I did not hear the song again but did see a willow warbler moving around in an oak tree which does not yet have any leaves on it. Also, early today, the first singing blackcap of the year was in the shrubbery. It sang for only a brief period, probably not feeling very encouraged by the wet, windy weather that we are experiencing at the moment. The songs of both the blackcap and willow warbler should become familiar sounds at Ackworth within the next week or two. I also expect to hear the first whitethroats singing from the bramble patches along the Went before long.
Breeding is now well under way for many resident species of birds.
For example, jackdaws are occupying a nesting hole in the oak tree which overlooks the cricket field, displacing the stock doves which normally use this site. A second pair has been investigating a hole in the battered ash tree which stands in what was the old cricket pitch. Jackdaws used to nest on the chimney pots on some of the school buildings until several years ago but disappeared when tree-felling in the shrubbery caused the rooks, the favourite companions of the jackdaws, to abandon their rookery in what I believe to have been its 98th year, so it is good to see them returning as a breeding species. This is the time of year when insects which have spent the winter in hibernation begin to become active again. The two-spot ladybird pictured on this page was found wandering around on the windowsill of my laboratory.