Thursday 25 April 2024
25th April - Mostly cloudy, a few brief sunny spells, 10C, light NW. Still well below average temps!
Wednesday 24 April 2024
24th April - initially sunny, then cloudy and sunny evening, light N, 9C
23rd April - cloudy, mod N, 9C
Stanford reservoir, evening.
A Common Sandpiper on the dam, 7 Goldeneye, 2 Shoveler drakes, a Red Kite, a male Yellowhammer on field hedge behind car park, Great-Spotted Woodpecker drumming in new Covert.
c70 Swallows and c 50 House Martins.
Monday 22 April 2024
22nd April - Light rain until later afternoon, cloudy, very light N, 8C
Sunday 21 April 2024
21st April - another cold night. Sunny periods, gentle NE breeze, 11C
Saturday 20 April 2024
20th April - mod N, 11C. grass frost last night
19th April - mod-fresh WNW, 10C, mostly cloudy
Thursday 18 April 2024
18th April - sunny spells, mod WSW-W, 12C. Light rain evening
Wednesday 17 April 2024
17th April - sunny spells, mod-fresh NW, 12C but feeling cold
16th April - mod-fresh/gusty WNW, 10C, wintry showers arouns
Honey Hill; early afternoon.
A check here for Ouzels, but none. A Kestrel and Buzzard.
Stanford reservoir;
No sign of the Ferruginous Duck.
Two Shelducks and Oystercatchers on the inlet field pools. A single Goldeneye.
15th April - strong- gusting WNW, 10C, wintry showers at times, feeling cold
Stanford Reservoir
Chris found a Ferruginous Duck, a drake, near the dam this morning. Fortunately still present when I got there 1330h. I believe only the forth record here, the last record was 1997!
A couple of distant record photos.
A Common Sandpiper, Two Teal, Little Egret. a good number of Swallow and House Martins I.
Monday 15 April 2024
14th April - mod SW, 14C, sunny spells
Lilbourne Meadows; afternoon
Shoveler 12, Teal 4, Gadwall 1, Canada 8, Lapwing displaying, Stock Dove 2, Meadow Pipit.
Two Roe Deer.
Shawell sandpit/Landfill, afternoon
Two Little Grebes, 11 Teal, Buzzard, Ravens c40. Red Kites 3.
Saturday 13 April 2024
13th April - mostly cloudy, hazy sunshine, mod-fresh SW, 17C
Friday 12 April 2024
12th April - cloudy, hazy sun. mod-fresh SW, 17C
Thursday 11 April 2024
11th April - Mostly cloudy, mild, 18C, light SW
10th April - rain from mid-morni g until mid-afternoon, blustery SSW wind, 10C, feeling cold.
Tuesday 9 April 2024
9th April - rain first thing, then occasional sharp showers, strong gusty W wind, easing evening, 10C, feeling cooler.
Monday 8 April 2024
8th April - cloudy,, light SW, 15C. Light rain evening
Sunday 7 April 2024
7th April - brisk-strong, sometimes v gusty, SSW, 17C, sunny intervals pm
Willey;
First two Swallows back, feeding around the Sheep first thing (last year first was on the 18th, which is late).
Lilbourne Meadows; afternoon.
Two Wheatears on the pasture, feeding.
On the pools a single Shelduck, a Little Grebe pair (nest material), c15 Teal. A Curlew heard.
Stanford reservoir;
Two Yellow Wagtails, a pair Grey Wagtails. Single Goldeneye (f) and drake Pochard (not seen any for awhile). A Little Egret and Grey Heron.
57 Woodpigeons feeding on the inlet pasture field. A Lapwing on the field pools.
6th April - Brisk-strong, gusty at times, mostly cloudy, 17C
Middleton Lakes; afternoon. Very windy
A escapee Red-breasted Goose with the Greylags/Canada Geese. A Sand Martin battled the wind.
Shelducks, Oystercatchers, Gadwall, Shoveler, Teal (but didn't find the Green-winged Teal).
5th April - fresh-gusty SW, 15C, mostly cloudy
Thursday 4 April 2024
4th April - light rain early. mostly cloudy, light SW, 14C
Wednesday 3 April 2024
3rd April - rain last night. Cloudy, some drizzle am, mod-fresh at times westerly, 13C
Tuesday 2 April 2024
2nd April - sunny spells, light SW/S, 15C, light rain and cooler from 1800h
Monday 1 April 2024
1st April - rain early, then sunny spells, mod SW, 15C
Sunday 31 March 2024
31st March - Misty start, cloudy, mod-keen easterly, 10C, a little drizzle pm
Lilbourne Meadows; morning.
Still c40 Wigeon present, a Little Egret, a Little Grebe, one Gadwall, Shoveler, Teal and Mallard.
Chiffchaff singing near main gate, a Robin pair - one collecting nest material.
DIRFT;
A quick look at the non-developed area by the A5, unfortunately soon to be developed. An Oystercatcher, a Little -ringed Plover and Meadow Pipit were noted.
Stanford reservoir; afternoon.
Rather quiet, due to the weather no doubt.
A pair of Shovelers, two Shelduck on field pools, Red Kite over, a singing Song Thrush, single Goldfinch.
Saturday 30 March 2024
30th March - mostly sunny, mod SSW breeze, 15C
Thursday 28 March 2024
28thn March - cloudy, mod S wind becoming gusty with frequent squally/sharp showers, 9C, feeling cooler.
Wednesday 27 March 2024
27th March - Showers, 9C, but mod/brisk S - feeling like 5C, Showers
Tuesday 26 March 2024
March 26th - mod high cloud, very light SE, 15C. Light rain started early evening.
Stanford reservoir; afternoon.
First butterfly, a Peacock. A couple of Muntjacs seen too.
Two Fieldfares in the settling pool tree tops, a Little Egret on the field pools.
The Pink-footed Goose was with Greylags in the adjacent field near the spillway.
Seven Goldeneye, only 2 Wigeon seen. a Raven.
Monday 25 March 2024
25th March - Light rain until midday. 9C,ight SSE
Sunday 24 March 2024
24th March - mod/fresh NW, 12C, sunny spells, mostly pm.
Willey;
The Blackthorn in full flower along the church lane hedge - waiting for the singing Blackcap and passing Ring Ouzel!
Lilbourne Meadows; afternoon.
A Curlew and Oystercatcher pair on the rough meadows before flying off.
c20 wigeon, 65 Teal, 7+ Gadwall, c 15 Shovelers on the flood pools.
Little Egret, three Buzzards overhead in territory dispute, A hunting Kestrel.
DIRFT;
Three Little Ringed Plovers, two Lapwings, one displaying. A single Linnet and Meadow Pipit.
Saturday 23 March 2024
23rd March - Initially bright, the showers developing, short and sharp at times, brisk NW ,8C, feeling cold
Shawell sandpit/landfill; morning.
Fairly quiet, Shoveler 4, Teal, Tufted Duck c30, a Little Grebe. House Sparrow at the Redlands feeder.
Rain stopped play!
Stanford reservoir; afternoon. Views mostly around dam area.
Chiffchaff 2, Goldeneye 3, Red Kite over.
Oystercatcher pair at inlet field pools and 3 Lapwings on the field (one displaying).
No Wigeon seen
22nd March - Sunny spells, light WNW, 12C
Thursday 21 March 2024
21st March - mostly cloudy, a few sunny spells pm, light/mod SW, 15C
20th March - cloudy, some drizzle and showers, 15C, light SW
Tuesday 19 March 2024
19th March -0 showers, light SW, 15C
Busy again, but I did notice a Muntjac in the Long Spinney just after the village turning.
Sunday 17 March 2024
17th March - rain un til nearly mid-day, another 12mm, saturating the ground. Sunny spells and warm, 15C during the afternoon.
Saturday 16 March 2024
16th March - sunny start, clouding over, light breeze SW-S, 11C, shower evening
Oystercatcher pair near a pool. c100 Wigeon, Shoveler, Teal.
Friday 15 March 2024
15th March - mostly cloudy, light/mod SW, 14C, showers pm.
Thursday 14 March 2024
14th March - cloudy, a few short breaks, light/mod SW, 14C, showers late afternoon.
Willey;
Red Kite over SW, 0850h.
c 20 Fieldfare over NW.
Wednesday 13 March 2024
12th March - rain all morning, then cloudy, mod SW, 8C
Willey; afternoon.
Two Red Kites over south, one whistling
A pair Mallard over, towards back field pond. A male Yellowhammer and two Chaffinches at the paddock feed station
Monday 11 March 2024
11th March - drizzle first thing, then cloudy/dull at time, light NW, 8C
Willey; this morning a Goldcrest was singing quietly in the Church Yew. A couple of Ravens flew over low, squabbling as they went.
Lilbourne Meadows; late afternoon.
Usual duck selection, c150 Wigeon, c 25 Teal.
Great Spotted Woodpecker, Long-tailed Tit,
10th March - rain most of the day, 13mm by evening. Light E, 8C
Saturday 9 March 2024
9th March - sunny spells, mod E, 12C. Chilly in the wind
Friday 8 March 2024
8th March - mostly cloudy, brief sunny spells late afternoon, mod/breeztye, 9C, but feeling cold
Thursday 7 March 2024
7th March - dull, low cloud early, slowly lifting, a few sunny spells late afternoon, light E, 10C
Willey;
Lambing in full swing now.
Mistle Thrush singing well still in BH wood area. Great Spotted Woodpecker drumming too.
A Buzzard over mid- morning.
Wednesday 6 March 2024
6th March - dull/low cloudy first thing, lifting, patchy cloud pm, light ESE, 10C
Willey; a Red Kite over fields behind village pons, 1450h.
Tuesday 5 March 2024
5th March - Sunny spells, light NE, 11C
Monday 4 March 2024
4th March - Frost -2C last night. Sunny am, cloudier pm, 9C, light SE
Busy.
But, the Mistle Thrush was singing just about all morning near the BH wood.