SOME OF Britain’s favourite birds are breeding earlier in the year because of climate change – but this makes life harder for some of our summer immigrants, according to a joint survey by the RSPB and the British Trust fir Ornithology.

The long tailed tit is the fastest starter, laying eggs an average of 15 days earlier than in 1966, followed by the greenfinch, two weeks earlier. Other species with their earlty start averaged out in days are:

Chaffinch (9), great tit (8) blue tit (7) and robin (6). An early start for these native birds gives them the advantage of longer feeding times for their chicks but creates problems for summer visitors from Europe, including many species of warblers.

By the time they arrive, the local residents have made substantial inroads into the available food supply so the visitors face additional problems in finding enough food to stock up after their hazardous sea crossings.