Saw my first sight of swifts in Sommerset the second week end in May. Mine got here to Bedforshire 3rd week end in May.
I think they hung around in the warmer South as the weather was cold but glad to see so many returning, more than last year.
I am hoping that your swifts are now getting broody. Ours have been in and out of our hole for a few days now. I absolutely love them and don't tire of hearing and seeing them - especially when they scream overhead at low level!
Never seen a waxwing, :-(
Loads of Swifts here in Lincolnshire - I just hope they are able to nest as a number of properties in my town have been re- roofed since last Summer...
CJ
The tree which moves some to tears of joy is in the eyes of others only a green thing which stands in the way - William Blake
Ive not actually seen mine go into our eaves yet, but i do catch them all out at dusk and early morning screeching and showing off their speed in the air.
Swifts news item
My gallery here
I never cease to be amazed at how much I didn't know I didn't know.
Have got about 40 or so gracing the skies near my house. When I take doglet out for a walk, I swear I spend most of the time eyes to the skies, one of these days I'll trip over something!! Am totally in awe of these amazing birds. So sad when they go home.
Swifts returned to my district on 4 May 2012. Not as many as there were 30 years ago, which is how long I have lived here.
I delight in them screaming down the back gardens at roof top level or screaming over my house as I clean my teeth in the morning. That's how I know they nest here abouts but I've never been able to discover where. Until this year ...............
But here in suburbia not a stone's throw away from my property I saw a Swift duck under a roof tile of one of the houses opposite mine. What joy! What did I do first? Yep, that's right. I called the RSPB Swift ''department'' and gave them an address for a Swift's nesting site. A small heap of something white spotted through my 'bins' on the gutter confirmed my sighting.
Tiger's index threads
Hi-
4 swifts over King's Lynn this afternoon
S
For advice about Birding, Identification,field guides, binoculars, scopes, tripods, etc - put 'Birding Tips' into the search box
I over Nidderdale this morning
Pete
Birding is for everyone no matter how good or bad we are at it,enjoy it while you can
I saw my last swifts here in Rushden about 2 weeks ago. We still have house martins here and swallows nearby. I really miss the swifts when they are gone.
Saw a pair of swifts flying north over Cardiff this morning and a friend saw some over Reading. They're definitely back! Never seen them here this early before - usually I see the first ones on the 1st or 2nd of May.
Our swifts haven't arrived yet but last year they arrived the first week of May and we only had 2 pairs Fingers crossed for this year
Fingers crossed indeed!
Too early for ours in Sunderland, hope yours return soon Marion. For us, its the start of our summer when we hear their screeching return, and see them shooting in and out of our eaves :)
DaveyToo early for ours in Sunderland, hope yours return soon Marion. For us, its the start of our summer when we hear their screeching return, and see them shooting in and out of our eaves :)
They have been reported here in N.Yorkshire Davey so they are heading your way.