30th Nov - 11C, light WSW, cloudy

Shawell sandpit. 172 Teal, my highest count here. A few Shoveler and Mallards, a single Shelduck.  11 Red Kites.  Large number of Gulls, u fortunately one was trailing a piece of rubbish that kept flushing the rest of them.

29th Nov - -6C last night, sunny then clouding over, very slowly the temp rising to 2C, but continuing into the evening, light SW

Willey; a check at the feed station, surprisingly not too much activity, despite the cold weather, just the usual common regulars. 

28th Nov - Frost -3C, sunny, becoming cloudy pm with light snow. 3C, light NNW

Willey; three Jays on the road verge next to the Long Spinney near Perkins fields.

Stanford Reservoir; a look this morning.  Five Pintails flew over, otherwise no new Duck species. 

Plenty of Redwings and a small number of Fieldfares feeding on the bushes.  A Chiffchaff was with the Long-tailed Tit flock, a couple of Jays on the ground and Great Spotted Woodpecker on the feeder.  A Grey and Pied Wagtail on the dam.

A5 Pools/DIRFT, early pm.  Most of the water is frozen over, so Duck were concentrated in one ice-free area; 18 Shovelers, 40 Teal and c20 each of Wigeon and Mallard.

Shawell sandpit, pm.  Some shallow pools frozen over.  167 Teal,  18 Shoveler, 41 Wigeon, also a few Mallard and Tufted Ducks, a Little Grebe.  Two Red Kites, several Ravens.

27th Nov - storm Arwen travel over the country from the north during the night and today, with strong-gust ( winds here (25 mph), rain, sleet and snow until mid-morning, 4C, wind chill high

Willey; 

A Kestrel was hovering over the road verge this morning near the top fields.

A check at the paddock feed station produced five Greenfinches, six Chaffinches, a Coal Tit plus other regulars.  Redwings were feeding in the hedgerows and being blown about by thre wind.

A5 pools/; a look this afternoon did not produce much, 18 Shovelers, a few Teal, Mallards and Wigeons, plus six Mute Swans.

26th Nov - sunny spells, 6C, light-mod NNW

 No obs today.

25th Nov - mostly sunny, 7C, light NNW

Stanford reservoir; a look after lunch.  A Goosander pair were asleep in Keepers bay, and a female Shoveler among the other winter Ducks.   A Long-tailed Tit flock and Goldcrest in the boundary hedge, on which Redwings and Fieldfares were feeding. 

At least 25 Chaffinches, with Great and Blue Tis feeding in the leaf litter under the Beeches.

24th Nov - mostly cloudy, 9C, light SW

Willey; 50+ Redwings feeding in the church Yew trees and Hawthorns in the Church Lane this afternoon.

Eyebrook res; I had a short look here as  I was passing, two Scaup, a drake Pintail were among the duck flock.  Otherwise all the expected birds.

23rd Nov - CLoudy, light NW, 9C

Shawell sandpit; a look here afternoon. Thousand of Gull over the landfill, and a good number here.  We only get a relatively small number of Common Gulls visiting these sites compared to the other usual Gulls, they are clearly not a lover of landfill sites. A few were showing today on the pools.

A Shelduck and two Egyptian Geese were present, plus 74+ Teal, a small number each of Shoveler, Mallard and Tufted Duck.

22nd Nov - frost last night. Mostly sunny, 8C, light N

Stanford reservoir, a look,here this afternoon.  A 3W Caspian Gull was showing well with Herring Gulls on the water.  Seven Goosanders, a female Pintail, nine Teal and a Shoveler pair plus the other usual Duck species.  

More Fieldfare were present today with the Redwings and Blackbirds, a Grey Wagtail on the dam.  A Raven flew by.

21st Nov - ground frost last night, sunny periods, 9C, light-mod WNW

Nothing of note locally, so I visited Eyebrook reservoir, hopefully to find the imm Female Ring-necked Duck that has been around about a week.

Eyebrook Res; first to the Stoke Dry area where the RND has been frequently seen.  After searching through the Aythya flocks present for an hour and half it wasn't looking too good.  Then, it just popped up from a dive and showed very well, getting good detailed views.  Which was just as well as the whole flock of birds seemed to get spooked by something and took off heading towards the dam end.

While searching three Greater Scaup were also showing among the Pochard, Tufted, Mallard, Gadwall and Wigeon.  A good number of Goldeneye were also present.  At the inlet end a couple of Shoveler and Shelduck.  Singles Little and Great Egrets and a Grey Heron.  A Raven flew overhead.

20th Nov - cloudy, 11C, light WSW

A5 Pools/DIRFT;  27 Shoveler, a few Teal, Mallard and Wigeon were present, Six Mute Swans and 37 Lapwings.  Without doubt the proximity of the development works is having a disturbing effect currently on the number of birds present.

Soar Brook Lake; a look here, albeit next to warehousing the birds are still occurring here.  

11 Cormorants, a few Wigeon and Mallard, five Little Grebes, Herring, Lesser Black Backed and Black-headed Gulls.

Shawell sandpit and Landfill; a late afternoon look here, especially to see how many Stock Doves and Starlings came in to roost.  As it was no Doves came in today.  Several small flock of Starling continued passed in a southerly direction, very few came to roost in the usual area. 

A single Shelduck flew on to the pools.

Oak Trees in Autumn Colour

19th Nov - cloudy, light SW, 12C

Shawell Sandpit and Landfill; Plenty of Gulls, but soon disturbed by the Falconer and his Falcon flushing them, taking them quite awhile to settle down again.  However, the Falcon is not having a easy timer of it either now, about 30 Jackdaws and Carrions Crows, plus the odd Raven gave it a lot of grief.  I'm sure they didn't gang up so much before.

Teal, Shoveler and Mallard on the pools.  A female Sparrowhawk flushed Redwings from the bushes.  12 Red Kites were seen together.

A flock of 32 Stock Doves flew in to the Spinney.

18th Nov - thickish cloud, light WSW, 13C, dull at times

Very quiet around WIlley today, less Thrushes around or many birds at the feed station.

17th Nov - lots of sunshine, very light SW, 10C

Willey; three Cormorants flew over south, 0900h

Stanford reservoir; pm. a Long-tailed Tit flock and Treecreeper along the river by-pass tress.  More Redwings and some Fieldfares about today.   Female Kestrel hunting.

The Greylag Goose flock and Egyptian Goose, but again not Pink-footed Goose.  The usual ducks, several Goldeneye.  The Red-crested Pochards were reported, although I did not see them.

Some Starlings coming in to roost from 1600h.

Several clumps of Fungi in the grass along the dam.

16th Nov - cloudy, early mist, light SW, 9C

Willey;  Noticeably more Redwings around today on the bushes, with a few Fieldfares and Blackbirds too, reasonable mixed flock flying over early pm.

All the regulars visiting the feed station, nice to se six Greenfinches together feeding.  Nuthatch, Great Spotted Woodpecker and Coal Tit again. A Mistle Thrush on the Yew Tree berries.

15th Nov - Lots of sunny spells, almost still, 11C, a very pleasant day

Willey; a busy day.  I did notice the Ravens mid-morning doing their field rounds.  Ten Collared Doves were on the wire in the centre of the village.

14th Nov - cloudy, light N/NE, 11C, mostly dull

A5 Pools/DIRFT;  nothing new this morning apart from a fine adult Caspian Gull showing well.

Shawell Lagoons; am. a Jay along the paths and c70 Lapwings on the mud.

Shawell sandpit; am. single Egyptian Goose, otherwise all the regulars.

Stanford Reservoir, pm.  C100 Redwings, but only one Fieldfare seen.  The three Red-crested Pochards still, also the Egyptian Goose, but no sign of the Pink-fitted Goose. A couple of Ravens.  A Chiffchaff along the bypass path did make me think of a Siberian from its call and coloration, but it quickly vanished and I didn’t get enough on it, maybe it will stay in this area.

A few bracket fungi were noted, plus muntjac and Fox.

13th Nov - sunny spells, 13C, light-mod SW

Shawell Sandpit, am; a Greenfinch by the spinney, and a few Redwings and Fieldfares flying around.  Five Mute Swans in today, 12 Shoveler and 115 Teal counted.  All the usual Gulls, including a colour ringed LBBG N:55R (green/white), ringed Lancashire.

A5 Pools/DIRFT; pm. Shoveler 28, Teals, Wigeons and two Mute Swans, Lapwing c25.   c 40 Linnets feeding on the weeds.

Monks Kirby; a field margin hasd been planted with bird food and it is now attracting Finches, a flock of 35 Linnets, plus Chaffinches and Goldfinches - an area to keep an eye on.

12th Nov - Sunny spells, odd short shower, light-mod SW, 13C

Stanford reservoir; pm. main sightings included the Pink-footed Goose and Egyptian Goose with the Greylag flock.  In the narrows the three Red-crested Pochard were with Tufted Duck.

Under the Beeches, in the leaf litter, were c40 Chaffinches and a Brambling, many Blue and Great Tits, a Coal Tit and Nuthatch,

It was noticeable that more Redwings and Fieldfares had arrived and busy feeding on the haws.

11th Nov - cloudy, light SSW, 13C, some drizzle/light rain pm

Willey; a check of the feed station early afternoon produced the regulars, plus a male Blackcap in the Church Lane hedge.  It was doing a bit of  'fly-catching' whilst this mild weather has brought out a lot of flying insects.

Shawell sandpit;  14 Red Kites, only a few Ducks around today. Plenty of Gulls, but most distant this morning, those in the sandpit were on the water, very few islands for them to stand on, so no ring reading possible.

10th Nov - cloudy, light SW, 12C, some drizzle at times.

Willey; c15 Fieldfares flew in to the Holy tree and set about the berries this morning, plus c15 Redwings around the Church lane hedge.  

A5/DIRFT; a look here this morning.  Unfortunately, the development is slowly encroaching either physically or with disturbance on to the wetland area.  14 Shovelers, Teals, c35 Mallard, Wigeon, three Lapwing and a few Gulls, Canada and Greylag Geese, so not too much present today..    

9th Nov - sunny spell, 13C, light SSW

Willey; mild days and evenings continue.  A butterfly zipped passed me, probably a Small Tortoiseshell.

A Jay was foraging on the pasture down Perkins fields.  A Bullfinch pair in the Chu8rch Lane hedge again.

Shawell Sandpit;  19 Red Kites were present, a good number of Ravens again, Teal 85, Shoveler 12, a Shelduck and three Wigeon.  c25 Linnets were feeding on the weeds.

8th Nov - sunny spells, light W, 9C, drizzle late afternoon

WIlley; first thing c12 Fieldfares and a few Redwings in the top of the Church Horse chestnut.   

During the morning a few more flock of Redwings moved over westward, others feeding on the Haws and Holly berries.  Five Greenfinch came to the feed station, also a Coal Tit and male Great Spotted Woodpecker, a Bullfinch pair were in the Church lane hedge.

7th Nov - sunny spells, mod W/NW easing, 11C

Mere Lane Lake; WeBS count; included 1 each of Pochard, Tufted Duck and Shoveler, three Little Grebe.  a Reed Bunting too.

Soar Brook Lake; WeBS count; included  three Wigeon and Little grebes, a Little Egret, 15 Mallard, a Jack Snipe was flushed from a channel.

A5 Pools/DIRFT; after lunch.  A single Black-tailed Godwit was present, 20 Shovelers, Kestrel hunting. 

Shawell sandpit;  20 Shoveler, 67 Teal, five Tufted Ducks and two Egyptian Geese.  The Ravens were having a great social time, with 18 flying up and down together close by and a total of 33 counted.  I wonder what they are actually doing, possibly a pairing behaviour.

Stanford reservoir;  a few Fieldfare were flying over.  On the water ducks included three Red-crested Pochards (2 drakes and a female), eight Goldeneye, seven Shovelers, five Teals and a Little Grebe

Distant record photo of RCPs

6th Nov - cloudy, dull, dampish pm, light becoming moderate SW, occasional gusts, 12C

Magna Park Lake area; an early look around the area here, small groups of Redwings coming in and heading for the thick bushes and berries.  Also, c20 Goldfinch were feeding in the trees.  

WIlley; usual birds around the feed station this morning.  A Jay flew over, Green and great Spotted Woodpeckers, Nuthatch and Coal Tit.  

5th Nov - sunny spells, light WSW, 10C

Willey; it was good to see Redwings around during the day and feeding on the berries at last.  It seems the hedges here are festooned with Haws, as are the Holly and Yew Trees with their berries, so pickings will be good for November.

However, any Fieldfares  through haven't stopped around and continued westward.

4th Nov - mostly cloudy, light-mod NNW, 9C

Willey; having heard that good Fieldfare movement west had been reported to the NW and W of me, I was optimistic there would be a noticeable movement over me here.  However, during the morning I did not see any, then at 1320 one flock, c20, flew over westward.

However, whilst watching the skies this morning I also kept an eye on my paddock feed station area, there was just the usual activity with 'common' birds coning in and out.  Then, I noticed a rather 'plump' bird sit atop the tall hedge, where the Greenfinch usually sit.  Looking at it I could see it was a HAWFINCH, a female, it was nibbling something in its bill, then it seemed to fly down to the ground the other side of the hedge.   An unusual record for me here and the county, the last record I had was in the invasion year of  2017, in exactly the same hedge!   

3rd Oct - mostly cloudy, some light drizzle, light N, 10C

Stanford Reservoir; mid afternoon onwards.  Fairly quiet, nothing new in, a couple of Raven over, a flock of c40 Redwing flew over towards Blowers bay.  A good number of Gulls coming in to roost, just the expected commoner species today.

2nd Nov - sunny, light SW, 10C

Willey; a check of my feed station area late afternoon.  Plenty of Blue and Great Tits visiting, plus a Coal Tit.  A Party of Long-tailed Tits passed by, but didn't stop.  Greenfinch and Chaffinch, House Sparrows, Jackdaw, Woodpigeon and Collard Doves.  A male Sparrowhawk popped in and missed, returning about 15 mins later.

No Redwings were around, and none showed up to roost on old railway, numbers still very low around here.

1st Nov - sunny spells, mod blustery SW, 11C

I think it may have been the first October that I had never seen a Fieldfare locally, very few seem to have arrived in the country so far for the winter!

Stanford reservoir; a look this afternoon.  nothing new in, a Little Grebe in Blowers bay, a mixed Tit flock roving with Goldcrests present, a handful of Redwings about the area and A Great Spotted Woodpecker in the Sallows.