So many Swifts... (1 Viewer)

I returned from my honeymoon yesterday, where we went on a cruise around the Baltic Sea.

I wasn't birding, but of course I always had half an eye on birds whenever any were around. I think the general impression I got was just how many Swifts there are to be found on continental Europe. We are concerned about their numbers here in the UK but I can see that in the areas I went their numbers look very healthy. And the one place where their numbers took my breath away was St Petersburg.

I could not believe just how many Swifts there are there - utterly amazing! The whole city seems to have Swifts flying around, but areas that stuck out for me were: out on the River Neva on a boat trip there were Swifts flying around the boat feeding, there were a number of Swifts flying around the cruise ship over the brand new cruise ship terminal (God knows where they are nesting if the only building around for a kilometre is brand new!). And most of all there was one big hotel (Park Inn) near the ship where, when I looked up from the coach, I saw dozens and dozens of ships flying around, it actually looked like a swarm of insects buzzing around the top of it! Unbelievable!

St Petersburg wasn't the only place where their numbers looked healthy either, with even as far north as Oslo and Helsinki having good numbers.

I didn't see too many different birds on the trip, but it was nice to see Fieldfares in their summer environment, flying around lawns looking for food for their young. I saw my first Hooded Crows, as of course more than my fair share of gulls!

One day we got a train down to Berlin, and I kept on seeing raptors. None of which I recognised, including some very large ones. I did wonder if one I saw was an Osprey, but frankly not sure.

Anyway, back in Blighty now, and gotta go back to work. Sucks!

If anything numbers of Swifts on my patch here in Essex are up this year. Only anecdotal evidence as I don't tend to count them (too difficult at the speed they fly!) but in previous years I've seen reasonable numbers about but at the moment the place seems to be thronging with them - one spot next to a fishing lake where I usually reckon to see a few feeding had at least 50-75 zipping about and there was even a Hobby nearby (first one I've seen). Other parts of the farm seemed to have higher numbers too and over my house I've seen slightly more at a time than usual. That said so far this year I've seen fewer Swallows and not many House Martins around the old mill and the nearby records office where there's usually a breeding colony.