Kitchen Garden Forum

My first Swallow was on the power line yesterday morning absolutely dead on cue. I normally have half a dozen turn up on this date so they are a little late this year.
They have turned up on the 12th April for years and have had a few rogues in the past with one a month early some years ago.
To me the return of these wonderful birds is the true herald of spring.
JB.

Lovely to hear that Johnboy, still waiting for them here, and no Cuckoo yet either.

I'll keep a look out because we are not far away from you - but at this moment we are having the most awful hail storm I have ever seen. I dashed out to close the cold frame and the hail stones stung where they hit. The biggest were nearly a centimetre. The dogs were horrified.

And now it has stopped, leaving a sprinkling of white on the ground. Not a very kind reception for the first asparagus tip which appeared this morning.

I do agree with you Johnboy - the first sighting of swallows is always a magical feeling. I'll be on the lookout. They arrive with a whoosh and it's delightful seeing them flying around our village green and returning to their traditional nesting sites. But it seems that so many people walk past with their eyes closed and don't even notice them.

"Our" first swallow was seen in the village on 4 April which is the second earliest date I have recorded over the last 20 years, but I wonder what the poor thing found to eat in the last few days of snow, sleet and wind!
I am now listening out for the willow warbler which should be here any day now - my son who lives nearer Morecambe Bay has already seen and heard quite a number of them.

One of ours came back Friday and checked the garage was still available for summer rental.

Hi Primrose,
The first sighting somehow gladdens my heart and as the season progresses and you see the first hatchlings trying to balance on the power lines with a mild breeze in progress is hilarious.
I had 10 nesting pairs in the barns last year and they all had three broods and a couple of pairs actually reared four broods. The day the young flew they went straight away and really learned to fly on the long journey. Totally amazing birds and somehow I feel very privileged that they come to stay with me.
JB.

Or almost the last Swallow

You're lucky. Ours all seemed to disappear after the third week of August. I guess the weather was so cold and wet that there weren't enough insects for them.

Has anyone noticed a decline in nesting swallows this year? Our swallow population have been increasing year on year, last year we had 19 nesting pairs but this year we only had four pairs. We are in Devon; is it the same across the country?

Lovely photo Geoff.

Hi HaG,
My population of nesting pairs went up from 10 to 14 this year in NW Herefordshire.
JB.