Our First Swallows

[Billhook]

13 hours ago, Silverhooker said:

Best year so far for sand martins in north Cumbria, hundreds in the nearby sand quarry. 5 years ago we had bee eaters in the sand Martin colony, but they’ve never been back.

We had a flock of Bee Eaters around that time, again not seen one since.  Rape was in flower so plenty of bees about.  I happened to have my video camera on me at the time.  The bird''s flight first caught my attention, slightly woodpeckery without the loops.  A few wing beats then a short glide all in level flight accompanied by a sound like water dripping

"Blip blop"  Blip blop"

[htb]

Swallows been passing through here for about a week now on route elsewhere, none of the residents returned yet.

[Powerfab]

We had several pass through about 2 weeks ago. 

Residents have turned up this morning.

[peatff]

We don't usually get them till a couple of weeks into May so I'm not looking yet but we have had some warm days and clear skies till this weekend and now it's grey clouds but still warm. I walk up to the higher ground locally to watch them when they are here. They always seem to appear there before we get the lower down.

[nepia]

22 hours ago, htb said:

Swallows been passing through here for about a week now on route elsewhere, none of the residents returned yet.

They're on my mate's farm at Wick skimming the ponds he's scraped out!

[MattyF]

Noticed a few in the yard last night , 3 days earlier than last year ,they usually coincide with the arrival of the midges and guess what is out in force this morning!

[peatff]

Saw some swifts on Thursday 7th May so they are about same as last year but I went down the farm this weekend for some eggs and there are swallows nesting in the barn with young uns so they have been here a while.

[kevinjohnsonmbe]

First of the year! 
 

Bit early, maybe off the back of the recent unseasonably warm spell. 
 

Hope he’s got his thermals for this week!

[gary112]

8 minutes ago, kevinjohnsonmbe said:

First of the year! 
 

Bit early, maybe off the back of the recent unseasonably warm spell. 
 

Hope he’s got his thermals for this week!

That is early,whereabouts are you?

[Mick Dempsey]

Seen the odd one here for a few days now.

 

About the same time as every year.