Cast any clouts yet? The old English phrase of 'Ne'er cast a clout 'til May be out' might refer to the month of May or maybe the may flower or hawthorn. Clouts are clothes. So it means don't discard your warm clothes until either the month of May or the hawthorn blossom is over.
On my regular walk at Stanwick Lakes today the two meanings came together. It was a breezy day towards the end of the month of May and the hawthorns were shedding their petals which carpetted the paths. I haven't seen the paths so white since the snows of January. Once or twice I was walking through a blizzard of white petals.
I saw an oystercatcher with two chicks, heard a grasshopper warbler (in addition to the 'full eight' of two whitethroats, garden warbler and blackcap, willow warbler and chiffchaff, sedge and reed warblers), heard cuckoo and saw a hobby.
Although the weather was a bit cool - I am glad I had on both a fleece and a jacket - it does feel like the wheel of seasons is spinning on. This is the end of spring and we teeter on the edge of summer as far as the birds' breeding season is concerned here in east Northants.