Country diary: The return of wood warblers here is bittersweet | Mark Cocker

Buxton, Derbyshire: What a fine sight it is to see one throwing its head back in song, especially after a 50-year absence. Yet this is a journey of vulnerabilityThe wood warbler is one of my signature birds, a highlight of schooldays when a pair bred annually in Lightwood five minutes from my house. They were also widespread at other local sites and while we took them in our stride, they were always special too. Seeing the bird was less frequent than hearing its song, which comes down from the h