The last two days of April continued to be productive with on the 30th the longstayers (two Pink-footed Geese, three Wigeon, five Teal, 26 Gadwall, three Pochard, pair of Oystercatchers, Snipe, pair of Common Terns, Great Black-backed and four Herring Gulls and the mound pair of Willow Tits) all still present. Less common species included on 29th two Little Egrets for an hour late morning, pair of Shoveler, the hybrid Swallow x House Martin, 15 singing Reed Warblers and a male White Wagtail. Quieter on 30th (but we did spend most of our time launching two Tern rafts) and the only notable sighting was the first Swift of the year. An unexpected addition to the year list came on 1st May when a small bird of prey which flew over the mound and thankfully landed on a ploughed field revealing itself as a first summer male Merlin, the first ever May record for the site. Other sightings on 1st included a brood of 11 Mallard, a Common Sandpiper, 30 Herring and ten Great Black-backed Gulls, a Tawny Owl hooting at 1043 am, a brief reeling Grasshopper Warbler and a late Meadow Pipit. Ticking over nicely but the Merlin was a real treat.