APRIL

Friday 30th

Rutland Water: Wood Sandpiper & Sanderling still, Lagoon 4; Little Gull, 2 Black Terns & Green Sandpiper, Manton Bay.

Cottesmore Airfield: Whinchat on the Greetham side this morning.

Aylestone Meadows: Whinchat in paddock behind Kings Lock cottage.

Thursday 29th

Rutland Water: Pectoral Sandpiper, Wood Sandpiper, Whimbrel, Little Tern, 3 Black Terns & 80+ Dunlin, Lagoon 4.

Bradgate Park: Pied Flycatcher this morning by the River Lin, between the ruins and the first pool.

Cossington Meadows: Sandwich Tern & Black Tern, Hobley Lake this afternoon. Nearby, Black Tern on King Lear's Lake, Watermead CP North.

Wednesday 28th

Rutland Water: drake Garganey in North Arm this morning, and presumably the same bird from Harrier hide later, also Little Egret & Common Sandpiper North Arm; Wood Sandpiper, Sanderling & Dunlin, Lagoon 4; 2 Black Terns, South Arm III; Hobby, Lagoon 3; 2 Whinchats behind Tern hide.

Enderby: Wood Warbler singing this morning in gardens at the back of Queens Drive (SP 546 988), working its way north-west.

Eyebrook Res: drake Green-winged Teal still, also 2 Arctic Terns.

Watermead CP North: Hobby.

Also of interest, an exceptional arrival of 36 Greenland Wheatears at North Luffenham Airfield. If visiting this site, please do not walk across the the golf course and do not enter the restricted military areas.

Tuesday 27th

Rutland Water: Marsh Harrier, Lagoon 4 this morning, also Turtle Dove by the badger hide & adult Med Gull, Lagoon 1.

Eyebrook Res: drake Green-winged Teal still.

Monday 26th

Rutland Water: no sign of Spoonbill today. Adult Med Gull, Lagoon 1.

Grantham Canal: Turtle Dove 300m east of Plungar bridge.

Watermead CP Birstall: Whinchat in the large field next to Worcester Lake.

Sunday 25th

Rutland Water: Spoonbill, Lagoon 3 this evening; Sandwich Tern briefly in North Arm from 13:45 - 13:50, also 2 or 3 Arctic Terns; 2 Sanderlings & 4 Dunlin, Lagoon 4; 6 adult & 1 1st-summer Little Gulls & 10+ Swifts, South Arm III; 2 Black Terns, Lyndon reserve; adult Med Gull, Lagoon 1.

Eyebrook Res: 4 adult Little Gulls, 3 Black Terns, 2 Arctic Terns, Hobby & drake Green-winged Teal at the inflow.

Watermead CP South: Osprey flew north at 07:55.

Harby: White Wagtail on Colston Lane this morning.

Most summer migrants (including all the regular warblers) are now in at their usual sites, albeit in fairly low numbers in some cases.

Saturday 24th

Eyebrook Res: female Marsh Harrier over fields on Rutland side this afternoon, also 9 Little Gulls, 4 Arctic Terns + drake Green-winged Teal still.

Rutland Water: 11 Little Gulls, Lagoon 4.

Warren Hills: 2 Cuckoos.

Aylestone Meadows: 3 Grasshopper Warblers.

Stretton-en-le-field: 1 Grasshopper Warbler.

Friday 23rd

Eyebrook Res: Whinchat still at the inflow, also 2 Whimbrels.

Brascote Pits: no sign of Black Redstart today; male Whinchat and 2 Common Sandpipers.

Thursday 22nd

Brascote Pits: female Black Redstart this evening, near the generator on the main path till 19:45 at least. Also 2 Common Sandpipers.

Rutland Water: Whimbrel & 10 Dunlin, Lagoon 4; White Wagtail, Old Hall; Greenshank, 2 Pink-footed Geese, 2 Ruff & 1 Dunlin, Lagoon 1.

Eyebrook Res: male Whinchat still near the inflow, also 2 Dunlin.

Aylestone Meadows: 2 Grasshopper Warblers along the River Biam boardwalk, also Little Egret between Old Packhorse Bridge & Kings Lock Cottage.

Sence Valley FP: Common Sandpiper & Whitethroat.

Watermead CP North: Garden Warbler. Nearby, 2 Grasshopper Warblers & Little Egret at Cossington Meadows.

Wednesday 21st

Rutland Water: female Montagu's Harrier flew north over the South Arm & Hambleton Peninsula at 19:00 (Matthew Berriman); Bar-tailed Godwit, 4 Dunlin & Common Sandpiper, Lagoon 4; 2 Black Terns, South Arm III; 6 Arctic Terns & 2 Common Sandpipers, Lagoon 3; 2 Pink-footed Geese, Ruff & 2 Grasshopper Warblers, Lagoon 1; Little Egret, Lagoon 2.

Mountsorrel: White Stork flew over the quarry towards Swithland at 10:00. Nearby, female Red-breasted Merganser still on the north side of Swithland Res.

Loughborough: 2 Ring Ouzels in horse paddock off Bramcote Road. Cross the green space/parkland to the track leading to the Outwoods. After the moat house/small wood follow the track between the hedgerows until you reach a wooden gate. Go through the gate and birds were in field on the left at 08:15.

Beacon Hill: Black Redstart near the trig point.

Eyebrook Res: Whinchat on the Rutland bank between Stoke Dry and the bridge, also drake Green-winged Teal still + Whitethroat.

Wanlip Meadows: Black-tailed Godwit; nearby Reed Warbler & 2 Whitethroats, Watermead CP North; Grasshopper Warbler, Little Egret & Reed Warbler at Cossington Meadows.

Aylestone Meadows: 3 Grasshopper Warblers.

Tuesday 20th

Bardon Hill: 2 Ring Ouzels still this morning.

Eyebrook Res: drake Green-winged Teal still at the inflow.

Monday 19th

Rutland Water: drake Garganey & Whimbrel, Lagoon 3; Greenshank & Cuckoo, Harrier Hide; 14 Dunlin, Lagoon 4.

Bardon Hill: 2 Ring Ouzels in gorse at the top of the grassy slope (usual area on the north side of the summit), also 2 Tree Pipits.

Swithland Res: female Red-breasted Merganser & drake Scaup still on the north side + Yellow Wagtail in ploughed field near Rabbits Bridge.

Aylestone Meadows: 4 Grasshopper Warblers singing along the River Biam boardwalk.

Watermead CP North: Grasshopper Warbler reeling by river bank opposite Crake hide + 1 Dunlin on Wanlip Meadows. Nearby, 2 Swifts, 2 Red-crested Pochards & 1 Reed Warbler at Watermead CP South, 2 Common Terns at Wanlip North Lakes, 2 Common Sandpipers, Grasshopper Warbler & Yellow Wagtail at Cossington Meadows.

Sunday 18th

Swithland Res: female Red-breasted Merganser on the north side.

Cropston Res: Swift flew through this morning.

Brown's Wood, Thornton: male Redstart at the Stanton Lane end this morning, in hedge between the wood and the sheep field with the large black corrugated iron barn. Male Ring Ouzel in fields below Thornton Res dam at 17:45, but could not be refound later.

Sence Valley FP: Hobby, Cuckoo, Grasshopper Warbler & Yellow Wagtail. Nearby, Sedge Warbler at Kelham Bridge.

Rutland Water: adult Little Gull & drake Red-crested Pochard, Lagoon 3; 2 Pink-footed Geese, Lagoon 1; White Wagtail, Lagoon 2; 2 Dunlin, Ruff, Common Sandpiper & Green Sandpiper, Lagoon 4; 2 Grasshopper Warblers, Lax Hill.

Eyebrook Res: drake Green-winged Teal still at the inflow.

Hicks Lodge, Moira: 1 Whimbrel. Nearby, 2 Garden Warblers at Willesley Wood.

Watermead CP South: Garden Warbler.

Cossington Meadows: Grasshopper Warbler showing well in bush on Barber's Rough (north of the LRWT reserve).

Sedge Warblers & Lesser Whitethroats at several sites today.

Saturday 17th

Rutland Water: 2 Whimbrel, Jack Snipe, 2 Pink-footed Geese, 2 Ruff & 7 Common Terns, Lagoon 1; Little Gull, White Wagtail & 6 Yellow Wagtails, Lagoon 4; 2 Grasshopper Warblers & 1 Lesser Whitethroat near Harrier hide, also 1 Cuckoo.

Brascote Pits: Whimbrel till 12:15 when it flew towards Desford.

Swithland Res: 1 Hobby.

Watermead CP Birstall: Cuckoo by Key Lake.

Bradgate Park: 1 Cuckoo.

Friday 16th

Watermead CP North: drake Common Scoter still on the waterski pit this morning.

Thornton Res: male Redstart still.

Thursday 15th

Watermead CP North: drake Common Scoter on the waterski pit this morning, also 3 Arctic Terns flew north. Nearby, 1 Whitethroat at Cossington Meadows and another Whitethroat at Watermead CP Birstall.

Swithland Res: 6 Arctic Terns off the dam this morning.

Rutland Water: Arctic Tern, South Arm III.

Thornton Res: male Redstart still + Whitethroat.

Wednesday 14th

Rutland Water: summer plumage Slavonian Grebe + 3 Arctic Terns, North Arm; adult Little Gull, South Arm III.

Beacon Hill: Ring Ouzel still in same field.

Thornton Res: male Redstart still, also Yellow Wagtail.

Tuesday 13th

Rutland Water: summer plumage Red-necked Grebe & 3 Arctic Terns, South Arm III (Lapwing hide); Slavonian Grebe, North Arm; adult Little Gull, Lagoon 4: Cuckoo & 4 Grasshopper Warblers, Egleton reserve.

Beacon Hill: male Ring Ouzel still this morning - see yesterday's news for directions.

Thornton Res: male Redstart still in the first hedgerow along from the small car park at the eastern end of the dam.

Eyebrook Res: drake Green-winged Teal still, on the east bank this afternoon.

Monday 12th

Beacon Hill: male Ring Ouzel still - from the top car park follow the path along the north side of the hill towards Deans Lane; turn right where the path forks after c.1km and view the second field after the plantation, with the red metal gate and an old bath in the corner.

Thornton Res: male Redstart still in the first hedgerow along from the small car park at the eastern end of the dam.

Rutland Water: adult Little Gull still in South Arm III.

Sunday 11th

Beacon Hill: male & female Ring Ouzels still between the summit and Deans Lane, in field with red metal gate and tin bath. Also 4 Tree Pipits singing around the country park.

Rutland Water: 3 Common Scoters, North Arm (off Barnsdale); summer plumage Slav Grebe, South Arm 3 (distantly from Lapwing hide); adult Little Gull, 3 Green Sandpipers & Common Tern, Lagoon 4; Sedge Warbler & Red-crested Pochard, Lagoon 3.

Thornton Res: male Redstart still in the first hedgerow along from the small car park at the eastern end of the dam.

Great Glen: Lesser Whitethroat singing in hedge about half a mile north of Great Glen beside the footpath to Great Stretton.

Cossington Meadows: Reed Warbler singing by Moor Pool, also 2 Little Egrets. Nearby, adult Whooper Swan and 8 Green Sandpipers at Wanlip North Lakes.

Eyebrook Res: 7 Yellow Wagtails & 2 White Wagtails at the inflow.

Saturday 10th

Beacon Hill: Ring Ouzel still in fields north of the summit, along the new cycle track across a bare field, either side of the hedge with the red metal gate.

Rutland Water: drake Garganey, Lagoon 3.

Thornton Res: male Redstart in the first hedgerow along from the small car park at the eastern end of the dam.

Cossington Meadows: 1 Yellow Wagtail.

Friday 9th

Beacon Hill: Ring Ouzel in fields north of the summit.

Thursday 8th

Rutland Water: no sign of Ring-billed Gull today. 3 2nd-summer Med Gulls still on Lagoon 4 + 2 Common Sandpipers.

Beacon Hill: 4 Ring Ouzels in grassy fields by path along the north side of the hill towards Deans Lane, also 4 singing Tree Pipits.

North Luffenham Airfield: female Ring Ouzel, also male Greenland Wheatear trapped and ringed.

Eyebrook Res: drake Green-winged Teal still, also 2 Yellow Wagtails & 2 White Wagtails.

Oadby Lodge Farm: male Redstart by the track through the farm at 18:30.

Wednesday 7th

Rutland Water: adult Ring-billed Gull on Lagoon 4 this evening until 19:45 when it flew towards the North Arm. Also 3 2nd-summer Med Gulls on Lagoon 4; Common Tern, Whitwell Creek.

Beacon Hill: Ring Ouzel in fields just west of the top car park this morning.

Cossington Meadows: 5 Black-tailed Godwits on Hobley Lake + Little Egret. Nearby, Green Sandpiper, Wanlip Meadows.

Tuesday 6th

Rutland Water: 2 Cranes flew west over Lagoon 4 at 11:15 (and presumably the same 2 birds reported flying east over Barrow upon Soar at 12:00); Water Pipit at west end of Green Bank (South Arm III); 2 Little Gulls, 1 Common Tern & 2 Pink-footed Geese, Lagoon 1; Long-eared Owl still behind Fieldfare hide; 2 Black-tailed Godwits, Lagoon 4; Slav Grebe, Fishponds; Sedge Warbler, Lagoon 3.

Near Glaston: male Merlin on hedge by A47 early morning.

Eyebrook Res: drake Green-winged Teal still, also Yellow Wagtail & 2 White Wagtails.

Thornton Res: 1 White Wagtail.

Monday 5th

Burton Lazars: male Ring Ouzel & 2 Short-eared Owls near the silt trap.

Eyebrook Res: drake Green-winged Teal still at the inflow.

Thornton Res: no sign of Red-necked Grebe today.

Sunday 4th

Thornton Res: Red-necked Grebe with Great Crested Grebes in the middle of the reservoir, also White Wagtail in field south of the res, and 2 House Martins.

Eyebrook Res: drake Green-winged Teal still.

Cropston Res: Osprey for 20 minutes at 12:50, then flew north. Presumably the same bird reported earlier at Swithland Res around 11:45.

Friday 2nd

Eyebrook Res: drake Green-winged Teal still.

North Luffenham Airfield: 11 Wheatears.

Swithland Res: drake Smew, drake Scaup & 2+ House Martins.

Asfordby: Osprey flew north at 10:00.

A reminder that, as always, common summer migrants will not be mentioned on the news page once they have arrived in reasonable numbers. Species currently coming into that category include Sand Martin, Swallow, Little Ringed Plover and arguably Wheatear.

Thursday 1st

North Luffenham Airfield: female Merlin & 5 Wheatears.

Swithland Res: 2 House Martins, also drake Smew and drake Scaup still off the dam.

Rutland Water: Long-eared Owl still behind Fieldfare hide.