MAY is often the month in which we can finally start to think that summer is on its way. There are plenty of flowers blooming, birds are singing, it’s all going on.

Having said that, we can all probably think of instances of lousy weather in May (this is Scotland, after all), but generally things are on the up.

Warblers are a group of birds which grace our countryside during the summer months, many of them having spent the winter in warmer climes such as Africa (and quite right too).

Collectively, warblers aren’t really much to look at – they tend to be small, greenish/brownish/greyish birds, with the occasional eye-stripe or similar to mark them out. However, where warblers often do stand out is in their songs, which can be very distinctive.

The grasshopper warbler is a fine example of this. Not only is the bird a dull combination of grey and brown, it also has a habit of skulking about in the undergrowth. If disturbed, it will often creep away through the vegetation rather than flying, as if it were more mouse than bird.

But, what it lacks in visual impact it more than makes up for in noise. The bird produces a long, drawn-out trilling song, which has been compared to an old-fashioned fishing reel or, unsurprisingly, a grasshopper (albeit a very large one). The song can last for a couple of minutes but, despite this, and the volume, the singing warbler can be difficult to pinpoint – it has an almost ventriloquist-like ability to mask its exact location.

Grasshopper warblers can be heard in a number of places across the county, including Gullane Bents (you don’t even have to leave the car park for this one) and along the Pencaitland Railway Walk.

The warmer days are bringing out more and more flying insects. Now this may not be a good thing in some cases (think midges in the Highlands), but it does mean we get to see plenty of butterflies.

One to look out for this month is the small copper – which calls to mind a tiny police officer. OK, diminutive constabulary aside, the small copper is a fast-flying butterfly which is relatively common over open grasslands and roadside verges. As the name suggests, it is relatively small and has bright copper-coloured wings, with brown spots and edges.

Male small coppers can be found basking in open, sunny areas waiting for passing females. Any other insects that happen to fly by may be vigorously driven off, as these butterflies can behave in a very aggressive and territorial manner.

Small coppers can be seen in many locations around the county. Any short grassland with wildflowers is a suitable habitat (again, Gullane is a good bet). The adults can often be seen feeding on ragwort and thistle flowers.

The caterpillars, which are green with a purplish stripe, feed on various members of the dock family, especially common sorrel and sheep’s sorrel.