[Other Sport] Anyone seen any swifts?

[Curious Orange]

Spotted a couple flying around when I was in the garden the other day. Tried to point them out to Junior Orange... who was entirely disinterested.

 

[Super Steve Earle]

Spotted a couple flying around when I was in the garden the other day. Tried to point them out to Junior Orange... who was entirely disinterested.

Not curious then!

 

[Tom Hark Preston Park]

House Martin's haven't been back to our way since Covid. Previously regular visitors.

Didn't they disband in 1988?

 

[clapham_gull]

Loads in SW London.

 

[BrightonCottager]

Finally heard and saw them screaming over Preston Drove on Sunday - the latest I've seen them since I started recording in 2009.
Summer has arrived.

 

[BrightonCottager]

Yay, just heard my first swifts of 2024. Summer's here. Officially.

 

[Zeberdi]

They were back here on 1 May - too early to start their screaming parties yet though.

 

[zefarelly]

No Swifts I'm aware of in BN43, I am very concerned about the lack of bats though( daft one 2 doors down aside)

There's been plenty of ariel fodder this week but haven't seen one yet . . .nor last year . . . 2 years ago there were loads

Robins good though.

 

[Me and my Monkey]

Landed in Bn2 a couple of days ago. (Well, didn't really land, they don't do that much).

 

[m20gull]

Saw one this evening in PE24

 

[BrightonCottager]

I've not heard any since last week. Does this mean summer's over?

 

[Pretty Plnk Fairy]

One was supposed to be in Austria last week but was a no show

Regards

DF

 

[Couldn't Be Hyypia]

You might be interested in this site

Swift Mapper

www.swiftmapper.org.uk

I've been watching these incredible birds all summer. They left this part of Dorset a little.over a week ago. We had four nests in the old pub across the road from us.

It looks like there have been plenty of sightings in Brighton:

 

[m20gull]

I've not heard any since last week. Does this mean summer's over?

Ours in Lincolnshire have gone. Still feels a bit like summer.

 

[Super Steve Earle]

No swifts again this year, nor bluetits, robins or blackbirds or bats or wasps. All previous frequent visitors. Sparrows in May/June now gone too. Only gazillions of ants and woodlice, one giant hornet thing with a cm long stinger and a couple of bumble bees. Even flies are scarce and no daddy longlegs. All that's left is some invisible buggers that keep biting arms and legs and the damned vine weevils. Bloody global warming!

 

[robinsonsgrin]

had lots of screeching in the skies over LA for weeks... swifts.... still lots of blue tits and small birds frequening my pear tree.. no partridge/ Lack of bees, wasps and butterflies this year - worryingly so.

 

[BrightonCottager]

You might be interested in this site

Swift Mapper

www.swiftmapper.org.uk

I've been watching these incredible birds all summer. They left this part of Dorset a little.over a week ago. We had four nests in the old pub across the road from us.

It looks like there have been plenty of sightings in Brighton:

View attachment 187002

Brilliant. Thank you. I've joined.

 

[HeaviestTed]

No Swifts I'm aware of in BN43, I am very concerned about the lack of bats though( daft one 2 doors down aside)

There's been plenty of ariel fodder this week but haven't seen one yet . . .nor last year . . . 2 years ago there were loads

Robins good though.

I saw a few bats in the northern part of East Sussex countryside this weekend

 

[GT49er]

No, not for years, sadly.

 

[Couldn't Be Hyypia]

If swifts mesmerise you like they do me, you'll enjoy The Screaming Sky by Charles Foster.