April heralds return of migratory birds to UK – unless the weather turns cruel

For birders, April sees the welcome return of long-distance migrants from sub-Saharan Africa .

But from time to time, April ’s weather feels more like February or March , with a bitingly cold airstream from the north or east, rather than the south.

April 1989 was one of the coldest on record, with persistent northerly winds bringing widespread snowfalls.