Flocks of Swifts (2 Viewers)

[Sphenodon]

I saw a flock of Swifts today about 25. Is that usual? When I see them its usually a solitary bird

 

[Nutcracker]

They often form flocks where there are concentrations of flying insects. On cooler / windier days, they head for lakes; you can get flocks of a hundred or more in cases like that.

 

[Euan Buchan]

I had a similar encounter a few years ago it was amazing. Most Swift encounters I've seen this year has been one or two.

 

[King Edward]

They aggregate over their breeding colonies as well, especially in the evening.

 

[Warixenjalka]

Above my garden is usually (on summers of course) at least 5 or 6 individuals, sometimes there is 20+, and by no means can I see a huge deal for sky from my garden.

 

[gerald762]

Come to Southern Spain. A flock of 100 swifts shrieking around the rooftops of a town is very common!

 

[etudiant]

Come to Southern Spain. A flock of 100 swifts shrieking around the rooftops of a town is very common!

So true.
Wonderful souvenirs of watching massed Swifts on their morning patrols over the rooftops of Trujillo, a town in the Extremadura that is the birthplace of Pizarro. Also lots of Kestrels and Stork nests all over. Would go back in a heartbeat!

 

[Tony15]

I live in Guardamar del Segura, South of Alicant, Spain. Every evening May to August we welcome the Swifts and Swallows around the apartment blocks, they feast on the insects rising from the Rio Segura which my apartment overlooks. At times there have been as many as 50 in the flock, especially following rain. We normally have about a dozen flying around.

 

[jimk24]

Segovia probably has the largest common swift colony in Europe, nesting in the old Roman Aquaduct, Probably in excess of 2,000 birds. It was a fantastic sight in May when I was at the International Swift Conference in Segovia.