30th June Monday - mostly broken cloud sunny intervals, light breeze SW, 22C

Willey; Red Kite over fields southward at 0800h.

Magna Park Central; evening.

Three Mallard on the lake and a female with two ducklings on the small pool.  Also, on the pool at Little Grebe with three young. 

Blackcap and Chiffchaffs heard.  A goldfinch singing. At least three Jays. Green Woodpecker heard.

Four+ Purple Hairstreaks on the Oaks, also see were Small Skipper, Ringlet, Red Admiral and Meadows Browns.

10+ Rabbits and a Fox.

Lutterworth; evening.

One Lesser Black Backed Gull on a nest in the industrial area, seven others around, including a very agitated one, suggesting further nests.  More roofs to check.

28th June Sunday - sunny intervals, breezy SW, 23C

Shawell sandpit and landfill area, morning

The Sand Martins are back!, Today busy feeding over the area, they must have been feeding elsewhere during the very hot spell.

The Egyptian Goose family are all together still (6 goslings well grown now). Quite a few more Ravens over the landfill area this morning.  

Three Oystercatchers today and 8 Lapwings.  A Cormorant dropped down out of view on the back pit.

Stanford Reservoir; afternoon.

Two Pochard, four gadwall and a teal among the Geese, Mallard and Tufted on the dam.  Two Grey Herons.

Blackcaps, Chiffchaff, Reed, Willow and Garden Warblers still singing, also male Reed Bunting. 

House and Sand Martins and c15 Swifts over the reservoir.

The Black-headed Gull youngster is now looking quite juvenile like on the raft.

A Bee Orchid was found by a visitor,

Butterflies included my first of the year Gatekeeper', and Painted Lady, Peacock, Red Admiral, Comma, Speckled Wood, Large and Small Skippers, Meadow Browns, Green-veined and Small Whites and Ringlet..

27th June Saturday - Sunny spells, mod SW breeze, 28C

Willey;

While mowing Earls Furlong for hay a Buzzard and Kestrel were hunting, but no Red Kites again - puzzled, as they are all around as usual.

Shawell  Sandpit/Landfill; morning.

An Oystercatcher and eight Lapwings. A Cormorant flew in.

Four adult Little-ringed Plovers were present today.

Newbold Quarry; afternoon.

I counted six Silver-washed Fritillaries together and no doubt a few more around.  

Sandy Lane Cotesbach

A Green Woodpecker and singing Whitethroat.  On the meadow pools two Coot families and two Little Grebe pairs, one with three chicks.

The wildflower meadows look great, plenty Butterflies, three Painted Lady and a Marbled White.

Lilbourne Meadows; evening.

Nine Little Ringed Plovers, one was a large juvenile, a Curlew was present too.  

Eight Little Egrets.  a few Lapwings on the flood pools too.

I counted 30 Marbled Whites, and there were more in the area I didn't walk.

Three Yellow Wagtails,

A Roe Deer on the meadows.

26th June Friday - hotter earlier, again 33C, mostly light SW, sunny

Willey;  

Ravens were calling down Perkins fields and over Newnham Paddox first thing.

A single Red-legged Partridge was at the end on the Barns, among the Sheep, on the bare area.

Newbold Quarry; evening

Went to check for Silver-washed Fritillaries, but none found.

The Great-crested Grebe pair have two chicks.

25th June - stupidly hot 33C, light E, sunny

Willey; Three Kestrels down Perkins fields this morning, at least one a juv.

Newbold Quarry; evening.

Mainly a Butterfly hunt for Silver-washed Fritillaries, but I didn't see any. Plenty of other common species about. 

The Great-crested Grebe pair have two young with them on the water.

24th June - Sunny, hot 32C, light breeze at time NW-N-NW

WIlley; afternoon.

A male Kestrel was seen down Perkins fields area and a Jay seen flying from the old railway in to the Long Spinney

Swift Valley WWT; evening

I checked here mainly for Purple Hairstreaks, and was not disappointed, every Oak I checked had them flying around the tops, often in two's 'dancing' together.  Other Butterflies included Meadow Browns, Large Skipper, Essex Skipper, Red Admiral and unidentified 'whites'.

Not too many birds were showing, a Great Spotted Woodpecker was calling, a singing Song Thrush, a juv Stock Dove.

23rd June - initially high cloud, clearing mid-morning to strong sun, hot, 32C, light S

Willey;

One, possibly 2,  Nuthatches heard in Long Spinney opposite the Perkins field double gates.