10th May Sunday - high broken c,loud am, sunny intervals pm, mod-fresh NE, 13C, feeling quite cool.

Willey;

First thing a Raven over.

Two Grey Partridge at middle gate, four Canada Geese and four Mallards at Earls Furlong pond area.

Lilbourne Meadows; morning.

Nothing new, a Little Egret and Grey Heron, a Redshank and Oystercatcher pair (lost first brood).

Single Swallow and House Martin over. Sedge and Reed Warbler singing near island pool.

Stanford Reservoir; afternoon.

Not much happening on the water, c 12 Common Terns and four Black-headed Gulls see (hope they don't drive the Terns off the rafts).

A Hobby and a few Swifts hawking over the water.  

Plenty of Garden Warblers singing and the occasional Blackcap.  A Whitethroat was carrying food.

Butterflies were - Peacock, Red Admiral, Green-veined Whoite, Orange-tip and Speckled Wood.

Quite a few Damselflies about to.

9th May Saturday - hazy sunshine, 20C, light SE

Willey;

Little Owl again.   

J Moore found a Pheasants nest with 18 eggs on the edge of a grass field.  We don't find many nests these days, since local shoot on Newnham paddox ceased.

Stanford Reservoir; morning

Rather quiet with no Sandpipers seen on the dam.  A Red Kite over. Cuckoo, 3, singing.

Northants Wood; afternoon

Visited a wood where Nightingales occur, heard one singing, no chance of seeing it though.

Garden Warblers, Blackcaps and Chiffchaffs singing well.  Jay and Green Woodpecker.

Yellowhammer on the hedge, two Red-legged partridges, Pied Wagtail pair, House Sparrow pair on the farmhouse chimney and Collard Dove singing.

6+ Small Heath Butterflies on the sparse meadow, plus orange tip, Holly Blue, Speckled Wood and Large White seen.

A Hare crossed the track.

8th May Friday - sunny spells, 18C, light SE

Lilbourne; early afternoon

Check the winter flood pools, but nothing new, three Little Egrets, a Redshank and an Oystercatcher though.  A Sparrowhawk had caught prey (Starling, I think) and was being pursued by Carrion Crows and Jackdaw in to a hedge.

Stanford Reservoir; late afternoon.

Cuckoo calling and a Common Sandpiper on the dam. Mallard brood, but only to ducklings.

Plus the current regulars.

7th May Thursday - sunny intervals, light NE, 15C

Willey; morning.

0850h, The Grey Partridge pair were spotted in usual area, tried a phone pic from the truck window.

At Earls Furlong pond there was Three Greylag Geese and five Canada Geese.

Towards mid-day I saw the Little Owl in the usual tree.

A Fox walked along the hedge and though the gate, I snapped a phone pic before it spotted me.

Shawell Sandpit - Landfill area; evening.

A check here did not produce anything new, however the Egyptian Goose family are still present and seven Mute Swans were present (mostly immatures).

Ten sand Martins around the south pit.  Only a single Little Grebe seen.

First site brood of Mallards seen

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.

29th April - Sunny, fresh/strong Easterly, 17C, but feeling cool

 Willey; morning

Grey Partridge pair and Little Owl seen again.

Lilbourne Meadows; evening.

The current usual birds plus the Common Sandpiper still and a female Egyptian Goose (possibly the one popped down from Shawell) and my first site record.. 

Linnet and Goldfinch pairs.  Goldcrest singing in the small corner spinney.

20 Starlings gathering food on the Sheep pastures.  Two pairs Yellow Wagtails. 

Two Roe Deer, moulting their winter coats.

28th April - light rain/drizzle early, thn cloudy, but sunny pm, mod-fresh NE, 12C, cool

Husbands Bosworth Sand Pit; afternoon.

Little Grebe 2, Mallard 3, Gadwall 6, Tufted 13, Swallow 2.

Lilbourne Meadows; afternoon.

New bird was a Common Sandpiper.  Shelduck pair still present (female is lame). Single drake Wigeon still.

10 Swallows and 15 House Martins over island pool.

Two yellow Wagtails around.  Reed Warbler, Chiffchaff and Blackcap singing.  15 Starlings busy gathering food from the Sheep pastures.

27th April - Sunny, 20C, light NW

Lilbourne Meadows; afternoon.

Pair Shelduck, two Gadwall, pairs Redshank and Oystercatchers.

Single Wigeon drake still.

WhHitethroat singing.

Misterton; afternoon.

Two Nuthatches near the Church. Chiffchaff and Song Thrush singing.

Heron at the lake, Buzzard over.

26th April - Mostly sunny, light breeze, 21C

Lilbourne Meadows; morning.

On the flood pools area a Shelduck pair, single Wigeon and two Mute Swans.

At the Island pool a Wood Sandpiper was feeding (first of the year here), plus the other regulars, including two Gadwalls and Little Egret..  

A Whitethroat and Reed Warbler were singing in this area.

Tywell Hills and Dales; afternoon.

Met up with Mick and Sandra (the butterfly lady) to search the area for Dingy and Grizzled Skippers and Green Hairstreak, we did find all of these.   Other butterflies included Peacock, Red Admiral, Holly Blue, Speckled Wood Orange-tip and Brimstone.  

A moth, that can be confused with a Skipper, was seen which at first was thought to be a Old Mother Shipton, but didn't look quite right, and I believe it was a Latticed Heath moth.

A Hornet was spotted too

Latticed Heath.

We also noted ants carrying small green caterpillars in to their tunnels, I shall have to explore this further..

Birds included Whitethroat and Lesser Whitethroat, Blackcap, garden Warbler and Yellowhammer

25th April - Sunny, very light breeze, 21C

Welney WWT,

Some nice activity here to see including - the usual Ducks, including a pair of Pintails and two drake Wigeon and two Egyptian Geese.  A Barnacle Goose was with a few Canada Geese.  Little, Great Egret and Grey Heron.  A Common Sandpiper, Lapwings, Red shank, Avocet (many) and Black-tailed Godwits - displaying.  A Common Tern flew in.

Mute and Whooper Swans. 

A good population of House Sparrows (nesting in the centre's roof space too), Sedge and Redd, Whitethroat and Cetti's.

A male Marsh Harrier.

A good number of butterflies seen, including my first Small Copper for the year.

24th April - Sunny, light wind E, 18C

WIlley.

This morning I spotted the pair of Grey Partridge again, back in the usual area.  Then two Red-legged Partridge in the adjacent field.

Stanford Reservoir; afternoon.

Two Little Gulls had been seen by Chris, but when I arrived I found one over the water with 8 Common Terns.

A Little Egret and Grey Heron, a few Shoveler and Gadwall and a single drake Wigeon.

Five Yellow Wagtails on the dam, also the Redshank still.

Bittesby Country Park; evening.

A singing Whitethroat and Lesser Whitethroat.  Several Vlackcaps too.

Seven Tufted Duck and a Canada Goose pair on the lake.

23rd April - Sunny, mod NE, 16C. Feeling cool after another chilly start.

Willey:

This morning the Little Owl was seen flying into the Oak tree in the thick hedge and a  Wheatear was on the old muck heap.

A Mistle Thrush was singing frim the Long Spinney near Muswell leys entrance.

1430h, a Red Kite over, and several Holly Blue's seen in the church garden and church lane.

Lilbourne Meadows; mid-day.

A single Grey Plover was present today, the Greenshank was not seen today.

22nd April - Sunny, breeze increasing to fresh-blustery Easterly, 17C - feeling quite cool. Chilly early mornings still

Willey; 

Little Owl still present, but very wary.

Swallows, at last two are visiting our shed.

Stock Doves, four flew out of the field barns.

Lilbourne Meadows; afternoon.

A Greenshank today was new in.

Otherwise the current regulars, only a single Wigeon spotted though.

Orange-tip, Holly Blue, Green-veined White and Peacock were seen today.

Shawell Sandpit/landfill area; evening.

A quick visit, fairly quiet.  The Egyptian Goose family still, c10 each House and Sand Martins.

Little Grebe pair., Blackcap singing in the spinney.

Buzzard and Red Kite.

21th April - sunny, mod, brisk at times NE, 12C. Feeling chilly in the wind

Willey.

Very disappointingly we have not yet a Swallow pair using the sheds, as they usually do. One has made a few visits, but very infrequently. It’s not looking good!!!

Single Holly Blue in the church lane, mid-morning.

1530h, two Ravens over.

Lilbourne Meadows, morning

The flood pools area was remarkably quiet.  The two Wigeon still and a handful of Teal. A single Oystercatcher.

A Goldfinch pair in the tall hedgerow, six Starlings busily feeding on the pastures then flying off before returning, maybe they have young in the village.  The Blackcap was singing again.

A single Holly Blue on the Hawthorn flowers.

20th April - Sunny spells, light/mos NE, 14C

Lilbourne Meadows; afternoon.

A Dunlin and Oystercatcher, two Wigeon still, a few Teal, two Gadwall and three Shovelers

A Little Egret, two Yellow Wagtails and a Grey Heron.

A Holly Blue and two Orange-tip butterflies.

Stanford reservoir; evening.

Eleven Yellow Wagtails at the dam and three Linnets.

Three Goldeneye, eight Shoveler and a single male Teal.

A Cuckoo calling. An Oystercatcher on the overflow wall.

19th April - Sunny spells, light-mod NW, 13C

Lilbourne Meadows; morning

Dunlin still present.  10 Teal and Tufted Duck air on island pond.

The Oystercatcher and Redshank pairs showing and vocal today.

Three Wheatear along the meadow fence posts.

Single Yellow Wagtail.

Two drake Wigeon.

Stanford Reservoir; afternoon.

Three Common Terns, two Oystercatchers.

Drake Goldeneye and Shoveler pair.

Raven over. Red-legged Partridge pair.

Plenty Warbler activity, Reed Buntings and c15 Linnets feeding near the car park.

Brimstone, Peacock, Speckled Wood and Orange-tip seen.

18th April - 14C, sunny spells, mod SW breeze

Lilbourne Meadows; morning.

At last a new arrival on the wader front, a Dunlin.

The two drake Wigeon still present.

Other recent regulars still present.

Shawell Sandpit/Landfill area; morning.

The Egyptian Goose family still.  Two Shelducks chasing each other.  10 Red Kites, several ravens.

Three Mute Swans and three Little Grebes.

Female Orange-tip

Stanford reservoir; afternoon.

Mixed flock House and Sand Martins high over the res.  Several Sedge Warblers singing, Whitethroats and Willow Warblers too, and a Grasshopper reeling in Blowers L Bay.  Cetti's Warbler heard.

Pair Goldeneye and a Little Egret.  Two Common Sandpipers on the dam.

Two Red-legged Partridge at the dam area.

Brimstone, Peacock and Orange-tip butterflies in reasonable number

17th April - mostly cloudy, light/mod SW, shower early evening, 15C, feeling quite cool

Rookery counts:

Willey Long Spinney (two sites in the spinney) had a total 0f 190 nests, last year 206, so no change I would say within the limits of counting error.

Lutterworth SP58 10km square; 26 Rookies, largest was 88 nests with a square total of 566, which is 87 nests (18%) more than last year, so a definite increase in this area this year.

Lilbourne Meadows; evening.

Not too pleasant weather and cool probably resulted in nothing new being found, although the Redshank was seen.,

16th April - sunny intervals, outlying pm, mod-light blustery SW, 16C

Soar Brook Lake, morning

Rather quite.  A Great Crested Grebe, not seen often here.

6 Canada Geese, Coots and a Moorhen.

Lilbourne Meadows - afternoon winter flood pools area.

Also quiet, 2 Wigeon still.  Pied but no Yellow Wagtails.

Blackcap singing.

Lilbourne Meadows; afternoon

A look over the winter flood pools area, nothing new from recent visits.

Lutterworth, evening

Checked out the building where the Gulls nested last year.  There were eight Lesser Black-backed and two Herring Gulls in the area and on the building, showing territorial behaviour, so will keep an eye on the site to see if nesting does occur.