APRIL 2, BALGAVIES LOCH : Back after a forced lay-off and it was sunny but chilly. No osprey yet but a new nest has been built by rangers using logs. Saw reed bunting, pheasant, long-tailed tit, great tit, tufted duck, little grebe, greylag goose, mute swan, black-headed gull

APRIL 6, LURGIES : Breezy, sunny wander to see redshank, curlew, little egret, cormorant, oyster catcher, male/female common merganser, male red-breasted merganser, male/female teal, mallard, mute swan, whooper swan and a black swan. Reed bunting, great tit, male linnet

APRIL 13, LURGIES : Didn't see the black swan but did see two grey seals together. Bird-wise came upon eider [start appearing April], redshank, mute swan, teal, mallard, common merganser, grey heron, gadwall, black-headed gull, great tit, chaffinch.

APRIL 16, AUCHMITHIE : First visit of year to try to find puffins - I didn't. There were no usual seabirds at all, so mid-April is too early, though did see kittiwake and herring gull on rocks; also house sparrow, starling, skylark, reed bunting, yellowhammer, pheasant, feral pigeon. The corn bunting can seemingly be seen around similar time to puffins, but more uncommon than puffin - I am doomed

APRIL 19, WIGEON HIDE :Sunny, crispy, early morning walk at low tide before cloud appeared. Saw yellowhammer, skylark, pheasant, rook, reed bunting, grey heron, black-headed gull, herring gull, eider, gadwall [male/female], mallard, redshank, curlew. Whooper swan, mute swan and black swan together in a field [above photo shows black swan head appearing over the field's crop]. Pink-footed goose [around 150] should be leaving this month and saw Canada goose trio that shouldn't be here as normally gone during March. One of the trio had a white, patchy head which is either caused by a genetic condition called leucism or it's a hybrid from breeding with domestic goose. As in the wild I will go with leucism. Photo of CANADA GOOSE WITH LEUCISM [Birds / Lurgies to keep together]

APRIL 23, BALGAVIES LOCH : Osprey [2] have arrived, heard it was April 3, day after I last visited the loch; also saw tufted duck, greylag goose, coot, great crested grebe, mute swan, robin, great tit, coal tit, chiff-chaff, chaffinch, reed bunting, dunnock.  UPDATED CRESTED GREBE at [Birds / Forfar Loch] to keep together

APRIL 30, LURGIES : Sunny wander but not a lot of seabirds in inlet at just before mid tide, only eider, common sandpiper, mute swan, redshank, mallard, black-head gull, however the field birds were the highlight with great tit, chaffinch, chiff-chaff, dunnock, starling, jackdaw. Reason for highlight was first viewing of sandmarten at inlet. Work done in fields has left large earth mounds and the martens have nested inside one of them. Only ever seen them at Murton Farm previously, at a created viewing mound for martens. PHOTOS of FEMALE CHAFFINCH [Birds /Lurgies Hedgerow], SANDMARTEN [Birds / Murton Farm], PIED WAGTAIL [Birds / River Esk]. All different sections as keeping together with other photos

MAY 1, BALGAVIES LOCH : Warm and sunny so dropped into Balgavies Loch, but little stirring. No osprey, must have been hunting as they are here, goldeneye, greylag, gadwall male/female, mute swan, reed bunting, great tit, robin, goldfinch, chaffinch, pheasant. UPDATED REED BUNTING [Birds / Balgavies Loch]. Good bit was viewing year's first butterflies - white, small tortoiseshell and speckled wood [Butterflies / Moths]

MAY 6, WIGEON HIDE : Sunny wander but nothing special - oyster catcher, mute swan, gadwall [female], grey heron, black-head and herring gull, mallard, eider male/female, reed bunting in the yellow oilseed fields, skylark, yellowhammer, swallow; white and peacock butterfly, hare [Lepus europaeus]. UPDATE OF REED BUNTING [Birds/Balgavies Loch to keep together] ​