Summer is here at last: this morning I spotted several house martins flying close by our house. Presumably, they were scouting out suitable nesting sites. As their name suggests, they are quite happy in urban areas.

Thirty years ago (or thereabouts) house martins set up home under the eaves right outside my bedroom, a west-facing sun trap in East Lincolnshire. Not wishing to disturb the birds and their chicks, we had to leave one window closed for most of the summer but were able to watch their frequent comings and goings.

House martins often return to the same nest in subsequent years. If they choose your home, consider yourself privileged. Oh, and bearing in mind that you might therefore have to spend most of the summer with hardly any ventilation, consider getting yourself a powerful fan, too: the Met Office is forecasting a hot one this year.