Swallows 2018

[landslave the 2nd]

Fbook friends posted today they had seen one in the yard in Oxfordshire

 

[DeeGee]

Normally appear around 20th April here.

I thought they would have been generally much earlier down there?
We tend to get them between the 6th and 15th April most years and we are much further north than you.

 

[CollCrofter]

They'll leave a terrible review on Tripadvisor and bugger off back to South Africa if they have any sense

 

[Paul E]

bugger off back to South Africa if they have any sense

Just tell 'em to fetch the fekkin' sun back with 'em.

 

[David.]

They are around the gravel pits down by Standlake (Witney) by all accounts.

 

[Northeastfarmer]

None here yet

 

[MickW]

Wifey spotted two yesterday Launceston Cronwall
2017 was 2nd April
2016 was 19th April
2015 was 13th April

And the Suns also here

 

[ThickEric]

Towards the end of last summer we noticed swallows being chased once they had flown a couple of hundred yards from the buildings. The swallows would twist and turn, but the small falcon in pursuit could easily keep pace and then put on an extra burst of speed to grab it's dinner. Often it would sit on a fence post after decapitating it's victim, dipping it's beak in and out for a minute or two. Now I can't dip a finger of toast into a soft boiled egg without thinking of swallows.

A couple of weeks ago I found two dead little owls with a few days of one another. One of them was missing it's head. Maybe we aren't the only ones counting down the days until the swallows return ?

 

[matthew]

Saw two this morning, wheeling around in the sun. Thought I was seeing things.

 

[bovrill]

Saw one here this evening flying out of the cart lodge.

 

[Surgery]

My favourite time of year when they appear , might sound silly but I love watching them all through the year flying over the cattle-corn when you stir things up they do follow you about

 

[Acornworm]

My favourite time of year when they appear , might sound silly but I love watching them all through the year flying over the cattle-corn when you stir things up they do follow you about

Chasing my dogs this morning catching all the insects,poor old insects sheltering from the wind and rain

 

[Acornworm]

Wifey spotted two yesterday Launceston Cronwall
2017 was 2nd April
2016 was 19th April
2015 was 13th April

And the Suns also here

Correction ,was here

 

[primmiemoo]

Spotted one this morning, zooming around knee high to the tibbie lambs.

Expected to see some much farther West yesterday, but they didn't seem to be there.

When they fly so low, you can really see the graduated goldy-buff colour of their underneaths.

Beautiful.

 

[2wheels]

Saw quite a few of them a month back, I was a very long way away from the UK though.

Heard the first ice cream van of the year yesterday if that counts for anything.

ice cream van all year round here. brrrrr.

 

[MrNoo]

Saw a solitary one at lunch time, maybe just passing through. Nice to see one though!

 

[Kidds]

Saw a solitary one at lunch time, maybe just passing through. Nice to see one though!

I spotted one today as well (ice cream van)

 

[David.]

Saw presumably the same solitary swallow here this afternoon.
Perhaps they will send the other one tomorrow.

 

[czechmate]

Heard the first co-co yesterday and it was quite non stop today
23 degrees, unbroken sun and turned the autumn calving heard out, things looking up

 

[Lincsman]

Some are really lazy, I have seen them nesting in Cyprus in late April which is just up the road for them.