We returned home on Friday from a week on the Northumberland coast (more on that later) to find that more of the migratory birds had arrived for the summer.

Along with a spell of warm weather had come the swallows, house martins and swifts to the sky above our house. These swifts in particular bring joy to me and the sight of them racing across the village is something I miss through the time they are gone.

We also took a walk yesterday at the National nature reserve at Titchmarsh, only about 30 minutes from us. There were further summer migrants to be found including so many warblers including black cap, whitethroat, sedge warbler, reed warbler and garden warbler. There were also a small number of common terns and a very distant calling cuckoo. Whilst not on the list of long distance migrants to the UK, internally maybe, we also heard the distinctive call of a booming bittern, a sound that I can’t recall whether I’ve heard before.

I’ve just had my usual lunchtime walk (when working at home) and seen a few of those migrants over head and heard them in the hedgerows. It really does feel like spring is finally here.