15th June 2018 - sunny am, cloudier pm, light SW breeze, 20C

Bittesby Mere lane lake; a walk here this morning produced the following butterflies, Common Blue, Speckled Wood, Large Skipper and Meadow Brown.
A Jay called from the hedgerow, Sedge and Reed Warblers around the lake with Blackcap and Whitethroat in the bushes.  A Little Grebe was on the lake with another hiding, many Coot with young.  A family of Long-tailed Tits were in the thicket and nearby at least 2 Bullfinches.

Cotesbach Landfill; 8 Red Kite were present about 0900h, soaring around the site. Plenty of Gulls feeding on the landfill or resting.

14th June - gusty morning, cloudy & cool, brighter pm and warming 20C

Leicester Abbey Park; while in Leicester had a walk around the park and adjacent river.  A Little Egret was feeding at the weir, a drake Red-crested Pochard was on the river below the weir.  The weather was keeping most passerines low, a Long-tailed Tit family, singing Blackcap and Goldcrest were noted.  Three Banded Demoiselle on the river side.

Brandon Marsh; an evening visit, very pleasant evening. Notable observations include 3 Hobby in dead tree (looked like 1st year birds), a Sparrowhawk in same tree with them. A female Kestrel in the adjacent tree, sitting with pre-roost Starlings gathering.  Grey Heron and Little Egret. 39 Lapwing, Oystercatcher pair with chick, 2 Redshank and Little-ringed Plover.  A Kingfisher flew passed.  4+ Cetti's Warbler were heard, plus usual Warblers.  1 Swift over, several Swallows and Sand Martins at their nests. Male and female Cuckoo present. Common Terns now with well grown chicks.4+ Song Thrush singing, 4 Linnets in dead tree top.
A Wasp species was building a nest in the east Marsh hide.

134th June - cloudy, freshening breeze, 20C, SW

Willey; Red Kite moved over eastward late morning.

Stanford reservoir; an evening visit, nothing new. Increase in Greylag and Canada Geese post-breeding, 10 and c50 respectively. A Red Admiral was flying, while Fox and Hare were seen.

12th June - cloudy becoming sunny during the afternoon, 18C, light breeze.

Willey; several Swifts Flying over the village feeding during the day.

Cotesbach Landfill; this morning the 2 Shelduck, showing signs of moult now, Canada Geese family, 3 Lapwings, Lesser Black-Backed and Herring Gulls, 2 Black-headed Gulls too.  3 Red Kites.

11th June - sunny, hot, light breeze, 25C

Willey; this morning a Red Kite was over the Sheep fields to the west. A. Buzzard came from  Newnham over the long spinney and tried to see the Kite off. The Kite can easily out-manoeuvre a Buzzard and soon the Buzzard left it alone, only to return the other side of the long spinney to give a full territory flight display.

One Swallow has hatched, probabaly a couple of days ago, so now busy feeding them.  A Sparrowhawk flew through about 1600h, quickly chased off by them.

Cotesbach Landfill; a quick look here about 1500h as I passed produced 8 Red Kites.

10th June - mostly sunny, thin cloud, 22C, light NE

Willey; Raven family again this morning in Ash trees at Sheep field.

Wolvey; I had a look around their small pond/marshy reserve and immediate area this afternoon as Spotted Flycatcher have been here in past years, not today though.  A nice selection of common birds though, a Swallows nest with young in the church porch, a few House Martins overhead, plus common Warblers, finches and Goldcrest. A Song Thrush was collecting food for its young in the church yard. A arrion Crow was also seen spread out sunning/anting itself.

At the pond a nice selection of Dragonflies and several large Skippers.

 Song Thrush with food

 Four-spotted Chaser female

 Broad-bodied Chaser male

 Large Red Damselfly

 Large Skipper

Carrion Crow sunning itself

9th June - High cloud, 18C, light breeze NE

Willey; the Raven family were again in the Ash trees to the West first thing, overlooking Sheep
fields.

Misterton; a early visit here, still looking for Spotted Flycatchers - which I found today, so hopefully there is breeding success.   Also, a Grey Wagtail on the lake outflow weir, plus all the other usual woodland birds found here.

Cotesbach Landfill, Carl had found 2 Sanderling there, when I arrived only one remained, busily feeding.  I spotted one largish bird near the Gulls on the ground in the water -a Curlew.  Nine Red Kites and a few Buzzards were present too.  The usual summer Gulls, plus a 2CY Yellow-legged Gull that Carl picked out.

I returned late afternoon to find a Peregrine hunting, 6 Red Kites still and a Raven too.

Shesrsby; someone I know had told me they had Spotted Flycatcher in their grounds, so I explored here this afternoon.  It wasn’t long before I was watching a Spotted Flycatcher catching food and taking itt, I think to it’s mate from the sounds I could here, maybe on a nest.  Unfortunately, I was in the wrong place for photos, but this shows one that was busy feeding from a gate.

The local Robin didn't want to be left out!