Saw the first swallow of the year round here yesterday. Today there's a whole host* of them in the lane behind the house having a right old snack on the flying insects. There's so many that a couple of sparrows are grounded, probably thinking "I'm not going up in that lot!"

*apparently the collective noun for a group of swallows is either a "flight" or a "gulp" which I think is most appropriate in this case

Saw my first wolf of the year last week.

Was that a European or African Swallow?...

yeha wrote: ↑Fri May 03, 2019 3:22 pm Was that a European or African Swallow?...

Easy way to tell, the African Swallow would likely be carrying a coconut

FLV wrote: ↑Fri May 03, 2019 5:28 pm

yeha wrote: ↑Fri May 03, 2019 3:22 pm Was that a European or African Swallow?...

Easy way to tell, the African Swallow would likely be carrying a coconut

They probably came from the south Asia then.

Bob you top banana you. Once again you've heloed me spot what I've been seeing...

Just google imaged Swallow and realised thats what they were up in the Lake District (and seen a couple around here now too) a few weeks ago. They were fast enoigh that we couldnt really make out but could see the underbelly/breast was white and they kinda went round and looked like they was hopping. It was the shaoe thats helped me differentiate that they was swallows...

At the Lakes we went Muncaster Castle and the birds of prey shows. Wow... how amazing. The Eagle came down (they let em roam free during the show and have a good trusting relationship) at a wopping 70mph and the Red Kites were just vaguely exciting (mesmerizing)...

Bought my first Birds book there too (that reminds me... lemme go and look up Swallow)

thanks Bob

Oh... and yes. You was right. It was obviously a Buzzard that day

Actually (just checked the book) mine might have been House Martins... Twas hanging around in pairs they were...

All the houses round us (including ours) have House Martin nests - usually one on each gable end. They are constantly flying around feeding, which is good for keeping some of the local flying insect population down.

Colin - The house I grew up in would have at least a dozen House Martin pairs nesting. We'd also a couple of swallows' nests in various farm buildings.

Shafiq - the most obvious differences between swallows and house martins are that swallows have a red bib with a white lower chest and a long deep forked tail whereas the martins have all white bib and chest and a shallower fork in the tail.

At the moment everything is moving north as the insect population grows. Groups feed in an area, like they were this morning outside our house, then move on. Each pair will end up at their usual nesting site.

Spotted my first swallows 1 or 2 weekends ago. Tis summer now I reckon.

It seems to be a definite turning point in the year. Everything turns very green and the swllows arrive.

First few arrived here last week, just in time to eat the first midges

I'm now wondering if I can train a bird to sit on my handlebars as I ride around, then it can eat all the winged teeth when I'm stopped.