Andy Strachan
Well-known member
Seen my first and only Swift this year in Aberdeen today too. At Bridge of Dee
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The annual 'whose got Swifts' thread (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter Andy Adcock
- Start date
rosbifs
PutAin STOP
First ones were 26th April round here. Went to check out Alpine Swifts yesterday and they are already nesting.
My earliest swifts any year were 19th April - actually immediately went into the nest (could handily see from my kitchen window) - if you blinked you missed it. Then didn't really see any for a few days. My assumption was that the females came went straight in the nest while the males foraged. Obviously, foraging can take 'him' a long way as he keeps ahead of the weather. If the weather is bad the female can be left for long periods of time...
My earliest swifts any year were 19th April - actually immediately went into the nest (could handily see from my kitchen window) - if you blinked you missed it. Then didn't really see any for a few days. My assumption was that the females came went straight in the nest while the males foraged. Obviously, foraging can take 'him' a long way as he keeps ahead of the weather. If the weather is bad the female can be left for long periods of time...
JWN Andrewes
Poor Judge of Pasta.
Got my first last night. Arch spotted one from his bedroom window, alerted me, so I popped out to the garden and had one on the distance, but not before adding Mandarin to the year list when a female flew over!
Still haven't seen one yet as it's been wet this week but today's looking dry so I'll keep a eye out.
Andy Adcock
Worst person on Birdforum
Got one today along with a Kestrel over the house which was a garden tick!
JTweedie
Well-known member
I saw a couple on 2 May over a Glasgow loch, but I've still not seen any in my local area yet. There is normally a group of them flying over the local high street but we've not had the best weather lately - quite chilly, although it feels like it's warmed a bit in the last couple of days. I read though that swifts arrive in four waves, so it's possible the swifts I saw were just the vanguard before the main wave comes in.
Monahawk
Well-known member
Seem to be slow in coming in where I live. This is probably due to the persistent cold northerly winds of late. Did see my first swift of the the year over Monaghan town on 28th April but few seen since. Fairly good numbers are now frequenting a regular swift hotspot around the old workhouse at Carrickmacross also in Co. Monaghan. Very low numbers of house martins too.
Si
Si
Andy Adcock
Worst person on Birdforum
I've still only seen a single bird, persistent rain here today.
Andy Adcock
Worst person on Birdforum
Our birds are usually here in small groups from about the 5th, I've still only seen a single bird.
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JTweedie
Well-known member
I've still not seen any since the two I saw on 2 May.
I had a look at my records, they go back to 2004 (although 2005 seems to have disappeared) and the earliest date I ever saw one was on 16 April 2014, but that's very much an outlier, I didn't see my next one until several weeks afterwards. Over the spread of sightings, including this outlier, the mean is 8 May, but the most frequent first date (the mode) is 6 May (four times out of 17 years). The latest first sighting ever was 15 May 2012.
I do wonder if the cold northerly and easterlies we had recently have held them back. Anyone know if it was colder than normal in southern Spain in the last two weeks?
I had a look at my records, they go back to 2004 (although 2005 seems to have disappeared) and the earliest date I ever saw one was on 16 April 2014, but that's very much an outlier, I didn't see my next one until several weeks afterwards. Over the spread of sightings, including this outlier, the mean is 8 May, but the most frequent first date (the mode) is 6 May (four times out of 17 years). The latest first sighting ever was 15 May 2012.
I do wonder if the cold northerly and easterlies we had recently have held them back. Anyone know if it was colder than normal in southern Spain in the last two weeks?
Andrea Collins
Well-known member
I saw my first few last weekend at Foulshaw Moss in south Cumbria. In the last couple of days I've seen lots (whilst I've been working) across the Mosses between Wigan and Manchester.
Andy Adcock
Worst person on Birdforum
Still absent here.
A2GG
Beth
Saw my first Chimney Swifts of the year last week; 3 flying over the apartment complex where I live. They nest in the chimneys each year in the complex and they're the only good thing about this place. I look forward to their arrival each year. There's usually about 8-10 each year that I can see around my part of the complex.
It's a joy to see them flying above almost daily. It's wonderful to sometimes see them enter and exit the chimneys nearby. One year I hadn't noticed them for some days and discovered why one day on my walk; a Red-tailed Hawk was sitting on the edge of a chimney looking straight in and waiting. The Hawk was around for several days and less Swifts present as a result. The next year it seemed to go back to normal with no Hawks (that I could see) discovering the Swifts 'secret' nests.
It's a joy to see them flying above almost daily. It's wonderful to sometimes see them enter and exit the chimneys nearby. One year I hadn't noticed them for some days and discovered why one day on my walk; a Red-tailed Hawk was sitting on the edge of a chimney looking straight in and waiting. The Hawk was around for several days and less Swifts present as a result. The next year it seemed to go back to normal with no Hawks (that I could see) discovering the Swifts 'secret' nests.
