Birdwatch: this spring, I mourn the missing house martins

This tiny, speedy winged predator has not been seen in my village as its food source dwindles and people remove nestsAs it shears through the spring skies, sweeping up tiny insects, the house martin's contrasting dark-blue and white plumage reminds me of a miniature version of a killer whale.But not this year. Although I've caught up with virtually every other spring arrival - even the late-returning swallows and swifts - I've only seen a handful of house martins, and none so far in my Somerset village. Continue reading...