Busy week, lots of firsts

This past week has had lovely warm spring sunshine which has brought out the first blackthorn flowers and the larches are greening up nicely.
We have also seen the first house martin and the first swift (Sat 24/4).
However, although the days have been lovely and warm we've had some fierce overnight frosts, the protective fleece on gunnera and the seedlings was like cardboard on Monday morning (19/4).

Out of range

a little, on the way back from Pickering this morning saw a few oystercatchers in the fields above the Hole of Horcum. They looked a somewhat out of place but were obviously finding lots to eat and were busy probing.

Sunshine!

And warm days, I unwrapped gunnera this weekend, still getting a fleecing duvet over night but already growing away strongly.
Saw a small tortoiseshell on Saturday and also heard my first cuckoo in the morning. Saw my first swallow on Thursday evening (8/4).

Butterflies

Two Peacock butterflies were fluttering about the garden at lunch time, warming themselves in the beautiful sunshine. Also the primroses opened today.

Bird song

What a collection this morning.
First, outside the post office heard a curlew and looked up to see one flying overhead heading Gatehouse way. Then a drumming woodpecker in Brereton grounds followed by another at the top of the incline and a yaffling green chap. Finally more drummers in the woods across the Mill Green. Not to mention Mr Pheasant and his ladies promenading across the field.
Weather is again grey and wet - soggy doggies.

Swallows

Yes, already. Just heard that two were seen up at Hunt House over the weekend.