Swallows in 2010 Arrivals, nesting and departures

E39MSport · 10-09-2010 8:25am

That's incredible !! You were blessed.

Durnish · 10-09-2010 8:53am

thanks, Mothman. The racket was amazing.

So, what do they chatter about? Are the family groups communicating with each other, to stay together, bearing in mind that they seem to come and go to the same places.
Are they passing on GPS readings, how to get to x and y places, like bees doing their wee dances?

ytpe2r5bxkn0c1 · 10-09-2010 12:15pm

There is no evidence that such chatter does anything more than confirm bonds between pairs and family groups. It is unlikely that any real information is being passed from one to another.

littlebug · 10-09-2010 1:33pm

Durnish wrote: »

Is it impolite to remark that all them swallies look the same to me? Can't tell the wan from the other. Must be getting old.

Swallies

I haven't heard that for a while. You maybe can't tell one from the other but you always know an Ulster swally by its accent.

Durnish · 10-09-2010 2:10pm

It's very hard to write in the vernacular, you know. I was thinking of applying for a grant or some peace funding or sommat, so that I could larn them wee swallies a thing or two.

Durnish · 10-09-2010 2:11pm

Someone, called Horatio Clare, has written a whole book about the swallows' migration.

E39MSport · 10-09-2010 8:41pm

Durnish wrote: »

Someone, called Horatio Clare, has written a whole book about the swallows' migration.

Read it. Not quite what it seems. More of a commentary on his voyage than about swallows. Good read though.

John mac · 13-09-2010 11:51pm

Swallows left on Saturday/ Sunday. Saw 2 today looked like young ones left behind.

ytpe2r5bxkn0c1 · 14-09-2010 3:25pm

Let's just be clear on this. Swallows do not leave in a consolidated huge flock from the country, or any area of the country. They leave in dribs and drabs. Some big dribs and some small drabs. They move about within areas so it's always difficult to say they have left on a particular day. None are "left behind" as such.

Durnish · 15-09-2010 7:42am

but there must come a day when there are no longer any swallows flying round the barn or the bog or stream.

Thing is, you just don't know it until a couple of days have passed.

borderlinemeath · 15-09-2010 8:01am

Mine have been quieter the past couple of days (less ariel displays) but definately haven't left yet - I was putting the dog out to bed last night (he sleeps in the outhouse where the swallows nest) and the whole family were still there. For the last batch the juveniles had left the nest at this stage but everyone is crowded in!

This morning they juveniles were sitting just on the guttering at the side of the house - 3 on one side and the last one opposite.

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ytpe2r5bxkn0c1 · 15-09-2010 4:46pm

Durnish wrote: »

but there must come a day when there are no longer any swallows flying round the barn or the bog or stream.

Thing is, you just don't know it until a couple of days have passed.

Correct and right! My point was that there is no suden mass migration. They don't just leave an area en masse.

IceMaiden · 16-09-2010 8:41am

This year ours arrived approx two weeks later than usual as did the cuckoos , since then the Swallows, have mostly reared two broods & are still about ,numbers are as last year slightly up, but nothing like the amount we used to have seven or more years ago.

Private Joker · 16-09-2010 9:04am

I had 4 families of them living in my shed and have still one family left. Really hoping they leave soon because we're converting the sheds to a studio and replacing the roof.

Have to say I really don't like them, they covered everything in the sheds with their droppings.

E39MSport · 16-09-2010 5:42pm

... 'mine' have started to use the roof tiles as a source of heat. I notice they bring their underside to the tiles when the temperatures drop.

Feargal as Luimneach · 16-09-2010 7:11pm

E39MSport wrote: »

... 'mine' have started to use the roof tiles as a source of heat. I notice they bring their underside to the tiles when the temperatures drop.

I never knew they did that. Nice one:)

borderlinemeath · 16-09-2010 10:17pm

E39MSport wrote: »

... 'mine' have started to use the roof tiles as a source of heat. I notice they bring their underside to the tiles when the temperatures drop.

"mine" have been doing that as well! Didn't know they were using it a heat source!

borderlinemeath · 22-09-2010 2:40pm

Well my family of swallows have left.

They were in great tune on Monday night - lots of ariel displays as well.
They were 3 in the outhouse when I put the dog out to bed but yesterday evening when I came home from work I noticed the silence....

No sign of any of them and when the dog was put out to bed there was just an empty nest.

I'm really going to miss them, they've been part of the garden since May.
I'm really hoping they make it back next year.

stevensi · 22-09-2010 2:50pm

Well you have the arrival of the redwings, fieldfares etc to now look forward too...

Would you believe I actually saw 4 swifts on Saturday. The latest i've ever seen swifts in the country.

Morganna · 22-09-2010 3:55pm

mine have gone the last couple of days...miss them already

trebor28 · 22-09-2010 7:14pm

think ours left today.
i live out in the country smack bang in the middle, i went out this evening and there was flies everywhere and no sign of a swallow.
i then went out to a field with cattle in it, prime hunting ground, and no sign of one.

Morganna · 22-09-2010 8:52pm

its kinda sad when they go ...lonely

littlebug · 22-09-2010 9:07pm

Mine disappeared last week. Fly well wee swallies

artieanna · 22-09-2010 10:25pm

Morganna wrote: »

mine have gone the last couple of days...miss them already

Same here:)

ytpe2r5bxkn0c1 · 23-09-2010 9:55pm

Plenty still in Louth, Meath, & Monaghan today.

John mac · 23-09-2010 10:33pm

well we had another 50 or so here yesterday, no sign of them today though.

trebor28 · 25-09-2010 12:07pm

have seen swallows around my vicinity in the last few days.
could these just be my neighbours swallows who havent left yet?
or could they be swallows from father up the country who are making their way down south and have stopped off for a spot of lunch?

ytpe2r5bxkn0c1 · 25-09-2010 8:55pm

I love the way people speak about "their" birds. In this case Swallows. Flocks of Swallows will roam about a considerable area each day. Those of a neighbour or yours at this time of year are all one and the same birds.

They will gradulally form bigger flocks before departing South but there is no great move South in stages in Ireland. Cetainly they will fly south but not stopping off like you describe.

bogtreader · 25-09-2010 9:06pm

It looked like ours left yesterday they had a final brood who fledged about two weeks ago.I dont know if they would have the maturity or stamina for the journey.Looking forward to the first sighting next year

trebor28 · 25-09-2010 10:56pm

Daisy Better Ballistics wrote: »

I love the way people speak about "their" birds. In this case Swallows. Flocks of Swallows will roam about a considerable area each day. Those of a neighbour or yours at this time of year are all one and the same birds.

They will gradulally form bigger flocks before departing South but there is no great move South in stages in Ireland. Cetainly they will fly south but not stopping off like you describe.

well "my" birds were paying rent for they sheds they used to rear their young and roost at night, so yes they are my birds.

they had left, their lease was up and i checked the sheds at night to check that they had not snook in.

they must have been someone elses swallows that i saw so.

Swallows in 2010 Arrivals, nesting and departures

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