31st July Friday - mostly sunny, light SW, 24C

Newton Cutting; late afternoon.

Birds were few, notable was a couple of Green Woodpeckers (motorway end), one a juv.  Butterflies included Common and Holly Blue, Small Heath, two Painted Lady's, Large and Small Whites.

30th July Thursday - sunny spells, light NW, very brief cloud shower early afternoon. 24C

Willey;

A Red Kite over the fields to the east first thing.

Later four Yellowhammers were in the top hedge, possibly a family.

Lilbourne Meadows; evening.

A Little Owl was showing well this evening.

Also present, a Curlew, a Common Sandpiper, 55 Lapwings and two Grey Herons.

29th July Wednesday - Another scorcher, 31C, light-mod SW,

Willey;

I took these picture yesterday, one of Earls Furlong Pond - completely dry and one of the old 'landed' pasture next to the BH wood - like everywhere nicely a toast 'brown' and bone dry.

Stanford reservoir; afternoon.

Similar to yesterday, a single Common Sandpiper, a Teal and two Shovelers on the dam, along with the Tufted Duck female with five ducklings.

The female Ruddy Shelduck showed in the ';narrows'.

c50 Swallows and House Martins were feeding around the dam and draw-off tower area.

A Red Kite and Raven over.

28th July- Tuesday - cloud clearing to sun, then more cloud late afternoon, 28C, light SW

WIlley;

Two Mistle Thrushes were feeding on the (brown) pasture in Perkins first field, four more may have flown in to a tree, 12 Starlings too.  This time of year Mistle Thrush families tend to gather and they like these fields, so we shall see if more do come.

Four Raven over west, c1000h.

Stanford Reservoir; late afternoon.

A Common Sandpiper on the dam, along with a Yellow Wagtail, Pied and Grey Wagtails.

Six Red-legged Partridges at the entrance gate.

A Green and Great Spotted woodpecker.

Plus the other regulars.

27th July Monday - mostly cloudy, 22C, light breeze.

Shawell Sandpit/landfill area; evening

A 1CY Caspian Gull was showing well among the Gulls.

Two Egyptian Geese, 12+ Little Grebes, only 3 Lapwings, a single Teal still and two Cormorant.

A Peregrine was atop the works yard light.

26th July Sunday - very light shower early. thrn sunny intervals, NW mod becoming fresh/blustery, 23C

Willey; a Red Kite over fields to east 0800h.

Lilbourne Meadows; morning.

Female Redstart at same hedge fence area as last time.

33 Lapwing and 2 Dunlin at Island pool, plus a Little Egret and a Grey Heron.

A hen Pheasant with four mid-size young, a Green Woodpecker heard.

Stanford Reservoir, afternoon.

Two Common Sandpipers on dam along with c50 Canada and c250 Greylag Geese, a single Teal.

A female Tufted with seven young ducklings.   Female Ruddy Shelduck still present.

A few Swifts, Sand and House martins and Swallows feeding over the water.

A mix of usual Warblers, including a Lesser Whitethroat, a family of Long-tailed Tits.

25th July Saturday - Sunny, 27C, mod W/NW, cloud increasing evening,

Misterton; morning

Green woodpecker, Treecreeper, adult Buzzard and juv calling, Song Thrush smashing snails on the lane.

Long-tailed Shrike

Decided it was time to see the 3rd Long-tailed Shrike ever recorded in the UK, it has been faithful to a farmland site and reported during the day.  

When I got there it was in the favoured bush area and at times was busy catching food on the ground, seemed to be mostly Beetles.  Completely, ignoring the many birders watching it, not that far away really.

Given the excessive bright sunshine  I managed some good record shots.

24th July Friday - sunny, 27C, light NW

Willey; a Raven flew over calling 1000h.

Shawell Sandpit/landfill; evening.

12 Little grebes and the Great Crested Grebe still.

First post-breeding season Teal (female), a Common Sandpiper. Only 3 Lapwings seen and one juv Egyptian Goose.  Three Cormorants on an islet.

A few Sand Martins feeding.  

23rd July Thursday - sunny, 26C, light NW

Ash Tree Farm, Bitteswell; afternoon.

Still a good number of Butterflies, especially Common Blue, Small Copper and gatekeepers, several Speckled Wood, Whites, Meadow Brown and a single Red Admiral.

Juv Little Grebe  and Moorhen family on the lake.  Six Goldfinch feeding on the wildflower meadow.

Stanford-on Avon; evening

The Spotted Flycatcher family was showing well this evening with two juvs sometimes being fed, sometimes catching their own food.

Stanford Reservoir; evening

Female Ruddy Shelduck still present, Four Little Grebes, c220 Black-headed Gulls, single Common Gull, a Jay, a Raven over.  Gadwall family and single Pochard.

22nd July Wednesday - Sunny spells, light NE, 25C

Willey;  a Kestrel first thing over Earls Furlong field.

Shawell sandpit/landfill area; evening

A Common Sandpiper, still the single Great Crested Grebe and six Little Grebes.  

Only three Egyptian Geese spotted.  Two Red-legged Partridge on the south side (one looked quite small when flying - juv?)

Plus the other regulars.

21st July Tuesday - sunny spells, light N, 25C

No obs today 

20th July Monday - sunny spells, light NW, 25C

Lilbourne Meadows; evening.

Now the flood pools are dry, there's little likelihood of waders for sometime, but the Oystercatchers and a a Curlew are still present.  

A Kestrel hunting  A couple of Swifts and 15 Swallows dropped in over the island pool, also a Grey Heron.

A female Redstart was spotted on the fence line near the island pool.

 

19th July, Sunday - sunny intervals, light-mod N, staring cooler becoming sunnier 22C

Shawell Sandpit/landfill; morning.

23 Little grebes (ads and juvs), including a pair attending a nest..  A Little Egret, single great Crested Grebe, seven Cormorants and two Common Sandpipers.

A Kestrel over and a peregrine on the works yard light.  Several yellow-legged Gulls with the Lesser Black-backed, Herring and Black-headed.

Usual Red Kites and Ravens, and a Buzzard attending to a calling juvenile.

Stanford Reservoir; afternoon.

A short visit, the Ruddy Shelduck still, a single Common Sandpiper, plus the other regulars.

18th July Saturday - sunny interval, light breeze mostly N, 22C

Stour Estuary; Suffolk/Essex border

After attending a vintage sale new St Ives, Cams, I thought why not continue on to see if I could find the Hudsonian Godwit that has been here several days.  It had been seen moving between several areas, and as I arrived the tide was coming in fast and flooding the usual marsh, so no joy there.  Next a look along the river shore upstream (plenty of Greenshank, Redshank, Black-tailed Godwits and a Common Sandpiper.

I had bumped in to another birder and we had spotted other birders further along the estuary east of the railway track, so a brisk walk to there next.  Most were saying it had not been seen for over an hour, although there was a report it was out there on the bank with BT Godwits but not visible. We both scanned and almost together spotted a candidate roosting next to Canada Geese.  Better views confirmed that it was the Hudsonian, and although a ittle way off  views were quite good.  A Marsh Harrier came over, and although it look way and almost flew, unlike the Black-tailed Godwits is remained rooted to the spot.

A good selection of other birds were present too, including a 'un-ringed' Snow Goose of unknown origin!

17th July Friday - Sunny, light NE, 26C

Willey;

0845h, a Sparrowhawk flew past the church with bird prey, chased by the Swallows.

Shawell Sandpit/Landfill; afternoon.

Gull number are slowly increasing, with a few more Great Black-backed Gulls seen today.

A Common Sandpiper around the main pit and the Egyptian Goose family on the south pit.

12+ Red Kites and all the covids over the landfill area.

Misterton; afternoon.

Spotted Flycatcher again.  Nuthatch, Treecreeper, Green and Great Spotted Woodpeckers.  Grey heron at the lake.

16th July Thursday - Sunny, 26C, light NE

 Bittesby Country Park; afternoon.

A walk here primarily to check for Butterflies, these were in abundance, I spotted 14 species. Most pleasing was my first Clouded Yellow of the year, also a long time (years) since last seen along the old railway track at this site.

I was also treated to the great flight of a Hummingbird Hawk Moth, which you should be able to spot in the photo below. 

Birds were sheltering mostly, except Herring and Lesser Black-backed Gulls 'hawking' insects above.  I could here a Spotted Flycatcher, but it remained in the trees out of view.

Stanford Reservoir; evening

A look here this evening, c35 Pied Wagtails and three Common Sandpipers on the dam.

The female Ruddy Shelduck was spotted swimming past the hide in mid distance, when I got closer it had decided to take a rest in the willow stumps.  It's been a regular a few years now, staying around the Whitwick area mostly.

I also spotted the Black-necked Grebe in the middle of the water, busily washing and preening, that has been here a couple of days now.

A mid-distant photo through the heat haze of the Ruddy Shelduck.

15th July Wednesday - cloud clearing mid-morning, sunny, dry again, 25C, light/mod NE

Soar Brook lake; morning

The Oystercatchers have one youngster.  Other broods included Coots, Mallards, Moorhens and Mute Swans (3 cygnets).

At least two juv Green woodpeckers were around.

My first Common Gull post-breeding season, also c50 LBB, c30BHG and c10 HG - mostly on warehouse roof adjacent.

A Grey Heron and two Cormorants.

Misterton, evening.

I finally found a Spotted Flycatcher here, slightly different area than usual, will have to check again for a  family.

Lots of Red Admirals 'dancing' in the tree gaps in the sunlight, 12+, I tried to video them, not too successfully!.

Shawell Sandpit/landfill; evening

Five juv Egyptian Geese on view.  Single great Crested Grebes and nine Little Grebes.

Ten red Kites and all the Covids.  A single grey Wagtail.

Water is being pumped out of the main pit, so this should return the islets and shore making it better for Gulls and possible waders, depending how low they take the water.

14th July Tuesday - cloudy am, then clearing to sunshine, mod NE breeze, 25C

Willey; 

0745h, a Red Kite over the village and two Cormorants flying to the west of village.

0945h, a Raven heard calling.

Lutterworth; evening

I checked the nesting LBB Gulls.  The one nest that was visible has been lost (sloping roof), but there are still other gulls on the flat roof, so an inspection of these is needed.

13th July - cloudy am,,becoming sunny, 27C, mod NE, becoming brisk/strong later afternoon.

Willey - 0800h a Red Kite over  fields to the east and a single Red-legged Partridge in Earls Furlong gateway.

Stanford Res; evening

25+ Pied Wagtails and 3 Common Sandpipers on the dam.  Also, a Teal.  Otherwise just the regulars.

Shawell Sandpit/landfill; evening.

Only 2 juv Egyptian Geese showing, 12 Little Grebes. A few Sand Martins.

Out and about

While scoping fields I noticed a Hare very close to me, lovely.

12th July - cloud clearing quickly, then sunny, 28C, mod-fresh NE breeze

Willey;

A Red Kite checking the fields out to the west first thing.

This afternoon the Green Woodpecker family was very noisy around the Church yard area.

It's nice to see so many  (common) Butterflies around this summer after several poor years. Currently, Meadow Browns, Peacocks, Comma, 'Whites', Red Admiral, Gatekeepers and Holly Blue are numerous around the village.

Shawell Sandpit; morning.

Again quiet, 9 Little Grebes, c12 Lapwings, a few Red Kites, a Buzzard and juv calling from Spinney, a Green Woodpecker.

11th July - Sunny, 33C, light NE

Shawell Sandpit; morning.

Usual birds, a bit quiet with most birds already resting from the sun/heat.

12 Red Kites.  15 Little Grebes, so some new in.

10th July - Another scorcher. Sunny, light breeze, 33C

Willey; a Greenfinch pair and juv on the Earls Furlong to hedge, 0815h.  I think they nested in the bushes around the pond.

Husbands Bosworth Sand pit, afternoon

Sometimes Tufted Duck have bred here, but I didn't see any young today.  However, Little Grebes, Moorhen and Mallards did have youngsters on the water.

Stanford Res; late afternoon.

Two Common Sandpipers and 36+ Pied Wagtails, 4 Grey and 2 Yellow Wagtails on the dam.

Otherwise quiet, no doubt due to the heat.

9th July - Sunny, very hot, light W, 33C

Willey;  0900h a Red Kite over the Perkins fields.

Lilbourne Meadows; evening.

A male Redstart along the western hedge down to the flood pools area.

Red Warblers singing a little, Linnets and Goldfinches around, a single Oystercatcher and Grey Heron.

8th July - Sunny hot, 31C, light NW-W

Willey; mid day

20 Red Kites and 3 Buzzards over grass field being mowed behind the village pond area.

Shawell Sandpit/Landfill; evening

A Common Sandpiper and a few Lapwings on the main pit shore.  Six Egyptian Geese in the vegetation south pit.

The female Ferruginous Duck was showing again on the main pit, first seen last Saturday by Carl.

7th July - mostly sunny - light/mod W/NW, 29C

WIlley;

A Red Kite over a grass field being mown to the east, 1540.

30 Swallows resting on the telegraph wires, 1625h.

Frolesworth Manor Lake; afternoon.

Checked for Tufted Duck broods, one female had 4 ducklings young.

A single Great Crested Grebe seen, at least three pairs of Coot with young.

Several Swallows and c6 House Martins (although I could not find any nests on the buildings here).

Stanford -on-Avon; evening

Three+ Spotted Flycatchers near the church high up, presumed family. Another one+ near the lane bridge/corner.

Stanford reservoir; evening.

A look around the dam area and over the reservoir.

A Little Ringed Plover juv and four Common Sandpipers on the dam.

Plenty of Tufted, Mallard, a few Gadwall and the feral Geese now gathering for moult on the dam area.

Several broods of Mallard seen.

Two Grey Herons.  A Mute Swan with one cygnet.

6th July, sunny, light/mod W, cloudy late afternoon evening, 30C

Lilbourne Meadows; evening

A look around the (nearly dry) winter flood pools area, produce a Oystercatcher, and Little Ringed Plovers. 

A male Sparrowhawk skimmed low over the meadow and the pools area.

c6 Swifts were overhead and several Swallows were around.

Shawell Sandpit/landfill area; evening.

Very similar to the last visit.  The Egyptian Goose family, a single great Crested Grebe, Little grbes 'trilling' and possibly looking at potential nest sire.  c10 Lapwings.

5th July - cloudy am, sunny periods pm, light W, 26C

Shawell sandpit/Landfill; morning.

The Egyptian Goose family were still present on the south pit.

On the main pit a Common Sandpiper, seven Little Grebes, and the other current usual birds.

The Red Kites, Ravens and other Corvids were over the landfill area plus a small number of Lesser Black-Backed and a few Herring Gulls.  

Magna Park Central; afternoon.

I walked the north boundary corner area, particularly for butterflies.  I spotted 6 Marbled Whites, Small and Large Whites, Meadow Brown, Peacock, Red Admiral, Holly Blues, Common Blue, Brown Argus, Comma, Brimstone, Gatekeepers, Small Skippers and Painted Lady.

Birds included two Green Woodpeckers, Whitethroat, Blackcap and Linnet with a Raven over.

4th July - Sunny spells, light W breeze, fresher evening for awhile, 26C

Shawell Sandpit/Landfill area; morning.

Two Common Sandpipers (main pit) and a moulting male Ruff (south pit).  I think the my last Ruff record here was in 2022.  Some record photos in to the sun.

A Grey Wagtail and plenty of Pied.  Tufted Duck numbers have increased since the last visit on the 1st, 77 counted today.  

Among the Lesser Black-backed and a few Herring Gulls were two adult Yellow-legged Gulls.

Two Egyptian Geese flew over towards the south pit, later the 6 large goslings were seen with them.

Plus all the other current usual regulars seen.

Misterton; afternoon.

Still no Spotted Flycatchers found here, will this be the first year none appeared to have bred here.

A noisy Nuthatch tough.

Shawell Lagoons; afternoon.

A check here to confirm that the Great Crested grebe pair bred again, they have two fledglings with them.  Also Coot pairs with young and a couple of lapwing on the shore.

Lilbourne Meadows; evening.

The winter flood pools are drying fast now and may disappear if the hot dry weather continues.

Two Snipe were feeding, plus Lapwings and Little Ringed Plovers, two were juveniles.

An adult linnet and juvenile on the pool island.

Plenty of Pied Wagtail families and a single Yellow Wagtail.

c100 Starlings again, a single Swift over and a few Swallows.

Two Oystercatchers were seen to fly off the rough lorry park area.

3rd July - mostly sunny, light W, 25C

Willey; morning.

In with the ewes and lambs this morning a Fox was seen, initially standing around, it then went over to the water trough and placed its paws on the side and reaching over to have a drink.  It then walked a little among the ewes and lambs before a largish lamb decided to  purposely walk towards clearly driving it away, the Fox walked off slowly in to the BH wood.

Ash Tree farm, Bitteswell; afternoon.

A walk around the area.  A Little Grebe pair with two young on the lake, first known breeding record here.  Also Moorhen pair with two young.

Other birds included Swallow, Blackcap, Jay (4), Green Woodpecker, Blackbird, Song Thrush, Mallard, and Goldfinch.

Butterflies included Meadow brown, Peacock, Red Admiral, Small and Large Skippers, Small and Large Whites, Gatekeepers, Green-veined White, Speckled Wood, Brimstone,  Holly Blue, Comma and Ringlet.

2nd July - light shower very early, then clearing to sun by pm, blustery NE, 22C

Willey; a Red Kite over the fields today.

 Stanford reservoir; evening.

A Kingfisher flew from the river up the spillway area. A Teal on the dam with a few Gadwall and Mallard, Tufted and the feral Geese flock.  A Common Sandpiper on the spillway wall.  Two Grey Herons on the dam.

A Grey Wagtail family and plenty of Pied Wagtail juvs avbout too.

A few Swifts, House martins and Swallows feeding over the water.  A single  Linnet feeding on the dam side grass area.

1st July Wednesday - sunny spells, high cloud, light-mod W, 23C

Shawell Sandpit/landfill area; evening.

c70 Sand Martins feeding over the main pit high and low.

Egyptian Goose family still together. 

10 lapwings and a Little Egret flew off, not seen very often at these pits.

Five Little Grebes, one a juv, but I didn't see any young here so likely to have moved in.

30th June Tuesday - mostly high cloud, 19C, light/mod SW

Willey;

A Red Kite, Buzzard and Kestrel around Hay field (Earls Furlong) during the morning.

A Raven did the circuit during the afternoon.

Lilbourne Meadows; evening

The first young Lapwing found this year, with a guardian parent looking out.  Single Oystercatcher.

A Skylark was taking food to  nest/young in the meadows, see 'shaky video'

Three Linnets, to male and a female on the meadows.

Four Teal today, with the Mallards.

c100 Starlings feeding on the fields/dry flood pools, many juvs visible suggesting a good breeding season.