3rd March - -2 last night, morning broke misty 0C, little wind, a little thawing 1C during the day remaining cloudy/misty, NE wind light pm

Willey; we are one track for an increase in temperature and thaw over the next few days, not too soon either.  This morning I had to go the Lutterworth, on a low garden hedge and in trees on the first housing area there were  c70 Fieldfare feeding very actively.

Similar birds as yesterday at my feed station today, a Pheasant and Coal Tit were additional.  even though weather was still poor today it didn't stop a Great Tit singing late afternoon.  Richard T. says his garden and feeders are very busy too, especially with many Long-tailed tits and Blackbirds.

Feeding areas are so important when we suffer such a cold snowy weather period like this.  Similar reports of busy garden feed areas from all over the country. No doubt many birds, like Owls, Kestrel, Lapwing and Snipe have been hit hard.



 

2nd March - -6C last night. Cloudy am, very fine snow pm, -3C, brisk NE- wind chill -8C

Willey; the very cold and snowy weather continued today, the brisk NE biting through and causing some drifting of snow.  I found some apples and put out at my feed station - soon to be eaten by the thrushes and corvids.

A new bird visisting today was a male Reed Bunting that also visited the nearby farm buildings as well as other food areas. Other birds included Nuthatch, Long-tailed Tits, 2 Fieldfare, 1 Redwing, 1 Song Thrush, several Blackbirds, Dunnock, Robin, House Sparrows, 10 Tree Sparrows, several Yellowhammers and Chaffinch, 2 Greenfinch, at least 6 magpies and c10 Jackdaws.

1st March - -8C last night. Today brisk NE, wind chill -10C, fine dry snow most of the day, freezing all day.

Willey;  a most awful day, very cold and the wind blowing snow around.

The severe winter weather is now causing many birds to approach human habitation close and new species attending feeders.  I have several Fieldfare and more birds at the feed station.
Paul C picked a dead Snipe up from his field gateway.  Birds are entering buildings and cattle and other animal buildings looking for food.

Three Whooper Swans turned up at Stanford Reservoir today (Chris H), seems they have been moving around in the last couple of days with other turning up at Rutland Water.

28th Feb - -6C last night. Sunny spells, snow showers light, 0C, light NE, cold

Willey;  37 Lapwing, Starling and Fieldfares again on pastures, they are on a leeward side of a field hedge and the sun catches the ground making it a tad soft in a few spots.

The very cold weather, snow cover and frozen ground will begin to affect our wildlife survival.  We have a few more days yet before conditions ease.

27th Feb - -4C last night, sunny spells and snow flurries, light-steady NE cold, 1C

Willey; this afternoon the Lapwings were again feeding on the pastures to the east, 34, with them c130 Starlings and 12 Fieldfares.

Shawell Lagoons; water not frozen so attracting plenty of Gulls, a Herring Gull carried a yellow ring Y.F38.

Also present were 6 Canada Geese, c60 Wigeon, 2 Pochard, 3 Teal, a Mallard pair, 2 Great-crested Grebe, 2 Cormorant and 6 Mute swans. A Buzzard flew over and spooked the Gulls as it always does.

Ground snow cover is very variable locally from none to a little, nationally some places have had several cm with more on the way.

26th Feb - good frost last night. Sunny am, sunny spells pm with short snow flurries but not covering the ground that is now fairly frozen. Steady NE wind, cold oC

Willey; a busy day but worth noting that c25 Lapwing and c30 Starlings fly on to the pasture to the east of the village next to the .Coal Pit Lane.  Presumably the ones seen a few days ago.

25th Feb - good frost last night, sunny, cold easterly, 4C

We are in for a spell of cold easterly weather coming over Central Europe from Siberia, maybe the coldest spell for many years - we’ll see what comes.

Stanford Reservoir; this afternoon a Red Kite flew over eastward. 12 Teal, a Shelduck pair, 2 Goosander, 6 Goldeneye were present with plenty of Pochard, Tufted Duck, Gadwall and Wigeon.  A mixed flock of Redwing, Fieldfare and Starling were feeding on the adjacent pasture. A female Kestrel was hunting, flying over a small party of ground feeding Chaffinch that took no notice.
At the feed station a few more Chaffinch, a Pheasant and Mallard pair were helping themselves to spillage. A Rat was also present - future Barn Owl meal.

A Muntjac doe was in the scrub, whist a Fox sat on the bank eyeing the duck on the water below.