Kate Titford of the Berks, Bucks and Oxon Wildlife Trust (BBOWT) envies the species sunning themselves in Africa

On a cold, dreary day in the depths of winter, I dream of being in Africa; warm sun, blue skies, wide open spaces and myriad species of birds to enjoy. Some of them are birds that we know very well. Swallows, house martins and swifts are familiar and very welcome summer visitors to the British Isles where they nest and raise their young, and entertain us with amazing aerial acrobatics.

It seems incredible, but centuries ago people thought that swallows spent the winter hibernating in mud! Nowadays we know better, and thanks to research by the British Trust for Ornithology (BTO), our knowledge of migrating species is remarkably detailed.

Through bird ringing, surveys and observations, the BTO studies migrating birds to understand how and why their populations change over time.

These birds use different parts of the world at different times of the year for breeding, spending the winter and also preparing for their epic journeys, so it’s important that conditions are good for them in all these areas.

According to the BTO, a third of British swifts have been lost since 1995, and the reasons for this decline are unclear. Swifts are among the great aviators of the bird world, spending two years flying non-stop between fledging and breeding. Incredibly, they can even sleep on the wing!

Tiny geolocators attached to a small number of swifts in 2010 gave new information about the routes they travelled. Some of the data collected was astounding. For example, one individual travelled the 5,000km back to the UK from Africa in just five days.

Another bird, having spent the winter in southern Africa, stopped off in west Africa to refuel just before flying back to the UK. This means that conservation efforts for these birds could now be concentrated in those areas where they are most needed.

When swallows leave us in late summer they fly south by day, sometimes at speeds of up to 35 mph, and roost in large flocks in reed-beds at night. We may only have one species of swallow here in the summer, but they join over 20 species in Africa.

When you’re bird watching in Africa it can be tricky working out the differences between each species as they dart, sweep and weave performing their aerial acrobatics as they chase insects to eat.

Very little is known about the journeys that house martins take, so in 2015 and 2016 the BTO is carrying out major research on this bird, whose population is declining rapidly in the UK. They hope to discover what’s causing this fall in numbers so that it can be stopped and hopefully reversed. Long may we continue to see the house martin’s mud nest on the side of our homes.

While I may not be enjoying the warm African sun right now, I know that our swallows, swifts and house martins are making the most of it and getting ready to return to us in the spring. BBOWT reserves at Chimney Meadows and Iffley Meadows are great places to watch returning swallows, house martins and swifts as they swoop overhead catching insects.

Until then I will wrap up warm, head outside and make the most of our winter visitors. ‘Warmth’ is a relative term, and even in our coldest winters there are birds from Scandinavia and northern Europe seeking the ‘warmth’ of the British Isles.

Fieldfare and redwing are the familiar winter visitors, along with wildfowl such as wigeon, teal and lapwing. Occasionally flocks of waxwing, the punk of birds, grace ornamental shrubs and trees in supermarket car parks to strip them of their berries.

Remember to keep your birdfeeders filled up, and you’ll be amazed at the different species that flock to your garden.