13th May Wednesday - a blustery day, N/NW, only 11C but feeling much cooler, sunny inteerval and many showers some sharp ans short (a bit wintry too) especially pm.

Lilbourne Meadows - a very quick look at the winter flood pools, 1920h, nothing new except a Shelduck pair.

Also, a Barn Owl flew into the lane trees from the fields, then off again just as a heavy blustery showers was about to hit.

Stanford Reservoir; early evening.

A good flock of Hirundines over the water due to the poor weather, c100 each Swallow and House Martins, c10 Sand martins and c30 Swift.

A pair of Yellow Wagtails washing at the spillway and two Little Egrets over westward.  Two Grey Herons present near the spillway.

Plenty of Great Crested Grebe display activity.  

A single Red-legged Partridge and a Green Woodpecker.

12th May Tuesday - sunny interval, mod W breeze, 13C, but feeling cooler

Lilbourne Meadows; afternoon.

Single Ringed Plover, and Redshank. Gadwall pair, oystercatcher pair.

A male Yellow Wagtail.  A Cormorant on island pool.  

Plus other usuals.

11th May Monday - drizzle light rain am, sunny intervals pm, mod NE, 12C

A very cool day for May, and cool nights

No obs today. 

10th May Sunday - high broken c,loud am, sunny intervals pm, mod-fresh NE, 13C, feeling quite cool.

Willey;

First thing a Raven over.

Two Grey Partridge at middle gate, four Canada Geese and four Mallards at Earls Furlong pond area.

Lilbourne Meadows; morning.

Nothing new, a Little Egret and Grey Heron, a Redshank and Oystercatcher pair (lost first brood).

Single Swallow and House Martin over. Sedge and Reed Warbler singing near island pool.

Stanford Reservoir; afternoon.

Not much happening on the water, c 12 Common Terns and four Black-headed Gulls see (hope they don't drive the Terns off the rafts).

A Hobby and a few Swifts hawking over the water.  

Plenty of Garden Warblers singing and the occasional Blackcap.  A Whitethroat was carrying food.

Butterflies were - Peacock, Red Admiral, Green-veined Whoite, Orange-tip and Speckled Wood.

Quite a few Red-eyed Damselflies about to.

9th May Saturday - hazy sunshine, 20C, light SE

Willey;

Little Owl again.   

J Moore found a Pheasants nest with 18 eggs on the edge of a grass field.  We don't find many nests these days, since local shoot on Newnham paddox ceased.

Stanford Reservoir; morning

Rather quiet with no Sandpipers seen on the dam.  A Red Kite over. Cuckoo, 3, singing.

Northants Wood; afternoon

Visited a wood where Nightingales occur, heard one singing, no chance of seeing it though.

Garden Warblers, Blackcaps and Chiffchaffs singing well.  Jay and Green Woodpecker.

Yellowhammer on the hedge, two Red-legged partridges, Pied Wagtail pair, House Sparrow pair on the farmhouse chimney and Collard Dove singing.

6+ Small Heath Butterflies on the sparse meadow, plus orange tip, Holly Blue, Speckled Wood and Large White seen.

A Hare crossed the track.

8th May Friday - sunny spells, 18C, light SE

Lilbourne; early afternoon

Check the winter flood pools, but nothing new, three Little Egrets, a Redshank and an Oystercatcher though.  A Sparrowhawk had caught prey (Starling, I think) and was being pursued by Carrion Crows and Jackdaw in to a hedge.

Stanford Reservoir; late afternoon.

Cuckoo calling and a Common Sandpiper on the dam. Mallard brood, but only to ducklings.

Plus the current regulars.

7th May Thursday - sunny intervals, light NE, 15C

Willey; morning.

0850h, The Grey Partridge pair were spotted in usual area, tried a phone pic from the truck window.

At Earls Furlong pond there was Three Greylag Geese and five Canada Geese.

Towards mid-day I saw the Little Owl in the usual tree.

A Fox walked along the hedge and though the gate, I snapped a phone pic before it spotted me.

Shawell Sandpit - Landfill area; evening.

A check here did not produce anything new, however the Egyptian Goose family are still present and seven Mute Swans were present (mostly immatures).

Ten sand Martins around the south pit.  Only a single Little Grebe seen.

First site brood of Mallards seen