The sunlight did reach my eyelids as daylight broke but, with a little bit of effort, I managed to ignore it until the much later hour of 6am. It was time to see if there was any sounds coming off the moss. No fear really as it seems that the chorus was to be a morning-long concert.

House sparrow chattered about from a jumble of hedges that lead the way onto the moss whilst a blackcap warbled out its rich song.

Then, as a pair of grey partridge, ran from my camera a yellow wagtail uttered its scratchpad song from within a cereal crop. A lack of songs due to the lateness of the hour - not so.

Lapwing, meadow pipit, curlew, reed bunting, willow warbler all here because the Lancashire Wildlife Trust Reserve of Little Woolden Moss has worked hard to give them a home. They all offered their melody to late spring. A pair of redshank screeched out at the latest intruder that wished to take their young which, this morning, were slowly making their way onto the reserve.

Then as if to remind me that today is grandchildren-back-at-home day, the “jangling keys” song of a corn bunting rang out. I took heed of the hint and headed back to my car on this after-dawn wander.

David Steel