Swallows preparing to leave us

E39MSport

It has been a mixed year for the swallows that have blessed me with their presence this year (2011)

Gladly the nest cups that I erected in my porch were readily adopted by the birds.

First brood however was predated upon in its entirety by Magpies.

After adding some visible wire netting for security, the pair produced a second brood and all successfully fledged Magpies were not a problem.

Just a few minutes ago one adult returned to the nest site with the young birds and they seemed to be familiarising themselves with the site. Noticeably looking at the nest and around them at their surroundings.

For the past 2 days they've been familiarly gathering themselves in ever increasing numbers on telegraph wires and flying in formation around the house.

While this is an extremely pleasant and satisfying sight it brings sadness for me as they prepare to leave and I worry for the birds. They have enough to deal with without being used for sport by our fellow conscious beings.

It's almost over for another year.

Safe journey and I await your return with great anticipation.

Kess73

Yep plenty of gatherings on power lines and the like over the past few days.


Will miss the swallow once they are gone as I always enjoy their harrassing of the local sparrowhawks and I am sure the local songbirds will miss having the early warning system that the swallows often provie for them.

You cannot help but smile when you spot the swallows twigging where a sprawk is hiding.

They go from being zippy birds hunting insects to raving maniacs determined to divebomb the hawk until it takes to the air, and once they have it in the air they just don't have any kind of time limit on how long they will harrass that hawk for if the hawk stays in the area.

Watched a little gang of swallow mob a kestrel the other evening as well. The poor bird retreated with five swallows almost attached to it's tail feathers.:D


The journeys that swallows make each year are mindboggling though. Amazing that such a light tiny creature can make such a long and dangerous journey.

whyulittle

I count 21, not sure how many more there were out of frame!

Kess73

They really do turn into tiny raging nutballs when they spot a raptor as whyulittle's brill pic illustrates.


Even a lone swallow will do it's best to harrass a sparrowhawk.

E39MSport

I've seen (more than once) Sparrowhawk turn around and chase down one of the swallows.

Kess73

E39MSport wrote: »

I've seen (more than once) Sparrowhawk turn around and chase down one of the swallows.

Not the most common thing to see, so pretty cool that you have seen it more than once. I would guess that at least 95% of swallow/Sparrowhawk interactions go in favour of the swallow so you seing repeated successful sprawk attacks on swallows makes you a lucky twitcher.

The only other raptor that I have seen catching a swallow on a semi regular basis is the Hobby, and one could argue that it is the most adapted raptor, regardless of whether resident or migratory, in the UK (and in Ireland as I think they may be visiting these shores more often than many think) for catching swallows as a sparrowhawk has to catch a swallow in the early stages of the engagement as the sprawk is simply not built for a long distance high speed chase. Then again what it lacks in stamina it makes up for in agility.

E39MSport

Kess73 wrote: »

Not the most common thing to see, so pretty cool that you have seen it more than once. I would guess that at least 95% of swallow/Sparrowhawk interactions go in favour of the swallow so you seing repeated successful sprawk attacks on swallows makes you a lucky twitcher.

The only other raptor that I have seen catching a swallow on a semi regular basis is the Hobby, and one could argue that it is the most adapted raptor, regardless of whether resident or migratory, in the UK (and in Ireland as I think they may be visiting these shores more often than many think) for catching swallows as a sparrowhawk has to catch a swallow in the early stages of the engagement as the sprawk is simply not built for a long distance high speed chase. Then again what it lacks in stamina it makes up for in agility.

Thanks ! It's pretty awesome alright, and indeed didn't last long. It seems that the younger birds are included in the mobbing and it may be them that are targeted. Saw the same bird (probably) today hawking flies while circling.

Some years back I noticed the behaviour. Also once saw a raptor (may even have been the local HH but I was unaware of it at the time) circle high like a buzzard then dive at incredible speed to catch a hawking swallow.

ppink

Ages ago I said my favourite bird is the goldfinch but I had forgotton about the fantastic swallow and also the housemartins. the highlight of my year is their arrival and now the saddest time is watching them head off. i kind of wish i could go too:p.

I stopped watching rubbish tv and spent the evenings of the last few weeks in the garden lying on the bench watching them all. they must be the masters of flight surely??

I was wondering why they bother coming here to us for a miserable summer when they could just stop off in the south of france!

I am glad to see I am not the only one who will miss their endless chatter from 4am and their aerial manouvres.

sineadgalway

Doubt my local brood will make it, they only nested recently and fledged on Monday. Very late this year...

guideanna

heard our nesting lot chirping away this morning when i was leaving i noticed loads more of them on the power lines.
Actually looking forward to them leaving as they have nested under my bedroom window. I only realised after the nest was built and just left them to it at that stage but the bird poo all over the front of the house and early morning wake up call are not going to be missed.
any tips how i can stop them relocating here next year?

E39MSport

Fake raptor. You can get window stikers or actual lifesize replicas.

Send your swallows my way

BargainHunter

guideanna wrote: »

I only realised after the nest was built and just left them to it at that stage but the bird poo all over the front of the house and early morning wake up call are not going to be missed.
any tips how i can stop them relocating here next year?

When you see they are constructing a nest, just place a large sheet of cardboard on the ground underneath to catch all the droppings. At the end of the summer the swallows depart, and you can place the dropping covered cardboard in your compost bin. Problem with mess is solved.

Swallows eat hundreds of midges and flies every day so everyone should encourage their presence rather than discouraging them.

E39MSport

Good point but to be fair if the person doesn't want them around their property then they should not be expected to encourage them.

Fair play to guideanna for leaving them be under the circumstances

guideanna

BargainHunter wrote: »

When you see they are constructing a nest, just place a large sheet of cardboard on the ground underneath to catch all the droppings. At the end of the summer the swallows depart, and you can place the dropping covered cardboard in your compost bin. Problem with mess is solved.

Swallows eat hundreds of midges and flies every day so everyone should encourage their presence rather than discouraging them.

Sorry but that's about the most ridiculous thing i've ever heard. These birds have been living over my window for months now. They're poo is all over the window still and my driveway. They have me awake early morning and i can't see a bit of cardboard solving my problems.
I asked how i can deter them....I don't want them back!!! No problem with them nesting in my trees or even the back of my garage....but over my bedroom window.....NO!!
Will look into the fake raptor thing. Want to be prepared next year because i know once they start nesting i'll feel bad for trying to get rid.

ppink

guideanna wrote: »

Sorry but that's about the most ridiculous thing i've ever heard. These birds have been living over my window for months now. They're poo is all over the window still and my driveway. They have me awake early morning and i can't see a bit of cardboard solving my problems.
I asked how i can deter them....I don't want them back!!! No problem with them nesting in my trees or even the back of my garage....but over my bedroom window.....NO!!
Will look into the fake raptor thing. Want to be prepared next year because i know once they start nesting i'll feel bad for trying to get rid.

I dont think it is swallows over your bedroom window they nest in barns. It may be housemartins.
They dont nest in trees either as far as I know.
Fake BOP sounds like an idea.

E39MSport

Any old sheltered nook or cranny will do a swallow when push comes to shove it would appear.

They're definitely nesting over some of the bedroom windows at Barberstown Castle. They're (until recently) in my porch almost at head height and they're above the bedroom window of someone I know near where I live.

ppink

That is interesting, I didn't know that. Watching them here it is all housemartins on the house and swallows are in the sheds/barns. Maybe thats because there is plenty of space for them in all the different sheds.

I will have to be prepared myself for my house sparrow next year over my window:rolleyes:

ppink

Yesterday the dog was going mad at our fireplace. I thought she was going mad as we could not hear a thing but eventually we were nearly driven to distraction with her trying to remove the elec fire herself:rolleyes:, so we pulled it out and there was a baby housemartin that had fallen down the chimney!!
Thank god for the big ears gsd! He was fine and flew off happily:).

there are still loads of them here......30+ this evening.

littlebug

"My" swallows never came back so I don't have the numbers gathering at the back of the house that I would usually see at this time of years. There are plenty around the village in general just not in the barns behind my house.
Well, they either didn't come back or maybe changes were made to the barns that they usually nest in that forced them elsewhere.... I don't know.
Still once I venture further I love seeing and hearing the gatherings

E39MSport

littlebug wrote: »

"My" swallows never came back so I don't have the numbers gathering at the back of the house that I would usually see at this time of years. There are plenty around the village in general just not in the barns behind my house.
Well, they either didn't come back or maybe changes were made to the barns that they usually nest in that forced them elsewhere.... I don't know.
Still once I venture further I love seeing and hearing the gatherings

"mine" never showed up last year and I though that the previous years mites had destroyed the family line or put them off.

I'm hoping that this years birds (given the exposed location) were them returning.

There's hope yet

kellsbells73

Hi all

I just opened my curtains in my living room and was met with the most wonderful performance, about 20 swallows flying in circles around my husbands van they flew really low and passed so close to my window it was really entertaining,it was only when I saw this thread I realised its probably part of their migrating ritual,wish I had a camcorder to record it .

tfitzgerald

ppink wrote: »

I dont think it is swallows over your bedroom window they nest in barns. It may be housemartins.
They dont nest in trees either as far as I know.
Fake BOP sounds like an idea.

I have swallows nesting over my door and windows but the don't bother me I put down an old cornflake box for the droppings and hose the path down once a week any way I love seeing them flying around the house I could watch them for hours I hate to see them go

quercus

my swallows have just hactched their 3rd brood yesterday, 3 little chicks, they are really pushing it!

E39MSport

^^ Wow !

I had a deserted brood 2 years ago - sad.

(thought I posted this pic during the week). Came across this pic from 2007: -

ytpe2r5bxkn0c1

quercus wrote: »

my swallows have just hactched their 3rd brood yesterday, 3 little chicks, they are really pushing it!

Not at all! They should be fledged by the end of September and there is lots of food en route south for them.

E39MSport

Reassuring - thank you !

E39MSport

Noticed 'mine' are still around the house as of last Saturday.

In NZ North Island at the moment and delighted to see these


"Welcome swallows".

Inhabiting this island (NZ north) since the 50's. Thought to have been blown off the Tazmania/Australia migratory path to NZ and are now year round residents moving within the islands to follow food source.

Slightly less red on the throad - more of an orange colour but showing the same characteristics as our friends.

Was struggling to think of where they might be migrating from as it's early spring here.

some info
http://www.nzbirds.com/birds/welcomeswallow.html

http://www.teara.govt.nz/en/birds-of-open-country/6

ytpe2r5bxkn0c1

Swallows have started moving south from here in the past couple of days.

Arequipa

Evening! Is there any way to track the progress of Irish swallows as they travel south: are any satellite tagged?
I have seen swallows/martins the last few days flying in a southerly direction.
they are probably migrating as they are heading directly south as against feeding.

Do you know when the first swallows leave Ireland and the first to arrive in South Africa?
I read that they generally travel 200miles per day & take about 2 months to reach South Africa.

Thank you!

porker36

my swallows only left yesterday was a late brood,had one casulty died few days after been born,had two different broods in the dog shed,my 2 german sheps were not to impressed with the noise or bird poo falling down i had six nests around the house this year two up on last year

mr.wiggle

Mallow swallows gone since yesterday, good luck to them.
Always makes me sad this time of year.:(

ytpe2r5bxkn0c1

Very large flocks in the North East on Sunday. Thought they included birds from further North about the head South but both ringed birds examined were from only 8 miles away.

tfitzgerald

I was amazed to read that the swallows can cover up to 200 miles a day I would love to know if this is true as I think this would be a fantastic feat

ytpe2r5bxkn0c1

Migration Northwards is much quicker than the return jouney South. Going South can be quite leisurely with plenty of feeding along the way. Going North is a race to get the best breeding sites and mates.

Birdnuts

mr.wiggle wrote: »

Mallow swallows gone since yesterday, good luck to them.
Always makes me sad this time of year.:(

Same here - only a few around these parts now:(

Durnish

I wish I could be like Thumbelina and fly south on a swallow's back, to warmer climes.

E39MSport

Still a good few young ones with adults about the area here. Don't recall seeing them locally this late over the past 6 seasons I've been here.

littlebug

Notable absence of swallows out on my walk this morning. All gone .

angeldaisy

We were enjoying the swallows flying around the back garden this morning at breakfast time. My 6yr old was fascinated by the numbers gathering on the overhead lines in the fields. (Limerick)

effluent

I haven't seen any swallows in my area lately. The swallows in my shed had a second clutch, about three chicks. Whenever I go into the shen in the morning, the three chicks are there.

I don't be around that much to see if there are other adults around, I really hope their parents are still around. Could these chicks be too young to make the flight? Would it be unusual for parents to leave these chicks behind?:(

E39MSport

Subsequen to my early post yesterday there were flocks of up to about 70 birds about the adjoining fields yesterday afternoon. Delighted. Mostly young birds so the late bloomers this year are doing well it would appear.

ytpe2r5bxkn0c1

effluent wrote: »

I haven't seen any swallows in my area lately. The swallows in my shed had a second clutch, about three chicks. Whenever I go into the shen in the morning, the three chicks are there.

I don't be around that much to see if there are other adults around, I really hope their parents are still around. Could these chicks be too young to make the flight? Would it be unusual for parents to leave these chicks behind?:(

Unfledged Chicks would be dead in 2 days if not being fed. It would be unusual for parents to leave a nest like this. Once they fledge they will make the flight South as they will feed and be fed as they go. It is not uncommon for clutches to fledge late September.

E39MSport

I had an abandoned nest with very lively chicks 2 years ago at the end of the season when the weather turned.

They stopped chirping into the second day.

Broke my heart

slowburner

Martin Easy Chest wrote: »

Very large flocks in the North East on Sunday. Thought they included birds from further North about the head South but both ringed birds examined were from only 8 miles away.

Martin Easy Chest. I'm really curious about how nets are placed to recapture ringed birds. Any swallows that have been migrating past where I am seem to be well above the trees; although you do get the odd one flitting about between the trees on a windy day or if there's a hatch of insects. Of course I will understand if you would prefer not to post such details - in a former professional incarnation I used to come across mist nets in hedgerows from time to time.

If it's of any interest to anyone, I seem to be located on the junction of an important migratory route with birds from the west joining birds from the north. I have no way of counting but I would estimate that several thousand birds have passed by. There are still a few stragglers.

borderlinemeath

Martin Easy Chest wrote: »

Very large flocks in the North East on Sunday. Thought they included birds from further North about the head South but both ringed birds examined were from only 8 miles away.

Mine were gone from last weekend. They had arrived on Good Friday this year. The parents had continued to nest in the outhouse after the last batch of chicks fledged about 3 weeks ago. Had been checking daily to see when they would leave and they weren't there on Sunday night.

Even out walking the dogs last week through untilled fields there were many swooping about getting fed, but on Tuesday (this week) through the same fields there wasn't one to be seen.

Hopefully they'll make a safe migration and return next spring.

elaney

I was sure they were gone too but was out on my walk yesterday and
seen two swallows flying one after another enjoying the sun. I live between two woods so we would always have a huge amount of swallows.
Felt like spring again when you see the first swallow of the year.

ppink

It is wayyy too quiet here this morning:(:(.

Is there any website that tracks their journeys so we can see where they are?
Roll on spring...

Arequipa

I would be interested in following them too!
They are fantastic, beautiful birds:
They are a true sign of the arrival of Spring & Autumn.
I could sit with a cup of tea wTching them for ages.

I think Brent Geese were satellite tracked on their journey here:would be cool to track the swallows.

Some year in the future I might follow their trip south to South Africa..... I would love some Winter sun!

Arequipa.

E39MSport

Theres a recent book called 'A Single Swallow' following a migration from SA to Wales. Bit waffly but I liked it.

ytpe2r5bxkn0c1

Over 40,000 Swallows in a flock in Dorset this week! Reported to be moving about the area but not heading to sea yet.

slowburner

Has anyone else noticed the paradox of swallows starting their migrations in strong southerly winds?