a few pics from weekend ....
nice whitethroat - i now have two competing in the lane...
a few pics from weekend ....
Probably thanking me for the food........Dolce, It was probably a Starling, they can do great impressions of everyday sounds. We had one that mimicked our neighbours alarm siren
Apparently there are two black necked grebes on lough shark, north of newry...
I'm doing an evening chorus on sunday at rathesker - see birdslough.blogspot.com for details.
Ive seen chimney swift roost in trees. And many swift species will roost on rockfaces, buildings etc.
Owen
Hi Dolce
If you are not sure if they are swifts, listen for their unmistakable screaming calls. In fact, the collective noun for swifts is not "a flock of swifts" but "a scream of swifts"! Click "play" here to listen to them http://www.rspb.org.uk/wildlife/birdguide/name/s/swift/index.asp
To my knowledge, swifts never rest in trees. Some never return to earth after they leave the nest; eating, drinking, sleeping and mating in the air. They also live quite long for such a small bird - average 9 years, but a bird was found in Switzerland that was ringed 21 years previous! So you can imagine what milage they can clock up in a lifetime.
However, your description does sound like them, in particular the eyes, which are as you described. Apart from nightjars (if there were 6 or 7 of these in your neighbours tree, we'd all be there!), I cannot think what else they might be.
Seems to be more woodpigeon around this year than previously (my observations anyway).
Your last bird is probably a mistle thrush. The amount of white on the sides of the tail can vary on different birds.