17th Oct - mostly sunny, light SW, very mid up to 18C

Willey;

Only the odd Redwing remained from yesterdays flock, I guess they had a good feed and continued on their way.

A Small Copper was noted on the wing, ironically the first I've seen here this year!

Lilbourne Meadows; afternoon.

18 Shoverlers, a few Teal and Wigeon, a single Little Egret and Kestrel.

Unfortunately, some recent disturbance due to shepherding activities meant not a lot was currently present.

16th Oct - cloudy, little fine drizzle early, dull at times, light SSE, 18C - very mild

Willey; 0900, about 70 Redwings flew in to the Church Yews and lane hedge, followed by others and flying around, total c100.

Bittesby Country Park; two stonechats (male and prob female) in usual  weedy field area.

Soar Brook Lake area; afternoon.

Rather quiet here, only a Little Grebe,three Moorhens and a Mallard at the lake.  On the adjacent arable field were four Buzzards searching for food (worms), seven plus Pied Wagtails and a ac200 loathing assorted Gulls.   A single Jay was by the fence Oak tree.

A couple of fungi were fruiting in the grass area.

15th Oct - mostly cloudy, light SE, 15C

Willey;  1520h, c100 Redwings flew over direct southward.   Reports from this morning on the east coat of thousand arriving.

Lilbourne Meadows; afternoon.

Flood pools - 30 Lapwings, c40 each Wigeon and Teal, two  Gadwall, a Little Grebe and 14 Shovelers.

A Green  Woodpecker, Stock Dove

14th Oct - light rain pre-dawn, then some drizzle am, cloudy, light easterly, 11C

Willey; morning

Whilst checking the church lane and fields a Sparrowhawk came past and spooked everything, flushing c10 Redwings from the hedge, then more from another hedge further on, so about 20 Redwings around today.

Shawell sand pit/landfill; afternoon.

20 Red Kites around today.  Still seven Mute Swans, but few ducks again, only three Teal with the Tufties.

13th Oct - high flat cloud, 10C, WNW-SW

Willey; first thing four Yellowhammers and a Mistle Thrush in the Perkins fields area.

Lilbourne Meadows; morning

Fairly quiet, two Little Egrets, 5+ Meadow Pipits, Green Woodpecker,  flock of 14 Goldfinch.

Shawell sandpit/landfill;

Five Red Kite, then Great-crested Grebe still.  An adult Yellow-legged Gull dropped in.

Pitsford reservoir; afternoon. Reserve area

Plenty of Wigeon, seven Pintails, only five Pochards seen, c25 Lapwings on the dam.   

Several Greenfinches around the ringing /feeder area.

Stanford reservoir; 

News that four Whooper Swans had dropped in, so I popped in on the way back from Pitsford, they were still present.

12th Oct - light showers am, clearing to sunny spells, light W, 13C

Shawell Sandpit/Landfill; morning

No Ferruginous Ducks today (checked again late afternoon), further it seemed that quite a few other ducks, Pochard and Tufted, have gone, but six Gadwall and a Great-crested Grebe were new in.  Otherwise, just the regulars.

Stanford reservoir; afternoon.

No sign of  yesterdays Ferruginous Duck here either.  Numbers seemed about the same with nothing new noted.   Four Red-crested Pochard (two males and a female in Keepers bay and a lone female on the main water).

A few Goldcrests with the Long-tailed Tits now, a Treecreeper along the river by-pass path.   

11th Oct - widespread grass frost (0C), last night. Sunny, light breeze SW, 12COct -

Willey;

Last night the aurora borealis displayed very well and such a rare event here was magnificent o see, the following pics were taken about 2200h, although it lasted in to the early hours of today.

Now the bad news, John M had seen the Little Egrets again the following day in the same field.  However this morning he found a dead one with its head missing in the field.  How did this happen??

Two Ravens and a Red Kite were over the village about 1400h.

A Comma and Large White were seen during the day here.

Stanford reservoir; afternoon.

It was all rather serene and calm here today.  Six Red-crested Pochards were seen, otherwise just the regulars, although a Coal Tit was present in the pines with Blue Tits near the Water Tower.  A single Grey and two Pied Wagtails were on the dam.  

A male Stonechat was in the adjacent weedy field near the track.

I saw Steve Wright who had just seen a Clouded Yellow (photographed too), first for the year!

Then early evening Chris posted he had found a female Ferruginous Duck, I wonder if an ex-Shawell bird, I shall check tomorrow.