-
Welcome to BirdForum, the internet's largest birding community with thousands of members from all over the world. The forums are dedicated to wild birds, birding, binoculars and equipment and all that goes with it.
Please register for an account to take part in the discussions in the forum, post your pictures in the gallery and more.
State of Hirundine passage this Spring? (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter KenM
- Start date
John Cantelo
Well-known member
I was in Spain from mid-April until the 9th May and thought numbers were below par there too (although not nearly so bad). I didn't have any hirundines at Stodmarsh (Kent) before I left nor any since my return. I had 5 Hobbies hawking insects there last week but not a single hirundine. A friend who is an excellent observer and one who uses eBird religiously tells me that he's not seen any there in over 14 hours of birding. There have been more reported on the Kent coast and I saw one near Canterbury last week but I didn't get any on a recent visit to Dungeness RSPB reserve and only saw a single Swallow at Worth Marshes - where the habitat looks superb for the species - last Thursday. I've seen more Swifts but their numbers also seem low too. Unless numbers pick up sharply, it looks like an utter disaster.
Farnboro John
Well-known member
I agree. Almost none over here, none around local gravel pits whenever I'm looking, passage the thinnest of trickles extending longer than usual.
John
KenM
Well-known member
I’m hoping there is a great “groundswell” of birds further South, waiting for temps to rise?…cos if there ain’t…. then it really does look grim.😮 That said, was in Cyprus Apr 12th-19th where I didn’t notice any significant decrease in Marts/Swallows…indeed even had juvs.flying around.
Cheers
Xenospiza
Distracted
The migration data at Breskens (the Netherlands) for Barn and House Swallows look bad this year (50% and 75% of usual numbers, hourly averages worse).
Sand Martin a bit better, although there were a few weeks with no migration at all (but migration at Breskens is very weather dependent)
Sand Martin a bit better, although there were a few weeks with no migration at all (but migration at Breskens is very weather dependent)
François Doyen
Well-known member
All 3 species seem well present near my town in Belgium with about 20 sand martins around the recently installed artificial nesting wall. Local data in my province on database seems to show similar numbers to last year
KenM
Well-known member
On the Red-rumped Swallow front, during my week on Cyprus, April 12-19th I didn’t encounter any!
angusmcoatup
Paul
This is my 3rd spring living in SW Turkey and I’ve thought numbers of both Swallows are impressive. The flocks over the extensive reedbeds are huge, Red Rumped have made lots of new nests (on new buildings) and there are new House Martin colonies.
All (10 +) old Barn Swallow nests at a friends place were occupied. Many fledged birds around now.
Swifts are a little trickier but the flocks in town appear to be similar to previous two years in size.
Completely unscientific opinion obviously. but that’s the impression I’ve had all spring before seeing this thread.
All (10 +) old Barn Swallow nests at a friends place were occupied. Many fledged birds around now.
Swifts are a little trickier but the flocks in town appear to be similar to previous two years in size.
Completely unscientific opinion obviously. but that’s the impression I’ve had all spring before seeing this thread.
KenM
Well-known member
Well that’s encouraging Paul!, seems like it’s patchy at best.
My mind wanders back to the ‘70’s when Common Whitethroats virtually disappeared almost nationally, problems on their Wintering grounds I believe, if memory serves.
Now they’re back to pre’70’s levels…so there’s always hope.😮
WalterRayle
Well-known member
It's been pretty dire in my SouthHants area, only seen four House Martins so far this year and they were mixed in with my first Swifts having just arrived in off the sea in late April Swallow numbers are well down on usual, fortunately still a fair few Swifts around but nowhere near as frequent as usual. It's been interesting how many non-birders have commented to me when I've been out with my bins about the lack of Swallows this year.
Farnboro John
Well-known member
I'm getting an impression of a Western issue but not so much an Eastern one.
John
John
The area I see them most regularly is Hyde Park, Central London. From memory not too different to recent years as far as numbers of house and sand martins are concerned, and probably more swifts which were quite patchy last year. Yesterday my brother was at Walthamstow Wetlands and reported good numbers of swifts, though fewer martins. Weather does seem to influence them quite a bit, I find - strong wind and rain seems to drive them lower down, whereas on bright sunny days swifts at least can be up very high. A heavily overcast, drizzly day on a mild SW in mid to late May is pretty much ideal if you want to see numbers.
Southern Viking
Well-known member
Could be (though not sure why this would be?), last week there were plenty of House Martins around the Cambs village of Hinxton where my Dad lives (down the road from Duxford) where they nest in good numbers. Also Swallows and up to 20 Swifts in the area. Swifts seem very low in number around Worthing and Littlehampton so far this year.
Edit: obviously am aware that Swift aren't hirundines, but mentioned as they were mentioned in other posts
