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Has anyone in the UK got Swifts yet?

24

Posts

  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,117
    It was just one - maybe it was lost  ;)
    I can't remember which bit I saw it in, but I walk around 5 or 6 miles every day and there's another farm within that route, and other nearby farmland as well, depending on which way I go, so it might have been nearer one of those. 
    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
  • ErgatesErgates Posts: 2,953
    Saw some swallows at the Donkey Sanctuary yesterday, and have heard skylarks there for the past week. Saw several yellowhammers and a linnet too.
  • No Swifts here yet, I expect them back in the next week or so. We have had a massive flock of Lapwings this year, I’d say 50 to 60 birds in a wet, boggy end of a field nearby. With Skylarks, nearly every time a go out I see and hear at least one. Last weekend I had a lovely show of Skylarks, I stood for ages watching about 7 take turns of singing and hovering. 
    Nottinghamshire.
    Failure is always an option.

  • didywdidyw Posts: 3,573
    How lovely @SherwoodArrow.

    Local farmer has reported the return of swallows and, having recently restored a sandbank, sand martins too.  We don't normally see the swifts until early - mid May.  Can't wait to have that squealing in my ears again!
    Gardening in East Suffolk on dry sandy soil.
  • clematisdorsetclematisdorset Posts: 1,348
    Not yet, last year they were around 9 or 10 May I think, later than previous year.
    Sorry to witness the demise of the forum. 😥😥😥😡😡😡I am Spartacus 
  • TheGreenManTheGreenMan Posts: 1,957
    didyw said:
    How lovely @SherwoodArrow.

    Local farmer has reported the return of swallows and, having recently restored a sandbank, sand martins too.  We don't normally see the swifts until early - mid May.  Can't wait to have that squealing in my ears again!
    Yes! It’s the squealing and them flying over my head that I love. They look so free and happy to be back. 

    I’m lucky in that there is a nesting spot in next door’s roof so they come REALLY close to me when I go out to watch and listen. 


  • CatDouchCatDouch Posts: 488
    Both my swallows are back home and are busy renovating last year’s nest.  I absolutely love seeing them swoop around and love their beautiful twittering call.  Yesterday evening we had about 6 swooping around our drive, they sound and look so happy, swooping and singing.  Then my 2 fly into our carport for the night and the others fly off.   

    I’ve just bought a really good Wi-Fi camera so that I can watch live footage from the nest, I’ve set it up and the picture quality is brilliant.  So tonight my husband has to scale up about 20 foot to install it.  At this stage the female hasn’t laid her eggs and the nest is empty a lot of the time so we’ve got a chance to get the camera just right, I’ll be nagging him to get up and down as quickly as possible 😂
    South Devon 
  • LunarSeaLunarSea Posts: 1,923
    That sounds brill @CatDouch :) When there are so many worrying things happening in the human world, it's great to be able to immerse oneself in the appreciation of wildlife.


    Clay soil - Cheshire/Derbyshire border

    I play with plants and soil and sometimes it's successful

  • CrazybeeladyCrazybeelady Posts: 778
    edited April 2023
    Someone on twitter has pointed out that its 40°c over Spain at the moment (in April 😣) and a lot of the migrants will have to fly over that and may struggle 😔. 
    I've got into birdwatching this winter and did see 2 swallows in Coventry last week as well as hearing a cuckoo. The lapwings were there in winter but seem to have moved on. I saw 2 skylarks on marshland in Kent a couple of weeks ago. 
    Have NEVER seen a swift in my life, hopefully that will change now I know what I'm looking for!
  • RedwingRedwing Posts: 1,511
    Sot seen any Swifts in Sussex yet.
    Based in Sussex, I garden to encourage as many birds to my garden as possible.
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