I’d always half suspected that the story of St Francis preaching to the birds had been somewhat exaggerated – then I found myself caught up in a family of yellow wagtails.

It was a beautiful summer’s day, and the golden sunshine of the lengthening afternoon poured over the green corn, but that was nothing in comparison with the shimmering citrus of the little bird that suddenly appeared in the wheat close to me. Calling stridently, another yellow wagtail arrived. Then more, until I was surrounded by half a dozen golden birds.