Today was the first sunny day since the start of Spring. Hawthorn leaves are growing from buds around the Abbey Fish Ponds Nature Reserve in Abingdon.

Blackthorn blossoms appears before the leaves.

At the north edge of the Abbey Fish Ponds a whicker fence provides a barrier to the slope down to the reedbeds. Young trees have been planted with plastic guards and will replace the fence in time.

A north-south path crosses over a brook and forms a cross roads with the main east-west path that follows the brook.

The banks of the brook are green with new vegetation.

Fresh reeds (or sedges) are pointing up from the shallow ponds beside the main path.

That main path goes from the Radley Road to Audlett Drive.

Many birds can be heard. Fewer can be seen. As the nature reserve is close to houses there are domestic cats prowling near the edges and so birds are best to be wary.