WeBs counts
Mere Lane Lake; morning
Four Little Grebes - lots of 'trilling' and territory disputes, five Tufted Ducks and two Mallards, five Coot and six Moorhens.
Mute Swan pair with nest.
A Green Woodpecker 'yaffling', Chiffchaff singing.
Magna Park Lake area.
Two Little Grebes 'trilling' and in territory disputes, three drake Mallards, four Moorhens and a Coot.
Great Spotted Woodpecker 'drumming' and a Green Woodpecker 'yaffling'. A Buzzard present in the trees.. Chiffchaff singing.
Soar Brook Lake; morning
Last winter WeBs count today.
Grey heron2, Little Egret 1, Canada 20 and Greylag 16, Tufted 7, Mallard 5, Cormorant 7, Moorhen 4, Mute Swan 2, Snipe 2 (feeding on waters edge bank), and Oystercatcher pair.
Also, a singing Red-legged Partridge, Stock Dove pair, Pheasant called, four Goldfinches feeding in tree tops, and a Buzzard calling.
Willey;
Red Kite drifted over the village at 0800h.
Two Mistle Thrushes singing in the village area.
Soar Brook Lake, late morning.
21 Cormorants, four Wigeon and five Mallards, a Little Grebe.
A Little Grebe. 20 Canada and 12 Greylag Geese.
Two Ravens over and a Green Woodpecker heard.
A Peacock butterfly.
An exceptionally warm March day, alas busy 'lambing', but perfect for the little ones.
Ravens over first thing, doing the local fields circuit - looking for 'fallen' stock.
Several Brimstones noted.
The local Song Thrush is singing really well and frequently now, and it looks like Blue Tits are using a garden nest box.
A per other recent Springs we have a pair of Canada Geese visiting the local ponds, will see if they breed this year.
Willey; Raven heard over c0800h, Red Kite over 1200h.
Lilbourne Meadows; afternoon.
Two Oystercatchers, still c200 Wigeon, six Tufted Ducks, also Shovelers, Gadwall and Teal, four Lapwings (breeders?)'
A Little Egret, two Grey Herons. c70 Common Gulls on the field flood pools.
Several meadow Pipits and Skylarks present.
A Brimstone and single Roe Deer seen.
Stanford-on-Avon, morning
No White-fronted Geese found - most likely gone now.
Newton - 5 Arches Walk; afternoon.
Weather conditions were not very good, so most birds were in shelter.
It was quite noticeable the number of 'yellow' Spring wildflowers. should be good foe early Butterflies, etc.
Willey; 0900h, a Mistle Thrush singing for quite awhile from pikel paddock tree top in the wind - definitely a ‘storm-cock’.
Stanford-on-Avon, 1615h
24 White-fronted Geese in monuments fields.
Willey; at 1330h three Buzzards were have a territorial dispute over the village.
At 1530h c20 Fieldfares flew past low, generally southward.
Stanford-on-Avon.
1630h, I could only see 18 White-fronted Geese, toady in the Stanford Hall grounds, between lake and Hall. Nor, any found elsewhere, so we shall see if some have moved off.
A wonderful warm spring day, exceptional
Willey.
About 1000h a Brimstone was spotted in the garden around Ivy, very active, my first Spring record.
1600h, 32 White-fronts still in the field with the Canada and Greylags.
Shawell Sandpit/landfill
14 Red Kites, eight Wigeon, usual Gulls, two Lapwings.
Willey; a Red Kite over 0845h
Stanford -on-Avon.
35 Russian White-fronted Geese present still.
At the lake island, two Grey Herons and one each of Little and Great Egret.
Stanford -on Avon,,morning
35 Russian White-Fronted Geese preset.
Lea Marston; afternoon.
Decided to go and twitch (find) the Hume's Warbler which has been along the river Tame since January. It had not been seen when I got there since mid-morning and no one else was around. After much searching and having heard it three times I did find it, very active with Long-tailed Tits. Impossible to get a photo though on this occasion.
Male and female Goosanders on the river, drake Gadwalls chasing a female and a Gren Woodpecker called.
Willey; Red Kite over 0900h
Lilbourne Meadows; morning.
Pretty quiet, few Ducks on the flood pools.
Stanford -on- Avon
34 White-fronted Geese in the fields again.
Shawell Sandpit/landfill. Late afternoon.
52 Teal, only 2 Little Grebes currently, also Coot down to 52 - so obvious signs of birds having left for their breeding locations.
c6 Red Kites and Ravens respectively. 20 Lapwings. Two Mutes Swans now in.
A Green Woodpecker.
Stanford-on-Avon, morning
24 White-fronted Geese this morning in the usual field of late.
Small mixed flock Siskin and Goldfinch feeding in lane tree tops.
Lilbourne Meadows.
Just checked the field flood pools, nothing new.
A small number of Redwing and Fieldfares feeding on the pasture.
Goldcrest again in ivy hedge by entrance.
Stanford Hall & Monument Field; late morning
In the hall park there was two White-fronted Geese with the Canada/Greylags geese and in the monument field area the main flock of 32 was present.
Lilbourne Meadows
I found a Goldcrest where the Firecrest was reported yesterday, another 'crest' was present but vanished before I could see it properly.
Plenty of Goldfinch and Chaffinch singing, territory behavior.
Lilbourne Meadows; mid-day.
After a report of a Firecrest I popped down to see if I could find it, I didn't find it, nor did the 'merlin' app hear it Hopefully another day.
Very similar to last visit, except now two Oystercatchers are back - great.
Stanford-on-Avon; afternoon.
A check of the Monument field produced 29 Russian White-fronted Geese were present around the flood pools, looking very settled. I wonder how long they will stay?
We are in for a few very mild days, even today more insects about, including a Ladybird, look out for a Butterfly.
Willey; a Mistle Thrush flew in to a tree opposite the allotments, and I did hear one singing last Wednesday not too far from here.
Soar Brook lake; morning
WeBs count day. Nice to see an Oystercatcher back, hope a mate returns soon. Low waterbird numbers seen
Mere Lane Lake;; morning
WeBS count visit here, Little Grebes, four seen, and 'trilling', a few other usual waterbirds.
Red Kite over.
Stanford Hall area; morning.
WeBs count here. Main sightings were 20 Russian White-fronted Geese with the Greylags/Canada Geese in the monument field. At the Heronry island there were 6 Grey Herons and 4 Little Egrets.
Lilbourne Meadows; morning
c300 Wigeon, c 150 Lapwing, a Curlew and Several Golden Plovers.
Plus the other regular wildfowl, a Red Kite and Raven.
Bittesby CP.
Checked the lake today for WeBs count, only 3 Mute Swans. A couple of Buzzard, Skylarks and Goldfinches around.
Magna Park, Central.
Check the lake for WeBs count and some of the woodland border. A Water Rail, three Tufted and Canada Geese, 4 Moorhens.
c12 Goldfinch, Long-tailed Tits, Treecreeper.
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.
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.
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.
Another very wet and unpleasant days weather.
A single Red Kite over the Perkins fields/long spinner area at 0900h.
Checked Stanford Hall for White-fronts after lunch, only Canada Geese though. Popped in to Stanford reservoir to check the five drake Common Scoter reported by Chris, they were riding out the big waves in the centre of the res.
Everywhere is now waterlogged again, with brooks ands ditches overflowing in to fields.
Lilbourne Meadows; afternoon.
Plenty Wigeon and Lapwings and c60 Golden Plovers again.
A few greylags, then a flock flew in with Canada Geese and a female Ruddy Shelduck.
Two male Tufted Ducks.
A Green Woodpecker called a few times.
