Swallows 2018

[Richard III]

100’s of them swooping over our neighbours beans!

Had the same here yesterday when combining the beans, never seen so many!

 

[Sonoftheheir]

Had the same here yesterday when combining the beans, never seen so many!

What specifically would be in the beans for them?

 

[Richard III]

What specifically would be in the beans for them?

I'm not sure, but the combine was covered in small gnat-like flies. The bean stubble was alive with little spiders too.

 

[organicguy]

Counted over 50 on wires here yesterday, I think they have had a good year, we have 2 nests most places where last year we had 1.

 

[Still Farming]

Think nearly gone here ?

 

[toquark]

All away here in SW Scotland. Just noticed this morning, last I saw them was Friday morning.

 

[corkman2013]

Loads this afternoon. On the hunt down the valley.

 

[Richard III]

The swallows were out again with the combine today.

The video fails to show just how many there are, plenty more over the top of the bank too.

 

[Muck Spreader]

Not had a single swallow here this year. Normally there are dozens of them by now forming up on the wires to fly south.

 

[farmer cen]

All gone here but for three in there nest ,don’t know whats going to happen to them

 

[primmiemoo]

I thought the swallows had all gone last week, but they're still around.
As I drove back from where I've been today, I noticed two distinct flocks within a mile of home swooping over the silage aftermath by the looks of it.

Just one pair bred here this year - two broods, I think - and other birds joined in when the weather became damper again. They were extremely busy over every field with stock in.
Maybe the group from here has joined up with others to form the two flocks I've seen, and the next move will be Africa.

 

[Dr. Alkathene]

Last ones to leave the nest this year have fledged this morning

 

[HolzKopf]

Been busy here this year - last lot just hatched this week tho
Most or all of the others have gone a week or so back - no longer see them wheeling about or sitting on the wires. Soon can put cars back in shed at night as we leave 'em out all summer to stop the cats climbing up onto the trusses - and no one likes driving a truck with a pyramid of swallow sh*t on the roof

 

[Chasingmytail]

Everyone keep a few puddles around your yard so they have water for nests drinking

Ive always got old trays or saucepans with shallow water for the wildlife.

 

[glow worm]

and so they went and I miss them already. No goodbyes at all this year. No sagging telephone lines full of chattering families passing on their knowledge of the long migration in front of their young. . They just vanished. I suppose we count ourselves lucky that, with a national decrease of 40% this year, we had 4 double broods and 6 House martin nests. Distressingly down on our normal numbers but still nice.Now we battern down the defenses against the next wave of unwelcome visitors ....I know, I know, some on here love them but we do not! .. Starlings. We find it so important to try and block up all the entry points .. although we never will totally beat them .. before the first scouts arrive.... any day now!! .. and then that heralds the start of the long dark winter.

 

[YorkshireAndrew]

No gathering of them on our lines either , they just disappeared without saying goodbye .

 

[Bury the Trash]

i blame brexit

 

[Lazy Sod]

On the subject of winter visitors, I look forward to seeing the fieldfares. One snowy morning, a few years ago, there must have been 200 feeding on our fallen apples. They cleared the lot up in a couple of hours.

 

[glow worm]

On the subject of winter visitors, I look forward to seeing the fieldfares. One snowy morning, a few years ago, there must have been 200 feeding on our fallen apples. They cleared the lot up in a couple of hours.

Very true. We are lucky in that we get a lot of redwing amongst them and you know summer has REALLY gone when you hear snipe flying through at dusk. Simple pleasures in a very fraught life but I wouldnt swop all our sh***y days for one day in a town.

 

[Sonoftheheir]

Very true. We are lucky in that we get a lot of redwing amongst them and you know summer has REALLY gone when you hear snipe flying through at dusk. Simple pleasures in a very fraught life but I wouldnt swop all our sh***y days for one day in a town.

Do snipe make a very strange sound at dusk? Heard something this eveing that I couldn’t put a name to. Would they likely fly up to the top of a large barn roof outside?