Kitchen Garden Forum

My first sighting of a Swallow was mid morning on 11th when, like London Buses, three came along together. However they stayed overnight but were gone at first light or before on the 12th.
Again mid morning on the 12th eight arrived and the way they went into the barn inspecting last years nests I think these will stay.
I always get an absolute buzz when I see the first Swallow of the year as somehow it means that the growing season will be in full swing very soon.
JB.

Hi Johnboy,


I recorded my first sighting of Last years Swallows on the 21 April I will have to keep my eyes to the sky from now on I like you get an absolute buzz from seeing the first Swallow of the year

Kind Regards

Kevin

Well, now some have been spotted I will have to keep my ears and eyes skimmed. I love hearing their cries as they wheel around overhead chasing insects. You can almost imagine them crying out, "Yippee, arrived at last". A true sign that summer is on its way.

Walking the dog Sat14th-there they were in sunny North Yorkshire 3 swallows on the telephone line!!-fantastic to see-Im sure they are getting earlier-I remember as a lad that they always arrived on the 23rd April every year?

Hi Johnboy,

Recorded this years first sightings 3 in all last Sunday (15th) 6 days eariler than last year, but each day more and more are turning up

Kind Regards

Kevin

The Swallows are getting much rarer here in south Cheshire, about 20 dairy farms in the immediate area have gone out of business and sold their buildings for domestic housing. The nestings sites have consequently been taken away. House Martins are still around & build under my house eaves, I have fallen out with my next door neighbour as he insists on climbing up with a long pole to destroy the nests. So the pressure is really on around here

Does your neighbour know he is committing a crime? And can be reported to the police? And be fined £5000, or 6 months in jail? It won't take the pressure off you, but should help the house martins.

http://www.rspb.org.uk/ourwork/policy/w ... /index.asp

Please let us know how you get on.

Alan

I now have 8 pairs of Swallow and there are still more to be expected. The first ones are sitting already and last year those that came the earliest raised four broods. The last broods fledged and almost immediately were whisked away on the long haul back to Africa so they actually learn their flying skills 'en route'.
They sit on the power cables and chatter. I always talk back and should a stranger call on me I am sure that he would think I'm somehow deranged. (probably true!!)
JB.

glad I am not the only one who chatters to the wildlife as I garden ... I have a very vociferous robin who I hold regular conversations with ...he/she gets especially interested when I am digging as my patch has a wonderfully active worm population ...

Johnboy, I envy you your nesting swallows. How wonderful to have your own SpringWatch close by. If I had them that close I'm sure I'd never get any work done and would just sit all day with a pair of binnoculars watching them.

Five healthy fledglings this weekend - I think that's a pretty good brood!

Hi Geoff,
Wonderful photograph! Classic. Note the still unformed beaks leaving a creamy line and the tails lack the long outer feathers. In order to explain this to anybody you couldn't ask for a better photograph. I have swiped it and put it with all my other bird photographs.
Thank you.
JB.

I'd love to have swallows nearby. My latest brush with the avian population is to regularly find a rather tatty male blackbird eating the grapes from the fruit bowl in the kitchen! We've had to put up a door screen to deter it.
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Granny