Patchwork Challenge April; A guest blog from Paul Parsons

April is the busiest month for returning migrants which have spent the winter in Southern Europe and Africa. I saw my first Willow warbler on the 3rd and a Canada goose was sitting on a nest on the island of the North wetland.

Willow Warbler

A second winter Glaucous gull that has been frequenting nearby Mynydd Baeden since February was seen flying north over the reserve on the 8th, the highlight of the month for me. On the 10th a pair of Greylag geese flew low over the wader scrapes and a female Stonechat was in the south western fields. A female Goosander flew east along the railway track on the 12th and my first Whitethroat was singing away on the 14th. 

Greylag geese

Whitethroat

A Rook was unexpected, flying south over the monument on the 17th and 2 House martins and a Swift were feeding over the wader scrapes on the 21st. On the 22nd I finally caught up with the two Wheatear that had been seen on the scrapes and there were 3 singing Reed warblers new in on the same day.

House martin

 A Tree pipit was singing near the weaved willow tree on the 24th and single Sedge and Garden warblers were new in on 29th, along with 8 Tufted ducks flying speedily around the scrapes in the low morning mist before heading south. There were 7 of these birds, presumably the same flock, on the north wetland on the 30th.

Tufted duck being chased by coot!

Reed warbler

I finished April with 80 species for the year and May should see the arrival of Lesser whitethroat and  Hobby with hopefully Spotted flycatcher and Cuckoo gracing the reserve too, fingers crossed!