22nd May Friday - Mostly sunny, 27C, mod SW breeze

Willey; a rare sight these days was juvenile Starlings on the old pub roof.  Breeding Starling in the village is rare these day.  There are just a few still nesting in old trees and other places in the parish.

Claybrooke Parva; afternoon.

Green and great Spotted Woodpeckers, singing Goldcrest.

Frolesworth Manor Lake; afternoon.

Mute Swan pair with 6 cygnets.  Six pair of Tufted Ducks on the lake, hopefully some will breed.

Three Greenfinches, a pair and a single male.  Two pairs of Linnets on the hedgerow along driveway.

Only two House Martins seen here today, historically more, but will check again.

A single Great Crested Grebe seen, hopefully a pair prersent.

Lilbourne Meadows; evening.

Two ringed Plovers still present, otherwise all the current residents.

Long-tailed Tit family in hedgerow.

A Painted Lady flying a circuit and returning to a post.

21st May Thursday - Sunny intervals, 21C, light/mod SW

Lilbourne Meadows; afternoon.

Little Egret three, Oystercatcher two, Ringed Plover 14, Dunlin 1, a Redshank, Gadwall, 14+ Greylags.

A Yellow Wagtail, Sedge Warbler singing.

Four Small Heath Butterflies.

20th May Wednesday - mod/blustry SW, 12C

Lilbourne Meadows; afternoon.

Five Ringed Plovers, two Dunlin, Mute Swan three, Oystercatcher, Gadwall.

Linnet Pair, Reed Warbler singing by brook bridge.

Two Little Egrets and a Yellow Wagtail.

Plus the current regulars.

19th May Tuesday; 14C, mod SW, mostly cloudy

Lilbourne Meadows - evening.

Eight Ringed Plovers, a Dunlin, a Redshank, a Yellow Wagtail and a Kestrel

18th May Monday -High cloud, 11C, mod SW

Soar Brook lake; mid-day

Three Greylag broods and 20m goslings., a Mallard brood with 5 ducklings.

Two Oystercatchers, Tufted Duck pair. A Cormorant. Two  Mujtye Swans.

Lilbourne Meadows; evening.

14 Ringed Plovers, three Little Egrets, a Grey Heron, a Redshank, Oystercatcher and Reed Bunting pair.

Stanford Reservoir; evening

A drake Shoveler plus other current regulars.

17th May Sunday - sunny intervals, mod W, 13C, showers late afternoon.

Stanford Reservoir; morning

Most notable was a Quail singing from the adjacent winter cereal field (heard yesterday by Chris Hubbard).

Otherwise all the usual current birds.

Lilbourne Meadows; morning.

A check of the winter flood pools (now very reduced in size due to lack of rain this Spring).  A Dunlin and Ringed Plover still.

Two broods of Mallards, plus several Coot and Moorhen broods.

Mute Swan 3, A Redshank, two Oystercatchers, a Yellow Wagtail, a Little Egret.

16th May Saturday - cloudy, sunny intervals, mod W, 13C

Shawell Sandpit/Land fill area; morning.

14 Red Kites, c 25 Sand Martins, single Little Grebe.

Egyptian Goose pair and 6 goslings still.

Two broods of Mallards.

Stanford Reservoir; morning

Drake Garganey on the dam.

Kingfisher, a Oystercatcher, Grey Heron, several Gadwall.

Misterton; afternoon.

A check here for Spot Flycatchers, but none found. 

A Coal Tit was taking food to a nest.  two Song Thrushes were singing.

Ash Tree farm, Bitteswell; afternoon.

A Little grebe on the lake.  Green Woodpecker 'yaffling'. Long-tailed Tit family.

A Orange-tip and Green-veined White was seen.