May is starting like April is expected to be, lovely sunny periods then big blustery showers! At least the very strong winds have died down today, and for most of the day the reserve has looked on top form in the sunshine, with full leafed trees, bluebells, wisteria and rhododendron bushes in full flower. Four hobbies flying and displaying together was the bird highlight of the day, at least one cuckoo was calling from several areas of the new heath and there are warblers in song everywhere.
All we need is our favourite regular, the spotted flycatcher to turn up and we have the whole contingent of summer birds back again (although nightjar would be a special bonus). The reports of lesser-spotted woodpecker have become less regular, but there are probably two reasons for this. Most of the local birders have probably seen it and now that the leaves are out, it is a whole lot harder to see anyway!