4th May - mod NE, 13C, sunny periods (feeling cool)

Lilbourne Meadows; morning and afternoon.

Greenshank still, Redshank 2, five Little Egrets (presumably post-breeding dispersals now).

First Mallard brood with 5 ducklings.  Tufted Duck pair again.

Yellowhammer along the lane.

Shoveler (2m), Gadwall and Shelduck 2, 

Shawell Lagoons;

 Two each of Shelducks, Mute Swans and Tufted Ducks.  c40 LBB and four Herring Gulls. A great Crested Grebe.

Grafham Water; afternoon.

A visit to see the Spotted Sandpiper, which was showing very well and very close.  Excellent summer plumed bird - should be in the USA!!

3rd May - Mostly sunny, NE light-mod, 16C

Lilbourne Meadows; morning

Greenshank still, three Oystercatchers and two Redshanks.  A Little Egret and Grey Heron.

Shawell Lagoons;

Two shelducks today

Cotesbach- Sandy Lane

Coots with young on the pools.  Green Woodpecker calling.

Several Red Kites over, including one drinking from the top quarry pool.

Shawell Sandpit/Landfill area; afternoon.

10 Red Kites, Ravens, Little Grebe pair 'trilling', a Shelduck.

An Egyptian Goose pair with 8 youngsters. This is the seconded breeding record for the site and SW Leics (first in in 2023, then with 9 young seen on March 24th).

2nd May - light N, 22C, mostly sunny.

Bittesby Country Park; afternoon.

Skylarks doing well on the meadows area, also single Meadow Pipit seen.

Chiffchaffs, Blackcap and Whitethroats singing.

Butterflies were at least 10 each of Brimstone, Orange-tip and Small Whites, a Peacock and four Speckled Woods.

Lilbourne Meadows; evening.

Greenshank still present.  A Redshank, Shelduck pair, a Little Egret, a Yellow Wagtail, Goldfinch and a Linnet.  Plus other regulars.

Shawell Lagoons (south Lagoon only), evening.

Four Shelducks, three Drakes and a female, a Common Sandpiper, a Lapwing in territory, a drake Tufted and Mallard pair.

1st May - light SE-S-SW, 26C, mostly sunny until evening

 Willey; morning.

A pair of Grey partridge were in the Hurls Furlong field first thing this morning, hopefully they stay around.

Lilbourne Meadows; early afternoon and evening.

A Greenshank, Little Egret, a Redshank and Shelduck, a Yellow Wagtail other regulars. 

Stanford reservoir; afternoon.

A pair of Yellow Wagtails mating in the spillway.

Female Goldeneye, a  Kingfisher. 11 Common Terns

30th April - Sunny, 25C, light SE

Lilbourne Meadows; evening.

A Greenshank was in, plus a resident Redshank.

The Great White Egret was again present, along with a Grey heron and three Little Egrets.

15 Pied and two Yellow Wagtails.  A Green Woodpecker called.

Ducks included Gadwall, Teal Shoveler and Mallard.

A fox,,vixen, showed for a while, the birds were keeping a c;lose eye on it!

29th April - Sunny, light SE, 22C

Lilbourne Meadows; morning and evening

This morning I heard a Curlew and a Great White Egret was present (only my 3rd site record).  

Also unusual to see here was a male House Sparrow on the fence.

This evening a Ringed Plover was present, at last a passage wader, also only my 3rd April record for this species here.

Also unusually for Spring a Tufted Duck pair on the field flood pools. 

Fourteen Pied Wagtails and two Yellow Wagtails.

Stanford reservoir, evening.

On the dam were two Common Sandpipers and two Yellow Wagtails.  Seven Common Terns, very noisy around the rafts.   The female Goldeneye was still present. A single drake Shoveler.

The Cowslips are flowing very well this year.

A couple of Green-veined Whites were feeding on the Hawthorn.

Misterton; evening

A quick check here produced a male Grey Wagtail at the lake outflow.

28th April - Sunny, 22C, light SW

 Lilbourne Meadows; early afternoon.

Two Shelducks,  a Redshank, a Little Egret, a Yellow Wagtail and other regulars.

Cossington Meadows, evening

A visit mainly to see the Savi's Warbler which has been here a couple of days.  However,  it decided to become quiet and invisible, so over a couple of hours only brief views and snatches of song.  Need to try again!

While waiting a Cuckoo was singing, a Raven over with food, plenty of Cetti's activity and Common Terns fishing.  Warblers included a Garden Warbler and Lesser Whitethroat.  A very noisy Water Rail.