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When do your swifts first arrive by you?

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  • wild edgeswild edges Posts: 10,497
    Arrivals seems to have slowed down a bit but I suspect the change in wind direction on Sunday will bring a load more up.
    If you can keep your head, while those around you are losing theirs, you may not have grasped the seriousness of the situation.
  • Rhubarb7Rhubarb7 Posts: 14
    @Fire did you get any yet?  https://islingtonswifts.wordpress.com/blog/ they arrived in Islington since 1st May according to this  
  • FireFire Posts: 19,096
    I saw some in my area yesterday. Thanks for the link.
  • BrexiteerBrexiteer Posts: 955
    Nothing in Birmingham yet 
  • RubyLeafRubyLeaf Posts: 260
    Just heard them today! 
  • FireFire Posts: 19,096
    I saw my first over my garden today, now the rain has past.
  • raisingirlraisingirl Posts: 7,093
    I've been seeing the odd one or two for a couple of weeks but this weekend they've been here in numbers. Like Hosta, while they're moving I can't tell swifts from swallows or house martins - we have all of them. But it's definitely swallows looking to nest in the garage.
    Gardening on the edge of Exmoor, in Devon

    “It's still magic even if you know how it's done.” 
  • BrexiteerBrexiteer Posts: 955
    I've been seeing the odd one or two for a couple of weeks but this weekend they've been here in numbers. Like Hosta, while they're moving I can't tell swifts from swallows or house martins - we have all of them. But it's definitely swallows looking to nest in the garage.
    You'll hear the swifts before you see them i always do, Like a screaming sound. First ones in Birmingham yesterday 
  • BrexiteerBrexiteer Posts: 955
    Still baffles me as to why swifts would fly through Spain and France to get to the UK. Surely those countries being warmer would mean there are more insects available 
  • DampGardenManDampGardenMan Posts: 1,054
    Still baffles me as to why swifts would fly through Spain and France to get to the UK. Surely those countries being warmer would mean there are more insects available 
    Perhaps all the other swifts think so too, and the ones we get are trying to find somewhere with less competition?
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