First Martin

One of the joys of my recent trip to the Mani was the profusion of swallows, martins and swifts. Back in chilly Blighty - where I've already seen my first swallows (in Staffordshire) - I wasn't expecting to see anything more in that line before the arrival of the first swifts, which should be happening around the end of next week if they're on time (and no one could blame them for not being; it's been a cold and uninviting spring). However, as I was walking home from the shops just now, I looked up into the sky to check how close the latest rainclouds were - and there was a lone House Martin, racing overhead like a bird on a mission (presumably to get to its nesting place and start the year). It was a heart-lifting sight on a chilly morning. And the swifts can't be far behind...