In my garden there is a dunnock, a wren and bluetits nesting. Wrens are unusual among birds in that the male builds two or three nests and invites his mate to select her favoured ‘des res’.

Meanwhile, a wood pigeon has taken up residence in next door’s lofty leylandii, cooing his soporific summer sounds. That’s the good news!

The bad news? A magpie (pictured) has also begun building in the same tree, carelessly dropping sticks all over the lawn. I foresee a major conflict of interests looming as the magpie is notorious for stealing eggs and chicks. However, three years ago magpies nested in that tree but crows attacked them amid a furious confrontation and stole their eggs.

The dawn and evening bird song is dominated by blackbirds accompanied by a drumming woodpecker. Singing begins at about 4.30am and ends around 8pm on a fine evening. Until three years ago song thrushes were ever present in the chorus line but sadly not any more, such is their rapid decline.

More good news involves the swallows which have returned to Kingston riverside in force. Males arrive first and consolidate territories and last year’s nest sites as they await the arrival of females. It’s fascinating to watch the males, probably older birds and newcomers interacting in vociferous, superb, acrobatic, skirmishing displays, creating a colourful spectacle of glossy blue, white and red plumage while alongside the Hogsmill as it enters the Thames, swans sit on huge pale cream eggs.

It’s certainly a busy time in the bird world.