A low mist hanging over the fields soon cleared into bright sunshine on what was a warm, spring feeling morning.

The rough-legged buzzard was present but the far side of the Black Ham. The survey felt very quiet with only one linnet flock of any size recorded. The highlights were the merlin that seems to have been resident all winter and a single stonechat. Skylark and reed bunting were recorded singing. Mammals recorded were chinese water deer, brown hare and rabbit.

The full bird list included the following;

1      Blackbird

3     Black-headed gull

1      Blue tit

4     Canada goose

19   Carrion crow

2     Cormorant

5     Fieldfare

6     Golden plover

17    Goldfinch

3     Great tit

1      Grey heron

11     Greylag

3      Herring gull

2      Jackdaw

1      Kestrel

25   Lapwing

1      Lesser Black-backed gull

476 Linnet

2     Magpies

34   Mallard

2     Meadow pipit

1      Merlin

15    Mute swan

27    Reed bunting

34   Skylark

36   Starling

8     Stock dove

1      Stonechat

12    Tufted duck

7      Wigeon

38   Woodpigeon

1      Wren

James Hitchcock (Great Fen Monitor)