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  • #122
    Bsal
    Registered Users Posts: 1,766 ✭✭✭Bsal


    Huge amounts of swallows and a few swifts in the Swords area today.


  • #123
    Curiousness99
    Registered Users Posts: 191 ✭✭Curiousness99


    Heard the first cuckoo up the Dublin hills yesterday, very late again this year, thought I’d missed it

    Great to hear


  • #124
    Seth Brundle
    Moderators, Politics Moderators Posts: 38,785 Mod ✭✭✭✭Seth Brundle


    We have a family of starlings nesting in the eaves of the house with a SE aspect. Starlings have been there for a couple of years now.
    We've a swift nextbox on the wall and had hoped that they would take to it (any time they looked around they would seem to prefer the eaves only to find they were occupied.
    This afternoon heard a bit of a squabble and looked out window to see a swift being attacked by the two adult starlings. The swift seemed to have fallen to the ground and the starlings would go for it any time it moved.
    I went out and managed to give it time to get back in the air and away (with the two starlings chasing it).
    Hopefully that won't put the swifts off our location. (Need to block up the holes in the eaves regardless!)


  • #125
    Yester
    Registered Users Posts: 1,496 ✭✭✭Yester


    Mad carry on with the swallows this year. We have 2 in the coal shed every year and they arrived as usual and set up camp. Then a couple of weeks later another swallow arrived and they seem to be fighting ever since. I've seen them many times chasing away the extra swallow (At least I assume this is what is happening) I passed the shed right now and it sounded like there was a small war going on inside. I opened the door and 3 very agitated swallows flew out. Any idea what is going on with them?


  • #126
    x567
    Registered Users Posts: 200 ✭✭x567


    Now the summer is almost over (per equinox etc), just to record that after seeing a breathtaking number of swallows swarming low over the water and rushes and in the skies over Lough Derg on Wednesday evening last week, I now haven’t seen any for the last two days. Au revoir mes amies...


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  • #127
    Pretzill
    Registered Users Posts: 4,683 ✭✭✭Pretzill


    I counted 34 swallows on the wires outside the house yesterday evening - it was a lovely day for the start of their massive flight - great to see so many fledged around our barns and 3 just fledged earlier in the week - little latecomers


  • #128
    ThunderCat
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,385 ✭✭✭ThunderCat


    It's bittersweet seeing the Swallows go but on the plus side I saw a dozen or so Brent Geese up near Drogheda yesterday which was a lovely sight.


  • #129
    x567
    Registered Users Posts: 200 ✭✭x567


    Having noted the general swallow exodus from here a week or so ago, I have since seen three or four stragglers, most recently one lonely soul yesterday. As much as we mark the earliest sightings, it would be good to know from others across Ireland when the last few are seen...


  • #130
    whodafunk
    Registered Users Posts: 546 ✭✭✭whodafunk


    The last few I saw in Dublin last Tuesday 22/09 flying up pretty high in the sky heading south/west direction.


  • #131
    kylith
    Registered Users Posts: 17,736 ✭✭✭✭kylith


    Saw maybe a dozen heading in a southerly direction from North Wexford today.


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  • #132
    Goldfinch8
    Registered Users Posts: 529 ✭✭✭Goldfinch8


    The last two that I saw here in Mayo was on Thursday evening last(22nd) flying high over the River Moy.
    The main exodus occurred around the 18th and 19th in my own locality this year where they had been gathering restleslly on wires during the previous week or two. I always keep an eye on them going as well as arriving and my own experience over the years is that September 20th is roughly around the average date that the majority of them depart here.


  • #133
    refusetolose
    Registered Users Posts: 2,559 ✭✭✭refusetolose


    friend had a visit from a few goldfinches today
    magnificent specimens so they are


  • #134
    Del.Monte
    Registered Users Posts: 12,363 ✭✭✭✭Del.Monte


    Small flock of Swallows on wires near Enniscorthy, Co.Wexford yesterday.

    ****



  • #135
    Fakediamond
    Registered Users Posts: 1,054 ✭✭✭Fakediamond


    Mine left yesterday, au revoir until next year.


  • #136
    Graces7
    Registered Users Posts: 32,634 ✭✭✭✭Graces7


    This year we only had one pair of swallows, at this end of the island anyway. Last year there were very many .


  • #137
    Yester
    Registered Users Posts: 1,496 ✭✭✭Yester


    Our lot only left today. They left some mess in the shed after them.

    Edit. Still one knocking around this morning.


  • #138
    whodafunk
    Registered Users Posts: 546 ✭✭✭whodafunk


    Spotted 2 Swallows over Glasnevin today


  • #139
    QuareHog
    Registered Users Posts: 11 ✭QuareHog


    Seen one swallow flying over today.


  • #140
    Birdnuts
    Registered Users Posts: 9,627 ✭✭✭Birdnuts


    First contingent of Sand Martins have arrived at a quarry near my parents place in North Kildare


  • #141
    DBB
    Moderators, Recreation & Hobbies Moderators Posts: 9,726 Mod ✭✭✭✭DBB


    I heard my first chiffchaff of the year over the weekend (north Offaly)... keeping half an eye on the telephone wires for the first swallows and martins... lucky you who've already spotted them! A bit of normality in the world :)


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  • #142
    pawrick
    Registered Users Posts: 1,721 ✭✭✭pawrick


    QuareHog wrote: »
    Seen one swallow flying over today.

    One tried to get in to my shed today, first one we've seen so far (a little north of Athlone). Earlier arriving back here compared to last year.


  • #143
    whodafunk
    Registered Users Posts: 546 ✭✭✭whodafunk


    Spotted 3 swallows over the river Liffey/city centre today. Nice to see on such a lovely afternoon.


  • #144
    feartuath
    Registered Users Posts: 341 ✭✭feartuath


    First 2 swallows in the farmyard this evening,
    West of the Shannon.

    More to arrive, 5 nests at my house and one in dog kennel.
    Up in the farmyard they take residence in every building.


  • #145
    Birdnuts
    Registered Users Posts: 9,627 ✭✭✭Birdnuts


    Some influx of summer migrants in and around my parents place in North Kildare these last 2 days. Swallows,Blackcaps and even a pair of Wheaters on hilly ground near the Wicklow border.


  • #146
    vistafinder
    Registered Users Posts: 619 ✭✭✭vistafinder


    Saw 5 Swallows surfing the wind over the river Lee while ago and Willow warblers singing around the garden since yesterday.


  • #147
    SnowyMuckish
    Registered Users Posts: 858 ✭✭✭SnowyMuckish


    First lonely single swallow over my veg patch in the NW today.


  • #148
    Bsal
    Registered Users Posts: 1,766 ✭✭✭Bsal


    2 Swallows chasing a Buzzard today near Swords.


  • #149
    OldRio
    Registered Users Posts: 5,909 ✭✭✭OldRio


    First swallow yesterday near Fenagh Leitrim. Flew over the farm. Its the earliest we have recorded them in the last 15 years. Magical.
    They are in for shock when this weather changes.


  • #150
    Mimon
    Registered Users Posts: 1,474 ✭✭✭Mimon


    Bsal wrote: »
    2 Swallows chasing a Buzzard today near Swords.

    Have seen this in the past.

    Like it, only arrived and setting out their stall against the biggest guy in the neighborhood :)


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  • #151
    Yester
    Registered Users Posts: 1,496 ✭✭✭Yester


    Swallows arrived this morning and straight into the shed where their nest is. They arrived on the 11th of April last year so just three days early.

    Edit They seem to have buggered off again.


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