20th Feb - cloudy, short light showers/drizzle at times, light SW, 10C

Willey.

Busy but I spot three Red Kites together over the field east of the village.  How good it would be if a pair bred in the parish.

19th Feb - cloudy, NW, 5C - feeling colder.

Daventry res; afternoon.

Popped down to see the Slavonian Grebe which has been preset 2/3 days, nice looking bird.

A few Goosander, Goldeneye and Pochard plus other regular waterfowl.

18th Feb - Cloudy, mod E, 5C, feeling cold

Willey;

A Red Kite was around at 0900h and again mid-day. 

17th Feb -sunny, thin high cloud forming mid-morning, light NW, 5C

Willey; morning

A Red Kite over 0930h.

Late morning the female Blackcap was spotted in the church lane hedge again. Hopefully, te male is around still.

Also, a Greenfinch, Chaffinch pair, Blackbird and three House Sparrows at the feed station.

Stanford Hall; afternoon.

A check here for the White-fronted Geese, not present though.

A Great Egret was lake side.

Lilbourne Meadows.

Shoveler, Wigeon, Teal, Mallard and Gadwall (22).  c25 Lapwings

Three Song Thrushes, a Fieldfare, Green Woodpecker, c10 Goldfinch.

16th Feb - a few short showers, 7C, light/mod NW. Touch of frost last night

Soar Brook Lake; morning.

There was very little here, four Cormorants, a drake Teal and a Coot.

A single Greylag flew over, but worrying were two dead Greylags, which no doubt had bird flu.  Not good news here for the other wildfowl usually present.

15th Feb - Rain until 1300h, then showers, light S, 7C

Another disappointing wet day, but at least the afternoon was bearable. However, birds are on the move and green shoots of Spring are appearing widely.

Shawell sandpit/landfill; afternoon

Duck numbers were low, 24 Teal, c 10 Mallard, c15 Tufted and 8 Gadwall.  Six Little Grebes and c100 Coot.

It seems that Common Gulls enjoy flying towards a Coot or Little Grebe, perhaps to steal food, only for the other bird to quickly dive out of the way.  It happened lots of times.

14 Red Kites, Ravens heard and 13 Lapwings.  A singing Song Thrush.

Stanford on Avon - monument field.

The monument field held a good flock of Canada and Greylag Geese and with them 35 Russian White-fronted Geese. Presumably the same ones which have spent their time in the vicinity of Stanford reservoir, but there must be some movement as numbers do vary a little. 

14th Feb - Sunny, light S, 6C

Cottesbrooke; afternoon.

I checked an area where Crossbills have been appearing, we don't get too may in the midlands.  However, none were showing.  Nice to hear two Tawny Owls calling though.

Ravensthorpe Res; 

On the way back popped in to see the Red-throated Diver, it was showing well,but not very active.  Again not too many of these linger inland.