Swift.

[The Black Rabbit]

As I mentioned on another thread, the Swifts arrived (in decent numbers) on St.Georges day (April 23rd) here in Berkshire last year, after a VERY warm, sunny April (remember?)!
Speak to any farmer over VAST swathes of the country about the weather and spring, acres of grassland, bales of hay and whether or not their cattle are set out on pasture for the season yet (rather than sileage still), and many will paint a similar picture for you.

Spring is considerably later than last year. Unequivocally so.

Rewind to last year, and the Bluebells exploded in mid April - this year may not be so good, and we may be a week or so away yet, before thick carpets of them appear nationwide - possibly longer. There are odd pockets sure, but nothing like last year, YET.

That said, one Swift (unconfirmed) has been seen over gravel pits in Berkshire this year - at the back end of last week - so we're getting there!

With luck, we are expecting to revert back to our prevailing south-westerlies mid week, this week, which should see the temperatures in this neck of the woods jump from 10c to more like 16 or 17c, and possibly bring my favourite birds screaming back into the country en masse.

The Swifts must have had a terrible summer last year, like many birds...
With luck ,we'll (and they'll) get a decent summer this year.

TBR.