As predicted, there is a considerable amount of May-blossom out already, in and around the Great Fen. The cowslips are looking glorious in the wildflower meadows, and in the wetlands the common reed continues to shoot up, over the flowering heads of cuckooflower and comfrey.

If the cuckooflower is out, that must mean the bird has arrived as well, and staff at Ramsey Heights and Woodwalton Fen heard cuckoos calling yesterday. other notable appearances yesterday, included large red damselflies the first of the dragonflies (damselflies) to emerge as adults in the spring.

As insects are of particular interest to us at the Great Fen this year, it was encouraging to have a productive moth survey last week. It's been a challenging spring for monitoring and research activities, rearranging planned fieldwork to take place during the best weather conditions and match the availability of volunteers and staff as well. Covering such a large area as the Great Fen has its challenges as well, but 'Fen-wide' surveys sample a range of habitats, with fascinating results.

Last week, we were pleasantly surprised with a catch of over 30 species at the Fen, including an early appearance by a coxcomb prominent, and many other species (appearing as expected), including brimstone moth, Chinese Character, lunar marbled brown, pebble prominent, pine beauty, ruby tiger, and waved umber, all of which wowed the volunteer team (the Great Fen Monitors), who help process the catch and take some stunning photographs. You may moth trap in your own garden and, depending upon the varying night-time temperature we are currently experiencing, may be recording other species such as common quaker, Hebrew character, and muslin moth, or if you're really lucky, a mullein. In the case of the latter, you may well be more familiar with the caterpillars, which can often be seen on the Great Mullein.

As I have mentioned many times before, April is an exciting month, with so many birds arriving from Africa. Now is the time to look and listen for more visitors, such as yellow wagtails. Various warblers are also arriving, with grasshopper warblers already reeling from the reedbeds, and common whitethroats growling from the field headlands.

It is a wonderful time to experience the Fens, but after such a wet winter, please expect muddy conditions and path closures in the nature reserves. Enjoy your visit and send us your records via the contact details here.

Henry Stanier (Great Fen Monitoring & Research Officer)