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

Return Migration (1 Viewer)

Is it normal for Sand Martins to start migrating this time of year?

Was at WWT Barnes the other day and there were still plenty of sand martins there. Does it depend on whether they have bred or not during the summer?
 
Hi Stoggler, I was surprised to see that the SM's were setting off so soon, a sight we would normally see in the autumn. I would guess they're early breeders or perhaps unpaired birds?
 
according to birdwatching magazine some return migration has already started including swifts, starlings .......

this july feels more like a november - do you think the windy wet weather would be pushing birds to migrate?
 
I have had both Swifts and House Martins over my house for weeks now but the Swifts seem to have gone .. Is it about the right time for Swift migration ??
 
Was off work Friday afternoon and went down to West Beach, Littlehampton on the Sussex coast, and the place was swarming with sand martins. Have never been so close to sand martins before, was lovely having them flying around me.

Then a lot of them started landing on the shingle beach to rest - I'm assuming this is them resting before setting off?
 
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