Migrating Swallows (1 Viewer)

joannec

Well-known member

• Aug 26, 2006

• #1

This afternoon I watched over 500, mostly swallows but probably some other hirundines too, pass overhead in East Sussex. They were flying high, which made it hard to tell if they were all swallows. There could have been swifts among them too. They were moving south. Seeing this spectacle made me wonder if it is usual for the various hirundines to migrate in mixed flocks. Also will some of these birds be leaving Britain now, it's still August, or will they hang around Sussex for a few more weeks before finally going?

 

deborah4

Well-known member

• Aug 26, 2006

• #2

Hi Joanne

Was just going to post simillar news! Was working in Worthing today then travelled back home along coast. Lots and lots of movement of flocks (not massive size but mixed- I saw low numbers of swift but they were mostly swallows - they were flying quite low over Worthing mid afternoon and 'stopping' to feed (well not stopping exactly!). There were also very large mixed flocks of starling, terns and gull over Shorham. As far as migrating in mixed flocks, I was thinking perhaps that the hirundines were gathering over a few days here before perhaps migrating separately. (ie. stragglers from other parts of the UK?)

 

joannec

Well-known member

• Aug 26, 2006

• #3

Yeah, sounds like the same behaviour, excep the ones I saw were high but they were sort of leisurely moving south, feeding, not the really direct purposful , on a mission kind of migration, flight. My feeling is that some of them will leave our shores soon but many will stay around til October. I also agree that they have come from further north but I wouldn't call them stragglers, too early yet.

 

deborah4

Well-known member

• Aug 26, 2006

• #4

joannechattaway said:

I also agree that they have come from further north but I wouldn't call them stragglers, too early yet.

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Hi Joanne

Sorry Joanne, I didn't make myself clear at all! I meant the very few swift that are still 'hanging around' and in the 'same' flock - I believe birds do mix-flock to feed and if there are a few late swift around, I guess it would make sense for them to be hanging round with swallow. Incidently, I didn't see any House Martins with them but saw a lot up at Shoreham on Sunday.

Ps Did you notice on SOS that a Montague's been around Selsey! Pags is calling again!
PPS. Isn't it about time we started a 'Sussex Birding' thread in the Local Patch Forum! :king:

Deborah

 

joannec

Well-known member

• Aug 27, 2006

• #5

deborah4 said:

Ps Did you notice on SOS that a Montague's been around Selsey! Pags is calling again!
PPS. Isn't it about time we started a 'Sussex Birding' thread in the Local Patch Forum! :king:

Deborah

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Yes, I did see that on the SOS website and I do think we should start a Sussex Birding thread.

Today I counted over 150 more swallows in only about half an hour moving south, again very high, needed bins to see them.

 

deborah4

Well-known member

• Aug 27, 2006

• #6

joannechattaway said:

.... I do think we should start a Sussex Birding thread.

Click to expand...

... until then, another tick for Hove beach - male wheatear standing on pebbles just in front of King Alfreds this morning!

 

Colin

Axeman (Retired)

• Aug 29, 2006

• #7

Big movement of Swallows through Gloucestershire this morning.

 

M

Mark Grantham

Well-known member

• Aug 30, 2006

• #8

Swallows are indeed on the move, but I think a lot of these are just feeding groups and not neccesarily big departurtes. Good numbers are still around breeding areas, and some birds have probably only just fledged chicks (I visited a nest on 11th August with four 2-3 day old chicks).

To keep track of the Swallow departure, check the BirdTrack results page at:
http://blx1.bto.org/bt-dailyresults/results/s322-20-06.html

And if you have time, why not register and record your sightings - they all count!

Mark Grantham
BTO Ringing Unit

 

deborah4

Well-known member

• Aug 30, 2006

• #9

Thanks for that Mark - that would tie in with what Joanne and I observed - 'restless' but still feeding!

Does BTO take records from OS sightings separately for tracking? ie. I presume there's no 'duplication' from individuals who've also posted on OS boards?

 

M

Mark Grantham

Well-known member

• Aug 30, 2006

• #10

Hi Deborah

BirdTrack really works on people simply submitting lists of bird records online - easy as that! These are validated though and are from registered sites (your own sites) so we can use these to produce trends of occurence. The Swallow is a good example, but perhaps more interesting (or alarming) would be the page for Chiffchaff:
http://blx1.bto.org/bt-dailyresults/results/s422-20-06.html

You can really see how the poor spring weather in the last couple of years has delayed spring arrival and also had a knock-on effect on the populaiton size per se. It is this kind of information we are really interested in. BirdTrack is also a good way to store your own records, which can then be downloaded by the county recorder directly for use in bird reports.

Drop me a line at [email protected] if you want any extra info.

Mark Grantham
BirdTrack Organiser

 

deborah4

Well-known member

• Aug 30, 2006

• #11

Thanks again Mark - will do, if only for interpretation of all the graphs!!

 

Sue Wright

Well-known member

• Aug 31, 2006

• #12

We've still some Swallows rearing in our village, we watched them swooping into the barn to taking food in for the young this afternoon. Also quite a few Martins around their nests too though didn't get chance to see if they were taking food in or not. No signs of Swifts here now, though could well see some coming on down from up country yet as is usual.

Good to see the links Mark.

Sue

 

C

Collster

Well-known member

• Aug 31, 2006

• #13

Still got both swallows and martins in nests locally. Have seen large flocks moving through elsewhere

 

terryeyre

Well-known member

• Sep 2, 2006

• #14

the swallows around were lining up on the wires for about 2 weeks around here counted 60 one day then 2 days ago they all disapeared not seen one since,could it be they are arriving earlier and also leaving earlier each year,used to around here untill early october a few years ago.

 

R

RecoveringScot

Well-known member

• Sep 3, 2006

• #15

terryeyre said:

the swallows around were lining up on the wires for about 2 weeks around here counted 60 one day then 2 days ago they all disapeared not seen one since,could it be they are arriving earlier and also leaving earlier each year,used to around here untill early october a few years ago.

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Hundreds of Swallows on the move SW past my house today. In flocks of 1-2 to anything up to 60, and a nearly continous stream so far (with some odd gaps), and they're still going. I find it quite exciting. 2 Swift and a few Martins with them.

 

joannec

Well-known member

• Sep 17, 2006

• #16

Yesterday afternoon I watched another group of swallows moving south, feeding as they went, about 60 or so but the striking thing was that at one point a buzzard appeared among them. They were completely unbothered by him/her, just carried on feeding. And the buzzard too carried on soaring as though they wern't there. I guess the buzzard was so slow as to not be any kind of threat. Any comments on this?

 

Sue Wright

Well-known member

• Sep 17, 2006

• #17

Hi Joanne,

I think you've answered your own question quite easily.

We always have the exact same thing here and the Buzzards seem oblivious to the Swallows, Martins and Swifts all season through, just as the Hirundines are oblivious of them. However, if they had the agility of Hirundines then it would be a whole different thing completely, but they're far more heavier and clumsy, nothing like the Hobbies which will catch them all so very easily.

We're so lucky in being in the more southern of the counties as we get to see so much more as they pass on through and feeding as they do; like you we had at least 60 here yesterday, nothing today, but who knows tomorrow!!

Best wishes Joanne,

Sue

 

Bish

Well-known member

• Sep 29, 2006

• #18

Large group of Swallows & House martins passing through here today

Regards Bish. :t:

 

Bish

Well-known member

• Oct 7, 2006

• #19

Still many Swallows & House martin's passing through here today, These are on the seawall of the River colne this morning

Regards Bish. :t:

 

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joannec

Well-known member

• Oct 7, 2006

• #20

Bish said:

Still many Swallows & House martin's passing through here today, These are on the seawall of the River colne this morning

Regards Bish. :t:

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Hi Bish

Earlier this week I was at Birling Gap on the Sussex Coast. Lots of swallows, 200+ and about 50 house martins. There was a strong southerly wind blowing off the sea and the swallows and house martins were not flying out, they were more interested in feeding in the warm sunshine. I think they might be waiting for the wind to change. Still a few stragglers inland too.

Joanne