We received this yesterday from Alsop:
On this day exactly a year ago I reported in these pages spotting the first swallows of 2019. Earlier this evening, I spotted a pair (a male & a female) hawking above Church and Manor Farms up at Alsop en le Dale. It was a joy, as ever, to see their creamy breasts catching the golden light of the setting Sun as they performed their beautiful acrobatics in pursuit of their quarry. Of course, they have returned to a (temporarily) very different England. It was unthinkable a year ago that we’d be facing a pandemic such as this, but here we are.
A sign of continuity and renewal, the swallows’ return traditionally signal better things to come, and I hope you will not mind my re-posting a comment I made last year at this time:
Throughout his long life, my late father (Tideswell family) looked forward to swallows returning in the Spring following their annual epic journey home from sub-Saharan Africa. As a child, I remember him watching the skies around this time of year and, having spotted the first, announcing with a happy smile: “Swallers are back!”. Now he is gone, I make a point every year of whispering on his behalf, and with the inevitable tear: “welcome back”, to the Swallers.
Stay safe and well everyone.
Anthony C
PARWICH.ORG 
Sadly we will not be at Blanche Meadow to see the usual return of our swallows but did suggest to the new owners that they might like to continue my annual postings. However on our walk on Sunday we did see and hear five separate pairs of skylarks which I never seen before.
That’s brilliant news Patti! May I ask where this was? The last time saw (and heard) a skylark was around seven years ago up the fields bordering Cressbrook Dale, Litton. My heart sank at their absence in the intervening years. Same with the cuckoo. Have you heard one in recent times?
Anthony C
Anthony, I am reasonably confident that I spotted a (young) cuckoo last autumn along Brackendale Lane, just outside Bradbourne. Whilst I’m only a novice birder, we came to this conclusion with the help of a much more experienced birder from Carsington Water.
There are lots of skylarks around fields by the Tissington Trail just north of Alsop car park
Currently? At any rate, good to know Steve. Thanks.
A lone swallow was flying over Nethergreen in Parwich on Monday (Apr 6th) afternoon