Swallows 2017

[midlife]

There was a piece on the radio last week. Concerns about all the swallows, swifts & martins. They hadn't (by last week) arrived back in this country in any sort of numbers. The RSPB guy interviewed said they hoped they were in France/Spain waiting for the wind direction to change to help them head north.

I've only seen a handful of swallows, one house martin and no swifts yet.

Thanks for the info, I saw a house Martin a couple of weeks ago any thought "great", they fly around all day making nests in the eaves and it really feels like summer.

Only no house martins at all now, absolutely none. Just a few swallows darting about, I can see one pair only from here .

 

[annedonnelly]

I've seen my first Swifts this afternoon. Ashington, Northumberland.

A few Swallows about too so maybe they're starting to arrive - fingers crossed!

 

[Bromptonaut]

Here in Northants we've got Swifts and odd Swallow but yet to see a single House Martin.

Houses in this road were new build in 1998. From 2002 on we had them nesting in the apex of eaves at front every year as did identical house opposite. Numbers increased and several neighbours houses also hosted nest. Some years one brood others two.

Arrived as normal in 2016 but all local specimens disappeared overnight in July, just as first brood fledged. Only the odd single example last year and not a single sighting so far this year. Earliest arrivals over years were late April with mean mid May. Occasionally not until June. Interesting to note that others suggest they're late arriving this year.