6th May Wednesday - mostly high broken cloud, a few sunny intervals until mid-day. Mostly light NE, 12C

Willey; a Holly Blue and Red Admiral in the Church garden at mid-day.

c19345h, two Foxes were fighting over dead prey (Rabbit), the loser moved off, whist the winner took the prey off.

Holly Blue

Lilbourne Meadows; afternoon.

Two Greenshank and Ring Plovers and three Dunlin.  Single Redshank and Oystercatcher on the flood pools, and a Oystercatcher pair on the island.  Single Wigeon  and four Gadwall.   

c20 Swallows, c15 House Martins, c10 Sand Martins and a single Swift.

30 Starlings collecting food on the pastures. Red Kite over.

5th May Tuesday - 14C, light/mod N/NNE, high light cloud, breif sunny spells later afternoon.

Stanford Reservoir; late afternoon.

Ring-necked Duck still present.  

Chris found a Black Tern first thing this morning, which has stayed all day so far.

On a Tern raft a Black-headed Gull pair maybe nesting - if so it will be the first record I know of for here.

A Common Sandpiper on the dam.

Lilbourne Meadows; evening.

On the flood pools -  Two Greenshanks, three Dunlin, a Redshank, two Ringed Plovers,  a Oystercatcher, a Grey Heron and Little Egret.   First  record of a Great-crested Grebe.  Gadwall and Shoveler pairs, single Teal drake.

Three Yellow Wagtails around.  Tufted Duck pair on island pool.

4th May Monday - Cloudy, mostly light NW, 12C - cool.

Lilbourne Meadows; morning. 

Notable this morning was a super male Whinchat on the meadows.  Also, a Meadow Pipit collecting food, so presumably has young.

On the flood pools were two greenshanks and five Dunlin, plus three Wigeon (two drakes) and the recent  regulars

Bittesby CP; morning.

It is worth noting that there is a good population of Skylarks and several pairs of Meadow Pipits on the meadows.  Also, a pair lapwings are holding a territory.

Magna Park Central; afternoon.

Great to find 5 singing Garden Warblers, plus Blackcaps and a Whitethroat along then eastern border.  A good population of of Song Thrush too.

Two Long-tailed Tits and Red-legged Partridges.

Stanford Res; evening.

Ring-necked Duck still.  Two Common Sandpipers on dam.

c70 Swallows, c100 House Martins, c50 Sand Martins, c10 Swifts.

3rd May Sunday - cloudy am, sunny pm, light W, 17C

Stanford Reservoir; morning & afternoon.

The notable bird today wad a drake Ring-necked Duck found by Chris near the dam, it showed very well and occasionally did the 'head-back display, associating with Tufted Ducks.

Only the second known site record, the first way back in 1978, its been a long time coming!

With the Common Terns there were at least two Arctic Terns.

A Cuckoo singing.  All the regular Warblers. A Jay, A drake Teal and three Shoveler.

First year sighting of a Painted Lady.

Misterton; morning.

Nuthatch calling

Shawell lagoons; afternoon.

A Great-crested Grebe pair, Coot pair with young, 12 Greylags, Mallard pair, three Tufted Ducks.

2nd May Sat - sunny/hazy sun, light SW breeze, 17C, a bit humid, light rain from 1900h

Willey; Little Owl seen again, flew from post in to thick hedge.

Lilbourne Meadows; morning.

Greenshank still.  Three Wigeon (2 drakes and a female) on the flood pools.

Otherwise the current regulars.

Shawell Sandpit/Landfill; morning.

The Egyptian Goose family still present, but appears to be one gosling missing.

A single Ringed Plover was present, also a Common Sandpiper.

c 20 Sand martins were over the water of the south pit.

Four Shelducks on the soil heaps near the landfill.

Six Red Kites and several Ravens.  Very few Gulls around, mostly flying over and not landfilling today.

Brandon Marsh; afternoon.

A look here again today..  The Black-winged Stilts were still present, and new a pair of Garganey.

Four Hobby hawking over the marsh, and a Cuckoo singing.

A good number of Garden Warblers singing,plus Blackcap, Reed and Sedge Warblers.

Great Spotted Woodpecker, Sand Martins, Cetti's Warbler Treecreeper, Little and Great Crested Grebes to mention a few more.

A single Red Admiral seen today.

!st May Friday - Sunny, light breeze, 24C

Willey; first thing a Mistle Thrush was singing and Great Spotted Woodpecker flew into  the back field trees.

Lilbourne Meadows; morning

I only checked the winter flood pools area.  The Greenshank and Common Sandpiper were still present. Plus a Yellow Wagtail and other regualars.

Brandon Marsh; afternoon.

News of a pair of Black-winged Stilts on the east marsh made me decide to have a look there, the Stilts were showing well still.  

Oystercatchers and Canada Geese had young.  Two Garden Warblers singing near Carlton hide.

A Single Hobby watched  hawking.

Butterflies were showing well, Orange-tip, Peacock, a Small Tortoiseshell, Comma, Holly Blue, Brimstone, Small Copper (2) and Green hairstreak (4).

30th April - Sunny, 22C, Fresh Easterly, easing in the evening.

Lilbourne Meadows; afternoon.

Notable today were a Greenshank on the flood pools and a White Wagtail on the island pool with Yellow and Pied Wagtails.  The Common Sandpiper was also still present.

The Canada Goose hatched since my visit yesterday and has nine goslings.  A single Shelduck was present for a while.  The Redshanks were mating. 

A Small Copper was spotted, first site year record.

Stanford Reservoir; evening

A couple of Wigeon (I suspect the two from Lilbourne Meadows). Three Shovelers too.

Four common Sandpipers on the dam, also a Yellow Wagtail and the first Greylag brood of four goslings.

Just as I was leaving a Whimbrel flew along the Res, calling.