Swallows in 2010 Arrivals, nesting and departures

Durnish

I think of the swallows in the Dawros barn as "Our Swallows" as well, rented for the summer from our landlord. Watch them at Easter, check out the chicks in the summer, watch them flocking or swarming at the end of August.
I like to think of the continuous line of DNA that threads back through hundreds of years, to a time when many more people lived in the area, many more barns or outbuildings to shelter in, to thousands of years to a time when they nested in cliffs and over-hangs.

Please don't disillusion me, Srameen.

Feargal as Luimneach

trebor28 wrote: »

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.

If they were raised chicks in your shed then I would consider them "your" birds. If a robin nests in your garden then it's "your" bird (especially if you put up a nest box which they nest in).
People are often proud/happy that wild creatures are nesting/spawning in their gardens. Therefore they consider them (rightly so) "their" animals.

ytpe2r5bxkn0c1

bogtreader wrote: »

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

Just because they have fledged and left your immediate area does not mean they have left the country yet. They could be 2 miles away in a larger flock.

BargainHunter

Are there any swallows left in Ireland now? Mine disappeared a couple of days ago.

Is anyone making a note of these dates for global monitoring purposes?

bogtreader

Daisy Better Ballistics wrote: »

Just because they have fledged and left your immediate area does not mean they have left the country yet. They could be 2 miles away in a larger flock.

They were close to the east coast so probably sitting on wire chattering away waiting for a favourable wind.I wondered how when i went into work most mornings there would a swallow in the factory.I thought i was locking one in at night.:eek:But the question was asked in BBC wildlife magazine are they capable of flying through small gaps.They have been recorded at a speed of 22 metres per second so squeezing through a small gap is nothing to them

Bsal

I was out in Skerries over the weekend and there's still a few flying around the beach area.

ytpe2r5bxkn0c1

bogtreader wrote: »

They have been recorded at a speed of 22 metres per second so squeezing through a small gap is nothing to them

While both parts of that statement are correct, they are unconnected. Because they can fly at speed does not mean they can squeeze through small gaps, as such. A falcon can achieve greater speeds but can't get through smaller gaps than a Swallow.

Still plenty of Swallows inland throughout the North East yesterday.

Birdnuts

Still a fair few swallows around these parts but the numbers are shrinking - sad to see them go:(

ytpe2r5bxkn0c1

Birdnuts wrote: »

sad to see them go:(

True. But wait for the wonderful species we have arriving shortly for the Winter. Waders, Geese, Brambling, large influxes of Starlings, Fieldfares, Redwing...

Mothman

Daisy Better Ballistics wrote: »

True. But wait for the wonderful species we have arriving shortly for the Winter. Waders, Geese, Brambling, large influxes of Starlings, Fieldfares, Redwing...

But we're unlikley to be able to claim ownership of any of these like we can with "our" swallows

ytpe2r5bxkn0c1

ThunderCat

Anyone know how long it takes them to complete their journey? Lets say a group of swallows leave today, when would they expect to reach north africa?

Also do they fly continuously through the night or do they rest up? Do they fly a direct line south over large expanses of sea or do they fly over as much land as possible?

Thanks.

E39MSport

Still a handful knocking about North Kildare.

Just back from Southern Schwarzwald. Didn't see one swallow nest!!

However, when peeing into the sky checking out a Red Kite, I noticed large numbers of swallows very high up in deed. Way over the soaring buzzards. All seemed to be hawking/hunting but also generally moving in one direction. Migrating?

ytpe2r5bxkn0c1

ThunderCat wrote: »

Anyone know how long it takes them to complete their journey? Lets say a group of swallows leave today, when would they expect to reach north africa?

Also do they fly continuously through the night or do they rest up? Do they fly a direct line south over large expanses of sea or do they fly over as much land as possible?

Thanks.

http://www.rspb.org.uk/wildlife/birdguide/name/s/swallow/migration.aspx

Many Swallow routes tend to take the shortest water crossings possible.

Cú Giobach

Just noticed this thread, nice one.
The 3 pairs of barn swallows that were nesting in my out-buildings are gone almost a couple of weeks now. The yard seems a much quieter place without that distinctive call of theirs.
I raise my glass to them and wish them happy and safe traveling.

Judgement Day

Cú Giobach wrote: »

Just noticed this thread, nice one.
The 3 pairs of barn swallows that were nesting in my out-buildings are gone almost a couple of weeks now. The yard seems a much quieter place without that distinctive call of theirs.
I raise my glass to them and wish them happy and safe traveling.

Where have you broken through from? I thought that Swallows haven't been called barn swallows since the late 19th century.

bogtreader

Daisy Better Ballistics wrote: »

While both parts of that statement are correct, they are unconnected. Because they can fly at speed does not mean they can squeeze through small gaps, as such. A falcon can achieve greater speeds but can't get through smaller gaps than a Swallow.

Still plenty of Swallows inland throughout the North East yesterday.

I was just qouting what i read in bbcwildlife magazine and there is photographic evidence of a swallow flying through a gap in a barndoor (not at 22 metres per second) as for the falcon i think size would come into the equation i was just sharing an interesting fact that i had read about the speed they can achieve.

ytpe2r5bxkn0c1

Relax! It was just that the way you phrased it you suggested speed got then through a tight gap.:)

Feargal as Luimneach

Judgement Day wrote: »

Where have you broken through from? I thought that Swallows haven't been called barn swallows since the late 19th century.

They still call them Barn Swallow in North America to distinguish them from other North American swallows such as Tree swallow, cliff swallow etc:D

ytpe2r5bxkn0c1

I have heard them called BARN SWALLOW in the Us but never here before.

Cú Giobach

Judgement Day wrote: »

Where have you broken through from? I thought that Swallows haven't been called barn swallows since the late 19th century.

It was a Canadian friend called them that when I first moved here (to an old farmhouse), so thats whats in my head.

I'm no bird watcher and apart from rescuing a few in distress over the years, have only recently (the last year or two) started taking an interest in them, and tried to learn and recognise the breeds. I got really fond of those swallows over the summer and was quite deeply moved when the young appeared.

Judgement Day

Just had a flick through an ancient tome - British Bird's Eggs and Nests by Rev.J.C.Atkinson and published in 1861 and it gives the name as Swallow with other names being Common Swallow, House Swallow, Chimney Swallow and Barn Swallow. Interestingly, many of the names in the book have been carefully cut out and you can well imagine why - a true product of the Victorian era. The Great Auk is listed in it as possibly being extinct as a "British" bird and the author refers to being given access to an egg collection of 8,000 (!) specimens - the past is truly a foreign country. Sorry for wandering way off topic.

bogtreader

Daisy Better Ballistics wrote: »

Relax! It was just that the way you phrased it you suggested speed got then through a tight gap.:)

Relaxed:)

John mac

loads more of them around today.

grabbing the flies that were sunbathing on the walls of the house.

and 'flydrinking'(new technical term ) from the puddles on the road.

Mothman

Seeing them daily here. Was in NW at weekend and didn't see one.

skipz

The field at the back aof my house is alive with them, never seen so many.

Roen

No end of them up in Tacumshin lake today and plenty in Waterford still.

skipz

skipz wrote: »

The field at the back aof my house is alive with them, never seen so many.

Just had another look, there all gone!:D Not one in the sky now.

Mothman

Not quite daily now, but just seen some and a flock passed yesterday.

Birdnuts

Down to singles here - also saw a Wheater today near Newcastle Co. Dublin:)