14th April - showers, then rain mid-afternoon till late evening. 10C, cooler in showers/rain, light SW

Willey;

Unexpectedly a Mistle Thrush sang briefly from the Church Yew, 1000h.

Honey Hill; early afternoon.

Two Skylarks over, a Jay, Red Kite, Green Woodpecker.

Stanford reservoir; afternoon

A look from the dam area before the rain became too much.

11 yellow Wagtails on the dam, plus a Grey Wagtail, pair and a few Pied.

A Goldcrest singing near the Tower and a Treecreeper in the boundary hedge.  Two Red-legged Partridges next to field track.

Five Goldeneyes (three drakes).  How long will they stay?

c20 each Swallows and Sand martins on the tower aerials, others and House martins around the reservoir.

13th April - mostly sunny periods, light breeze W, 12C

Willey;

A few moire Swallows now appearing around the village and Sheep fields.

Stanford reservoir; evening.

Twelve Yellow Wagtails on the dam.

Shawell Sandpit/landfill; evening

Two Green Sandpipers.  A Green Woodpecker.  c15 Teal, a few Gadwall, 8 Pied Wagtails

12th April - A touch of 'grass frost' again. sunny spells am, fresh/gusty S-SW, 9C, light showers pm

Stanford Res; evening.

Pretty quiet.

Six Goldeneyes still.  Green Woodpecker, a good mixed flock of hirundines over the water

Grey Wagtail pair on the dam.

11th April - mostly sunny morning, rain and wind, SSE/S from mid-afternoon, 12C

Willey

Three Fieldfares in barn fields area 0815h

Summer Leys NR; afternoon.

News of a male Kentish Plover found this morning tempted me to go and see it.  It was feeding on Gull Island and looked great.  Some record photos managed despite distance and weather.

Luckily, while watching this a White Stork (un-ringed) dropped in and showed well.

Other birds included two Common Terns, Great and Little Egrets, Grey Heron, Oystercatcher, Little Ringed Plover, Redshank, Goldeneye, Shoveler, Gadwall, Teal, Sand Martins.

10th April - mostly sunny am, then pm showers and fresh/gusty SW, 12C

Stanford Res - afternoon.

 c100 Sand Martins, c40m Swallows, a few House Martins,  A Willow Warbler singing, 5 Yellow Wagtails on the dam.  A red kite.

Grey Wagtail.

Four Goldeneye.

9th April - Mostly cloudy, light S breeze, 14C

Willey; single Swallow seen this morning, mid village.

Shawell sandpit/landfill; late afternoon.

Two green Sandpipers, a Little Ringed Plover.

Five Shovelers, a few Teal, 17 Gadwall.  Egyptian Goose family.

Two Yellow Wagtails, five Pied Wagtails.

Five each of House Martins and Swallows.

Six Red Kites

Flock c30 Linnets feeding.

Single Fox

8th April - Frost last night. Sunny, light SE, 15C

Stanford Res; morning.

Pretty quiet.  c 40 Fieldfares on field opposite entrance gate.  Goldeneye 5, Shoveler 2, Teal 2, Goldfinch pair, Mistle thrush feeding on dam.  

Two Long-tailed Tits.

Shawell sandpit/landfill area;

40 Ravens, 1 green Sandpiper, Egyptian Goose family

Soar Brook lake; afternoon.

I each of Little Egret, Green Sandpiper, Little Grebe.  Goldfinch singing.  Oystercatcher pair.