5th April

Despite the continuing cold weather, Spring is slowly but surely advancing, aided by some very welcome sunshine. Chiffchaffs are the most obvious migrants, we're seeing 20-30 on the reserves every day. Waders are taking advantage of the newly exposed mud on the Meare Heath pool, with 43 Black-tailed Godwits and 2 Redshanks there today. Hirundines have slowed down, presumably they're aware of the lack of flying insects, there's only been a couple of Sand Martins around the last few days.

Chiffchaff and catkins, it doesn't get more spring-like than that!

Peacock sunning in a sheltered spot

Mute Swan having a wash

Yesterday was the second Bittern count of the season. I joined about 30 other volunteers at the ungodly hour of 05:30 listening for 'boomers'. We recorded 3 birds from our spot on Meare Heath, and early figures suggest that a total of about 30 birds were heard that morning across the Avalon Marshes, similar to the count last month. That wasn't the end of the days work though, a few of us then headed back out to the plot of lowland mire that is being restored, to burn more of the gorse that had been cleared over the winter. The plot is looking really good now with the cut vegetation shifted, the wet conditions of the last year has allowed plenty of sphagnum moss to come through. The next few weeks should see some more interesting plants coming up too.