Fowlmere RSPB, 8th-12th April.

A good week, migration a bit slow but some migrants are making there way in and a great surprise with some patch gold!
Lots of wind throughout, warming up in the end, spring seems to be taking its time to really get here. No numbers of any summer migrants, the 4 Swallow nesting in stables next door have been the only ones seen, up to 7 House Martin feeding over the reserve and mere area, 2 passage? Willow Warbler arrived, a second Sedge Warbler and still only the one Reed Warbler. A big highlight was the return of a male Cuckoo on the 10th, there’s always a question mark on weather we will get one or not, thankfully it looks like we have!
Male Gadwall for a day on the 8th, a pair of Tufted Duck have spent most of the week on the mere but do come and go, just the one Raven seen over the days and a Little Egret visiting the mere.
A Nuthatch near the cresshut on the 9th was a surprise find as it’s a scarce bird for the reserve and was looking like the best of the week until an amazing Short-Eared Owl popped up right in front of me in the cattle paddock on the 12th, unfortunately the bird flew over the surrounding hedge and away. A reserve mega, records are few, this one being only the third I have seen at Fowlmere and it is also the 100th species of bird recorded at the reserve this year. I sadly found one dead  up the centenary end when I was just a small boy around 40 years ago, I still have the primary feathers of that bird to this day!

The first Large Red Damselfly of the year was seen on the 12th and several Water Vole have been easy to find along the shep. Numerous Common Lizard continue to show on warm days at the end of the boardwalk.