The British Isles are blessed by a vast array of different bird species, which come and go with the seasons.

The winter months see garden birds like redwings, bramblings, and waxwings arrive to escape the frozen north for a time, along with all manner of unusual waterfowl. But spring typically sees most of these visitors return home, while seabirds and other species that breed in the UK return to its shores to breed.

The Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) says that the spring migration is now well under way, with millions of birds travelling northwards crossing seas, mountains, cities and deserts, “relying on insects as fuel to make this epic journey”.