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While not migratory, we've had a pair of these arrive in the garden the last couple of days.
Spotted 3 swallows the evening before last, whilst oot with the dawg. 3 I tell ye. I know 1 doth not a summer make. But 3, that's putting it beyond doubt. So we must have bypassed Spring and jumped directly into Summer.
Also saw a few bats the same evening at dusk-time.
That's in Ambergateshire.
Just saw 2 more this eve (could have been the same ones obvs. I didnt get their names).
And a lapwing. Lovely.
Finally a swallow has made it to the Amman valley 🐦
First swift of the year on yesterday's ride for us (29 April, Ludworth Moor near Robin Hood's Picking Rods for those who MTB round this way)
There’s quite a few Swallows and martins around, but I’ve yet to see or hear any swifts.
House martins, swallows, 2 cuckoos and a female tawny owl on last night's ride.
Swifts taken up residence in my eaves. Thought I heard something on Wednesday, but it's definitely there this morning.
Few days early. Normally is more like 5th May, although has been as early as 27th April.
where you at andy?
Germany
Just checking my notes. 2/3 of the time they arrive between 4th and 6th May, with 5th the most common. Been May 1st 2 years in a row though. Still not heard any flying around screeching yet.
First swift seen this morning as I opened the blinds though I suspected I heard a couple last night. Always a thrill.
Swallows back on the 22nd April, but saw a solitary one pass over a few days earlier. Plenty of curlew, golden plover, lapwing about for a while now, along with the other odd waders, wheatears etc back for their summer jollies. Heard my first cuckoo on the 25th of April but none since.
First swift seen this morning as I opened the blinds though I suspected I heard a couple last night. Always a thrill.
Swallows back on the 22nd April, but saw a solitary one pass over a few days earlier. Plenty of curlew, golden plover, lapwing about for a while now, along with the other odd waders, wheatears etc back for their summer jollies. Heard my first cuckoo on the 25th of April but none since.
Until last weekend - I have heard many over the years- I saw my first Cuckoo. Near Mitchell’s Fold on the Shropshire / Powys border.
Nightjars on the edge of Denny Wood, New Forest at dusk. One seen but several heard.
Fair few swifts in MidSussex now, and expecting the second wave in a week or so.
While in the garden trying to take some pics of them (a bit of a lottery) I spotted a couple of interesting birds flying a little higher and slower. Kites of course not so unusual these days, but not too many here yet. Storks very unusual though there is a breeding program at the Knepp Rewilding project, so reckon the two we saw were from there just 10 miles ish 
Saw 3 cuckoos together on electricity wires on Islay. Only ever seen them once before and that was a pair on Bicknoller Combe a decade ago
Love the stork.
we’ve seen fewer swifts and swallows locally this year than ever before.
i know of 2 building owners who have ‘got rid’ of nesting sites, while cleaning up. Really sad.
We do have a couple of local ‘swift streets’ nearby, but these take years for the swifts decide to occupy the boxes.
We do have a couple of local ‘swift streets’ nearby, but these take years for the swifts decide to occupy the boxes.
Hi BunnyHop, here in Hurst we've had more success using a swift caller in the vicinity of the boxes makes the swifts inquisitive. There's an expanding swift group in the village who recently have had some success sponsoring boxes and callers and the numbers seem to be increasing.
Real shame that building owners destroy nesting sites, I wonder were they able to install swift bricks as some mitigation ?
I'm part of the local RSPB group, some members will be trying to sort out some next boxes for next year, to put back onto the old builders. I've been in touch with one owner and he's open to discussion. Apparently there is a telecom firm that will help out with this for nothing (cherry pickers). Sadly we left it too late this season to realise that the natural nests had gone.
The 'callers' aren't always favoured by the experts, but I think they will be needed soon, as swift numbers are so low.
Part of the problem is the 'messyness'. Some building owners don't like the droppings which accumulate on the floor under the eaves. We looked into having the nest boxes in our own home but there isn't the 'run up' that the swifts need to be safe and fly into the nests.
We started with a few small families of swifts at the end spring, 2 sets nesting on one barn, and one on another. From what i can tell each has had two 'sittings' each, and each has had 3 to 4 fledglings. We have some lovely photos of the young just before they leave the nest. One particular family only at about 6ft off the ground! And we'd walk past them multiple times daily under the nest - they being completely unperturbed. So have about 20 odd or so flying about the farm now!
Luckily they are in a stables building and the other where our wood shed is, so the droppings just get scraped up daily during normal tidying up.
The sparrows getting a bit uppity when these Swift flying missiles nearly take them out 😀
We've had loads of barn swallows this year.
2 nests out the front, one of which the chicks only hatched a week ago or so. Very late, i assume it's the good weather?
The nest out the back, their 3rd brood just fledged this week. Keep coming back but looking very healthy.
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@SSS the news is, those are Swallows not Swifts. The swifts are long finished nesting, and pretty much all migrated from the UK now.
