4th Sept Friday - rain till 0900h, then cloudy and mod/breezy, 20C

Willey; no Swallows on the wires due to the rain this morning, but still around as spotted during the evening.

3rd Sept Thursday - sunny spells, light SW, increasing brisk pm WSW, 24C

WIlley; only 7 Swallows noted on the wires this morning.  Maybe a better morning meaning they had already gone off to feed, we shall see.

Daventry Reservoir/park; afternoon.

Less waders today - a Spotted Redshank, three Curlew Sandpipers, a Ruff and two Green Sandpiper.

A Common Tern.

Stanford Reservoir; late afternoon.

I counted 100 Shovelers, and there would have been a few I missed.

Female Mandarin again.  

No further Wigeon yet.

A Hobby chased a Swallow, missed it!

A Common Sandpiper on the dam.  Grey and Pied Wagtails, but no Yellow seen.

2nd Sept Wednesday - cloudy, drizzle early, light rain pm, light SW, then brisk S evening, 19C

Willey; the early drizzle brought the Swallows on to the wires, 76 counted.

Lilbourne Meadows; evening.

The dull evening and wind meant it was rather quite,  31 Canada Geese and seven Mallards on island pool.

A couple of Kestrel hunting. c20 Swallows and a couple of Pheasants.

1 September Tuesday - sunny spells, light/mod SW/W, 21C

Willey; 24 Swallows noted on the wires, a Red Kite over high westward and a Painted Lady this afternoon on Parsons Close Buddleia.

Stanford Reservoir; later afternoon.

A gathering of 27 Yellow Wagtails in the spillway area was quite a sight.  

Four Blackcaps (3 m. 1f) and Whitethroat were feeding on Blackberries nears the pump room, plenty there for the taking.

A Common Sandpiper on the overflow wall, and a couple of Little Grebes near the dam. Five Grey herons on the dam.

Shoveler numbers have increased dur8ng recent days, now approaching a 100.  Six Teal.

A Tit flock with Chiffchaffs and Willow Warblers feeding along the boundary hedge/willows.

Shawell Sandpit; evening.

Two Common Sandpipers, four Teal, a Buzzard, 14+ Stock Doves in to the spinney to roost.

Six Great Black-backed Gulls was an increase on recent visits for me.  A 1W Yellow-legged Gull.

18 Lapwings, single Great Crested Grebe.

Both Green and Great Spotted Woodpeckers.

31st August Monday - sunny spells, little drizzle pm, mod-fresh W, 19C

WIlley; 20 Swallows on thew wires 0800h.

Lilbourne Meadows; morning.

Two Green Sandpipers, six Meadow Pipits, only two lapwings at the pool.

A Kestrel and Green Woodpecker.

Swallows and House Martins over, also a Raven.

Welford and Sulby Reservoirs; afternoon.

Rather quite, little to see.  A Common Sandpiper.  Adult Great Crested Grebe with a juv.

Three Grey herons and a Little Egret.

Husbands Bosworth Sand pit; afternoon.

!8 Little Grebes, probably all the families that bred here. 

c50 Mallard and c10 Turfed Duck, including a female with larger ducklings.  

A Common Sandpiper.

30th August Sunday - sunny spells, mostly light SW, 22C

Willey; only 14 Swallows on the wires this morning, but being sunny and warmer they may have been out over the fields already feeding.

Shawell Lagoons; morning.

Not much around, 28 Lapwings resting.

Stanford Reservoir; afternoon.

The main sighting was a Bittern that flew along the Leics side, eastward, in to the narrows, then lost from view.  Presumably heading to the Leics reed bed.  One was seen a couple of days ago by Chris H.

Three Little Egrets.  Two Common Terns.

29th August Saturday - light rain most of the day, light easterly, 18 C. 8 mm since yesterday.

Willey; 51 Swallows on the wires this morning.

Shawell sandpit/landfill; morning

Six Gadwall and two Teal with the Mallards and Tufted.  Little Grebe still.

c20 Swallows and c 30 House Martins.  Four Mute Swans and 9 Lapwings.

Lilbourne Meadows; afternoon.

A Curlew, Green Sandpiper and four Lapwings.

C35 Swallows,  c25 House Martins and c5 Sand Martins.

A Green Woodpecker.