5th July- sunny and hot, 32C, light NE

Cotesbach landfill - a look this morning was worthwhile as a Grey Plover (moulting adult) and Redshank was present in the quarry area.  A couple of Red Kites only.  Grey Plover this time of the year here are exceptional.

Re-visited in the evening, Grey Plover and Redshank still present.  Good to see the Lapwing chick still surviving and now approaching juvenile stage.  At 2020h 2 Black-tailed Godwits flew over, picked up by Carl, heading about eastward.


Managed some record shots of the Grey Plover.

Orton on the Hill; looked at an area here after lunch, there were at least 3 pairs of Yellow Wagtails in a large wheat field.

4th July - sunny, hot, 26C, light ENE

No obs today

3rd July - sunny and hot, 25C, steady ENE breeze

The countryside is now bringing to show signs of drought with the grass fading quickly to a brown, some trees shedding leaves, with practically no rain in June and the hot dry weather forecast for a while yet we may see a significant effect on wildlife.

Willey; the Red-legged Partridge pair were walking up the driveway mis- morning.

Stanford Reservoir; my first Painted Lady for the site this year.  Plenty of other common hedge/grassland butterflies.

2 Garden Warblers, Blackcap and Whitethroat were singing still.  A Common Sandpiper was on the dam, along with a number of Pied and Grey Wagtails. A couple of Swift flew over and a Red Kite was Cirling over high. A Kingfisher zipped past me as I stood watching a female Gadwall with 10 ducklings.

2nd July - sunny hot, 28C, freshening NE breeze/windf

Cotesbach Landfill; 7 Red Kite seen, probably others resting on the ground this pm.

Shawell lagoons; this evening, 3 Green Sandpipers, 6 Lapwing, a Grey Heron, a single Teal, Mallards and young, 22 Tufted Duck (still no broods), Lesser black-backed and Black-headed Gulls.

1st July 2018 - sunny and hot, 29C, light NE

Stsnford Reservoir; here in the afternoon hoping for Dragonflies and Butterflies.  In fact Dragonflies seems practically absent - odd!  There were good numbers of Large, Small and Green-veined Whites, Ringlets and Meadow Brown. A few Speckled Wood and Large Skipper, a single Essex Skipper and Small Tortoiseshell.
Birds included 5 Common Tern, including the one incubating, 2 Little Grebe and the usual Great-Crested Grebes. 6 Gadwall were nice - moulting now, as are the Tufted and Mallard.  There was one new brood of 7 Mallard ducklings and a Mute Swan pair have 4 cynetes on the water now.
Warblers included Reed, Sedge, Garden, Blackcap, Whitethroat and Chiffchaff. Reed Buntings are still singing, Goldfinch, Linnet and Chaffinch were around too.
A Muntjac almost walked strait into me as I stood on the path listening, it soon disappeared in to cover.

 Essex Skipper - note black tips to antennae

Small Tortoiseshell

30th June - sunny and hot, 28C, light easterly

Badby Woods; I was planning a visit to a woodland for butterflies, then earlier this week a Firecrest was reported here,. I’ve never been here so I thought it was a good idea.  On arrival within 10 minutes of entering the wood I could here the Firecrest and soon had views, there was another crest nearby too, but I could not see it well to confirm its identity, probably a Goldcrest though.  The usual woodland species were soon found, including families each of of Marsh and Coal Tits.
There were a good mumber of butterflies active, n fact too active making it difficult to see them well. At least 1 silver-winged Fritilliary though, and these - I think Beautiful Demoiselle - female and male, although usually near waterways they do occur in woodland too.

Brandon Marsh; I visited here in the evening, plenty of Black-tailed Skimmers about.  Birds included 5 Little-ringed Plover, Redshank, Lapwing and Oystercatchers. 3broods of Tufted Duck, 1, 5 and 7 ducklings respectively.  A selection of other residents/summer migrants, but I think most were still sheltering from the heat.

29th June - Hot sunny, 28C, light to moderate Easterly

Cotesbach landfill;  a look here this morning to count the Red Kite, the were moving around a lot, 15-20 estimated.

Misterton; a lot here, no Spotted Flycatcher seen but hopefully they will soon have young making them more easy to find.  A drake Teal was on the lake, unusually, along with the Canada Geese and Moorhen.