.  Juv Little Grebe, a Little Egret, Grey Heron, a Redshank, a Lapwing, a few starlings about, plenty juv Pied Wagtails, drake Shoveler.

A Fox walked past the field flood pools.

4th June - sunny spells, mod-blustery SW, 18C

Lilbourne Meadows; evening.

A juv Little grebe was showing.

A Lapwing chick, several days old, was spotted through the distant gate, which was difficult o digiscope, but good to see, possibly others out of view.

A Redshank.  a Little Egret, Shoveler pair and Gadwall drake were present too.

Shawell Sandpit/Landfill; evening

A quick look here and to do some vegetation trimming at the view point.

Four, poss six, Little Grebes. A Lapwing was perform a distractive behavior to steer a Fox away, so maybe has a nest nearby.

Drake Pochard still, unusual here in June.