Spring officially sprung on March 1st. For me though, the vernal season doesn't truly get into gear until April. That's when the birds that we classify as 'spring migrants' and/or 'summer visitors' really start to show up, fresh from their winter recess. Which prompts a question somewhere in my head; does a returning swallow think of the UK as home? With Africa as it's annual winter retreat? Or...is the sub-Saharan territory the swallow's home and Staffordshire, for example, just it's summer-camp (for raising the next generation), a mere 6,000 miles to the north? Only Dr. Doolittle could know the answer to that one. What I do know, however, is that there are around 50 species of our feathered friends which qualify as being 'spring/summer visitors'. Here are a few such birds to look out for, right here in Staffordshire...

"Oh to be in England now that April’s there." ~ Robert Browning

Yellow wagtail: We have three British wagtail species, but only the Yellow is migratory, wintering in trans-Saharan Africa. They breed in grassy habitats, particularly in proximity to cattle. I have been bird-watching for 60 years and I have never seen a yellow wagtail during the summer months; only ever on spring/autumn migration, so now's the time to try and spot one. Along with yellowhammers they are the only primarily yellow British bird. 

Pied flycatcher: We have just two species of flycatcher here in Britain (other than ultra-rare vagrants). Back in the 70s, when we were out birding in our flared Levi's, desert boots and Ben Sherman shirts, the spotted flycatcher was more common, whilst the pied was something of a rarity. However, these days they've swapped position. The pied flycatcher is a small black-and-white bird of mature woodland, with a preference for oak trees. They'll often sit patiently on a perch, waiting for a chance to dash out and catch their insect-prey in mid-air.

Hobby: When it comes to aerial ability, this falcon takes all the prizes. Exceptionally fast, they can catch other fast-flying birds such as swallows and swifts in mid-air. Dragonflies are another important food source, which are also caught and often eaten on the wing. Hobbies spend the winter in tropical Africa, flying thousands of miles each year. The UK population has grown significantly in recent decades, thanks to increased wetland habitat (which equals more dragonflies) and climate change. 

Whitethroat: Insects and invertebrates are the main food source for this beautiful warbler. It will forage in low vegetation, snatching any bugs, beetles and other mini beasts it comes across. It is also partial to berries and soft fruit. As the name suggests, a clear white throat is the key distinguishing feature of this otherwise grey-brown bird. Whitethroats can be found throughout the UK. Listen for their raspy alarm call, they like to shout when there’s a threat about!

Reed warbler: You'll need to visit wetland areas to spy this bird. As its name suggests, it likes to live in reedbeds, where it can hunt insects and build a nest. This makes them tricky to see! The reed warbler is a plain, unstreaked bird - warm brown on top and beige underneath. Their song is rhythmic, repetitive, and can last for 30 seconds or more; melodious, but also described as 'slow and scratchy'.

Redstart: There's nothing plain about this woodland summer visitor. They are identified by their bright orange-red tails, which they often quiver. Breeding males look truly smart, with slate grey upper parts, black faces and wings and an orange rump and chest. Females and young are browner with pale bellies. Redstarts 'bob' in a very robin-like manner but spend little time on the ground; trees are where you'll find them.

Common tern: These delightful, silvery-grey and white birds have long tails which have earned them the nickname 'sea-swallow'. They have a graceful, floating flight and frequently hover over water before plunging down for fish. This is the tern species most often found inland. They breed in several Staffordshire locations, including at Staffordshire Wildlife Trust's The Wolseley Centre. You can even watch them while you're enjoying your café lunch!

Black tern: This is a 'passage migrant' in the UK, as it doesn't stop and breed here; part of a group known as the 'marsh terns'. It has inky-black body plumage, paler grey wings and red legs. Typically, you see them flying buoyantly over fresh water, jinking one way and then the next, before suddenly dipping down to snap up a damselfly or other aquatic insect from close to the surface. During late April into May there are usually a few seen passing through Staffordshire's lakes and reservoirs.

Sedge warbler: Another member of the warbler family most often seen in wetland habitat. It has a striking broad, creamy stripe above its eye; it is brown above with blackish streaks and creamy white underneath. The sedge warbler spends the winter in Africa, south of the Sahara Desert. Its song is a noisy, rambling warble, compared to the more rhythmic song of the reed warbler.

Willow warbler: I'm hopeless at birdsong, but even I can identify the willow warbler's tune; a sweet, descending, and melodic phrase of clear whistling notes. It's sometimes described as sounding like water cascading down a waterfall, or a penny dropping into a machine! They are small birds with grey-green backs and pale under parts, with a yellow-tinged chest and throat, plus pale supercilium (the stripe above the eye). They favour young, open woodland with small trees. They also like damp areas with alders and willows. 

Sand martin: These are the smallest European hirundines (the collective name for martins and swallows). They have dark brown upper parts and dark under wings, contrasting with pale under-body parts divided by a distinctive dark chest stripe. They are agile fliers, feeding mainly over water. Look for them around Staffordshire's lakes, reservoirs and rivers. They are one of the first summer migrants to arrive here, many in March.

Wheatear: They are found in open rocky areas, including moorland, pasture, and heathland. They winter in central Africa. The size of a large robin (to which it is related), the wheatear spends most of it's time on the ground hunting for insects. Male wheatears have black cheeks, a white eye stripe and a grey crown. Females have brownish-orange cheeks and a grey-brown eye stripe and crown. Both sexes have a striking white rump with a black ‘T’ shape on their tail.

Osprey: This magnificent raptor has a varied diet of fish...fish...and more fish! A fresh-water trout or a sea-water flounder will do nicely. Returning from their winter holiday in Africa, Ospreys are seen here in our county during spring, on their journey north to Scotland and beyond. Look for them taking a lunch break at our Belvide, Blithfield or Tittesworth reservoirs. Even better, in 2023/24 a pair bred in the county. Let's hope their offspring also make Staffordshire their summer home in years to come.

Good luck with your springtime birding.

'April, come she will,
When streams are ripe and swelled with rain'

~ Simon & Garfunkel.