Looks like we have 3 pairs of swallows around the buildings, including a pair in the parlour .. and I DONT CARE MR INSPECTOR! Its lovely seeing them sitting side by side watching us milking. No House Martins which is a catastrophic fall in numbers for us. More convinced than ever that bird flu has devastated the resident bird population more than people realise as I can walk round several fields and only hear summer migrants. Willow Warblers, chiffchaffs, Blackcaps, even our 1st cuckoo for years but no Robin's, Chaffinches, Blackbirds, Tits etc in places where we always had an abundance. Even our resident Sparrowhawks appear to be absent, no Ravens, considerably fewer Magpies and Crows .. not too upset about that! .. noticeably fewer Buzzards. Its really very sad. Our garden dawn chorus is down to one blackbird and a chaffinch.
Swallows 2023
- Thread starter Grouse
- Start date
We’ve got a lot of swallows and house martins this year. I counted a group of about 20 mobbing the wheat in front of the sprayer when doing liquid fert. I usually see them over the crops at harvest in front of the combine (especially oats) but I’ve never seen them mobbing like this over crops in spring before.
- Location
- Essex
Pretty sure numbers are down here. I can avoid seeing any from one day to the next.
suffolksmallholder
Member
- Location
- Suffolk
Swallows have been here for a while.
Last week sitting outside on the bench there were swallows, several martins inspecting the eaves and I counted five pairs of swifts flying overhead. That was a wow moment for me!
SS
Last week sitting outside on the bench there were swallows, several martins inspecting the eaves and I counted five pairs of swifts flying overhead. That was a wow moment for me!
SS
tim@marford
Member
- Location
- Hertfordshire
Certainly well down here, West Herts. One arrived April 14th. and has been patiently waiting for a mate ever since!
- Location
- Lancashire
We have 3, perhaps 4 pairs nesting, which is the best we have had for a few years. We used to get around 10 pairs until about 10 years ago, then they were down to one pair for a while.
We still have holly berries about, so numbers of fieldfares and redwings must have been drastically reduced by the bird flu.
We still have holly berries about, so numbers of fieldfares and redwings must have been drastically reduced by the bird flu.
I"ve seen at least 4 old swallow nests taken over by wrens this year where they have put a roof on an old nest but this is the 1st time i have ever seen a wrens nest made entirely of straw. Quite an engineering feat when you compare the length of straw to the size of a wren!!
Very pleased with them atm because to our delight a second clutch has been hatched and is just about fledged here ,one pair have come back to us this year compared to none last year having always had them .
that's 7 (2 x 4 but one of the first sitting at least has been lost in recent months ) to have the homing instinct / hereditary bond with this place and will hopefully ensure a return next year.
Questin is in small sheds should old nests be removed by us over winter .? as there will be lack of suitable space if extra ones are added each year.
they are very concerned about hygiene and a second nest is quite normal for a second clutch in a season, course they were helped recently by damp Summer conditions/ available mud .
Having even a small pond would help encourage them i guess and a few simple open front low roof ed wooden framed buildings not regularly used , would suit them with maybe insulation under say a tin roof to help protect vulnerable chicks from searing heat ? with a few timber ledges to help them when they first leave the nest as seen here
just thinking outloudreally.
that's 7 (2 x 4 but one of the first sitting at least has been lost in recent months ) to have the homing instinct / hereditary bond with this place and will hopefully ensure a return next year.
Questin is in small sheds should old nests be removed by us over winter .? as there will be lack of suitable space if extra ones are added each year.
they are very concerned about hygiene and a second nest is quite normal for a second clutch in a season, course they were helped recently by damp Summer conditions/ available mud .
Having even a small pond would help encourage them i guess and a few simple open front low roof ed wooden framed buildings not regularly used , would suit them with maybe insulation under say a tin roof to help protect vulnerable chicks from searing heat ? with a few timber ledges to help them when they first leave the nest as seen here
just thinking outloudreally.
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- Location
- Radnorshire
They seem to rotate their nests here for second hatch, even use new sites. One year attic skylight was open and nested in attic nest stuck to wooden beam. Always makes me smile to see them return each year ,more interested in our swallows on the farm than any others. Seem a lot of you feel the same.
- Location
- North Notts
Initially only 1 pair showed up here. Then 3 or 4 extra late comers arrived. All managed one brood and they have left already. Have 2 pairs achieved 2nd brood which have just fledged. Hopefully a few more might return next year if they get past the bl**dy hunting nets. That really should be stopped 
- Location
- Northumberland
Think this must have been one of the best years for a while for Swallows & House Martins.
Poor showing of swallows here I am afraid.
However, there was a huge number yesterday looking like they are getting ready to head South....
However, there was a huge number yesterday looking like they are getting ready to head South....
Paddington
Member
- Location
- Soggy Shropshire
We normally have two or three pairs nesting in the workshop roof, however this year the squirrels moved in. Sounds like they are clog dancing above my head and are seen heading towards the nesting sites. At the weekend I found a section of perhaps not substantially fixed roofing on the floor along with a couple of empty nests. I've only seen one pair of swallows since then. I assume the squirrels have taken the eggs, but would they go for chicks ?
- Location
- Lincolnshire
Yesterday we had hundreds turn up over the grass with the sheep on. We have had up to 30 nests around the house and out buildings and as many in the yard before but not quite as many this year. Not sure quite where all these arrived from
Attachments
2wheels
Member
- Location
- aberdeenshire
No swallows last year or this but one nest of house martens. Seems to be a lot less of migratory birds about this year.
A few years ago I went for a walk at a country park on the 2nd week of April , and found a few hundred swallows cavorting over a lake (a week before their usual arrival date on farm).
I took it to be their version of the first night of an 18-30 holiday, with a bit of R&R and pairing up for the summer.
It looks like you've got the end of season departure lounge at yours, with them grouping up from all over before heading south. Still a few left here, but the main group have gone.
- Location
- The North
Had a few nests here with 2 broods all seem to do extremely well this year, and plenty about. Not seen any house martins though which is odd
Red Fred
Member
- Location
- Hants/Dorset border
We have had dozens flitting about over the meadows in the last few weeks but I suspect they are making ready for their journeys.
Av Gorritt
Member
- Location
- NE Ches / SE Lancs
Saw a nice little group of pheasant poults about the yard this week . Nice to see and good that they don't get out of hand and become a pest . Otherwise , the swallows seem to have had a successful year in the old stable . I saw a pair of sparrows today , first for quite a time , and we used to have clouds of them . I always had an odd pied wagtail scooting about the yard after flies , but I saw one at the start of the year and none since . We always have a small charm of goldfinches that come to drink / bathe in the running water - I like that . HOWEVER -- don't mention jackdaws we have far too many - not in the same league as some on here I'm pleased to say - and feral pigeons . Every few weeks we have a couple of shooters , and they frighten them off --for the rest of the day but they come back . We used to have many magpies , but for whatever reason you just see the single pair - rarely more .