Swallows Return?

[crankhead]

Hay Doc, you may not want to read anything from the wishy-washy Grauniad (me neither) but the article is about the reason swallows/swifts aren't returning here and how we can help. It does not involve anything about political correctness or how we should "hug hoodies" (cut their bollox off imo) it is simply an article i stumbled upon regarding the thread you started, ie: why we don't see these birds anymore. It has some interesting facts, and anyone that really cares about the decline of these birds in the UK would read it! And no, I'm not a twitcher..

 

[Dr S]

Hay Doc, you may not want to read anything from the wishy-washy Grauniad (me neither) but the article is about the reason swallows/swifts aren't returning here and how we can help. It does not involve anything about political correctness or how we should "hug hoodies" (cut their bollox off imo) it is simply an article i stumbled upon regarding the thread you started, ie: why we don't see these birds anymore. It has some interesting facts, and anyone that really cares about the decline of these birds in the UK would read it! And no, I'm not a twitcher..

Twitcher Twitcher pants on fire!

Seriously, I did read it and its not good news is it?

Still no sign up here yet.

Watching and waiting

Si

 

[REKIBorter]

No site or sign of House Martins here yet, will keep looking.

 

[Dr S]

Yes! Just had a solitary Swallow do a low flyer over the river at the end the garden, chattering away. What a sight- summer can now begin!

Si

 

[WCMTB]

Seen my first two this year yesterday 18th flying round Ravenglass - West Cumbria as we watched the sun set.

 

[ferrus]

That is a mellow scene. Lovely.

 

[mtbfix]

Saw a couple whilst out on the Henley-on-Thames ride this weekend. Plenty of bluebells too so Spring is locked in now, next stop summer.

 

[Iwasgoodonce]

Did anyone else listen to the Radio 4 program that was on a year or two ago? I think it was called 'Soundscape' and was on for 15 minutes a day and was basically a narration on the little chaps' migration north. Was an excellent listen and certainly made you think about an ounce or two bird travelling a huge distance. Amazing.

 

[unocogero]

Swallows are generally here by now but Swifts are a bit later. They usually hit the UK end of April and reach my dodgy eaves between the 7th and 21st of May (yes, I do keep a note of it )

I'm not a twitcher but I am just mesmorised by Swifts. They mate with the same partner for years, never land except on their nests and sleep on the wing higher up than we can see.

In the past people thought that they slept under water because they could see them feeding on insects around ponds and rivers at dusk and then they just disapeared until dawn.

Sorry, had a bit of a swift fact vomit there, which incidentally is how they feed their young......(not with facts though )

 

[onza100]

My house is called swallows cottage. Have seen them but they aren't nesting/trying to get in the shed to poo on my bikes yet!