General: coverage and weather
Highest temperature was 10.9 degC (28th), and lowest was -0.9 degC (4th). Total precipitation was 82.2mm. Most rainfall in one day was 11.5mm (11th). Strongest wind gust was 27.1 m/s (29th) and highest average wind was 19.8 m/s (20th). There was 25cm of snow on the 5th. Total number of species ended on 118, versus 117 the previous April.

Raptors:
Seven different species of raptor during the month. An Osprey was around on the 8th and 9th and another on the 29th. Two Sparrowhawk were reported on the 7th, otherwise singles throughout the month. A male Hen Harrier was seen on the 27th and 28th. Months best bird was delivered by Grete Heggland with a Pallid Harrier in over Rabbajordet and disappeared up Hovlandvegen on the 28th. White-tailed Eagle were noted with a maximum of five, with one to four throughout the month. Two Kestrel were reported on the 26th with another single on the 29th and 30th. The local Peregrine Falcons were also reported during the month.

Shorebirds:
20 to 30 Greyalg were on various fields and a few breeding pairs on the out areas. Six Pink-footed Geese arrived on the 17th with eight present between the 20th and 24th. Two Whooper Swan passed east on the 21st and the pair of Shelduck from Mach were present throughout the month, mainly on Pedlestemmen, but also at the Common Gull colony on Haganeset. A stable pair of Mallard were in the north through the month and were joined by a domestic male on the 12th. The male Mallard was present till the end of the month. A pair of Teal were also on Pedlestemmen until the 11th, and were also seen in Sørevågen on the 24th. Seven Tufted Duck passed NE on the 21st, while a Scaup was also on passage on the 28th. A female Velvet Scoter was in Kvalvikvågen on the 28th. A juvenile Common Scoter was on the sea at Aust on the 10th while small flocks on passage were noted from the 16th, with a maximum of 45 on the 28th. Two Red-breasted Merganser were on passage on the 26th with a female in Norvikvågen on the 28th.

A young Crane rested at Klovning in strong winds, then took off to the east on the 20th. Golden Plover were noted with 11 birds on the 19th and 13 on the 29th, otherwise one to six birds throughout the month. A Ringed Plover passed over north on the 21st and two were with the Turnstone flock at Klovningseter on the 29th. A pair of Lapwingwere around Pedlestemmen-Måkskittmyr area throughout the month. Two Whimbrel passed near land at Beiningen on the 24th. Single Black-tailed Godwits were reported on the 27th and 29th. A Common Sandpiper was in Nordvikvågen on the 29th and single Green Sandpipers at Måkskittmyr on the 26th and 27th. A Redshank was on Beiningen on the 1st and a Greenshank rested at Tuevågen on the 23rd. Six Turnstone were sheltering in Klovningsneset cove on the 29th.

Black-headed Gulls were noted with one to eight birds from the 7th until the end of the month. 300 Common Gulls were on the sea in the west and at the colony on Haganeset on the 6th with 50 Lesser Black-backed Gulls noted on the same day.

Single Arctic Skua were on passage on the 28th and 29th. A Great Skua fought with gulls round a fishing boat on the 27th. Two Puffin were at Jupvikshaugen on the 16th and one there on the 28th. The 16th was the only day with good numbers of auks, with four Razorbill and eight Guillemot on passage. Divers were more numerous where Red-throated Diver were noted with five on the 16th, three on the 21st, 19 on the 26th, 190 on the 28th and five on the 29th. Three Black-throated Diver were noted on the 28th, single Great Norther Divers on the 21st and 28th, and a White-billed Diveron the 21st. Only two Fulmar were reported on the 21st.

Passerines:
The years first singing Cuckoo was noted at Varen on the 26th. Single Collared Doves were reported on the 21st and 27th with two on the 30th. Short-eared Owl singles were noted on the 26th and 30th. An early Wryneck, and popular Facebook video artist was trapped and controlled in Merkeskogen on the 7th and 8th respectively. Wryneck were then seen mostly daily from the 26th until the end of the month with a maximum of six on the 27th. Three to eight Jackdaw were present between the 7th and 27th and Rook with one to three between the 8th and 28th. One to four Carrion Crow were around during the month.

A single Coal Tit was in Merkeskogen on the 8th. A Shorelark was around Austrheim on the 30th. Four Skylark were on Pedlestemmen on the 9th, with a pair there from the 21st. All the hirundine species arrived on the same date of the 7th. One to five stable Sand Martin were around Måkskittmy between the 7th and 11th with one to two during the final days of the month.
As with other long-distance migrants a Willow warbler arrived in Merkeskogen on the 7th, with a maximum of 30 on the 30th. Chiffchaff reached a maximum of 50 on the 9th, mainly in Merkeskogen. A Sedge Warbler was ringed in Merkeskogen on the 27th and an early Grasshopper Warbler ringed there on the 12th. Blackcap were noted with a maximum of 90 on the 27th. Two Lesser Whitethroat and three Whitethroat arrived on the 30th. There was an arrival of Goldcrest early in the month with a maximum of 50 on the 9th. A Treecreeper was with the Goldcrest influx on the 2nd.
Song Thrush reached a maximum of 150 on the 9th and Redwing with 70 on the 7th. Mistle Thrush were noted only with singles spread over the period 1st to 10th. Blackbird were still well represented early in the month with a maximum of 150 on the 2nd. The first Ring Ouzel was noted on the 7th with a maximum of 25 on the 27th. There was also good numbers of Robin early in the month with a maximum of 60 on the 2nd. Two early Pied Flycatcher were ringed in Merkeskogen on the 9th, with one to three from the 26th till the end of the month. A young male Black Redstart was in the Kvalvik-Klovning area on the 8th and 9th. An early male Redstart was in Sjoarskogen on the 19th with a further one to two on the 26th and 27th. An early Whinchat was at Austre Nordvik on the 10th and 11th followed by one to three from the 27th until the end of the month. A female Stonechat was at Koltemyr between the 3rd and 10th while a male was by the church on the 19th.
A Blue-headed Wagtail was in Tuevågen on the 28th, with a Grey Wagtail in Herberg on the 26th and 27th. Tree Pipits were noted with singles on the 27th and 30th. One to three Hawfinch took a liking to Truls’s feeding station in Herberg between the 8th and 10th, with four new birds at various localities on the 27th. Two female Bullfinch were seen at various locations between the 1st and 10th, with a further one to four at various places between the 19th and 26th.

A Twite was in company of local Tree Sparrows at Hålandsjorde on the 7th, three at Koltemyr on the 16th and another there on the 21st. Mealy Redpoll were noted with one to two birds in Merkeskogen between eh 2nd to 8th.Lesser Redpoll were noted with up to five birds from the 21st. Crossbill were reported with 15 on the 27th. Goldfinch were represented with singles at various localitieis from the 5th, with three together at Austre plantning on the 7th. Ten Siskin were at Truls’s feeders on the 7th with one to five elsewhere between the 1th and 29th. There was a short and intense mini-influx of Yellowhammer, which are usually scare on Utsira. Two females were in Hauglandhagen on the 9th and a minimum of 15 singles at other localities on the 10th. A Reed Bunting was at Pedlestemmen on the 7th, two at Koltemyr on the 10th and one to three from the 19th until the end of the month.
Four Swallows arrived on the 7th and reached a maximum of 20 on the 7th. House Martin reached a maximum of 12 at Måkskittmyr on the 8th.
Ringing:
During 12 days of ringing in Merkeskogen there 549 birds of 23 species ringed. The best day was the 9th with 137 birds of which Chiffchaff (36), Robin (32) and Goldcrest were the most numerous. Most notable were a Bullfinch, a Grasshopper Warbler and a popular Wryneck that went viral on Facebook. Last years’ April resulted in 1305 birds of 32 species during 18 days of ringing.
Year ticks:
April resulted in 36 species new for the year. There were none until the 7th when Twite, Willow Warbler, House Martin, Swallow, Sand Martin and Wryneck were new. Followed by: Osprey (8th), Pied Flycatcher (9th), Whinchat (10th), Grasshopper Warbler (12th), Redstart (19th), Crane (20th), Lesser Redpoll, White-billed Diver, Collard Dove and Tufted Duck (21st), Greenshank (23rd), Whimbrel (24th), Kestrel, Short-eared Owl, Cuckoo, Green Sandpiper and Red-breasted Merganser (26th), Tree Pipit, Sedge Warbler, Great Skua and black-tailed Godwit (27th), Blue-headed Wagtail, Black-throated Diver, Arctic Skua, Velvet Scoter and Scaup, Pallid Harrier (28th), Common Sandpiper (29th), Whitethroat and Lesser Whitethroat (30th).
Rarities/local scarcities: 27th record of Pallid Harrier, last seen september 2023.