I saw my first Swallow back on 16th April.
I live in a rural village and usually have 2 or 3 House Martin's nests on our property. I've seen the House Martins and Swallows around but for the 2nd year running none looking to nest in our property. Which is a shame but I assume is due to the reported decline in numbers. Have heard a few Swifts about.
lots of swallows out over the neighboring field earlier when I was walking the dog.
then I stopped, about 10m in front of me a kestrel dropped and made a strike, grabbed what looked like a mouse and flew off.
wowsers.
lovewookie - I've got a feeling it was a 'Hobby' that you saw. They are a small bird of prey, similar to a kestral, but they don't hover. They are fantastic at catching birds in flight (usually Swifts, swallows and birds of the Martin family).
If it was a hobby, then good spot.
lovewookie – I’ve got a feeling it was a ‘Hobby’ that you saw.
just looked up hobbies, this was definitely a kestrel, that lovely light brown colouring.
we had one a couple of years ago that used to circle round and sit in our tree outside our house.
The Swallows are back nesting in the log store at one of properties I look after, been nesting there for at least 10 years. Its a low entrance and they seem come out at full speed , gave the new owners a bit of a shock 😲 😁
lovewookie - how lovely.
I was reading your post too quickly and thought the bird you saw had grabbed a swallow :O)
Noticed my first House Martin today, I'm out in the mornings and evenings with the dog so I'm surprised I hadn't seen one up until now.
So reviving this thread as have a swift box on order and wanted to ask the like-minded on STW what they'd do...
The box has a side entry to allow the swifts a decent approach across the garden ( https://peakboxes.co.uk/shop-1/swift-corner-box-double-lh). the previous box had an entrance that faced next door, with not enough room for an approach. That box has been used by starlings, and I noticed a starling going in this morning.
Ideally I want to hang the new box where the old one is, but the old one might be occupied with nesting starlings - i don't think they have a brood yet.
So question is should i risk disturbing starlings by hanging the new box just below the existing for this season, and relocate both in the autumn? I don't really want to waste a swift season and not hang it.
TIA
And while we're talking swifts - this is worth signing as well....
Petition Make swift bricks compulsory in new housing to help red-listed birds
https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/626737
I'm sorry but 68 quid??
https://www.rspb.org.uk/our-work/rspb-news-original/news/stories/swift-box-page/
Done the petition
House martins in SW Scotland last weekend.
susepic - you can get lots of advice on sites such as the RSPB or wildlife trust. The swifts do indeed need a clear run in, also positioned to face North (check this advice as no one wants a fried chick in the summer heat). Please don't disturb the starlings, they are pairing up and building nests atm.
Today's ride past Ludworth moor near Rowarth, was full of birds. We spotted a Martin (probably a house martin), several lapwings, 3 Curlew, a buzzard and a few sky larks. Hoping to see a good flock of golden plover soon.
I’m sorry but 68 quid?
PK13 - I'm know, but that's GVFM when I think about my joinery skills and time commitments
Bunnyhop - Thinking about location I guess I could place it on a different wall, but access is more challenging, and above a path which might put them off. But both north facing walls so good from that perspective.
Rspb do sell them as well fella I made one last year so fingers crossed
Lots of sand martins busy at the end of the Llyn Peninsula yesterday.
They weren't here 2 weeks ago
susepic it sounds like the entrance hole on your first box maybe too large. The crucial dimension is height and off the top of my head I think it should be less than 30mm, the ones I do are 28mm by about 60mm wide. This should keep starlings out. It won't stop sparrows but the swifts will often throw sparrows out.
This is a good resource for swift based questions http://actionforswifts.blogspot.com/
First swallows sighted in south of France….
Saw my first ones yesterday on a walk near Barnard Castle.
Maybe they were testing their eyesight before moving on?
And while we’re talking swifts – this is worth signing as well….
Thanks for the link, I'd managed to miss that. Signed & shared.
Swallows and martins were racing around the coast of south Devon earlier this week but I haven't spotted any in Surrey yet...I don't blame them!
First swallow showed up this morning here in the Black Mountains
I was in Porlock Weir in Exmoor Thurs/Fri and there were a handful of swallows buzzing along the coast. And the woods were alive with chiffchaffs too.
Out for a walk around Biddestone during the afternoon (actually yesterday afternoon now), and I saw loads of buzzards, at least ten all circling around over a bunch of trees, actually over Nick Mason’s house, and there were various groups around all the time I was out. There was one kite around, and four or five skylarks singing away, but so far no swallows, and I haven’t heard any swifts about either.
Heard one chiffchaff, but no yellowhammers, and they’re often along the hedges bordering the footpath.
I want to put up several swift boxes under my front gutters, that’s north-facing which they prefer. Apparently painting the entrance black helps as well, better contrast so the birds can identify the entrance better.
Loads of skylarks up on the Ditchling beacon ridge this weekend, and woodpeckers giving it large in Stanmer Woods.
No swifts or shallows yet.
@lesshaste, yes the hole on our swift box is largish, but the aspect is wrong as swifts have no clear approach, hence going for a side entrance one this year.
Have used the Lewes swift page, they seem very active and have good info there too.
A lone martin swooped past us this morning in Doune.
Couple of house martins briefly in the Goyt Valley two days ago, and a swallow around one of the farms this morning
Two Swallows above Midgely in the Calder Valley on Sunday....
House Martin spotted above my garden yesterday, South Devon.
Several swallows in the rain at Yorkshire sculpture park yesterday. 👍
Yesterday one swallow only, but it's a start (The Peak District).
Swallows swimming the surface of the Kennet and Avon Canal Near Thatcham Berkshire.
Saw 3 housemartins or swallows ( I was driving and didn't get a good enough look for a species ID) over a field near the Aberdeenshire/Angus border a couple of weeks ago. Saw probably the same 3 birds flying over our back garden ( we live in Fettercairn) yesterday.
It seems way too early for them to be so far north, my theories are they got caught in a storm or overwintered eating flies in a cowshed?
First I've seen here just north of Cardiff yesterday (10th April)
Seen our first swifts up here in Angus at the weekend. We have sand quarries out the back and they were whizzing about like whizzy things. Also saw them at the local nature reserve loch when we were looking for the returned ospreys.
Petition Make swift bricks compulsory in new housing to help red-listed birds
It's a well meaning petition but legislation will result in lots of completely unusable or inappropriate installations (part of what I do is work on social housing where an appropriate orientation or unobstructed approach is not a given for each unit). In consultation with a number of wildlife trusts we have also helped out fitting swift boxes in a lot of church towers. I'm coming to the conclusion that swifts are incredibly picky about where they nest
First swallow spotted yesterday in the White Peak near Magpie Mine
House Martins on Sunday
I’m coming to the conclusion that swifts are incredibly picky about where they nest
I don’t think they’re alone in that…
‘My’ hedgehogs are incredibly fussy about what they eat, I’m thinking about putting a Michelin food rating label on the new feeding station I’m in the process of making. 🤷🏼
The Swifts are back in further N Wales (they were not here last weekend).
Makes me happy!
We've had a few swallows and house martins around for a couple of weeks, and just heard the first swifts 30 mins ago while I was out with the dogs. E Shrops. I suspect they're on their way through to somewhere else, but at least they're coming. It remains to be seen if they'll nest in the church this year, as the numbers about the place have been dwindling noticeably these last few years, sadly.
I saw my first swallow of the summer on the Ross of Mull yesterday
Swifts are in Somerset
A large number (probably around 20) Swallows were feeding above the trees opposite my house yesterday evening, first I've seen this year here in Yorkshire.
I've never seen so many at once before, usually only see them in ones and twos.
Swifts over Salisbury this afternoon. Yaay!
