Trickling through.

One Swallow doesn't make a summer but combined with a few soggy sounding Chiffchaffs and the occasional Willow Warbler around the house this week its a sign that maybe summer is on its way. A Swift over the house ahead of another torrential down pour Thursday night was another sign that the weather should start improving.

The only other local birds of note were perhaps more expected as winter visitors to the garden with a pair of Bullfinches continuing to visit the feeders late evenings and joined one evening by a pair of late Siskins.

A break in the rain allowed me to get out one evening to search the local area for the first Whitethroat or Garden Warbler but apart from the occasional Chiffchaff and Blackcap there wasn't much else although a few Orange Tip butterflies were on the wing and the local Rabbits are enjoying the lush new vegetation.

Easterlies in the early part of the week meant a quick dash to Hilbre to repair damage to one of the heligoland traps had the added bonus of catching a few birds with several Willow Warblers and Chiffchaffs being ringed along with a male Blackcap.