Seen My First Swallow of 2017! (1 Viewer)

[DBK]

Not a record I'm sure but on my walk yesterday afternoon I saw my first swallow of 2017.
The hedges are getting greener too.

 

[Podney]

Hey!
Saw one this afternoon,but it may have been a swift (but no,there wasn't any damp)
I find it very difficult to tell the difference when in flight (the birds,not me)

 

[mitzimad]

dont usually see the swifts back here till mid may i will look out for them earlier this year actually we normally hear them before we see them

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[sylvester1954]

Love swifts and to hear them chasing one another 'screaming' around the rooftops is a sure sound of the coming of spring.

Sadly swifts are also in decline due in part to the loss of nesting habitats under the eaves of roofs that understandably are being sealed to keep the heat in. They have become so reliant on man and his homes.

The young swifts leave the nests in August and after a day or two of getting the use of those scimiter shaped wings fly non-stop to over-winter in mid Africa and then back to the original nesting grounds the following spring/summer here in the UK, then once more back to Africa and not until the second summer here do they actually stop flying and land to nest in the same area that they were born. If they fall to the ground they are unable to take off again and will die. So for two years they eat, sleep and mate totally on the wing never landing till then covering 1000's of miles !
If you are fortunate to have swifts in your roof and are considering improvements then please wait till they have left in August and include a swift nest box ot two when you carry out the work. Our skies will be a far far sadder place without these delightful acrobats. More amazing facts below:

http://www.swift-conservation.org/

 

[Brian and Jo]

Wow they are early or has the last year just gone quick
Brian & Jo

 

[DBK]

So for two years they eat, sleep and mate totally on the wing never landing until after* covering 1000's of miles !

Ah, so like a typical Funster going full timing then?


* took the liberty of editing a typo.

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[Janine]

Does one swallow make a summer post-brexit?

 

[aldhp21]

Very early for swallows. I think it is generally the house martins which are the first to appear.

Just remember the old saying though

"One swallow doesn't make a girlfriend"

 

[Ambilkate]

Thanks will keep an eye out for them in Shropshire can't to wait to see the house martins rerun to our neighbours house we love to watch them there must have been about 30 of them last year . Love to hear the first cuckoo of the year let us know if ya hear one x

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[old-mo]

let us know if ya hear one x

Will a couple cooing poxy pigeons do....

 

[Nirvanauk]

Saw some about a week ago nice as they are they nest in my open garage and make a right chuffin' mess.

 

[Ambilkate]

Will a couple cooing poxy pigeons do....

We have several pairs if cooing **** pigeons at the min Mo lol drive Amanda mad x

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[old-mo]

drive Amanda mad

Glad it`s just not me then...

Tell Amanda, I will box these two up and send them up to her..

 

[Clarky]

Saw swallows weeks ago in Spain and saw some yesterday at La Mailleraye-sur-Seine.
They are on their way to the UK and not far away..........like us.

Richard.

 

[2657]

Swallows been around for weeks at Cabanas, nested and chicks now, Bee eaters due this week......they have turned up during the first week of April for the last few years.

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[Welsh girl]

Saw swallows weeks ago in Spain and saw some yesterday at La Mailleraye-sur-Seine.
They are on their way to the UK and not far away..........like us.

Richard.

We're in Averton France and saw some swallow for the first time Saturday and remarked that they are on the way to UK and will get there before us. Swooping and diving. A lovely sight.

 

[laird of Dunstan]

I haven't seen any swallows yet but I've just this minute witnessed something just as warming ,I'm sitting in my van working out in my head how I'm going to fix some Street lights and a little dunnock fly's into my vision with a twig and disappears into the bush to work on its nest , brought a smile to my face

Now off to fix some lights

 

[mitzimad]

Love swifts and to hear them chasing one another 'screaming' around the rooftops is a sure sound of the coming of spring.

Sadly swifts are also in decline due in part to the loss of nesting habitats under the eaves of roofs that understandably are being sealed to keep the heat in. They have become so reliant on man and his homes.

The young swifts leave the nests in August and after a day or two of getting the use of those scimiter shaped wings fly non-stop to over-winter in mid Africa and then back to the original nesting grounds the following spring/summer here in the UK, then once more back to Africa and not until the second summer here do they actually stop flying and land to nest in the same area that they were born. If they fall to the ground they are unable to take off again and will die. So for two years they eat, sleep and mate totally on the wing never landing till then covering 1000's of miles !
If you are fortunate to have swifts in your roof and are considering improvements then please wait till they have left in August and include a swift nest box ot two when you carry out the work. Our skies will be a far far sadder place without these delightful acrobats. More amazing facts below:

http://www.swift-conservation.org/

I will not fill my eaves in as i consider the swifts were sitting tennents when we bought the house.They give us hours of pleasure watching them
Almost every year we get one miss the eaves and come in to see us via the top opening windows so we now consider them friends as i read they live about 15 years were well into our third generation
they do make a mess from the nests but we can live with that

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[CWH]

Not seen any swallows yet but did see an osprey over the garden where we were house-sitting last week (just outside Hawkshead)