The Accidental Smallholder Forum
Community => Coffee Lounge => Topic started by: Beewyched on April 14, 2011, 09:30:27 pm
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While I was turd collecting :D in my pig paddock this evening I was bitten alive by the gnats - isn't it about time the Swallows were back? I'm sure some folks saw theirs last week ???
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yes they were nere last week in central scotland :wave:
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:wave: Lillian/Robert
Wonder where mine are then ???
Are you sure they're yours you've got over up there not mine? The sou'westerlies have been blowing a little hard the last week or so ;) ;D ;D
Seriously though, thought mine would have returned by now - hope they're gonna make it - absolutely no sign of them :( & I'm getting eaten alive ::)
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never thought to ask them if they prefered my summer camp to yours but i have made there stay here a bit more friendlier for them ;) ;) :wave:
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Don't worry - I'll collect them on Sunday ;) ;D ;D
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No sign of any here a few miles further south but we don't really expect them until about the 17th, southerlies permitting. Then there's no peace until they all go away again - rowdy tourists :D :D
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Juliet :wave:
I love watching their amazing airobatics, don't really mind the noise as long as they keep the midgey population down ;)
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I think they must be favouring the East ::) ;D ;D ;D
Mine aren't here yet either.............maybe tomorrow ???
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Juliet :wave:
I love watching their amazing airobatics, don't really mind the noise as long as they keep the midgey population down ;)
Hi Lynne :wave: I love them too but they are tremendous gossips. We usually get quite a few nests in the barn and the hen houses (probably not good for parasites but they fly in the popholes so no way to keep them out). They c##p on the washing if I leave it out too long, on my bags of stored fleece, on the car ??? and anywhere else they think it's fun. But I watch and wait for them every spring, spend all summer enjoying their new babies peeping out of the nests and learning to fly, then suddenly there's a day when I can hear the other birds again and I realise the swallows have gone south. The cat hates them because they dive bomb her, they eat all the butterflies from my buddleia and they terrorise the wagtails - but it would be a sad summer without them :(. They seem to get cheekier each year, when they do things like fly under the sheep just because they can. Their journey down to Africa and back is one of the wonders of nature and I love the fact that a handful choose to make their nests here on our smallholding :) :) :) For years we had no sparrows but now we have a flock of about 30 - they are the only birds which can drown out the swallows, but I prefer the swallows because at least they are saying something other than just 'cheep' ;D
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We had one fly into the lounge a couple of days ago. Its the only one I have seen. My friend up the hill has loads, it must be the ambience is all wrong here. >:(
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none here yet on the Tay Coast - can't wait to have them around :&>
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We seem to have masses of birds in our garden this year, even the Blue & Great Tits have come back after the Hen Harrier decimating them last summer - must be something to do with the amount of feeding we've given them over the winter ;D (& we're still going through a sack of seed a fortnight ??? - greedy little things ::) )
I do so love to see the Swallows arrive - it's one of those seasonal signs that I get so excited about, like the first snowdrops, daffodils, lambs, mayflower ... I think they are amazing little things - when they know to go, surviving the arduous journey & finding their way back.
It's not the Swallows I have to watch-out for cr***ing on the washing, it's my naughty :bee: 's ::) ;D
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We saw one solitary swallow last night in North Yorkshire.
The past few years they have appeared between the 13th & 17th April so due any day.
They move in with the pigs and the row they make is unbelieveable, we're having a new shed built and we were hoping it would be sealed up beore they arrived but it looks like the door will have to stay open whilst they're here!
Could do with them seem to have hundreds of poo flies appear recently must be the warm weather.
Mandy :pig:
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It's all the piggie poo Mandy ;) ;D ;D
:love: :pig: :love:
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My first 2 arrived yesterday which is about right. We have lots of nesting sites so get plenty of birds. I love having them :)
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Aargh - it's raining AGAIN - it's no wonder the Swallows are staying away :(
Typical - I've just finished putting out my seedlings in their trays from the conservatory for their daily airing & lugged a cans full of water from the water butt ::)
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2 more arrived yesterday and are furiously marking their turf in the old byre. The noise is unbelievable no doubt more will follow soon and you won't be able to hear yourself think! Its a lovely sound of summer returning.
Mandy :pig:
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STILL no sign of mine :( & the midges are multiplying by the thousands ???
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not arrived here either yet! :&>
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No sign of mine either and it's been nice here today :-\
Hope they hurry - the midges are just starting to do my head in ;) :wave:
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OH saw three fly over yesterday (probably on their way to Lillian's ::)) and this morning they have arrived here for sure :) I got stung by some flying gizmo last night so there is plenty of work for the swallows to do 8) It's definitely summer now they have arrived.
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well we do encourage them it was almost 20 nests at least twice and even some had three broods :wave:
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Update ...
Our landlord who farms about half a mile down the road from us has seen ONE PAIR today, they usually have dozens ??? Still no sign of ours :(
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Still no sign of them up our way, either, but then no sign of any midges either.
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we had 2 arrive at the week end keeping everything crossed there will be more, this is our first summer in this house so not really sure what to expect, but we definately have 2 spending there time on the phone wire then swooping the midges, summer is just round the corner :wave:
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Ours have arrived. I think I'll have to tie the cats' legs together ;D
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1st solitary sighting this morning! :) :) :&>
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At last, saw my first Swallows in Clackmannanshire tonight. Quite a number of them all together. From everyone's posts they are late in arriving this year. For the past couple of years I have noticed them much earlier and we have not had good summers it will be interesting to see what kind of summer we have this year.
Has anyone else any theories on the weather related to the early or late arrival of Swallows.
Geese also didn't seem to be in a hurry to leave this year.
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Saw the first ones this year today as I was coming back across the Cromarty bridge.
Will have to see how long it takes them to make it across to us.
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1st swallows here (just south of John o Groats) yesterday :)
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Finally ;D ;D ;D
One pair arrived yesterday - but only one ??? what's happened to all the others ??? We had at least 3 pairs raise 3 broods last year - hope more have made it :'(