Its that Time

[Arnie]

Hi Everyone

Its that time again I know its a bit early for swallows & martins but has anyone had any Swift sightings yet

Kind Regards

Arnie

[Geoff]

I spent yesterday morning in Borwick (helping dig trenches for our community broadband project B4RN) rather nearer the coast than us and saw a Swallow.

[Monika]

Arnie, it's a bit early for swifts. They are usually one of the last summer migrants to arrive.

My son has seen lots of sandmartins, two swallows and a few willow warblers at Morecambe Bay, not far from where Geoff is writing about.

At home here, we have so far seen and heard chiffchaffs and one male blackcap, no willow warblers yet.

[Ricard with an H]

I spent yesterday morning in Borwick (helping dig trenches for our community broadband project B4RN)

Well-done, our community doesn't have the same spirit, it's every man for himself in this valley where they all moan about broadband speeds but when the Welsh government offered to pay for the infrastucture for wireless BB then all of a sudden the BB speeds are acceptable because of the extra monthly charges of wireless.

Sorry to digress, I haven't seen any swallows yet though I will report as soon as I see one. We used to have a pair of doves feeding at our feeding station, now we get six but they don't attack my raised beds. Not yet.

[Monika]

First willow warbler singing today on the Embsay with Eastby Nature Reserve, a mile out of Skipton!

[Johnboy]

Hi Monika,
No swallows as yet but a Willow Warbler, just now on the plot, the first I have heard here for about five years so very good news. I didn't actually see it but its has a song you simply cannot forget.
Chiffchaff and Blackcap seem to be the in birds at present they seem to be everywhere.
Saw Swallows in France last week in great flocks but I doubt if any of these will find our shores as they are probably destined to end up in Germany and Poland and the likes.
Sincerely JB.

[Primrose]

I,m anxiously awaiting the sound of the cuckoo. Haven,t heard it for a couple of years now and as I believe they normally return to the same location every year that doesn't bode well.

[Monika]

Hello, Johnboy, just had a phone call from No 1 son: he has seen the first three swallows today on the Lancashire/Yorkshire border, so they should really be with you by now!

I reckon St George's Day (24 April) is the earliest cuckoo arrival date here, but usually it's the beginning of May, so you will have to be patient a bit longer, Primrose. So far at least one pair of cuckoos has arrived in our area every year, but I always wait with trepidation for their first call.

[Motherwoman]

First swallow seen yesterday as I drove back home, it zipped across the lane in front of me.

Cuckoos seem to get fewer and fewer each year on the island, I did hear one for a few days last year, very early in the morning when walking the dogs but nothing yet.

When collecting the chicken eggs yesterday I found a small cream coloured egg with brown spots. Smaller than a partridge or quail egg, any ideas? It had been laid in a big plastic pot laid on it's side specifically for the hens to lay in (they love 'em, don't know why...) in the open fronted barn.

MW

[Shallot Man]

Keeping in the bird vein. Havn't seen a jackdoor for years now. Also cannot remember the last time I heard a cuckoo.

[alan refail]

If you want jackdaws, SM, just give me the nod
How many dozen would you like? We have hundreds.

[Arnie]

We also have them in large numbers on the allotments, have to admit to loving their calls as they remind me of the many happy holidays in Wales.

Regards

Arnie

[Shallot Man]

alan. couple of dozen will do for a start.

[Primrose]

I quite like watching jackdaws. They're pretty intelligent. One place we visit occasionally is an open tea garden at the base of the cliffs on Eastbourne seafront and there are loads of jackdaws nesting nearby. They keep the café patrons under constant scrutiny and are always lurking nearby on empty tables to charge in and steal a chip or piece of cake from your plate or raid the rubbish bins. There are notices all around saying 'Don't Feed the Birds' but the patrons seem to regard it as part of the general entertainment.

[Westi]

Heard a woodpecker in the little woods where we walk the dogs today. Everyone walking their dogs just stopped & listened then proceeded to chat with each other - magic! These same people who just give a cheery hello in passing actually stopped for a full conversation!

Hope it's there for a bit now as nice getting to know new people & not just their dogs!

Westi