Summer is here! My swallows have arrived back safely.

yes, our dozens of resident sparrows were going crazy today - such a racket.

The sparrows were arguing in the hedge, which is a relief as they seem to have deserted us lately apart from two.
I have spent a good half hour rescuing bees from indoors this afternoon.

Never been to Nortumberland, and I so hope to make it up one day. Sounds like late April would be a great time to go.

There was a ladybird on my doorstep last week.

Lovely photo MiniMoon.
When do the ladybirds usually arrive, or are they always around?
I was waiting for a bus and watched a lady bird climbing down the beech hedge twigs.
The bus didn’t arrive, so he was a nice distraction, but then I had to go home and get the car instead.

Oh MiniMoon The Alnwick Garden and Alnwick itself are wonderful.

Resident house martins have been back for a while, but no swallow as yet. Gorgeous warm day here in t'mountains.

Just seen my first one - summer is here.

We've just got back from visiting the Alnwick Garden. On the journey home we took the quiet route through the countryside, taking in Wallington Hall. Lovely cup of tea, but that's beside the point! On the wires beside farms and villages were swallows, and arriving home, here was our swallow (just the one) sitting on the phone wire at the bottom of our drive.
PS. The cherry trees at Alnwick were beautiful.

Our swallows are back too , sadly they have to find a new nesting place as the barn has had work done and the entry is closed . they are scouting about and other sheds are left open

Egret on the river on the golf course today - never seen one there before

I live near lots of finches,crows,magpies,tits,robins,blackbirds,i love listening to their singing,lifts my spirits everytime.

Heard a cuckoo this afternoon

Oh you're so lucky. I used to have a pair in a previous house and always loved it when they returned until......the male got killed (we found him in the drive) and a new male took over. He threw all the babies out of the nest to make room for his own young. I didn't feel so sentimental after that.

I don't think our swallows arrive until late April or early May. We are in northern BC, the same latitude as York.

The trees have a flush of green, the hummingbirds have arrived and are busy at the feeders, and I am hearing songbirds early in the morning. Lovely.

chicken your post made me smile and lifted my spirits.

We have been listening to all the bird song whilst out in the garden.
I think there must a eurovision song contest for birds.
The Sparrows are a cheeping.
The Blackbirds are whistling at the top of tbeir voices.
The Pigeons and Collar Doves are cooing and our garden Robin is
tick-ticking.
Every now and again one or more comes down for a little drink.
All this singing is obviously making the beaks dry

I ve just spent 2 hours sitting in the sun looking at a carpet of forget me knots a pear tree heavy in blossom tulips, daffodils, grape hyacinths and lots of greenery coming through, the birds are singing my winter is over for this year

Canada geese on the he canal at the back of our house too. I love to see them.

The Canada Geese are back on the lake in the park very close to where I live . I agree they are very messy and seem to take over the poor ducks and swans .

Ours aren't here yet.

Lovely to see them, they are nesting in our barn, fun to watch. Spring has sprung.

The Canada geese are back on the lake at work. Messy things, but somehow I'm always glad to see them back again.