WIlley; 0830h - a Swallow over John M's stables again, as he reported on Saturday (28th).
Checking records back to 2011, I had a Swallow on March 30th in 2016, but the earlies was one on the 20th in 2014.
Willey; 0800h, Two Red-legged Partridges in field adjacent o first Perkins field road gate.
Lilbourne Meadows; afternoon.
Two Little Ringed Plovers, five Lapwings, a Little Grebe,plus Ducks as yesterday.
I was fortunate to watch a Water Rail feeding in the grass field, sometimes 3-4 meters out from the hedge base. Only my second site record in this area.
Gulls included Black-head, Common, Herring and Lesser Black-backed, one of the latter was foraging on a dead Rabbit (it had a blue CR on that I am hoping to read video I took, here's a screen-shot from the video).
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.
