21st August Friday - sunny spells, mod N, 20C

WIlley - two Mistle Thrushes feeding top long field, first thing (now a little damp after 5mm yesterday).

Stanford Reservoir; afternoon.

Relatively quite, a female Mandarin was present again, also seven Shovelers, single Teal and a male Pochard.

A couple of Common Sandpipers, and two Grey Herons on the dam.  Common Tern pair with chick still on a raft.

A flock of 45 Cormorants were present, at one time most of them were taking part in coordinated fishing activity.

Warbler activity in the waterside Willows and boundary hedges, mostly Chiffchaffs.

A couple of Little Egrets over the dam.

 

20th August Thursday - sunny spells am, cloud increasing, showers during the afternoon, 4mm, 22C

Willey - a female Blackcap in the garden at midday.

Pitsford  Reservoir; afternoon.

Scaldwell bay - 5 Greenshank, a juv Ruff, 3 Black-tailed Godwits.

Near dam/dam - a Golden Plover and Common Sandpiper.

Plenty of Lapwings about, 4 Great and 2 Little Egrets.  Plenty of Teal and a few Pochard.

A Spotted Flycatcher in other bushes and a Whitethroat and Lesser Whitethroat in the ‘ringing’ thicket.

hirundines around and very high.

Butterflies included several Small Heath, 2 Clouded Yellows, a Painted Lady and Green-veined Whites.

19th August Wednesday - Sunny intervals, mod W, 23C. a few spits of rain - nothing really.

Lilbourne Meadows; evening.

At the island pool a Green and Common Sandpiper and a Snipe feeding.  33 Lapwings and a single Grey Heron.

18th August Tuesday - mostly cloudy, shower before dawn, 22C, light W

Bittesby Country Park; afternoon.

Despite the very dry conditions persisting the park area does contain areas of flowers and greenery still and the main lake contains a reasonable amount of water.  But, generally quiet this time of day.

The two broods of Tufted Duck and Little Grebe brood were on the main lake.

A Kestrel was hunting and juv Buzzard calling with adult nearby.

Some butterflies were about especially Green-veined Whites and Speckled Woods, a Red Admiral and Peacock too.  Only one Meadow Brownseen. 

17th August Monday - sunny periods, very light breeze, humid, 25C

Daventry Reservoir; afternoon

Popped down to see the Pectoral Sandpiper, got good views of the American wader, was associating with a Dunlin often.

Other waders included Green (5) and Common  Sandpipers (2), Lapwing, Dunlin, a Little Ringed Plover.

16th August Sunday - mostly sunny, 25C, light NW-W

Stanford reservoir; afternoon.

A Common Sandpiper and 34 Cormorants on the dam, along with Pied, Grey and Yellow Wagtails.

On the draw-off tower railing a Spotted Flycatcher and a noisy Water Rail in the reeds.

Duck included Nine Shoveler, eight Teal and the Ferruginous Duck among the Tiufted flotilla.

Plenty Warblers in the buses including Chiffchaff, Willow Warbler, Blackcap and Lesser Whitethroat.  A male Bullfinch was spotted deep in the Blackthorn orchard thicket.  A Jay flew past.

Butterflies were few, a Clouded Yellow, a Brown Argus, two Speckled Woods and several Large and Small Whites.

15th August Saturday - cloudy am, clearing to sunshine, 24C, light breeze mostly northerly

Lilbourne Meadows; morning.

Vary quite this morning.  A female Kestrel, a Raven over, a Great Spotted Woodpecker and the Little Owl called from its usual thick hedgerow.

Eyebrook Reservoir; afternoon.

A nice selection of waders were showing; Greenshank (5), a Redshank, Ringed and Little Ringed Plovers, Snipe, Dunlin, Lapwing, , a Wood Sandpiper.Green and Common Sandpipers.

15+ Yellow Wagtails, 10+ Egyptian Geese.