Donal Enright: Swifts born here already touring African skies

As insects die off in Ireland, insectivorous birds must go elsewhere

Sand martins nesting on an earthen escarpment beside a West Cork strand. Tunnels may extend up to 4 feet into the 'cliff' face, are difficult for predators to reach and secure in storms. Gulls, hawks or ravens that approach are 'mobbed'.

Some days, it seems that winter is "icumen in" but on others we are enveloped in the "season of mists", as John Keats described autumn. Last week, it was so misty that a passing walker said, "I can hardly see my hand".

The "icumen in" quotation comes from the first line of The Cuckoo Song, a 13th century musical composition – "Sumer is icumen in/ Lhude sing cuccu". The words have an optimistic bounce in their step, so I like them.