25th April - Mostly cloudy, a few brief sunny spells, 10C, light NW. Still well below average temps!

Lilbourne Meadows; evening.

Shoveler and Gadwall pair, 2 Mute Swans, 6 Teal, a Little Grebe and the Wigeon pair still here.

Heron Over, Gren Woodpecker calling, 3 Swallows over the water.  A single Yellow Wagtail.

Shawell Sandpit/landfill.

Oystercatcher 2, a Shelduck, Teal 4, c50 Swallows and c20 House Martins,

Single Red Kite and several Ravens over the landfill.

Two Greenfinches on the grass by the office.

I read a CR Lesser-black Backed Gull earlier in the month, here are the ringing details.

Ringed  30/6/23, Place Bath, Read at Shawell sandpit 0n 13/4/24 age 1st summer.

24th April - initially sunny, then cloudy and sunny evening, light N, 9C

Stanford Reservoir, afternoon.

Two Goldeneye, A Common Sandpiper, c50 Swallows and c20 House Martins.

Great-spotted Woodpecker drumming again.

A Willow Warbler singing a little.

23rd April - cloudy, mod N, 9C

Stanford reservoir, evening.

A Common Sandpiper on the dam, 7 Goldeneye, 2 Shoveler drakes, a Red Kite, a male Yellowhammer on field hedge behind car park, Great-Spotted Woodpecker drumming in new Covert.

c70 Swallows and c 50 House Martins.

22nd April - Light rain until later afternoon, cloudy, very light N, 8C

Stanford reservoir; afternoon.

Two Redshank, a Common Sandpiper and a Yellow Wagtail on the dam, c25 Swallows and c50 House Martins otherwise nothing new.

Lilbourne Meadows; evening.

6 Swallows feeding.  Shoveler 2,Teal.

21st April - another cold night. Sunny periods, gentle NE breeze, 11C

Brandon Marsh; morning.

News of a Green-winged Teal this morning, so given I had missed two already I popped over.  It was busy feeding under Willows then decided to take a long siesta.  So, photo opportunities were very limited, just a distant record photo through the heat haze was possible

Misterton; afternoon.

Rather quiet, a Nuthatch calling, Blackcap singing.

Stanford reservoir;

A Common Sandpiper and Redshank on the dam.  

Chris had just spotted a Common Scoter seemingly asleep on the water with Tufties.  A 1CY male.

Otherwise just the regulars and the returned summer migrantds.

20th April - mod N, 11C. grass frost last night

Lilbourne Meadows; morning

Similar to yesterday, except Wigeon pair again, 15 teal, Gadwall pair, Blackcap singing, Grey Heron.

Lutterworth; midday

Mistle Thrush singing behind monument Chapel Bitteswell road.

Honey Hill; afternoon.

Two Ring Ouzels were found today.  In hedge and feeding in Bean field, alas no photos possible.

Three Whitethroats, Buzzard, Stock Dove singing, Green Woodpecker, Linnet, Skylarks.

Private site

Two Short-eared Owls hunting,

Whitethroat and Lesser Whitethroat.  Chaffinch collecting nest material.

19th April - mod-fresh WNW, 10C, mostly cloudy

Honey Hill; morning

Went in search of the Ring Ouzels, no luck.

Red Kite, Green Woodpecker, Chiffchaff.

Soar Brook Lake, afternoon.

Three Oystercatchers, lots of 'piping'.

Not much else, a Mallard pair, Tufted drake (maybe duck on nest?), Mute Swans 2.

Lilbourne Meadows, afternoon.

Teal 2, Shovelers, Gadwall 1.

Two Yellow Wagtails, Goldfinch pair,Lesser Whitethroat singing, Kestrel, Goldfinch pair, 5 Little Egrets.

Private Site

Short-eared Owl hunting