house martins. (1 Viewer)

pauco

Старлин&

• May 14, 2003

• #1

help please
has anybody around the country noticed a drop in house martin
numbers? looking at my notes from last year showed that on
sunday 21st april 2002 30 house martins arrived, we are now
in to may and no sign!!! is this just a lancashire problem?
bert.

 

seb_seb

Well-known member

• May 14, 2003

• #2

i have seen lots in certain places...but generally less than other years

 

IanF

Moderator

• May 14, 2003

• #3

We had them very early this year but as you say Bert, there don't seem to be as many about. Plenty of Sand Martins, but low number of House Martins.

 

Michael Frankis

conehead

• May 14, 2003

• #4

I seem to hear of people talking about the shortage of House Martins every year!

I suspect (a) a lot of them arrive rather later than we think, maybe still new arrivals into June, and (b) they do move colonies around from time to time, so a colony that has been around for some time may up and move elsewhere.

Michael

 

pauco

Старлин&

• May 16, 2003

• #5

hi
well thanks for your replys, maybe will just have to wait and seejust hope they are late arriving.
bert.

 

H

HH75

Well-known member

• May 16, 2003

• #6

Hi all,
A friend of mine noted good numbers arriving in off the sea yesterday,and I did notice a few more than of late today:saw extra birds at Knockadoon Head and a few in various villages on the way home.Also noted 1 Lesser Whitethroat(a scarce passage migrant here,commoner in autumn(has bred))and 1 fem-type Black Redstart at Knockadoon,but other than 3 Cuckoos seen together at Ballyvergan Marsh(and a few Reed Warblers heard),there was little else.Still have yet to even HEAR a Gropper,yet they're in in good numbers,so I've been told!Very odd...
Ortolan still on Saltee,with a Nightjar noted there today(latter now a very scarce breeding bird,though probably under-recorded:have "our" own site for the species that a few of us discovered in 2000,aim to try a few more sites this year).Fingers crossed for the weekend...
Harry

 

Ashley beolens

Breeding the next generation of birders.

• May 16, 2003

• #7

We usually get them over the house while they are breeding and I have checked my old note books and they were in by this time last year, but there is no sign this year! they do seem to be less numerous this year, lets hope its just so far, and they will get up to normal numbers soon.

 

Johnny1

Well-known member

• May 16, 2003

• #8

House Martin numbers seem to be as normal here Bert as do swallow and swift however our local sand martins seem to be non existent this year. Normally the small colony contains about 30 adults at this time of year... so far I've only seen 4 birds!
As you can see I'm in Lancs too.

 

seb_seb

Well-known member

• May 17, 2003

• #9

the swifts seem to be having a good year-id say

 

Surreybirder

Ken Noble

• May 17, 2003

• #10

It might be worth keeping an eye on the BTO migration watch database. It doesn't show nos. but it does show distribution. And you can compare it with last year.
Here in East Surrey, I'd say that the no of house martins is about the same as last year. But it has declined drastically over the 10 years I've lived in this house. One summer we had about 5 nests on our house and we have none this year--very sad. The only bright spot is that all this rain should mean that any that want to build/repair their nests can find some mud.
I haven't seen a definite sand martin here yet this year (though they don't breed in this immediate area). Swifts and swallows are present in about the usual nos.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

PS I've just followed my own advice and looked at the Migration watch house martin results
they seem to suggest that the percentage of observers who are recording house martins is UP on last year.

 

Last edited: May 17, 2003

pauco

Старлин&

• May 17, 2003

• #11

hi jonny1
good to see theres some more of us keeping lancs on the map
ha ha bert.

 

Surreybirder

Ken Noble

• May 17, 2003

• #12

Since my last contribution I went to our local sewage works and found a good 'swarm' of hirundines flying low over the filter beds. I estimate 60 house martins--about double my previous best count for this year. Also my first sand martin of the year and several swallows and a few swifts higher up! (I also saw a cuckoo and a couple of red legged partridges, so not bad for a windy overcast day.)

 

H

HH75

Well-known member

• May 17, 2003

• #13

Hi all,
Further to my comments yesterday,I saw at least 20-25 House Martins at Knockadoon Head today in an area where I maybe had 2 birds yesterday.They were feeding frantically,and also landing on the telegraph wires,and were obviously fresh in.
4 Spotted Flycatchers and yesterday's Black Redstart were the best birds on the head.
Unfortunately,there was a probable Tawny Pipit and a definite Tree Pipit on Saltee today,but the forecast for tomorrow is giving winds of at least Force 6,so they may as well not be out there!
COULD feel sorry for myself,but will try not to dwell on them:just one comment,I was out there LAST weekend...
Nothing else unusual reported from Ireland today!
Harry

 

Last edited: May 25, 2003

Surreybirder

Ken Noble

• May 18, 2003

• #14

PS It's probably not a coincidence but yesterday evening I saw my first hobby--presumably it was after the newly arrived house martins.

 

Nina P

Nina

• May 19, 2003

• #15

HOuse martins LATE.....

I am delighted to inform members that earlier on this month that they had just started to arrive, well yesterday I noticed extra activity and it seems that they are still arriving and we had another twenty or more swirling around the houses that they generally inhabit. AT this rate they are almost up to last years levels on leaving. Debate asked are there fewer? well last year I'd have said yes, now I say probably even numbers are making it back. There was a study done a few years ago and this was when they were in decline, but now the numbers are picking up. There used to be very few swifts about, but last Thursday I noticed in the village of Martin in Dorset, that there were four swifts playing tag in the air, rather wonderful to see, and I was delighted to see them. Nina.


:cat:

 

Edward

Umimmak

• May 19, 2003

• #16

Well they are reaching further north than Lancashire. I saw one in Iceland last week, and three Swallows on Saturday!

 

Jeff Taylor

Well-known member

• May 19, 2003

• #17

Hi
It's the other way round for me in Merseyside,I have seen more
Swifts this year,than i have House martins,last year it was house
martins more than Swifts.It's a funny old world is'nt it.
Regards
Jeff Taylor

 

D

DuncanBerenice

Member

• May 24, 2003

• #18

We've had house martins checking the old nests, one was occupied yesterday, still see them swooping about. Saw a pair of Swifts outside Alford Aberdeenshire. My oldman has said he's noticed house martins near his house they've never nested there before, he's still watching out for his swallows that nest in his garage

Duncan