10th May - light breeze E-SE, sunny, 23C

Willey; we seem to be getting more and more Canada Geese these days, with six in the fields this morning.  I can only put ot done to the increased number of pools in the area. such as the SuDs on Magna park.

Lilbourne Meadows; morning

Nothing new, just the regulars.  Although the ducks were keeping a close eye on a Fox in the long grass.

Misterton; afternoon.

First Spotted Flycatcher.   A Treecreeper collecting food, also a female Grey Wagtail.

Shawell Lagoons

Six Lapwings, two Cormorants and two Great Created Grebes (not a pair).  Three Shelducks.

Shawell sand pit/landfill

The Egyptian Geese and all eight young still present.  Also, first Greylag brood here too.

Minimum 30 Red Kites, five Little grebes (2 pairs), six Gadwall.

Green and Great Spotted Woodpeckers.

Elsewhere, I was fortunate to see a Hobby perched up in a tree, so often seen dashing around.

9th May - a touch of frost early. Sunny, increasingly warm, 21C, light NE

 Willey; Red Kite over being chased by a jackdaw.

Lilbourne Meadows; early afternoon.

A second mallard brood now, with 9 youngsters.

The Drake Shoveler, a few Gadwall,  five Mute Swans, a female Yellow Wagtail.

A Lesser Whitethroat singing by the entrance gate.,

Butterflies included Red Admiral, Orange-tip, Brimstone and Large White.

The first Broad-bodied Chaser of the yea for me (quick phone pics).

8th May - mostly cloudy, 14C, light NE

Lilbourne Meadows; early afternoon.

The Greenshank was still present, record shot through the heat haze.

Two Redshank and Little Egrets.  Two male Yellow Wagtails, the drake Shoveler and Teal again.  Six Mute Swans.  Three Lapwings.

Lesser Whitethroat, Chiffchaff and Blackcap singing.   Six+ Starling busy fetching food of the pasture and heading back tin the village direction

7th May - sunny periods, cloud increasing pm, light increasing mod NE, 16C

Stanford reservoir; afternoon.

Chris H found a 1S Little Gull about lunch time, fortunately it stayed through the afternoon, feeding slong with c25 Common Terns.

I did see a 1S drake Goldeneye, but not the female spotted last week.

20+ House Martins around, 6 Common Sandpipers on dam/overflow wall.

Red Kite over, plus all the regulars.

Lilbourne Meadows; evening.

A Greenshank was showing today, presumably the same one as a couple of days ago.

The Shoveler pair were present, the drake seeing off  Gadwall drakes.  There were 17 Gadwall, three pairs, the rest were drakes.

Yellow Wagtail pair again.

6th May - mostly sunny, light NE, 14C

Lilbourne Meadows; evening.

Shoveler and Shelduck pairs.  Drake Teal, Mallard with 5 young still.

Yellow Wagtail pair.  Linnet and Goldfinch regular in top hedge.

The warden has told me that the Oystercatcher pair have one chick.

5th May - mod-brisk NE, sunny periods, 13C - feeling quite cool.

 Lilbourne Meadows; morning.

The Greenshank was still present on the flood pools.  Otherwise, similar species as recent days.

Shawell sandpit/landfill.

The Egyptian Geese still have the eight youngsters.  No Gulls as no landfill activity, but the Red Kites and Ravens and other corvids were present in the area.

Stanford reservoir; afternoon.

A passage of Arctic Terns occurred this morning g and two remained this afternoon with 22 Common Terns.  They were all very active feeding and sometimes flying high, aided by the brisk wind.

Two Hobbies were feeding low over the water and along the bankside.

Despite the wind Warblers were doing their best to sing, nice to hear a good number of Garden Warblers this year.

Swifts, House Martins and Swallows were present today, which is good as their absence was notable.

A Kingfisher dashed over the dam and on downstream.

I counted 18 Greylag goslings with the adults, looked like three broods from their respective sizes.

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!!