1st May - Chilly night. Mostly cloudy am, sunny intervals pm, light N, 12C

Cotesbach Landfill; this morning very similar to recent visits.  New were a Whitethroat and Lesser Whitethroat singing in boundary hedge.  A Mistle Thrush singing too near the Redland building, a female Reed Bunting flew in to the hedge - unusual here. 

Three Egyptian Geese and five Teal, no Shoveler seen.  A pair of Shelduck and Grey Heron too.  Another Mallard with four ducklings out on the water.

Stanford reservoir; on the dam a Common Sandpiper, Grey and Yellow Wagtail.  A mixed flock of hirundines, several hundred (at last) were feeding over Blowers Lodge Bay and low over the water.  Four Goldeneye still (two pairs).

A Cuckoo was calling near the reed bed in the adjacent wood. Nearby a Hobby hunted low over the water for insects.   A Lesser Whitethroat and several Whitethroats were along the Leices bank bushes.

It may have been a chilly April, but many things also thrive.  Blossom has been looking splendid this year.  This Crab Apple is in full colour at Stanford reservoir, the hum of the Bees and other insects was very loud on it.

30th April - Ground frost last night. Sunny intervals, light N, 11C

WIlley; I still have not found any whitethroats or Lesser Whitethroats around the farmland hedgerows were I would expect them, for some migrant birds its proving to be a very late Spring.  

Cotesbach landfill;  similar to last evening, except three Shoveler, five Teal, a Shelduck, three Egyptian Geese.  A Common Sandpiper again.  On ly a single Red Kite seen.

The male Grey Wagtail was still collecting food for its nestlings.

29th April - chilly last night again. SUnny spells, cloud increasing, a few short wintry showers pm, mod NE wind, 10C.

Cotesbach Landfill; a look this evening, chilly wind, only 8C.  

Only one Shoveler (drake), three Teal (one drake), two Egyptian Geese, 19 Tufted Duck and seven Mallard.  c10 Pied Wagtails busy feeding, then Swallows dropped in and started to feed, 35 counted, and with one each of House and Sand Martin.

A Common Sandpiper, four Red Kites and a couple of Buzzard too.

28th April - broken cloud, light-mod, fresh at times NE, 11C, feeling cool

We had about 14mm rain during the night, the first rain this month on any note.  Also, April has now been declared the frostiest April for about 60 years.  

Stanford reservoir; a look late afternoon. Two Hobby were hunting insects or chasing hirundines.  A mixed flock of  House, Sand martins, Swallows and a single Swift were around.

A Common Sandpiper on the dam, along with two male Grey Wagtails that were collecting food for their respective nests. Five Yellow Wagtails too.

Four Arctic Terns were over the water, four Goldeneye and a single Pochard (male) with other usual Duck were busy feeding.

A Goldfinch pair and singing Goldcrest were also around the dam area in their usual places.

A Green Sandpiper was on the pool in the field near the outflow.

27th April - cloud increasing during the day, light rain in evening, 12C, light ENE

Stanford reservoir; a look this afternoon.  More Whitethroat and reed Warblers about now, and a Garden Warbler.  Overhead c14 Sand martins, 2 House Martins, 2 Swallows and a single Swift was noted.

Two Hobby were hunting low over the water, catching insect prey.  A single Raven was heard as it flew over.

On the water two Goldeneye still and two, drake Pochard, three Grey Herons around the edge.

On the dam a Common Sandpiper was feeding, whilst on the grassy slope a Redwing was feeding.

Cotesbach Landfill; eight Shoveler, seven Teal, a Common Sandpiper and only one Egyptian Goose seen this evening

26th April - mostly sunny, light NE, 14C, chilly first thing.

Willey; at last, a number of Swallows returned yesterday and are busy exploring our sheds and JMs stables, which they like.  Lots of song and chasing in and out of the sheds today.

This morning a group of adult 7 Starlings were feeding together on the pasture.

Stanford reservoir; this evening a look around the dam.  I counted 20 Yellow Wagtails and a few flew off before counting them, so a really good gathering.  A Common Sandpiper was feeding on the dam too.

A Grey Wagtail was collecting food.  The Goldcrest was singing again in its usual area.  Four Goldeneye were still present on the water.

25th April - sunny periods, light-mod NE, 14C, feeling cool

Cotesbach Landfill/Shawell Lagoons;  This morning the three Egyptian Geese, Shelduck, 10 Shoveler, 33 Tufted Duck and only five Teals on the pools.  A coupled of both Sand Martins and House Martins, a single Swallow.  Two Skylarks flew off the adjacent works field and over.  Five Red Kites were around.  

An Oystercatcher was on a small island.

A single Cormorant and two Great-crested Grebes were on the south pool.

Stanford reservoir; the cool wind did not help finding migrants, any about were keeping their heads down and song very muted.  A Common Sandpiper and three Yellow Wagtails were on the dam.  A Goldcrest was singing in the bushes near the dam.  A couple of Goldeneye were present on the water (m+f).