22nd May - bright sunny start, slowly clouding over, by late afternoon thundery and heavy shower, 17C

While taking a rest from planting in the veg garden this morning I noticed just how many flowers there are on the Holly trees and how many bees and other insects were feeding on them.  Then a blue butterfly appeared high up initially, a Holly Blue, then it came closer and lower, it spent some while around the Holly and other bushes.

Stanford reservoir produced some good sightings this afternoon.  Three Hobbies were hawking insects over the adjacent wood and reed bed area, these falcons are so graceful when doing this.  On the water the drake Goldeneye, Pochard and Gadwall and 29 Mute Swans.  One Mallard pair had four mid-sized ducklings out on the water, quite a few predated eggs came be found around the path, some no doubt will have second clutches and will be safer no the cover is thick.  A single Common Tern was sitting on a duck decoy (the fishermen use these to mark baiting spots), since losing the rafts the terns have no places to rest on the water where they are safe.

All the usual warblers were seen, with at least 7 Whitethroat singing.  While standing near the reed bed several Reed Warbler were singing, I spotted a Sparrowhawk fly over quite low, as it did the volume of warbler song and calls quadrupled until it had past over.

A Little Egret flew along the reservoir eastward, and a Grey heron flew off calling as it did.  Four Cormorant were present and a family of Pied Wagtails fed at the out-flow.

There were a lot of Damselflies and some Dragonflies emerging (Hobby food), but disappointingly few butterflies were seen.  Three Large white, a Small White, two Peacock, a Orange-tip and a Green-veined White (photo).