10th May - sunny spells am, clouds and short/sharp showers increasing during the afternoon, wind increasing mod/blustery (15mph), 15C

 Cotesbach Landfill; a look this evening, nothing new and rather empty, most birds sitting out the wind.  About 20 each of Swallow and House Martin, plus a few Sand Martins.

Lilbourne Meadows; a look here next, views across the wet meadow from the path.  

A Lapwing pair with a single chick were feeding.  A Buzzard flew low directly over, the parents hassled it, the chick didn't take any notice carried on feeding!  Also, present were Little Grebe, an Oystercatcher, 6 Gadwall, Mallard, Tufted Duck, Mute Swans, Grey Lag and Canada Geese.  Stock Dove and Woodpigeons, three Swift overhead and a few Swallows.

9th May - sunny spells, mod/breezy southerly, 18C

Cotesbach landfill; A Sanderling and a couple of Dunlin this morning.  The last few days has seen a good passage of these waders over the country, so nice to have some drop in to the sandpit area.  Despite the distance and bright light a few record photos were taken.

Also, a single Egyptian Goose, Gadwall pair and Common Sandpiper.

Stanford reservoir; a look this afternoon.  Most notable were a minimum Swift feeding over the Leics bank. Nine Common Tern feeding over the water.  A single Yellow Wagtail, Grey Heron and a few House and Sand Martins and Swallows

8th May - rain all morning, easing to light rain/drizzle pm, becoming breezy, 13C

WIlley; I noticed a 'dark' Heron at a pond this morning in the rain, I went back later with the camera and got a few Photos, its was just a dark grey Heron in the end.

Continuing the dark theme, I then saw a  'dark' Grey Squirrel on the road verge near Muswell Leys entrance.

Lilbourne Meadows;  a check here this afternoon for the Temminck's Stint, but not found.  17 Dunlin, 2 Ringed Plovers, a Common Sandpiper, several Little Ringed Plovers, Lapwing, 3 Yellow Wagtails, 8 adult Starlings feeding, a Shelduck, Little Grebe 'trilling'.   A good number of Swallows and House martins feeding over the flooded area too.

DRIFT 3/A5;  then a look over the flooded development area.  16 Ringed Plover, 9 Dunlin, a Turnstone and 3 Sanderling were all feeding together.  

7th May - Sunny spells, light W, 13C

Cotesbach Landfill; at about 1530h I had a look here, in the sandpit area the 2CY Kumlien's Gull was resting.  Bright sun and heat shimmer made photography difficult, so a very distant record shot will have to do today.

Stanford reservoir;  four Yellow Wagtails were bathing in the field pool, four Common Terns over the water and resting on the raft at times.  A Black Tern was spotted resting on a fisherman's duck decoy marker, then feeding over the water.  Two Hobbies were seen hawking for insects low over the water.

6th May - chilly night, cloudy initially, then sunny intervals, light WNW, 13C,

Cotesbach Landfill; a very early look here hoping for waders, but nothing doing.  Just a single Egyptian Goose, Shelduck and Red Kite of note.

Lilbourne Meadows; I visited here late afternoon to see a Temminck's Stint that had been reported.  It was still present and showing well, sometimes feeding.  I didn't have my phone adapter for digiscoping, so went back in the evening.  I managed five photos before if flew off, 1815h, not to be relocated.

Other migrant waders included Dunlin, Ringed Plover and Little Ringed Plover.

DRIFT development site - A5; I then checked the pools here in case the Stint had moved here, it was not found.  However, a Whimbrel dropped in and started feeding.

5th May - sunny intervals, scattered showers, some wintery, light W, 8C

 Willey; at last, a Lesser Whitethroat 'rattled' in the hedge this morning near the Hurls Furlong spinney.

Cotesbach Landfill; no migrant waders today, but two Lapwing were present.

Stanford reservoir; this evening weather was slightly better than recently, which meant more Warblers were singing, Lesser Whitethroat, Whitethroats, Blackcap, Gar#den Warbler, Chiffchaff and Willow Warbler.  Also, a Grasshopper Warbler 'reeled' a little.

Four Yellow Wagtails were on the dam.  Again a large number of Swallows, House Martins and a lesser number of Sand Martins and a few Swift.

Late evening three Hobbies were hawking low over the water.

4th May - sunny spells, shoirt scattered showers, fresh WNW, 11C

Cotesbach Landfill; in the sandpit are this morning a nice surprise of a Turnstone and 6 Dunlin.  We don't get many Turnstone turn-up round here so good to see this one.  It was great watching it turn over the stones and rocks here.

Checking later it was still present at 1600h with the Dunlin.  Other birds this time included the Gadwall pair and three Yellow Wagtails.  Several Swallows and House Martins were hawking here out of the wind.

Stanford reservoir;  a quick look this evening, at least a1000 hirundines, including c500 Swallows, also plenty of House Martins and less Sand Martins, 10+ Swifts were around too.

A single Arctic Tern flew in and left almost immediately.   A Grey Heron was on the dam.

The Cowslip patch is coming on nicely in the wildflower area we created, well at least the cock Pheasant likes it there.