The settled weather returned early in the month and it was to be that way for most of April.
As it got much warmer mid-month, the snow up in the higher ground started to thaw quickly and caused a bit of a spate that was to last for a few days. An older cobble up at the fishery has had a bit of alteration done to it and has been given a coat of paint.
This cobble will be moved to Bridge of Earn and will be used for a flower display as part of their “brig in bloom”. We have seen a lot of movement along the estuary this month with thousands of geese moving on and plenty new arrivals making their way back.
The mute swans are nesting again on an island up at the fishery, hopefully we will be seeing some cygnets soon. On the 4th we had our first sand martins, followed by common sandpipers on the 9th, next back were the swallows on the 15th and the osprey was seen taking a trout at the fishery on the 16th.
A couple of rarer ones for us were a whinchat on the18th and a wheatear on the 24th The swallows were also back on the 24th. As the mercury gets higher the wild flowers are giving a good show of colour in some areas, along with the blossom on the fruit and hawthorn trees.
The bees from our hive are very active just now, as are plenty of bumblebees and other insect life who are making the most of this good spell. Some days there has been a lot of activity along the water’s edge as big groups of goosanders work together to take advantage of the large amounts of smolts that are dropping back down the system. The grass cutting is well underway this month and the routine cutting is being done at all the usual areas, pathways and around the fishery.
There has also been some paint work done, and a bit of routine maintenance to some of our plant. Perth harbour saw an increase in trade in April with more coasters bringing their cargo up the estuary.
By the last week we were seeing more ducklings out on the river, of which one pair had a brood of seventeen.
On the 30th it was still good weather and a river at summer level.
Dago
