Spring has sprung! Return of the Sand Martins

Not been the best start to the year weather wise , but we’ve just seen the Sand Martins back at the sand and gravel quarry behind the house.  Yeah!😍

The ospreys were back at the local nature reserve last week too.

If it wasn’t for the yellow weather warning for rain tomorrow I might think things are improving 😂

That reminds me I meant to start a ‘Swallows 2024’ thread on Sat, having seen the first one while walking the dog. East Shropshire.

Which sandpit, OP?

I heard a willow warbler yesterday in N.E. Derbyshire..

Hatton Mill in Angus, Scotland.

Birds and birdsong herald spring and really give me a lift when the weather’s crap. Sand martins are fantastic. In calderdale we’ve had Chiff chaffs singing for the last fortnight, presumably resident birds, and over the weekend I heard a blackcap and a willow warbler, made it almost seem sunny!

Saw a swift or swallow in calderdale yesterday 🙂

Yes, there’s a blackcap up the garden today, such a lovely loud song. No willow warbler yet.

The Sand Martins are back in Worcester although unfortunately some of their usual homes are still under water around the river.

Just been out to see the returned ospreys at the local loch, handful of cormorants too, black cap and willow warblers amongst other things.

Nice spot of a Roe deer stag too which didn’t see me for a change, it was walking down the path away from me when I first saw it and managed to get a good bit closer.

Saw a swift or swallow in calderdale yesterday 🙂

Almost certainly a swallow, the swifts are unlikely to pitch up just yet – even though they sometimes appear in April, it still feels a bit cold for them to be able to feed reliably.