What have you seen
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It has been a good couple of days for us up in D&G, spotting Nuthatches, Pink Footed Geese, Grey Herons, lots of Buzzards and Red Kites, hearing both GSWs and Tawny Owls on a couple of occasions and culminating with the sight of the pair of Ospreys at Threaves Castle.
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Went for a walk in one of our coastal denes today. Birdsong was fabulous, all the usual suspects, chiffchaffs and a distinct repetitive call I just can’t identify at present. Anyone tried one of those apps which helps identify bird song? Then went out on the coast path away from the trees and bushes, very little to see today. Warm with a good hatch of insects so had hoped to see hirundines and those unrelated ‘native’ swifts but non about yet up here. Shouldn’t be long before the sand martins appear, they are usually the first. No alpine swifts today but I’m told a few are still around.
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Thanks WN, my first thought is that it was either one of our native woodpeckers or a raptor. When I’ve time I’ll do a bit of research. The sound was very loud and rather deep and resonated around the woodland for some distance. The bird was in the high leafless canopy but I still could not pinpoint it’s locate or spot it despite spending some time and ending up with a crick in my neck! I’ll have a look at those bird song apps, maybe they will help.
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Only the ‘odd’ alpine Swift up here. Yes, they remain for some unusual reason. Hope to see ‘ours’ very soon. A bit concerned mind as an old building they frequented in past years has been demolished over winter. Their breeding sites are reducing although some folk are placing swift boxes on their houses. Unfortunately we can’t!
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The ones I saw were over an arable field. Having only been here 12 months I don't know of any nests sites for swifts, swallows or house Martins didn't spot any last year. I don't know the difference between types of swifts!
I want to see if the red kite nest is occupied again this year. Again I don't know if they return to them. I'm beginning to get used to them as several times a day sightings 😉. Although I still automatically look up if they call. Folk I met for the first time must have think me rude, breaking off speaking or gazing upwards 😊.
I'd love to add somewhere for swifts or swallows to nest - won't be this year though. Do you know where I could find boxes? But delighted we have several nests in various hedges jncluding, blackbirds, sparrows, Robin and wren. Not sure where our 75-100 starlings 'live'.
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Hi Bakers
Firstly you will most likely only ever see the 1 type of Swift in the UK. Those that tend to appear mid April/start of May and generally are gone by end of August. They're the "screaming swifts" (a name I considered adopting for my rock band that never got off the ground).
The rare ones such as the Alpine Swifts currently seen in quite a few places in UK and Ireland are bigger than the common Swift and have a nice white belly (which wouldn't have been such a good name for the group
). They usually nest in high altitude as their name implies but have started expanding their range and may become more regular soon.Common Swifts are losing nesting spaces. I'll put a link up for the type of boxes they like to nest in. It reminds them of crevices in rocks.
Other Swifts that might make an irregular appearance are Pallid Swift and Little Swift. I've been very fortunate to have seen all 4 on one magic day in Spain one year.
Hope this helped.
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Not swifts, or even closely related I know but we’ve apparently got Red Rumped Swallows at various location in the UK presently. Ours Barn Swallows, as the rest of the world calls them, are just appearing.
We’ve also got several white Storks right now doing the rounds north of the Humber along with those Alpine Swifts. A sight to see then circling high above the landscape and feeding on the meadows. I’ll have to venture up there stalking them!🤣
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Coming to a site near you! Baltic Wharf?
Apparently these creatures are often seen in and around the city rivers in Europe.
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How about a stay at this CL, where you can see Beaver activity for real.
https://www.caravanclub.co.uk/certificated-locations/england/devon/holsworthy/venn-farm/
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Yes Micky, having seen the habitat they have created at Venn Farm I can see how their introduction needs to be very carefully managed for their own safety and for any nearby humans.
I spotted this regarding the pitfalls and gains of introducing them.
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Yes, I read this article too. It seems with help we can live alongside them and the positives may be particularly helpful. They seem to live along side humans elsewhere in Europe even in some built up areas. I think the biggest issue is water quality. Many of our rivers, even in remote areas, have poor water quality due to human actions. We need to clean our act up, not just for beavers but all aquatic wildlife.
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Have just heard the Nightingale singing in the little plot next to ours whilst hanging out the washing made my day, also heard quite a few Warblers about and the cuckoo has arrived, also saw my first Swift yesterday and a pair of House Martins so Spring has arrived.
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Went for an evening walk along the coast. Air temperature 12C but so warm in the sun’s rays before it dipped. Very little of the unusual to see however several ‘squadrons’ of gannet out beyond the surf probably heading to the breeding grounds of Bempton Cliffs made the tranquility sublime. I love it! Have had the regular dolphin pods perform lately but not today.
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It's very chilly here with a cold wind still coming in from the east. The Swallows are still not visible although I'm sure there are some around. There are fixed spots where see them, the main one is a neighbour's huge old barn which has a swallow door at the top. No activity yet. I keep a record each year, last year it was April 16th.
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Well, today the wind changed from the east to the south and then dropped altogether, lo and behold two Swallows came over on the SW route. So this year it's an April 19th arrival (the latest in recent years was April 22nd.) Good to see them heading for their regular nest sites in the village, they usually hang around on the phone wires till more of the family members catch up.
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Whilst out doing a bit of gardening and something moved not far from me had a quick glance to the left and the Nightingale had landed on a branch about 5 feet from me and started singing lovely and then flew off to another tree further away.
Also had more House Martins flying over and now got the Middle Spotted Woodpecker on the fat balls.
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There was about half a dozen Swallows flying over the Dee Marsh area near Parkgate today as well as a reeling Grasshopper Warbler (no sign of him though).
Yesterday we were "attacked" by hundreds of Pollen Beetles, thrip size and harmless but annoying. We found out that they are particularly attracted to the colour yellow and we both had a yellowish gilet on. Had to abandon what we were going to do and find somewhere else.
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There were Willow Warblers and Chiffchaffs giving voice as we walked by the R. Bradford this morning, and although we didn't see any Dippers, for which the stream is renowned, we do see a Grey Wagtail and a pair of Mandarin Ducks. In the afternoon we saw quite a number of Swallows over a fishing lake, having only seen an odd one or two previously this Spring.
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When at Pulborough Brooks last week I decided to test my birdsong app so played the nightingale song. Back at reception I ask one of the staff what the earliest sighting of nightingales had been n recent years, the lady gave me a date but then said it’s strange someone had heard one that very dat up at snake alley. Embarrassed somewhat I told them it was probably me playing my App
Never mind I will go back in mid May and see and hear the real thing
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Oh dear Oneputt.
A day of flowers with some birdlife today on a walk that took in open agricultural fields, a wood with a small stream running through it and some paths with attractive flowers. Amongst the nature seen were King Cups, Wood Anenomes, plenty of Celandine and Stitchwort, Some Bluebell and a lovely stand of Jumbo or Spanish Bluebells, Orange Tip, Speckled Wood and very tired looking Peacock butterflies. Probably one from last year returning.
Birdlife included wonderful Skylarks.
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