Total monthly rainfall:20 millimetres. Maximum daily rainfall: 10.5 millimetres on April 7^th.

There were 8 days when measurable rain fell, and 15 days when cloud-cover reached 100% for at least part of the day.

Maximum temperature on the warmest days was 20C on April !5^th ,16^th, and 17^th – and maximum temperature on the coldest day was 8C on April 1^st. We awoke to snow on the morning of April 1^st, with overnight frost on the 2^nd, 3^rd, and 15^th. Fresh winds force 5 blew on the 22^nd and 24^th, and force 6 or 7 on the 1^st and 11^th. Gale-force 8 blew me (Terry) into a boundary hedge on the 7^th.

Six wildflower species had their first flowering this month, bringing our species total to 24. They were yellow archangel (1^st April), bugle in the ride(13^th), cow parsley on the verge (17^th), 2 white bluebells among the blue in the woodland and creeping buttercup on the wildflower meadow (18^th). We also have garlic mustard along the garden hedge (23^rd).

We recorded five species of butterfly during the month to increase our total to 10 for the year so far. On the 9^th we spotted a tortoiseshell along the woodland hedge; an orange-tip butterfly appeared in the ride on the 14^th; 2 large whites also appeared in the ride on the 20^th; a holly blue in the flower meadow on the 26^th, and a green-veined white in the ride on April 29^th.

• Creeping buttercup Creeping buttercup
• Progress of Spring foliage Progress of Spring foliage
• White bluebell White bluebell
• Yellow silk cocoons Yellow silk cocoons
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It has been a poor year so far for moths, but this month we have seen two species so far. On the 8^th we saw a brimstone moth along the woodland hedge, and on the 18^th we discovered a common wave moth along the ride – bringing our annual total up to 3 species. Other insect first-sightings were a common carder bee on archangel (10^th), crane-fly Tipula maxima lakeside (11^th), and a queen wasp (14^th – indoors}. Finally, on April 21^st, we spotted 2 yellow silk cocoons in a wildflower meadow, but they disappeared five days later – possibly eaten by crows, which we saw pecking around in the field.

Four new wild-bird species were recorded here this month to add to the 34 species seen this year so far. They are the chiffchaff heard in the woodland on April 5^th; a lesser-spotted woodpecker seen on a peanut feeder (April 13th); a willow warbler heard in the wood on April 15^th; a cuckoo, heard over the road, and later in our woodland on the 27^th. We also found mallard duck eggs dropped and eaten daily by crows or magpies. A Canada goose sat tightly on eggs for most of the month and many of the birds previously mentioned continued to appear.

Oak buds began to open on April 10^th; crab apple followed on the 19^th; ash on the 24^th, and beech on the 28^th. Field maple leaves began to appear on April 6^th, with oak leaves following on the 12^th, and ash on the 28^th. Oak catkins formed on the 24^th, and horse chestnut flowers on April 28^th.