Our First Swallows

[Woodworks]

Spotted our first ones yesterday here in Devon 

[nepia]

7 hours ago, htb said:

Where are they now, no sign yet in N.E. Scotland.

Sorry, they arrived in Wick last week!

[youngsbury]

Seen some on the broads today 

[woody paul]

April 22nd on the Essex Suffolk border. 

 

[htb]

First arrived this evening.

[Bob_z_l]

Ours have been back for a few weeks. 

They've already claimed 2 of last years nests and are picking up insects galore with this lovely weather at the moment.

 

Surrey/West Sussex border

[Khriss]

Love seeing them but we dont get many here, sadly K

[nepia]

I've seen half a dozen over Jevington, near Eastbourne, and the same again half a mile from here.  That's about it.  Hopefully there will be more but numbers seem to be decreasing yearly

[Stere]

They have evovled as a species to live exclusively in human structures apparently so have less nesting sites if theres less old buildings around,  and theres also being a huge decline in insect total biomass in recent decades.

 

Did barn swallows evolve thanks to humans? - The Wildlife Society

WILDLIFE.ORG

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What would a barn swallow be without barns? According to recent research, maybe nothing at all. After studying the...

 

 

A few yr ago I remember seeing 1000's of swallows all at once was spetacular.

[Squaredy]

16 minutes ago, Stere said:

They have evovled as a species to live exclusively in human structures apparently so have less nesting sites if theres less old buildings around,  and theres also being a huge decline in insect total biomass in recent decades.

 

Did barn swallows evolve thanks to humans? - The Wildlife Society

WILDLIFE.ORG

---

What would a barn swallow be without barns? According to recent research, maybe nothing at all. After studying the...

 

 

A few yr ago I remember seeing 1000's of swallows all at once was spetacular.

Sounds like we all need to build open sided timber drying sheds to provide nesting sites for them.  I certainly get a few nesting in mine most years.