8th June - sunny spells, 20C, light breeze NE

Willey; a busy day.  I did disturbed a Stock Dove off its nest in a barn, a very quick peep showed it had one recent hatchling and 2 eggs, hoping they were just hatching too.

Unfortunately the Blue Tit chicks in the garden nest box all perished the other week during a wet unsettled day or so, presumably insufficient food was found for them.  This seems to be a re-occurring theme in our recent Springs.

7th June - cloudy am, sunny spells pm then cloudy again, light breeze NE, 18C

Stanford Reservoir; this evening a Red Kite was flying over, later a good number of Swifts came over and were screaming at times, Sand Martins dropped in too.  More Mallards with youngsters, only a handful of Tufted Duck, are any going to have bred this year I wonder?
Only 2 Common Tern present, still no sign of breeding though.  The Oystercatcher pair flew passed from the adjacent field.  The usual Warblers are still singing as are Blackbirds, Song Thrush and Reed Buntings.

Willey; the Raven family was in the trees of the Sheep field to the west.

6th June - mostly sunny, 20C, light NE.

Willey; a Swift was flying east along the long spinney 0910h.

Newton; a first short visit to a private site that has lakes and scrub and grassy areas - should have potential over the year.  Warblers were represented by Chiffchaff, Willow Warblers, Blackcap, Whitethroat, Lesser Whitethroat Sedge and Reed Warblers.  Several Linnet, Chaffinch, Goldfinch and several Reed Buntings feeding young. A Green Woodpecker called, Swallow were feeding over the water, a Buzzard, Mute Swan pair with cygnets, also Coot and Moorhen.  Several Stock Dove were present.  At least 2 Song Thrush singing.

Butterflies included Common Blue, Small Heath, Large Skipper, Speckled Wood, unidentifiable ‘White’.  Numerous Dragonfly and Damselfly, including Four-spotted Chaser, Banded Demoiselle.

With more time it may prove quite interesting here.

Blue-tailed Dameselfly

Black-tailed Skimmer

Small Heath

5th June - sunny spells, 18C, light NE

Willey; a Mallard hatch about 12 ducklings this morning at the back pond.
A Bat walk again produced a good number of Common Pipestrelle contacts along the old rail area.

Shawell Lagoons. An evening visit, the Shelduck pair was present, looks like no young this year.  The Great-crest Grebe pair were on the water next to their nest, on which 2 Coot stood and kept pecking at the Grebes to keep them away - so it seems like the Grebes will have lost their nest to the Coot pair.
 At least 3 Reed Bunting were singing in the ‘tall grass’ area, 11 Mute Swans were on the water, it seems to becoming more popular to them than it used to.  A Long-tailed Tit family in the hedgerow, Blackcap and Song Thrush singing too.

4th June - cloudy all day, light NE wind, 17C

Willey; a busy day.
Several families of Starlings around the village now. nice to see youngsters being feed.

3rd June - sunny, 25C, stll-very light easterly

Bittesby Mere Lane Lake; a look here before lunch did not turn up too many birds, Reed Warbler, 2 Whitethroat in territory and another male singing nearby.  Mute Swans have 7 cygnets, with several broods of Coots on the lake too.
Quite a few Butterflies, day flying moths, Damsel and Dragonflies and other insects were on the wing.

Eyebrook reservoir; an afternoon visit here, plenty of Common Terns, few Gulls. 13 Lapwing on the shore with Mallard, 1 Shoveler, plenty of Gadwall, 38 Mute Swans and a Little Grebe, lots Great-crested Grebes. A

Red Kite flew over northward and a Osprey was watched fishing for quite a while.

Willey; a 'bat' walk over to the old railway area about 2230h recorded (according to the detectors software), Leisler's, Noctule, Natterer's and Daubenton's.

2nd June - cloud clearing to mostly sunny, 20C

A busy day - no obs.

I did noticed 2 Swifts over the village in the evening while at the post-fete BBQ.