Swallows in 2010 Arrivals, nesting and departures

greenpeter

Just looking out the window and noticed a heap of swallows floating around, sign of summer coming:D

Judgement Day

greenpeter wrote: »

Just looking out the window and noticed a heap of swallows floating around, sign of summer coming:D

They have been back since around St.Patrick's Day see here: http://www.irishbirding.com

SeaFields

Was just coming on here to post the same thing.

Saw my first swallow today. He was on his own tho.

Still a sign of summer

As for another summer visitor has anyone seen/heard any cuckoos yet ?

ciaran76

Weird I was in a meeting today and was facing the window and I see a load of swallows flying by and I was trying to remember were they earlier or just later then normal and totally zoned out of the meeting

Anyway its nice to see them back.

marlin vs

Same thing here I saw my first swallow a loner yesterday as well,I went to watch the geese gathering to head off and the little loner flew straight over me.

Judgement Day

I knew I started a thread on this earlier: http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?p=65028770 - it was on the 22/3/10 but I only heard rather than saw one - does that count.

Half-cocked

Saw 2 swallows at Ballbriggan on Sunday and 1 loner feeding over the water in Baldoyle Bay yesterday evening.

Morganna

none here yet .They are awful early the ones that have been sighted .The ones that come here are usually 23rd april or there abouts

Kess73

Not only are they back, they are back in their role of harassers of the male sparrowhawk here in my garden.

Just yesterday I heard for the first time this year, and no doubt only the first of many times from here onwards, the sound of swallows trying to mob a sparrowhawk.

I looked out my back window and sure enough there were swallows all swooping back and forth over one of my little trees, and in the middle of the tree was the regular male sparrowhawk.

boneless

Saw a couple on the Royal Canal yesterday, zipping over the water.

ytpe2r5bxkn0c1

None here as yet, but they usually don't appear with us until around 15th April.

greenpeter

Have been watching now for a few weeks and was delighted to see them back, have to be my favorite Bird.
Must go take out my mother porch window:eek:

greenpeter

Judgement Day wrote: »

I knew I started a thread on this earlier: http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?p=65028770 - it was on the 22/3/10 but I only heard rather than saw one - does that count.

NO:P

amerden

Just seen my first of the year in North Co. Cork.
Same time (within two days) as the last two years.

E39MSport

March 13 according to RTE. Saw one here in the UK yesterday. Lovely !!

Connacht

Lads,
With topics like this, it would be nice if you would indicate the county you are reporting from, if it isn't clear from your avatar.
That way we can all build up a picture of where a particular bird or animal is.
Of course, with senstive or endangered species, it's not always a agood idea to reveal location.
I saw my first swallows on Saturday, April 3, in Kildare.
None here in Mayo yet.

littlebug

I thought I saw that familiar swoop yesterday out of the side of my eye. Confirmed today with 2-3 swooshing around and hanging out on the wires. I think they're a bit earlier than last year.
South Mayo

pinc

Saw 2 today near Athenry.

SeaFields

Sorry, location is key alright.

The one i saw that i posted about earlier was in Kerry.

amerden

Just seen first in Cork City

greenpeter

Meath:o

RonMexico

You can tag your sightings over at http://www.biology.ie

Saw a swallow today Co. Clare

snaps

Saw 2 this afternoon in mayo!

homolumo

no sign here yet where I am in County Waterford. Twas April 17th last year. Had to make sure the shed where they nest was cat proof, our cat was just a kitten last year so I hope she doesn't put them off. She is more preoccupied with baby rabbits atm but fingers crossed.

Morganna

saw one today in east mayo they are early this year .

Mountainsandh

Saw one yesterday here in Co Waterford, checking out if the spot's still available I presume.
Poor cat will be in for another summer of hassling soon

homolumo

pair of swallows arrived today, were trying to get into their old nest spot in the shed but seemed put off by the mesh I have put up. Made the hole
slightly bigger for them so here's hoping!

Stephentlig

Swallows travel some distance, its amazing how the Lord formed his creation.

Is it true that they leave in august? they have their last feed and then head back to africa ( is africa even where they come from? )

Pax Christi
Stephen

secman

Definitely saw one swallow/house martin on Fri 9th April not too far from ballygarrett, Wexford. I believe the male bird gets home first.


Secman

ytpe2r5bxkn0c1

Stephentlig wrote: »

Is it true that they leave in august? they have their last feed and then head back to africa ( is africa even where they come from?

They leave here in September/October. They don't just take a last feed here and fly all the way to Southern Africa in one go. On both the Northerly and Southerly journeys they stop-off frequently to rest and feed. Crossing the desert is the toughest single phase. The ever-expanding Sahara is becoming an increasingly hazardous region for the birds to cross.
Some rest in Spain for example and remain there for the Summer, others get to Holland and stop there, others fly on again to Ireland and stay with us.

Valmont

I saw my first of the season last week.

edit: Comeragh mountains, Waterford.

ytpe2r5bxkn0c1

Some of you Swallow watchers (haven't had one this year myself) may like to record the date and location here:

http://www.biology.ie/home.php?m=birds

It really helps national records and is handy to look up your own records later. It can be used for many birds and they have Butterfly, Mammal, Road Kill and other surveys there as well. AND it's Irish!

Graces7

Early this week on the Donegal coast... a pair dancing over the calm waters.

yknaa

RonMexico wrote: »

You can tag your sightings over at http://www.biology.ie

Saw a swallow today Co. Clare

Logged one on the site - spotted in Co. Louth

Judgement Day

Enniscorthy - Finally saw one today 22/4/10 having heard one on the 22/3/10. A few House Martins about too but no Swifts yet and they are one of my favourite sounds of summer.
http://www.rspb.org.uk/wildlife/birdguide/name/s/swift/

Judgement Day

yknaa wrote: »

Logged one on the site - spotted in Co. Louth

I just logged my Sparrow Hawk, from last night, and Swallow from today on that site - not very scientific but rather fun.

Ricky91t

The local swallows here has just seemed to appear very recently!Nice to see them back

Stephentlig

Judgement Day wrote: »

I just logged my Sparrow Hawk, from last night, and Swallow from today on that site - not very scientific but rather fun.

where am I most likely to spot a Sparrow Hawk JD?

Mountainsandh

Saw a single one on 12/04, then had one more visit from a single one a week ago. Today the whole lot of them are back, settling back in the shed as I type. We have 3 couples I think (at least).
Co Waterford near Knockmealdowns.

Mothman

While I've seen swallows almost daily, my ones aren't back yet. Can often be May so they are not late. I think it was near mid May last year.

Walkman

Mine came back Wednesday. Swooping around my back garden, into and out of my garage as I'm typing this. Summer is here....

Walkman

Mine came back Wednesday. Swooping around my back garden, into and out of my garage as I'm typing this. Summer is here....

Mothman

I have Swallows on my barn singing

V Bull

This little guy was / is trapped in Nutgrove Shopping Centre yesterday. I asked a management staff member if they would open the shutters in the roof to let him out. He said he would inform a more senior member of staff. Hope he got out.

ytpe2r5bxkn0c1

Just wondering if anybody has notice Swallows is greater numbers than usual for this time of year. Here in the North East we are seeing numbers that we would usually associate with the post breeding late Summer period.

E39MSport

Daisy Better Ballistics wrote: »

Just wondering if anybody has notice Swallows is greater numbers than usual for this time of year. Here in the North East we are seeing numbers that we would usually associate with the post breeding late Summer period.

I'm seeing fewer than expected in Kildare.

However I saw a grop of about 50 flying almost directly South the other day.

Mothman

Daisy Better Ballistics wrote: »

Just wondering if anybody has notice Swallows is greater numbers than usual for this time of year. Here in the North East we are seeing numbers that we would usually associate with the post breeding late Summer period.

Do you have any theories?

Numbers seem about usual here

ytpe2r5bxkn0c1

Mothman wrote: »

Do you have any theories?

Numbers seem about usual here

I don't actually. Considering the air flow was against them I wonder why I'm seeing a greater density the further North I go. Maybe larger than normal numbers survived migration and spead in their usual densities until there was nowhere else to go

Anybody got any theories?

Mothman

Perhaps they got held up by the northerlies combined with ash.

Do Swallows breed in Iceland and if so what route might they take?

ytpe2r5bxkn0c1

Mothman wrote: »

Do Swallows breed in Iceland and if so what route might they take?

No. They do reach as far as Northern Norway, but by a continental route.

E39MSport

My visitors are finally back. Perhaps about a week later than their usual arrival. I have 2 artificial nest cups up for them this year. I'm very interested to see what they think of them.