April showers - and the rest!

I'm rather glad that month's over. April is one of my favourites - normally - but that was the worst I can remember. The legacy is as much standing water and mud on the reserve as I have ever seen, at any time of year, and probably more than a few inbound summer migrants which didn't survive the truly awful weather of the last couple of days. That's a pessimistic view. Maybe they're hardier than I give them credit for.

Today it was dry, sunny and with a more gentle breeze from the south-east. In the warbler line there were plenty of Willow Warblers singing, along with a few Chiffchaffs, Blackcaps, Sedge Warblers and a couple of Whitethroats. Skylarks are on their soggy territories and about a dozen Swallows zipped through. I counted eight Wheatears but the birds of the day were the three Black-tailed Godwits which have been present for a few days now. One is in glorious summer plumage. There were also two Whimbrel and a Cuckoo calling.