A total of 41 different bird species was recorded in, or flying over, the Botanics during April 2012. These included the year’s first migrants, as I’ve mentioned in an earlier post. Other notable records included Collared Dove during the early morning Science Festival bird walk (6th), late Redwings on 2nd and 6th prior to departure back to Scandinavia after wintering in Scotland, Tawny Owl on 22nd and 29th (2 of them on the latter date: a pair?) and Swallow on several dates from 18th. The full list of 41 species in alphabetical order is: Blackbird, Blackcap, Blue Tit, Bullfinch, Canada Goose, Carrion Crow, Chaffinch, Chiffchaff, Coal Tit, Collared Dove, Cormorant, Curlew, Dunnock, Feral Pigeon, Goldcrest, Goldfinch, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Great Tit, Greenfinch, Grey Heron, Herring Gull, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Long-tailed Tit, Magpie, Mallard, Mistle Thrush, Moorhen, Mute Swan, Oystercatcher, Redwing, Robin, Siskin, Song Thrush, Sparrowhawk, Stock Dove, Swallow, Tawny Owl, Tree Creeper, Willow Warbler, Wood Pigeon, Wren. The total number of species seen in the Botanics since the beginning of 2013 is 49, one more than at the end of April 2012 when 48 had been recorded.