I was surprised to read that people are reporting the return of Redpolls this week, because up here (above Bontnewydd) ours returned to the Nyjer feeders on the 14th Feb (having left in Oct) and have been here ever since - although they are looking markedly redder this week. The Siskins arrived back on the 10th Feb and we now have quite a large number of both sharing the nyjer with the Goldfinches.
Interestingly, our house is only about 1 mile (as the crow or blue-tit flies) from Alan Lyne's house and despite all the ringing of his garden birds, we have never seen a ringed bird up here. It just goes to show how local the populations are.
And "our" cuckoo returned today! - 4 days later than last year.
Rachel Tindall