24th March - cloudy, SW wind increasing to fresh-gusting strong at times, 12 C

Lilbourne Meadows; afternoon.

A quick check of the field flood pools, my first site year records for Dunlin (2), Redshank (1) and Little Ringed Plover (2).

Also, 5 Lapwings, c80 Common Gulls, c10 Herring and c40 Lesser Black-backed. Plus c80 Wigeon, Shovelers, Teal and Gadwalls

Quick distant record photos of distant waders -

23rd March - medium cloud, very luight breeze, 12C

WeBs counts

Mere Lane Lake; morning

Four Little Grebes - lots of 'trilling' and territory disputes, five Tufted Ducks and two Mallards, five Coot and six Moorhens.

Mute Swan pair with nest.

A Green Woodpecker 'yaffling',  Chiffchaff singing.

Magna Park Lake area.

Two Little Grebes 'trilling' and in territory disputes, three drake Mallards, four Moorhens and a Coot.

Great Spotted Woodpecker 'drumming' and a Green Woodpecker 'yaffling'.  A Buzzard present in the trees..  Chiffchaff singing.

22nd March - 12C, sunny, very light breeze

Soar Brook Lake; morning

Last winter WeBs count today.

Grey heron2, Little Egret 1, Canada 20 and Greylag 16, Tufted 7, Mallard 5, Cormorant 7,  Moorhen 4, Mute Swan 2, Snipe 2 (feeding on waters edge bank), and Oystercatcher pair.

Also, a singing Red-legged Partridge, Stock Dove pair, Pheasant called, four Goldfinches feeding in tree tops, and a Buzzard calling.

21st March - Sunny, 14C, very light breeze, thin cloud at times.

Shawell Sandpit/Landfill area; morning.

Peregrine sitting atop works yard tall light.

Green Sandpiper feeding at water edge.  Six Little grebes, trilling heard.

Great Spotted Woodpecker 'drumming' and Green Woodpecker 'yaffling'.

Only three Red Kites seen.

c30 Tufted Duck, 11 Teal, c30 Coot.

Lilbourne Meadows; afternoon.

Mute Swan 2, Wigeon, Teal, Shoveler, Gadwall and Mallard.  One Oystercatcher.

Plenty of Common Gulls again on the flood pools, plus a few Black-headed, Lesser Black-backed and Herring Gulls.

A Collared Dove singing in the corner trees, along with a Stock Dove and a Chiffchaff.

Three Small Tortoiseshells seen.

20th March - misty/cloudy first thing, lifting by mid-morning to hazy sunshine, light NE-E, 14C

Busy, I did notice a Kestrel sitting on the Hurls furlong hedge tree at 1200h.

19th March - Grass frost last night. Sunny, 15C, very light SE.

Willey; 

Red Kite drifted over the village at 0800h.

Two Mistle Thrushes singing in the village area.

Soar Brook Lake, late morning.

21 Cormorants, four Wigeon and five Mallards, a Little Grebe.  

A  Little Grebe. 20 Canada and 12 Greylag Geese.

Two Ravens over and  a Green Woodpecker heard.

A Peacock butterfly.

18th March - Sunny, very warm 18C, mostly light SE

An exceptionally warm March day, alas busy 'lambing', but perfect for the little ones.

Ravens over first thing, doing the local fields circuit -  looking for 'fallen' stock. 

Several Brimstones noted.  

The local Song Thrush is singing really well and frequently now, and it looks like Blue Tits are using a garden nest box.

A per other recent Springs we have a pair of Canada Geese visiting the local ponds, will see if they breed this year.