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Author Topic: Swallows  (Read 15907 times)

Rupert the bear

  • Joined Jun 2015
Re: Swallows
« Reply #30 on: September 04, 2019, 09:05:16 pm »
I looked in the diary, last year on the 3rd sept the swallows started to go, it looks like the same again, in my workshop there is a nest of chicks just about to fledge, gym mat on bench just in case !
It just remains to be seen how they disperse this time , I hate it when they go , it signals the start of hibernation for this bear....

Fleecewife

  • Joined May 2010
  • South Lanarkshire
    • ScotHebs
Re: Swallows
« Reply #31 on: September 05, 2019, 11:57:39 am »
Oooh!  What a brilliant idea - hibernate for the winter  :thumbsup:


We had a northerly wind yesterday and only one swallow stayed in the barn overnight, although others may have stayed near other nests.  It's very quiet in the sky this morning so maybe some of ours are going early too.
There is one young osprey left on the nest at Loch Arkaig who is maybe waiting for a weather window to set sail - her sister left ages ago.  The skies over the Straits of Gibralter must be decidedly crowded at this time of year.
"Let's not talk about what we can do, but do what we can"

There is NO planet B - what are YOU doing to save our home?

Do something today that your future self will thank you for - plant a tree

 Love your soil - it's the lifeblood of your land.

Rupert the bear

  • Joined Jun 2015
Re: Swallows
« Reply #32 on: September 05, 2019, 07:31:35 pm »
Came home to night apart from 12ish youngsters all have gone  :(
although quite interesting to see the kids feeding each other , more of the mealworm pate taken .
I should think another week or two  .

Ghdp

  • Joined Aug 2014
  • Conwy
Re: Swallows
« Reply #33 on: September 12, 2019, 04:46:52 pm »
Still got a nest of chicks here in North Wales. Not sure how old but assume very young as I can hear them but they are not even sticking a beak out out over the edge of the nest. Do you think that is going to be too late a batch to mature in time to leave before the autumn?

Fleecewife

  • Joined May 2010
  • South Lanarkshire
    • ScotHebs
Re: Swallows
« Reply #34 on: September 13, 2019, 01:41:08 pm »
Still got a nest of chicks here in North Wales. Not sure how old but assume very young as I can hear them but they are not even sticking a beak out out over the edge of the nest. Do you think that is going to be too late a batch to mature in time to leave before the autumn?


Max 2 weeks to fledge, so they will have the whole of October to fatten up and get strong for migration.  Swallows clearly think it's worth a go to squeeze in an extra hatching late in the year.  We can't know that they will make it or not, so it's a chance.  Perhaps they will stop off in the south of France for this winter  :fc: 
« Last Edit: September 15, 2019, 11:56:56 pm by Fleecewife »
"Let's not talk about what we can do, but do what we can"

There is NO planet B - what are YOU doing to save our home?

Do something today that your future self will thank you for - plant a tree

 Love your soil - it's the lifeblood of your land.

Ghdp

  • Joined Aug 2014
  • Conwy
Re: Swallows
« Reply #35 on: September 15, 2019, 08:03:41 pm »
three little faces peering over the nest now so fingers crossed.

Penninehillbilly

  • Joined Sep 2011
  • West Yorks
Re: Swallows
« Reply #36 on: September 15, 2019, 09:08:26 pm »
We have 2 swallows still sleeping in barn, but we don't think their second brood made it, we haven't heard them twittering. I wonder if there was a cold spell and no insects?  :(

Fleecewife

  • Joined May 2010
  • South Lanarkshire
    • ScotHebs
Re: Swallows
« Reply #37 on: September 15, 2019, 11:59:31 pm »
It's cold here tonight, but still plenty of insects in the day.  We still have swallows, big crowds this evening, so they are probably gathering to go.
 :fc:  for those of you with nestlings still.
"Let's not talk about what we can do, but do what we can"

There is NO planet B - what are YOU doing to save our home?

Do something today that your future self will thank you for - plant a tree

 Love your soil - it's the lifeblood of your land.

zwartbles

  • Joined Sep 2011
Re: Swallows
« Reply #38 on: September 17, 2019, 07:10:38 pm »
This is the first year since we have been in South Norfolk (9 years) that we haven't had a single house martin come back. Normally we have about 7 nests on the house all full of chattering birds. This year totally zero. Environmental disaster somewhere on their migration route maybe. Big shame.

Fleecewife

  • Joined May 2010
  • South Lanarkshire
    • ScotHebs
Re: Swallows
« Reply #39 on: September 17, 2019, 08:32:30 pm »
Oh that's a crying shame zwartbles.  Such cheery little birds.  We didn't have any this year either, in spite of putting up artificial nests, but then we rarely do get them up here.
"Let's not talk about what we can do, but do what we can"

There is NO planet B - what are YOU doing to save our home?

Do something today that your future self will thank you for - plant a tree

 Love your soil - it's the lifeblood of your land.

Penninehillbilly

  • Joined Sep 2011
  • West Yorks
Re: Swallows
« Reply #40 on: September 18, 2019, 04:49:22 pm »
Our 2 last swallows must have gone, sigh.

Rupert the bear

  • Joined Jun 2015
Re: Swallows
« Reply #41 on: September 18, 2019, 07:42:18 pm »
Still about a dozen youngsters here

Fleecewife

  • Joined May 2010
  • South Lanarkshire
    • ScotHebs
Re: Swallows
« Reply #42 on: September 18, 2019, 07:44:30 pm »
This morning a huge flock of over 100 swallows were circling our place, all very excited, then off they headed.  Safe journey little birds  :wave:
There are still 9 left behind this evening.  The whole flock this morning cannot have all been from here as we only had about 40.
"Let's not talk about what we can do, but do what we can"

There is NO planet B - what are YOU doing to save our home?

Do something today that your future self will thank you for - plant a tree

 Love your soil - it's the lifeblood of your land.

Possum

  • Joined Feb 2012
  • Somerset
Re: Swallows
« Reply #43 on: September 19, 2019, 06:52:25 pm »
Most of ours in Somerset have gone, but I did see two on the overhead wires this morning. Don't suppose they will be here for long though (sigh.....).

Ghdp

  • Joined Aug 2014
  • Conwy
Re: Swallows
« Reply #44 on: September 22, 2019, 12:02:35 pm »
lots of fluttering and wing stretching toady on our nest here. I think they are about to fledge. At least three youngsters

 

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