April 2001 Summary

Foot and Mouth restrictions were lifted midway through the month to give access to the car park and hide, as well as the re-opening of the sailing club and fishing lodge. Spring migrants really began to make themselves known, with several singing warblers, and good numbers of passing hirundines. There were a couple of good counts of Common Sandpipers, while the star bird of the month, was a fly-through Osprey. Overall an extremely productive month.

 

Species Highest Count Date Notes
Great Crested Grebe 35 16th Several birds pairing up and displaying
Sand Martin 23 4th First bird on 4th April
Stock Dove 3 4th  
Chiffchaff 5 29th Five separate territories
Canada Goose 36 4th  
Swallow ~52 17th First bird on 4th April
Herring Gull 45 21st  
Lesser Black-backed Gull 5 7th  
Coot 9 7th  
Moorhen 6 21st  
Buzzard 8 29th  
Long-tailed Tit 3 4th  
Barnacle Goose 2   Feral birds
Cormorant 15 10th  
Collared Dove 2 29th  
Nuthatch 1 7th/13th  
Tufted Duck 5 26th 3 males & 2 females
Kingfisher 1 7th/29th  
Great Black-backed Gull 1 7th  
Pheasant 8 8th 2 males and 6 females
Willow Warbler 3 29th Three territories
Grey Heron 2 12th  
Meadow Pipit 1 12th Single bird heard calling
Common Sandpiper 31 30th First bird on 13th April
Jay 3 30th  
Blackcap 3 29th Three territories. First bird on 13th April
Goldcrest 2 13th  
Goldfinch 5 29th  
Grey Wagtail 1 16th/17th  
Kestrel 2 17th 1 male and 1 female
Osprey 1 17th Over north
Raven 2 17th Over north mobbing Osprey
Reed Bunting 1 17th/23rd Possibly two separate birds
Peregrine 1 17th/30th Adult
Cetti's Warbler 1 21st Singing near entrance to Sailing Club
White Wagtail 1 21st Adult feeding on causeway
Teal 4 21st 2 male and 2 female
Green Woodpecker 2   At least 1 bird calling for most of the month
Great Spotted Woodpecker 1 21st Single bird heard calling
House Martin 2 23rd First bird on 23rd April
Whooper Swan 1 29th Unusual spring record
Sedge Warbler 1 29th  
Willow Tit 2 26th  
Whitethroat 1 26th Two territories. First bird on 26th April
Swift 10 30th First bird on 30th April
Black-headed Gull 3 30th