Well at least in terms of migrants it has - it didn't feel like it though last Thursday morning when I arrived to Langford in -2C! But despite the cooler weather, it has been lovely in the last few weeks to catch up with all our spring migrants and we now have the majority of our breeding birds back with us.
Warblers are always a feature of Langford in the breeding season. The very vocal Cetti's warbler is with us all year, but it isn't until March and April that we welcome back the hoardes of sedge and reed warblers onto site. Listen out in reedy areas for the distinctive slow, scratchy song of the reed warbler and in reed or scrubby areas for the faster, more erratic sedge warbler.
Both lesser and common whitethroat are now in and they can be heard in dry scrub areas around the periphery of the site. Common whitethroats often perform a distinctive song flight from the top of a bush, whereas lessers usually sing from deep inside the shrubs, but are unmistakable with their loud trill.
Blackcap and garden warbler have very similar songs, both slightly scratchy and very melodic and rich sounding at the same time. I always liken the song of the garden warbler to that of a blackbird and it is one of my personal favourites of all British bird song!
Chiffchaff is an easy one, with their onomatopoeic name and the very similar willow warbler with their glorious flowing, 'descending' song are also common around the site at this time of year.
And last but not least, the grasshopper warbler. Another unmistakable song and very aptly named for sounding just like....a grasshopper! There are currently 2 birds singing from the western boundary scrub and another singing from willow scrub at the eastern end of the boardwalk.
Other migrants on site include sand and house martin, swallow, swift, hobby, little ringed plover, common tern and yellow wagtail.
In fact the only regular we are still waiting for is cuckoo. As a reliable site for these beautiful, but sadly declining birds, we would expect the first ones in any time now - come on cuckoos! Please do let us know if you hear the first one.
A typical view of a newly arrived reed warbler perched in old reed stems. John Bridges (rspb-images.com)
Still waiting for a cuckoo! John Bridges (rspb-images.com)