Late Swallows? (1 Viewer)

KenM

Well-known member

• May 16, 2018

• #1

In the DT.today, ''Letters to the Editor'' included one such respondent (Cornwall), who'd lived at the same property for 40 years, and between 10th-20th April for each of those years one pair had arrived, and raised at least two broods...as of yesterday 15th May.....No Swallows!

Anybody else with a similar tale?

 

Last edited: May 16, 2018

G

Gordon

Registered User

• May 16, 2018

• #2

BTO Birdtrack shows Swallow records are well down on the historical reporting rate.

 

KenM

Well-known member

• May 16, 2018

• #3

Gordon said:

BTO Birdtrack shows Swallow records are well down on the historical reporting rate.

Click to expand...

That's interesting! On 29th April, a cold grey day with a North wind blowing through the Lee Valley (Herts/Essex borders). I encountered easily triple digit Swallows over the sheet water areas, at the time I thought larger nos.than usual for the date, clearly all incoming migrants and being held in position by the prevalent low. Am wondering whether hirundines especially....are able to "about turn" to a high pressure area, and wait until there's an improvement before returning North, as Swifts and House Martin's also seem to be in short supply so far?

 

rockfowl

Mark Andrews

• May 16, 2018

• #4

They were very late back here locally and the numbers are still down on the norm, ditto the House Martin. Swift only arrived back on Friday and single figures only so far.

 

Last edited: May 16, 2018

B

Bubbs

Well-known member

• May 16, 2018

• #5

rockfowl said:

They were very late back here locally and the numbers are still down on the norm, ditto the House Martin. Swift only arrived back on Friday and single figures only so far.

Click to expand...

But why? Was it the cold spring that held them well south of the UK?

 

Nutcracker

Stop Brexit!

• May 16, 2018

• #6

Persistent low pressure in the Med with heavy fresh snow in the Pyrenees and Alps, plus severe thunder & hail storms over much of central and southern Europe. So quite possible some birds still being held up, and/or killed by the weather.
Andorra, 15 May: https://twitter.com/AndorreMeteo/status/996290327169335296
Southern foothills of Massif Central, SE France, 13 May: https://twitter.com/severeweatherEU/status/995745614108479488
Northern Bulgaria, 15 May: https://twitter.com/severeweatherEU/status/996420563206852608 :eek!:

 

Xenospiza

Distracted

• May 17, 2018

• #7

Numbers on migration at Breskens, the Netherlands, are horrendously low.
Locally, I've seen 50 max on a local reservoir which tends to hold 100s during cold spells.
Apparently there have been sand storms as well which may have killed huge numbers.

 

jape

Well-known member

• May 17, 2018

• #8

saw just a couple coarsing over park in Lymm this evening, long tailed, will try and get out and about and check with binos tomorrow for surer ID

edit: a handfull of martins up high back and forth and checked in binos, but twice swallows came through lower down so they are about here at last. they always seem more curved, sickle winged and graceful in flight but the tails set them apart.

 

Last edited: May 17, 2018

J

jdc

Member

• May 22, 2018

• #9

On cooler NE coast here, I was surprised to find about 8 pairs arrived 5 days later than average on April 22nd. More subsequently.
There are currently 6 nests with eggs in and a few birds still deciding where to build/repair.