Backdoor ajar, cuppa in hand and blackbirds opened up the list with their song, with this swiftly followed by the chirruping of house sparrow. Time to drive, car window wound down, ears alert.

The usual (for these strange times) quiet traffic-free start to the day, until M62 bridge area where the usual blackcap had once more boosted its sound system to be heard above the traffic.

A lone willow warbler delivered its charming summer song, whilst a jay gave a discordant scold to something or other.

A pause on a quiet moss land road added the subtle contact call of a bullfinch, which was then contrasted by the onomatopoeic song of a chiffchaff, proclaiming its name to anyone who would listen!

A yellowhammer passed its song into this bright morn from its perch on telephone wires, with a yellow wagtail betraying its presence from within a cereal crop, with its far-carrying contact call.

This diversion through the moss was now starting to slow my progress, it was time to move, but a metaphorical set of traffic lights stopped me as a buzzard demanded I watch it quietly take worms for its breakfast, with the twittering of a swallow then telling me it was really now time to leave the wild of the moss and continue with my journey.

Gears moved up to second and I was off with the cheery ‘chip-chipping’ call of a tree sparrow seemingly wishing me a fond farewell.