Frothy white cascades of fragrant hawthorn blossom;white candles of horse chestnut;swathes of hazy cow parsley or to give it a more attractive name Queen Anne's lace combine to usher in the 'merrie month of May'.

At ground level,golden dandelions glow in the sunshine.Massed lawn and early ox-eye daisies,ramsons,alkanet,cowslips and a range of wild flowers bloom while blowing in the wind,dandelion clocks are a timely reminder that summer is 'a comin in'.

Most migrant birds have flown in now but swifts are one of the last to join us.Over the years I have recorded their earliest arrival on 29th April and their latest on 9th May.I'm now scanning the skies for telltale glimpse of sickle wings and those joyful screaming cries.

Many early fledglings have flown their nests and demand to be fed including this young dunnock(pictured)and the Hogsmill grey wagtails I wrote about last week.One delightful sighting was of eleven day old mallard ducklings gamely following their mother along the Hogsmill,swimming or running along the surface to keep up.

The Kingston swallows are making regular very vocal visits under the riverside pier so omens are good for another successful nesting season.

As always,I love listening to birdsong which reaches its peak around the middle of May,thereafter tailing off.Sadly,I have not heard one traditional symbol of spring,namely the cuckoo for a few years.

Have any readers heard a cuckoo this spring and if so,where?