Alpine swift at scarborough

[rimmer]

Took this photo today of the swift at scalby mills

[Reader]

That's some feat Dave. Not the easiest of birds to get on film. Well done.

I was thinking of going after it today and changed my mind as it is a long drive, and I couldn't really afford it. Now I've seen the photo I think I made a mistake in not going.

[Steve]

Excellent shot, hard enough seeing one let alone getting its pic.

Thks

[steve_nova]

Great shot indeed.

[Bubbs]

Took this photo today of the swift at scalby mills[/QUOTE]


Beautiful shot of a great bird.

Could we have some details of the equipment and facts surrounding it please.

Once again, well done. :clap:

PS. As this bird has been around for some time now...in insect free skies, I would love to know what it is feeding on - if anything. Can anyone enlighten me?

A question was asked recently, not on BF, but where is it roosting? At my old house at Great Ouseburn, Nr York, the occasional Swift/s; Apus apus, would roost on a Giant Redwood next door from mid to late July and thru August (not every night) It has been documented that they do (Swifts) roost on trees...believe it!..they do! These birds would arrive at dusk and perch ('cling') on to branches 'head up' but by first light they would be 'head down' and facing the ground (obviously) To say this species spends it first years aerial is questionable. Although I will never know if these roosting birds were juvs.

[rimmer]

hi john

I used a nikon cp4300 which is great for digiscoping but only has a 3x zoom.

So i was well pleased to get to scalby mills and find the bird flying to within a few feet.

[Andrew]

:clap:

[scampo]

Insect-free skies? You should've been watching the red-rumped swallow this week near Loughborough: the skies and our kit were full of flies. I think those hirundines know exactly what they're doing (well - the alpine swift maybe not quite...).

[cuddy]

Great shot and as you have the same camera as me,
i will have to try harder.


Cuddy

[pauliev69]

Well captured Dave, very nice image, thanks ;)

[Binocularface]

Hi Dave

Excellent Shot, you have managed to get superb colour definition!
I was at Scalby Mills last Saturday and managed to get some shots of the bird, though not as good as yours! What a superb Bird!

Regards
Tristan

[Rob Smallwood]

A question was asked recently, not on BF, but where is it roosting?

The Swift was reported as roosting on a church spire (can't remeber the name but it is the one with the clock, visible from Oliver's Mount) and there is a least one photo of it taken early morning in one of the "windows" of the spire.

[Nina P]

What a cracker! I think you must be either extremely lucky or I'm not in the least! I have so often seen reports of the alpine swift but had no idea it had a white underside. thank you for sharing it with us all. May you continue in the finds!