They gotta be looking for new territory Paul, I live on the south coast and we dont usually see them until you get near Newbury or Oxford, but there was one over our house last week. They are either doing really well or are travelinig quite far on last weeks warm thermals.
i thought i saw one the other week but dismissed it, but there was no mistaking this one i parked the van up and it came direct overhead whilst being mobbed by a dozen starlings, nice to see them doing so well.