-
Welcome to BirdForum, the internet's largest birding community with thousands of members from all over the world. The forums are dedicated to wild birds, birding, binoculars and equipment and all that goes with it.
Please register for an account to take part in the discussions in the forum, post your pictures in the gallery and more.
Last Swift of the year ... (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter dantheman
- Start date
Nutcracker
Stop Brexit!
Still plenty here (southeast Northumbs) today, including screaming parties around houses (i.e., still nesting).
Corvus cornix
Well-known member
Still a few around here in the Midlands, but certainly getting thinner on the ground. (Or should that be "in the air?")
Cheers
Cheers
Saw 1 on Monday.
markspirito
Well-known member
According to the Oxford University Museum Swift Project which is fascinating in itself, the breeding swifts in the tower, are at different stages of re production, some swifts have fledged some time ago others are still in the nest and have some time to go before fledging, this is being put down to the variable weather we have had this summer.
Mark
Mark
KenM
Well-known member
I seem to recall reading some years ago now (can't remember where), that ''specific'' UK and Russian Swallows Winter in the Cape Town area (found through ringing), and that other European pops. were found to the North, East and West. That being the case...Swallows Winter the furthest South, as Common Swift would be to the North.
Cheers
Nutcracker
Stop Brexit!
Still a fair few Swifts this morning, though fewer than on Monday.
Swallows usually raise two broods of young, sometimes even three, so they need to stay longer.
Pallid Swifts in southern Europe also raise two broods, so they too arrive earlier and stay later than Common Swifts.
Because they only lay one clutch of eggs per year; as soon as the young fledge, they migrate south.
Swallows usually raise two broods of young, sometimes even three, so they need to stay longer.
Pallid Swifts in southern Europe also raise two broods, so they too arrive earlier and stay later than Common Swifts.
This was an unusual year as our swifts were absent even in the last week of July (although I saw a few stragglers). They are supposed to disappear on August 1st.
However, research on released recovered birds (nestlings or injured), where some were equipped with transmitters, is often cited saying that swifts do not really migrate that early but instead fly high up so they cannot be seen or heard from ground, and that these released birds joined a flock and remained in the area for some more time.
It is SO quiet without swifts. In the first week I kept hearing all the other birds singing their final songs for the year; now (the second week) it is just silent as if someone muted the TV. I can't wait for Phylloscopus flocks to appear any day now.
However, research on released recovered birds (nestlings or injured), where some were equipped with transmitters, is often cited saying that swifts do not really migrate that early but instead fly high up so they cannot be seen or heard from ground, and that these released birds joined a flock and remained in the area for some more time.
It is SO quiet without swifts. In the first week I kept hearing all the other birds singing their final songs for the year; now (the second week) it is just silent as if someone muted the TV. I can't wait for Phylloscopus flocks to appear any day now.
lewis20126
Well-known member
2 last night (5th August) over Basingstoke, Hants, probably local juvs.
cheers, alan
cheers, alan
Jon Turner
Well-known member
One or two around Braunton today.
The Kerreran
Has hat, will stand in the rain
The main body [40+] went on Sunday here, with a few [8+] lingering until Tuesday. This fits the normal pattern, with most going after a few days of big dusk screaming parties, leaving a few to follow a few days later - all of whom that I have been able to age being juveniles.
Saturday and Sunday were notable for a lot of flying ant activity, so Swift departure when the weather then started to shift was not a surprise.
Oh well, that was Summer. On to Autumn migrants! o
Saturday and Sunday were notable for a lot of flying ant activity, so Swift departure when the weather then started to shift was not a surprise.
Oh well, that was Summer. On to Autumn migrants! o
