[mab]

My swallows are still here: had a good year compared with previous i think: 4 active nests that i know of, 3 2nd hatchings  - i don't normally see /notice more than 2 hatchins per year (i can hear the latest being fed as i type this), and there's 1/2 dozen flitting around with the sheep in the near field.

[KirinChris]

So our ours, at least the fledglings still are.

The parents made themselves scarce once the young ones could fly but the four that hatched still come back to roost near their nest each evening and hang around in the barn outside during the day.

I guess it won’t be long though. I will miss them, even though they poo on my bikes.

[Possum]

Our first ever nest of swallows fledged on bank holiday Monday. There are now regular flying practice sessions around our back garden. Marvellous to see them diving and weaving at such close quarters. The fledglings still go back to the garage to roost and I think the parents are still feeding them. I am so thrilled that we were finally judged to be a suitable site for raising swallow chicks!

[Rupert the bear]

Apart a handful of young ones our Swallows went yesterday morning, nothing back overnight, looks like as before flying on the full moon as in previous years, now very quiet, I will scrape up the poo and wash the floors one more time.
They have always been a pleasure to host and have always enriched our lives in so many ways.

[Backinwellies]

  WEIRD!!!!  Our housemartins have returned after vanishing 5 days ago .....  all now in nests and flying round the yard! ..... what a wierd year!

[Eeyore-77]

Just as the sun set tonight the sky filled with swallows, many more than we had in the couple of nests that were successful here this year. Perhaps they are starting to gather ready to head off.
What a joyous noise they made though as they came down to earth. It sounded like they must have been having a wonderful time soaring in the heavens! One of those moments it is nice to be among in nature.

[Fleecewife]

...and this evening there were 7 swallows flying around here, after we had seen none at all for at least a week!  I think they must just have just fledged, so there must have been 3 or 4 adults around, keeping a low profile.  Now they can enjoy this late summer spell 

[doganjo]

They're still flying around the stables at the dog fields we go to. A second brood definitely, maybe even a third.  I wonder how many of the third lot of chicks will survive that long journey ahead of them 

[Fleecewife]

They're still flying around the stables at the dog fields we go to. A second brood definitely, maybe even a third.  I wonder how many of the third lot of chicks will survive that long journey ahead of them 

A fair proportion must survive to make it worth their while trying for a third brood.  Perhaps the late ones overwinter in the south of France or Portugal 

[Penninehillbilly]

I think most years ours seem to leave, then come back for a while, maybe they are taken on a trial trip, or better feeding grounds, haven't seen ours for a couple of days, but seems very early for them to leave?

[KirinChris]

Ours are swirling around today in much larger groups, perching on trees and cables.

Perhaps a sign they are getting ready to go.

[Possum]

Ours left the roost yesterday but I like to think they are part of the 40 or so that have been gathering on the telephone wires at the end of the lane.


I hope they spend another week or so here in Somerset. I don't like to think of them flying to Africa (or even the South of France!) when they are so recently fledged.

[arobwk]

A short article on "Times Radio" made my ears prick up regarding hollow "Swift Bricks" becoming (potentially) a legal requirement for all building developments so as to provide additional nesting sites for Swifts, in particular, and others such as Martins. Given that I've hardly seen a Swift this year and much lower numbers of House Martins, I will keep my fingers crossed for mandatory "Swift Bricks".

[KirinChris]

The swallows have gone today - a few still visible out in the fields but the group that was roosting in the barn and near their birth nest has disappeared .

I will miss them. Good luck little ones.

Already thinking about the curlews and lapwings in spring.

[Possum]

Remarkably, we still have a few left down here. I thought the north-west wind that we have now would have helped them all on their way down south. But there were still three or for flying around the fields this morning. perhaps it's the last batch of youngsters.