The warmth of those first few sunny rays breaking through the grey of winter, to me, marks a welcomed change of the guard and a date of high anticipation. Indeed, as the warmth lifts our moods and the colour of spring takes hold, visitors from distant shores decide that a summer in Suffolk is the best thing they can do to achieve a successful breeding season.

As a birdwatcher since my childhood, migration has always been of fascination for me, the first species I recall connecting with was the whooper swan (Cygnus cygnus). Not what you would call a spring migrant in a traditional sense, but the small wintering population of Suffolk departs on their journeys to arctic breeding grounds in the spring, after a winter brightening our binoculars since arriving during the autumn migration window.

The inspiring image of family groups of swans flying over turbulent seas from their rest sites in Scotland over the North Atlantic to Iceland was one of the key start points to my journey in conservation, to where I am now as an employee at Suffolk Wildlife Trust!

Spring migration is as much about a fond goodbye, a see you later, to many of the birds that brighten our winter days as it is about welcoming the soundtrack to our summer in the British countryside.

The first sign of spring migrants for many of us is the repetitive song of the chiffchaff (Phylloscopus collybita). Chiffchaffs can arrive throughout March, and sometimes as early as late February, given the right wind direction (southerlies from their wintering grounds around the Mediterranean and North Africa). Chiffchaffs are widespread and can be heard at most of our reserves! 

Click here to explore Chiffchaff song

For me, as a recent resident of Lowestoft, my first signs of spring migration were different this year; even urban environments see a transitional shift in their breeding birds. Lowestoft is blessed with an urban kittiwake (Rissa tridactyla) population, now back in good numbers around town in the first week of March. Kittiwake spend their winters at sea, returning to cliffs (and selective towns across the country!) to breed. For me, walking into town to the kittiwaking kittiwakes never fails to bring a smile to my face!

Click here to listen to kittiwake sounds

Indeed, as spring advances and more of our long-distance migrants arrive onto our shores, the habitats you visit will define the birds you can encounter.

When visiting our wetland environments, the soundscape coming from thriving reedbeds is dominated by two species from the reed-warbler family: sedge warbler (Acrocephalus schoenobaenus) and Eurasian reed warbler (Acrocephalus scirpaceus). Both these migrants arrive later in the year (late April/May) from sub-Saharan Africa and have similar quick scratchy melodies.

A rarer addition to the wetland soundscape is the grasshopper Warbler (Locustella naevia), who arrive at a similar time to the two other wetland warblers but is much easier to identify with your ears. The mistake to make here is if you are listening to a bird or insect!

Each of these species can be found at Carlton Marshes and Redgrave and Lopham Fen, at either end of the River Waveney.

Explore sedge warbler sounds 

Explore reed warbler sounds 

Explore grasshopper warbler sounds

Suffolk is lucky enough to have rare heathland habitats, which can bring along one of our more specialist breeding species, the nightjar (Caprimulgus europeaus). Nightjars are nocturnal species and have one of the most fascinating songs you can experience on British shores, but beware, you will need to stay up late to hear them, as they begin their strange serenades as the sun sets.

Nightjars visit from sub-Saharan Africa, a location only recently discovered by geo-locators attached to adult birds breeding in western Europe. In winter, they prefer savannah scrublands, but in the UK, these birds are heavily reliant on heathland habitats to set up breeding territories. A nightjar's strange serenade is colloquially known as ‘churring’!

Click here to listen to a churring nightjar

Ultimately, wherever you enjoy spring's return, the soundscape will be different from what it was a few months previously.

Something I would recommend is to download the Merlin App, run by the Cornell Lab for Ornithology. This app allows you to record from your phone, and it will tell you it’s best guess on the songsters you are listening to, mostly to a high level of accuracy. It’s a great and fun way to involve the family in observing the changing of the seasons and getting that important exposure to the strengthening sun (remember your suncream, summer will be here in no time!).