25th Sept Friday - misty start, then sunny, light S, 20C, cloudy and dull late afternoon.

Willey; morning

First thing three Swallows were feeding low over the grass fields, Perkins area.

C40 Linnets were on the adjacent sown field.

24th Sept Thursday - Mostly sunny, very warm again, 21C, mostly light S

Willey; A few Red Admirals were noted during the day.

Stanford Reservoir; afternoon.

A Hobby was catching Dragonflies in the dam area.  Quite a few Little Egrets on the dam, these moved off to the Leicester waterside trees and numbered 14.  Several grey herons about.

Plenty of Shovelers and Teal still, Pochards have increased to 24+.

Two Swallows were present around the dam area.   A roving Tit flock with several Chiffchaffs mixed in.

23rd Sept Wednesday - Sunny intervals am, a brief cloud/shower as front past through them sunny pm, 20C

Willey; during the morning a Nuthatch in the Church lane hedge and Mistle Thrush in Church Yew tree.  Two Ravens over and a Red Kite.

Shawell Sandpit/Landfill area; evening

More ducks present with  36 Teal, two each of Wigeon and Gadwall, plus Tufties and Mallard.  Three Mute Swans.  Usual Little Gulls and Gulls.

56 Lapwings at the south pit.  The adult and juv Buzzard still around the spinney.

Ravens and other corvids and a Red Kite around the landfill area.

22nd Sept Tuesday - sunny until later afternoon, light SW, 25C

Willey; I noticed a Small Tortoiseshell on the ivy in the Church garden hedge mid-morning.  Very very few seen this year again.

Theddingworth; afternoon.

Butterflies in the walled garden area were four Small Coppers, a Clouded Yellow, a Small and Large White.

On the lake  (half dry) 22 Mallards and two Grey Wagtails.  Two Ravens over.

21st Sept Monday - very warm, 2C, light SW_W, Sunny

WIlley; several Red admirals spotted during the day.  A Red Kite over and Nuthatch calling 0)915.

Shawell Sandpit/Landfill; evening

A quick look, dusk is creeping ever earlier now!

A Great Spotted Woodpecker in road side trees.

A 1W Caspian and 2 1W Yellow-legged Gulls.  

Not so many ducks this evening, 10 Teal though.  c50 Greylags and c35 Canada Geese - hoping a PInk-footed will drop in locally now they are returning to Norfolk.

A Grey Heron (not often seen here).  A single Buzzard in the spinney trees.

20th Sept Sunday -

 Lilbourne Meadows; morning.

A feeding flock c40 Linnets near the Island pool.  On the pool only Canada and Greylag Geese and a Mallards. 

Four Meadow Pipits on the fencing and a few Skylarks on the rough meadows.

Four Greenfinch and several Goldfinches around the game cover corner.

Rutland Water; afternoon.

Caught up with the Lesser Yellowlegs which has been present a couple of days.  Other waders included Black-tailed Godwit, Curlew, Greenshank, Spotted Redshank, Ringed Plover, Snipe, Ruff and Green Sandpiper.  A single Common Tern.

A Hobby was hawking Dragonflies over lagoon 2.

Butterflies included a Clouded Yellow, Common Blue, Small White Red Admiral, Speckled Wood and a worn Brown Argus.

size compared to a Greenshank

19th Sept Saturday - cloudy until pm then sunny spells, breezy SW increasing blustery SW later, mild 22C

 Willey; first thing a Kite over Earls Furlong field and two Ravens over the Perkins long spinney area.

Shawell Sandpit/Landfill area; morning.

Now 12 Teal and seven Shovelers, both increasing slowly.  A Common  Sandpiper.

Five red Kites and 15 Ravens over the landfill area.

39 Lapwings at the south pit.

One Caspian Gull and 30 Great Black-backed Gull, plus the usual LBB and BH Gulls.

Stanford Reservoir; late afternoon.

Estimate 110 Shovelers from part count, a few Teal c10.

Four each Little Egrets and Grey Herons.

Spillway four Grey Wagtails.  Six Chiffchaffs around the pump house, plus other in waterside trees.

A Green Woodpecker. and single Swallow.

18th Sept Friday - sunny intervals, mod SW 19C, late afternoon/evening cold front passes, fresh-blustery SW, some light rain, feeling cool.

Lilbourne Meadows; morning.

Four Meadow Pipits and Skylark and Grey Heron on the meadows, Green Woodpecker heard.

Island pool, npoth9ng new.

Single Kestrel and Swallow.  Two Linnets and c10 Goldfinches around.

Bitteswell- Ash Tree Farm; afternoon.

Rather quiet bird-wise, a Buzzard over, Green Woodpecker on the wildflower meadow.

A Common Blue, two each of Red Admirals and Speckled Woods.

17th Sept Thursday - a little light rain early, then sunny intervals, mod W becoming fresher later, 19C

Frolesworth Manor Lake; morning. 

A walk around the lake area, Mute Swan family still, Tufted, Moorhens, Coots and two Great-crested Grebes.

Three Swallows over, c 20 Linnets on the game food area and a single Greenfinch in the hedge. 

Four+ Chiffchaffs.

Theddingworth, afternoon.

In a walled garden area, a Clouded Yellow, 2+ Common Blue and 3+ Small Coppers.

16th Sept - sunny spells, mod SW, 19C

Willey; no Swallows seen for a couple of days now.

Usual Red Kite over mid morning.

A small Frog, about 2cm at Rose Cottage.

Lilbourne Meadows; evening.

A Mute a few Mallards, a single drake Gadwall, Canada and Greylag Geese and two Lapwing at the island pool.

A Green Woodpecker, two Linnets. feeding.

Watched a Roe Deer feeding for quite awhile.

15th Sept - mod W, 19C, sunny spells.

Misterton; morning.

Checked the woodland and lake around the church area.  Nuthatch, Chiffchaff, Blackcap, Goldcrest, Coal Tit.

Buzzard calling from tree perch.

Three Speckled Woods and a Red Admiral.

14th Sept Monday - light drizzle early on, then sunny spells, mild, 22C, light SW

Willey; 12+ Swallows flying around trees top end of Main Street.

A Brimstone at Parsons Close gate c1430h.

Soar Brook Lake, WeBS; morning.

c50 Canada,20 Greylags, two Little Grebes, a Little Egret, four Moorhens and two Coot.  

Three Cormorants.

BH, Herring and LBB Gulls coming a coming all the time, no doubt from the nearby pig fields.

Shawell Sandpit/landfill area; early evening.

Nothing new, 10 Teal and six Gadwalls with the other ducks, otherwise the usual regulars.

c50 Lapwings, south pit.

13th Sept Sunday - cloudy am, few sunny spells pm, v warm 23, light W

Willey; 

12mm rain over night - good, still we need some more, but vegetation is looking greener now..

12 Swallows on the wires first thing.

Mere Lane Lake, WeBs count; morning

I heard a Cetti's warbler here, my first site record.

Seven Little Grebes, five Tufted, seven Mallards, 10 Moorhen, four Coot. 

Lilbourne Meadows, later afternoon.

Five Mute Swans, Six Teal and nine Mallards, a Grey Heron.

Three Swallows and a Kestrel, two cock Pheasants.

12th Sept Saturday - a few sunny spells am, cloudy increasing and SW freshening, but quite warm 22C

Willey; midday-ish two Swallows feeding around the Sheep Perkins area, and on adjacent stubble c100 Linnets,  A Red Kite over.

Stanford Reservoir; afternoon.

A Ringed Plover still on the dam, has been present for a couple of days previously.  From Chris's photos it does seen to have suffered an injury as blood clotted fathers on the lower breast, however, it seem to be in fine health at the moment.   Also, present two Common Sandpipers and 10 Pied Wagtails.

Otherwise similar to last visit.

I was fortunate to see a Grass Snake swimming past me on the Northants side.

11th Sept Friday - high cloud, light SW, 19C

Willey; a couple of Swallows first thing over the village.  Two Red Kites over c1300h and a Jay flew from the Church lane towards the Long Spinney.

Stanford Reservoir; late afternoon.

Eight Swallows around the dam area, two still entering the tunnel, presumably with young in a nest.  Four House Martins flying up to the Lodge, presumably a nest with young  too.

A Common Sandpiper on the dam.  A Grey Wagtail and three Linnets in the spillway.

Two Blackcaps and six Blue Tits enjoying Blackberries near the pumping station.

Plenty of Chiffchaffs and several Willow Warblers # with Long-tailed Tits a Goldcrest in the waterside Willows. 

A Great Spotted Woodpecker in hedge trees and a Green Woodpecker on the Lodge lawn..  A Raven over high calling.

c15 Teal and single female Pochard with the other ducks, plus three Little Grebes.  Several Grey Herons and a Little Egret.

10th Sept Thursday - sunny intervals, light-mod SW, becoming breezy and cloudy with drizzle early evening.18C

Willey; three Swallows around this morning.  One Red Kite over mid-morning.

Bittesby Country Park; afternoon.

Brief walk near lake and old railway track -Two Mutes, a juv Tufted, three Little Grebes and two Swallows. A Sparrowhawk flew low north along track.

9th Sept Wednesday - mostly broken high cloud, light W/NW, 18C

WIlley; I did see two Swallows around the village late morning.

A Hedgehog is still coming to food I put out and see on camera.

Shawell Sandpit/landfill; evening.

A Ringed Plover and Common Sandpiper this evening.

16 Little Grebes, single Shoveler, eight Teal.

Several 1W Caspian and Yellow-legged Gulls.

8th Sept Tuesday - light rain till c1100h, then sunny intervals, becoming breezy, W, 16C

 Willey; didn't see any Swallows today, but should be about still.

Out and About - I did spot a Hare feeding

Frolesworth Manor Lake; morning

A few House Martins and Swallows.  On the lake, Great Crested Grebe, Tufted, Mallard, Coot and Moorhen.

A Chiffchaff and Greenfinch in lake side willow.  Red Kite over.  Six Red-legged Partridges in maize stubble adjacent.

c60 Linnets on game feed adjacent, and two Goldfinch.

Stanford Reservoir; late afternoon.

A Common Sandpiper and two Snipe on the dam.

Several Grey Herons, a Little Egret over.

Single male Pochard with the Tufties and Teal, plenty Shoverlers still present.

7th Sept Monday - sunny spells, cloud increasing late afternoon, light-mod W, 20C

Willey; Five Swallows on the wires mid-day.

I noticed the church Yew trees are very short on berries this year, so the Thrushes will soon clear them when they arrive here.

Lilbourne Meadows; evening.

Evening closing in now!!

Six Swallows, two Skylarks, eight Lapwing, seven Mallards, a Green Woodpecker, two Goldfinch, two Pheasants, a Little Egret and Kestrel.

6th Sept Sunday - mostly sunny, light/mod S, 25C

Willey;  Swallows still around the village and area, although I didn't to a full count today.

Shawell Sandpit/Landfill; early evening.

Two each Shoveler and Gadwall, seven Teal, plenty Mallard and Tufted.

A Common Sandpiper and 61 Lapwings.

Six Ravens over the landfill plus other corvids.

Juv Buzzard still calling for food from the spinney.

5th Sept Saturday - sunny spells, mod W, 21C

Willey; a Red Kite over at 1145h.  

Swallows seen during the day with 33 on the wires at 1900h plus a few flying around too.

Lilbourne Meadows; morning.

33 Canada Geese, two greylags and a few Mallards at the island pool.  

A Blackcap and willow Warbler moving along the brook hedge.

11 Lapwings and a Little Egret.  Two Kestrels hunting.

A Roe Deer eating hedge leaves through a fence.

Stanford Reservoir; afternoon.

All the current regulars, nothing new on the water, a couple of Little Grebes showing at the point.

Again, several Blackcaps and Whitethroat on the branles near the pumping station.

Two Spotted Flycatchers near the old feeder area.

Butterflies  seen were Common Blue (3), a Comma, a Speckled Wood and several Small Whites

4th Sept Friday - rain till 0900h, then cloudy and mod/breezy, 20C

Willey; no Swallows on the wires due to the rain this morning, but still around as spotted during the evening.

3rd Sept Thursday - sunny spells, light SW, increasing brisk pm WSW, 24C

WIlley; only 7 Swallows noted on the wires this morning.  Maybe a better morning meaning they had already gone off to feed, we shall see.

Daventry Reservoir/park; afternoon.

Less waders today - a Spotted Redshank, three Curlew Sandpipers, a Ruff and two Green Sandpiper.

A Common Tern.

Stanford Reservoir; late afternoon.

I counted 100 Shovelers, and there would have been a few I missed.

Female Mandarin again.  

No further Wigeon yet.

A Hobby chased a Swallow, missed it!

A Common Sandpiper on the dam.  Grey and Pied Wagtails, but no Yellow seen.

2nd Sept Wednesday - cloudy, drizzle early, light rain pm, light SW, then brisk S evening, 19C

Willey; the early drizzle brought the Swallows on to the wires, 76 counted.

Lilbourne Meadows; evening.

The dull evening and wind meant it was rather quite,  31 Canada Geese and seven Mallards on island pool.

A couple of Kestrel hunting. c20 Swallows and a couple of Pheasants.

1 September Tuesday - sunny spells, light/mod SW/W, 21C

Willey; 24 Swallows noted on the wires, a Red Kite over high westward and a Painted Lady this afternoon on Parsons Close Buddleia.

Stanford Reservoir; later afternoon.

A gathering of 27 Yellow Wagtails in the spillway area was quite a sight.  

Four Blackcaps (3 m. 1f) and Whitethroat were feeding on Blackberries nears the pump room, plenty there for the taking.

A Common Sandpiper on the overflow wall, and a couple of Little Grebes near the dam. Five Grey herons on the dam.

Shoveler numbers have increased dur8ng recent days, now approaching a 100.  Six Teal.

A Tit flock with Chiffchaffs and Willow Warblers feeding along the boundary hedge/willows.

Shawell Sandpit; evening.

Two Common Sandpipers, four Teal, a Buzzard, 14+ Stock Doves in to the spinney to roost.

Six Great Black-backed Gulls was an increase on recent visits for me.  A 1W Yellow-legged Gull.

18 Lapwings, single Great Crested Grebe.

Both Green and Great Spotted Woodpeckers.

31st August Monday - sunny spells, little drizzle pm, mod-fresh W, 19C

WIlley; 20 Swallows on thew wires 0800h.

Lilbourne Meadows; morning.

Two Green Sandpipers, six Meadow Pipits, only two lapwings at the pool.

A Kestrel and Green Woodpecker.

Swallows and House Martins over, also a Raven.

Welford and Sulby Reservoirs; afternoon.

Rather quite, little to see.  A Common Sandpiper.  Adult Great Crested Grebe with a juv.

Three Grey herons and a Little Egret.

Husbands Bosworth Sand pit; afternoon.

!8 Little Grebes, probably all the families that bred here. 

c50 Mallard and c10 Turfed Duck, including a female with larger ducklings.  

A Common Sandpiper.

30th August Sunday - sunny spells, mostly light SW, 22C

Willey; only 14 Swallows on the wires this morning, but being sunny and warmer they may have been out over the fields already feeding.

Shawell Lagoons; morning.

Not much around, 28 Lapwings resting.

Stanford Reservoir; afternoon.

The main sighting was a Bittern that flew along the Leics side, eastward, in to the narrows, then lost from view.  Presumably heading to the Leics reed bed.  One was seen a couple of days ago by Chris H.

Three Little Egrets.  Two Common Terns.

29th August Saturday - light rain most of the day, light easterly, 18 C. 8 mm since yesterday.

Willey; 51 Swallows on the wires this morning.

Shawell sandpit/landfill; morning

Six Gadwall and two Teal with the Mallards and Tufted.  Little Grebe still.

c20 Swallows and c 30 House Martins.  Four Mute Swans and 9 Lapwings.

Lilbourne Meadows; afternoon.

A Curlew, Green Sandpiper and four Lapwings.

C35 Swallows,  c25 House Martins and c5 Sand Martins.

A Green Woodpecker.

28th August Friday - some rain early, them sunny spells until late afternoon a thunderstorm and heavy showers. Through the night until 0800h 22mm, during today until 1900h another 14mm.

Willey;  Three Greenfinch in the church lane hedge and the Swallows were on the wires again - 0800h.

Daventry Reservoir; afternoon.

A wader fest today - Greenshank 2, Ruff 1, Curlew Sandpiper 3, Common Sandpiper 2, Green Sandpiper, Black-tailed Godwit 1, Pectoral Sandpiper 1, Oystercatcher 1, Spotted Redshank 1, Dunlin 3.

A Pintail, two Common Terns, three Grey Herons.  Swallows, House and Sand Martins.

27th August Thursday - RAIN at last. We had 30mm between 0730 and 1400h, then sunny spells, 22C. Thunderstorm and rain during the evening.

Willey - Village and Moors Lane

46 Swallows were on the wires.

A Blackcap, Lesser whitethroat and Chiffchaff were in the hedge opposite the sewage works gate, at 1430h.

Bittesby Country Park; afternoon

No 'chats' found.  Buzzard, Red Kite, Green and Great Spotted Woodpeckers.

Ullesthorpe, Manor Farm; afternoon.

c20 House Sparrows and four Collared Doves.

Lilbourne Meadows; evening.

Fairly quiet.  Male redstart still present.

Three Snipe, Seven Mallards, 42 Lapwings, Kestrel, four Meadow Pipits, only two Starlings.

Little Owl, Grey Heron four Goldfinch.

26th August Wednesday - high clod, light E, humid, 21C

Willey; a Nuthatch calling from the church lane hedge, a holly Blue on the church garden hedge. 

Stanford Reservoir; afternoon.

Common Sandpiper on dam, along with several Yellow and Pied Wagtails.

Female Mandarin Duck at the point.  Ferruginous Duck still present.

Ravens over calling.  Green Woodpecker, two Meadow pipits and several Linnets.

Shawell Sandpit; evening.

520 Greylags and 125 Canada Geese in, many from Stanford res. 

Common Sandpiper, 11 Lapwings, three Ravens.

The final Little Grebe pair has hatched (between this and my last visit here) and have three fledglings around the nest.

25th August Tuesday - Sunny, mod-brisk E, 25C

Lilbourne Meadows; early evening.

The male Redstart was showing in the same spot as last visit. 

At the island pool area , 67 Lapwings, two feeding Snipe and a Wheatear.  A Little Egret dropped in, as did a few Swallows.

Six Pheasant (the family previously see, this time with a cock bird present).

c60 Starlings were feeding on the dry flood pool area.  Linnet and Goldfinch seen.

A Fox hunting in the long grass and a Muntjac walking about.

[We may may well be in for some meaningful rain after today - we shall see - fingers crossed.]

24th August Monday - sunny, 22C, light, becoming brisk late pm for a while.

Willey;  A Red Kite of the fields to the east and a Kestrel came over the village and hovered over the pikel paddock for a while before heading of back west.  A Nuthatch was calling along the disused railway line trees.

Stanford reservoir; late afternoon.

On the dam was a Yellow-legged Gull, along with Black-head Gulls, three Common Sandpipers, Pied, Grey and Yellow Wagtails, five of the latter were together in the spillway.

A Wheatear was occasionally on the Spillway-field fence line and showed well at times.

Swallows, House and Sand martins were feeding over the dam-spillway area.

Six+ Linnets were around.

Two Spotted Flycatchers were on the entrance drive fence line.

23rd August Sunday - Sunny, 23C, light nNW

Willey; A Kestrel first thing in the Perkins fields.

Lilbourne Meadows; evening.

A male Redstart was showing well along the entrance fence line.

The island pool is now getting very low in water.  Six Snipe flew over calling, after circling they landed in another damp area nearby.

32 Lapwings, a Grey Heron and three Mallard,four Stock Dove on the dry shore. A few Swallows occasionally dropped in for a drink.  A couple of Kestrels around the meadows.

Two Foxes.  Small Heath and Painted Lady seen and a Black-tailed Skimmer.

22nd August Saturday - mostly sunny, mod NW, 21C

Eyebrook Reservoir; afternoon.

A Red-necked Phalarope was report, as quite infrequent in the Midlands I popped over to see it.  It was showing well along the inlet channel. The last one I saw was one I found on the flood pools at Lilbourne Meadows in 2024.

Other waders included Ruff, Greenshank, Dunlin, Lapwing, Little Ringed and Ringed Plovers, Green Sandpiper, Black-tailed Godwit, a Wood Sandpiper and Snipe.

Several Yellow Wagtails, an Osprey over hunting, the 1-summer Whooper Swan and Common Terns still.

Theddingworth; afternoon

Hummingbird Hawkmoth

21st August Friday - sunny spells, mod N, 20C

WIlley - two Mistle Thrushes feeding top long field, first thing (now a little damp after 5mm yesterday).

Stanford Reservoir; afternoon.

Relatively quite, a female Mandarin was present again, also seven Shovelers, single Teal and a male Pochard.

A couple of Common Sandpipers, and two Grey Herons on the dam.  Common Tern pair with chick still on a raft.

A flock of 45 Cormorants were present, at one time most of them were taking part in coordinated fishing activity.

Warbler activity in the waterside Willows and boundary hedges, mostly Chiffchaffs.

A couple of Little Egrets over the dam.

 

20th August Thursday - sunny spells am, cloud increasing, showers during the afternoon, 4mm, 22C

Willey - a female Blackcap in the garden at midday.

Pitsford  Reservoir; afternoon.

Scaldwell bay - 5 Greenshank, a juv Ruff, 3 Black-tailed Godwits.

Near dam/dam - a Golden Plover and Common Sandpiper.

Plenty of Lapwings about, 4 Great and 2 Little Egrets.  Plenty of Teal and a few Pochard.

A Spotted Flycatcher in other bushes and a Whitethroat and Lesser Whitethroat in the ‘ringing’ thicket.

hirundines around and very high.

Butterflies included several Small Heath, 2 Clouded Yellows, a Painted Lady and Green-veined Whites.

19th August Wednesday - Sunny intervals, mod W, 23C. a few spits of rain - nothing really.

Lilbourne Meadows; evening.

At the island pool a Green and Common Sandpiper and a Snipe feeding.  33 Lapwings and a single Grey Heron.