The north-westerly wind that has been blowing for the best part of a week now has effectively put a stop to any passage in what should be one of the most interesting periods of the spring migration; the only movement being a single Swallow south-west early morning and another west mid-morning. Reed Warbler numbers are high and this species is probably having its best year ever on the patch but Blackcaps seem a little scarce this year with a pair feeding young in a nest in bramble in the copse and another pair in the ecology park the only definite breeding records so far; there are also two territories of Common Whitethroat but the Lesser Whitethroat from last weekend wasn't singing today; this species is notoriously difficult to nail down as a breeding species, the male usually stops singing after he has attracted a mate and the skulking nature of this sublime sylvia makes proof of breeding doubly hard. Back at the basin two pairs of Common Terns have taken to the rafts, despite the fluctuating water level and two pairs of Sand Martin are breeding. Other notables today included three or four Shelduck, a female Kestrel hunting over the ecology park, a Little Ringed Plover and a singing Chaffinch in the copse.
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