Dartford warbler is welcomed back from near-extinction

RSPB reports 183 pairs at reserves including in Arne in Dorset and Minsmere in Suffolk

The distinctive sight and sound of a Dartford warbler singing from the top of a sprig of gorse in the May sunshine is making a welcome comeback after the bird almost became extinct half a century ago.

Dartford warblers suffered a population crash and were at risk of vanishing from the UK in the 1960s, largely because of loss of the lowland heathland they thrive in.