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[Other Sport] Anyone seen any swifts?



Boroseagull

Well-known member
Aug 23, 2003
2,224
Alhaurin de la Torre
Sad to report that both the Pallid & Common Swifts have left our town 3 weeks earlier than usual, and after a poor breeding season. Here, just outside of Malaga, it is simply down to the lack of insects as we are now into our 5th year of drought, the last 3 being critical. The local rivers and streams are dry and it will take monumental amounts of rain to correct the damage done. You know when things are desperate when you sit on the terrace at night without a citronella coil burning and the Bee-eaters passing noisily overhead at least 6 weeks too early. Still some Alpine Swifts around in the mountains and the half a dozen breeding sites for the highly endangered White-rumped Swifts have produced young this year. The Little Swift colony at the fish market in Chiclana has been successful as usual. We are so lucky to have 5 species of one of my favourite birds.

Perhaps other contributors to this thread saw the report on Swifts and nesting boxes/bricks on Meridian tonight?
 








Lady Whistledown

Well-known member
NSC Patron
Jul 7, 2003
48,482
I saw one in Edinburgh last summer. Impressive display, and a spectacular range of songs, tbf.


IMG_0533.jpeg
 
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Reactions: cjd


BrightonCottager

Well-known member
Sep 30, 2013
3,239
Brighton
Time for a bounce
Exactly what I thought yesterday afternoon when I heard my first of the season. It was the icing on the cake, having already visited the Mackerel Fayre, the Historic Commercial Vehicle rally and been for a bracing dip in the briny.
I will be logging them on Swift Mapper and I urge others to do likewise.
 






Bry Nylon

Test your smoke alarm
Helpful Moderator
Jul 21, 2003
21,092
Playing snooker
I have plenty here, flitting in and out of my cart shed, which is lovely apart from the fact that they also shit all over my car.
 










Eric the meek

Fiveways Wilf
NSC Patron
Aug 24, 2020
8,682
Quite a few coming in over Cuckmere Haven on Sunday.
I was on a walk on Seaford Head one year, and they were swooping up the cliff face getting the insects on the rising air.

I got to the barn above Cuckmere Haven only to be told they weren't swifts, but housemartins. I still don't really know which they were, but it was magical anyway.
 




golddene

Well-known member
Jul 28, 2012
2,061
Over at my bro in laws farm in the Wicklow mountains at the mo no swifts but plenty of swallows/martins not sure which but they are nesting in his barn, in and out all day also cuckoos singing their noise morning and evening lovely and peaceful here.
 




The Oldman

I like the Hat
NSC Patron
Jul 12, 2003
7,211
In the shadow of Seaford Head
I was on a walk on Seaford Head one year, and they were swooping up the cliff face getting the insects on the rising air.

I got to the barn above Cuckmere Haven only to be told they weren't swifts, but housemartins. I still don't really know which they were, but it was magical anyway.
Definitely swifts but also housemartins but did not see a swallow.
 






Jahooli

Well-known member
Feb 12, 2008
1,296
Heard, then saw a "squadron" of three swifts as I was walking along Warren Road about four days ago, not heard any since.
Lots of swallows in the fields near Bevendean.
 


Zeberdi

“Vorsprung durch Technik”
NSC Patron
Oct 20, 2022
8,493
Been screaming over the garden for several weeks - group of about 12. Weather should be fine now for breeding.
 


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