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ZEISS DTI thermal imaging cameras. For more discoveries at night, and during the day.

Early Swift departure (1 Viewer)

We seem to have good numbers today, as I said previously, I reckon that these are probably birds from further North, trickling down, I'm sure that ours have gone.
 
Flock of around 40 for me this morning at a local nature reserve. Could easily still be local birds just being a bit less tied to nest sites now that young are fledged?
 
A few (about 6) flew over at rooftop height in Braunton this afternoon - and for the first time this year I actually heard them screaming - that's what attracted me to them. I was beginning to think this was yet another species I couldn't hear any more, so well pleased!
 
andyadcock said:
These are possibly not, local birds and may be migrating as a flock from elsewhere?
Click to expand...

That's exactly what I thought, despite it being a tight feeding group - the previous peak numbers being around the 20-30 mark. Back down to the usual half dozen to dozen each day since then.
 
The service-mail "Nature Today" which we have in the Netherlands, this morning had a remarkable topic: in a pine tree in a private garden at Hilversum (near Utrecht) Swifts had their nest. Although there were several holes in three trees near one another, this special hole has always been a reason for quarreling between woodpeckers, starlings and nuthatches. The Swifts occupied the old woodpecker hole on 25 May and were still feeding their young ones during the last weeks. The hole is at a height of 6 meters.
This is the first recorded case of Swifts breeding in a tree in Holland. Nearby some 5 pairs are (or have been) breeding in usual places. The owner of the garden (who added a picture of a Swift looking outside) mentions that a few years ago he had some heavy boughs removed from a maple tree, which action probably has created an attractive flying route for these birds. Tree-breeding Swifts are not rare in areas in northern and eastern Europe, where few roofs are available.
The day before yesterday I have still seen a few Swifts around here in the eastern part of the Netherlands, like most days; yesterday was very hot, followed by thunder. Now the sky is empty (well, full of clouds and there is some sunshine), but of course all August Swifts are considered "late".
Jan van der Brugge
 
janvanderbrugge said:
This is the first recorded case of Swifts breeding in a tree in Holland.
The day before yesterday I have still seen a few Swifts around here in the eastern part of the Netherlands, like most days; yesterday was very hot, followed by thunder. Now the sky is empty (well, full of clouds and there is some sunshine), but of course all August Swifts are considered "late".
Jan van der Brugge
Click to expand...
From my balcony: 15 on Wednesday, 4 on Friday, 2 today. Same weather as Jan's, less than an hour's drive to the southeast. (On Thursday I was away, so no count).
 
Had 9 high with a couple of gulls over my local patch which I suspect were migrants & only 4 local birds over the garden this morning, but no sign this afternoon.
 
30 or so in the skies above my house today. Taking advantage of easy pickings from flying ants. It would have been a shame if they had missed out on that
 
pianoman said:
30 or so in the skies above my house today. Taking advantage of easy pickings from flying ants. It would have been a shame if they had missed out on that
Click to expand...

We had the ants a week ago, I wonder if that big feed was what fuelled the early departure here?
 
Thought they had gone but at least 6 at the top of the road early this morning near the allotments, behaving as locals.
 
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