Cuckoo day

Old English Folk Rhyme (Anon)

In April the cuckoo shows his bill

In May he is singing all day

In June he changes his tune

In July he prepares to fly

In August fly he must

I always think of 24th April as 'Cuckoo Day'. My late departed friend and advisor in all things country would be watching the skies and listening outside her back door round about now for signs of the illusive cuckoo which she swore would arrive in this locality on that day. Some years she was right, others it would be later. The last few years round here cuckoos have been very thin on the ground. Last year she said she had never heard one at all and of course "in June he changes his tune" so the cuckoo may have escaped undetected. My friend died in July, maybe it was an omen that she didn't hear her beloved bird that spring.

So yesterday and today I too watch the skies and listen for sound of the migrant's return. This morning, sitting up in bed, I saw house martins flying over the village, the first time this year and somewhat later than other years. I haven't even seen a swallow this year yet but other years they are earlier too. Maybe the martins came today to make up for the cuckoo's disappearance; maybe they came earlier and I just didn't notice them, unlikely; maybe they have some swallows with them;

Whatever. They are a great herald of the summer and warmer weather.