Monthly sightings summary - April 2022

Simply put, April was an excellent month at Fen Drayton Lakes RSPB. There were lots of new birds for the year with the expected arrival of summer-migrants that featured everything from terns to warblers, to turtle doves and waders. The 20th was a red-letter day with the reserve's first record of Savi's Warbler. It only stayed for a day and was present in a sensitive part of the reserve so news couldn't be released. Also on this date a White-tailed Eagle flew over from the Isle of Wight reintroduction project. Further species of note recorded during the month were as follows:

• Little Ringed Plover - 4 on Ferry on 2nd
• Knot - one on Ferry on 2hd
• Ruff - one on Ferry on 2nd
• Avocet - two on Ferry on 4th
• Willow Warbler - first of year back at Elney on 5th
• Cattle Egret - 14 in sheep field south of Elney on 5th
• Brambling - 6 at Elney on 5th
• Short-eared Owl - still on Middle Fen on 5th
• Swallow - first of year back at Middle Fen on 5th
• Black-tailed Godwit - 20 on Ferry on 7th
• Green Sandpiper - one at Moore on 8th, 4 on 24th
• Pink-footed Goose - one on Moore on 8th
• Garden Warbler - first of year on 10th
• Garganey - drake on Moore on 10th
• Reed Warbler - first of year at Elney on 11th
• Common Tern  - first of year on Drayton on 11th
• Sedge Warbler - first of year on Elney on 12th
• Whitethroat - first of year along the entrance road on 13th
• Grasshopper Warbler - first of year at Middle Fen on 14th, at least 7 around the reserve on 19th-20th
• Common Sandpiper - first of year on Moore on 14th
• Yellow Wagtail - first of year on Middle Fen on 15th
• Whimbrel - one on Ferry on 15th
• Cuckoo - first of year on 19th
• Lesser Whitethroat - first of year at Holywell on 19th
• Mediterranean Gull - two flew over Middle Fen on 20th
• Grey Partridge - one at Middle Fen on 20th
• Greenshank - one at Swavesey Lake on 20th
• Bar-tailed Godwit - one on Moore on 21st
• Little Gull - 5 on Moore on 22nd
• Greater Scaup - a drake on Moore on 22nd
• Sanderling - one on Moore on 23rd
• Turtle Dove - one at Far Fen on 25th
• Arctic Tern - two on Ferry on 25th
• Spoonbill - one flew over Moore on 25th
• Spotted Redshank - one on Ferry on 26th
• Swift - first of year over Swavesey Lake on 28th
• House Martin - first of year over Elney on 28th
• Hobby - first of year over Holywell on 28th
• Barnacle Goose - one over Holywell on 28th
• Osprey - one over Ferry on 30th
• Raven - one flew over on 30th

May promises to be another busy month for birds and birders at the reserve. Please let us know what you've seen!