First swifts seen

Although they have been around for about a week, yesterday I saw my first swifts this season. 

They are back from Africa, but stop just long enough to breed, i.e. just a few months. By mid July most have gone south again until next spring.

Often they are heard before they are seen. They scream around the sky in feeding parties.

Swift (bird) numbers - NOT amateur radio

This is a quote from the RSPB page about swifts.

'Sadly, Swift numbers are plummeting, and they’re now on the UK’s Red List of Birds of Conservation Concern. For every ten Swifts zooming across our skies in 1995, there were only about three by 2022.'

On our local Facebook page I asked if people locally thought numbers were up or down on last year. Surprisingly, most thought numbers were up, not down. This may be very local or a UK trend. I am interested in the national trend.

See https://www.rspb.org.uk/birds-and-wildlife/swift .

UK swift (bird) numbers - NOT amateur radio

 According to conventional wisdom, the numbers of swifts should be down as there are fewer nest sites. Certainly around here in East Anglia we have seen far fewer swallows, although I have seen them elsewhere.

As far as I can tell, there are more swifts than last year here. This is a good sign and others have noticed this too locally.  Maybe they are adapting and finding new places to nest.  I really hope so. Some are erecting swift nestboxes or "swift bricks" to encourage them.

I would be interested to know what others in the UK are finding. Swifts screaming in feeding parties signify summer in England. They only come here for a few months to breed.

Swallows returning - NOT amateur radio

To me, spring is traditionally heralded by the return of migratory swallows from southern Africa.  

Here we see far fewer than we used to although swift numbers seem to be holding up, despite there being fewer natural nest sites. We don't usually see swifts here in East Anglia until May. Often you can hear screaming feeding parties and then look up and see them.

Apparently some swallows have already been spotted in Devon. 

There was a December record in South Devon, so this one may have attempted to over-winter. I don't know if it survived. With climate change and milder winters some might attempt it and survive.

See https://www.rspb.org.uk/birds-and-wildlife/swallow .

Swifts gone - NOT amateur radio

It looks as if the swifts have largely left the UK on their long journey to central Africa with a return next spring.  You rarely see them go, but look up and notice they are no longer around. The odd straggler might be seen, but most have gone.

On a more positive note, we get migrant birds from the far north, who think we are warmer in winter.  It takes all sorts! 😊

Swifts going? - NOT amateur radio

It is odd how one bird fascinates me.  

Swifts are only seen in the UK for a few months to breed before migrating back to central Africa (mainly). They eat and sleep on the wing. We usually see them from May until about now. Often the young start to move south quite soon. 

Their return in the spring is always an important milestone in the year. Often they can be heard screaming. I look up and there they are again. Although numbers are meant to be down as nest sites disappear, at least locally there appears to be more than last year. I hope they have found ways of adapting.

After months seeing few house martins they seem plentiful around "our" windmill for the last few days. I have seen no swifts today. Have they flown south?

See https://rspb.org.uk/birds-and-wildlife/swift .

Swifts will soon be gone - NOT amateur radio

At the moment, swifts are still screaming in the skies above us in the UK.  Soon they will be gone. They stay very few months, just enough to breed.  One morning, we will look up and realise they have gone. I look forward to them returning, but I shall probably have to wait until next May.

Still no swifts - NOT amateur radio

On Saturday, we went to Wicken Fen. Although we saw swallows, we saw no swifts. The odd straggler may have arrived, but most have not. Once they arrive they will be quite common.

Not yet - NOT amateur radio

At this time of year I get quite excited about returning migrant swifts. They briefly breed here before returning to sub Saharan Africa. 

Often they are heard screaming overhead first. It’s about now they are first spotted here.

See https://www.rspb.org.uk/birds-and-wildlife/swift .

Sentimentalist - NOT amateur radio

At the moment, I am reading a book about swifts in which it says these have been around since the Eocene era i.e. about 50 million years. It is hard to grasp. This means these birds were flying high in the sky before humans came on the scene. I find this quite humbling.  I guess other migratory birds like swallows and martins go back a very long time too.

Most swifts, swallows and martins have now embarked on their long journeys south. I also keep an eye out for the first to come back each spring, probably as they have done for millions of years before me.

Swifts gone? - NOT amateur radio

 In the last few days we were up near Liverpool staying with a friend on the Wirral. Swifts were visible most days, but they were absent on the last day. I have not spotted any here in East Anglia since we got back yesterday. It is possible they have started their migration to Africa. Most soon leave. There are a few stragglers until September.

See https://www.rspb.org.uk/birds-and-wildlife/wildlife-guides/bird-a-z/swift/ .

UPDATE 1655z: I did not realise that some swifts do not migrate from Africa.

UPDATE 0950z Sunday:  Lots seen last evening so they have not gone yet! 

They have arrived - NOT amateur radio

The swifts are back. This morning 2 were spotted. I have yet to hear them screaming in feeding parties, but the cycle that has been around for thousands of years continues. 

See https://www.rspb.org.uk/birds-and-wildlife/wildlife-guides/bird-a-z/swift/ .

Still waiting - NOT amateur radio

Today, for only the second time, we had a cup of tea in the garden. Despite looking (and listening) for about a hour, no swifts seen or heard. This is a bit early. Hopefully within a few weeks we will hear the screams, look up and see some. Numbers are meant to be down, although locally they seemed as numerous.

African migrant birds - NOT amateur radio

Swift

About now, I start to watch and listen for the returning migrant birds from Africa. Already swallows have been seen in Devon and even in East Anglia, although I have seen none. Last year I saw very few indeed. 

Locally swift numbers did not seem down on normal. Swifts usually arrive here in numbers mid May. Often they are heard screaming in the sky before they are seen. "They are back", goes out the cry and all is still well with the world. Not yet...

See https://www.rspb.org.uk/birds-and-wildlife/wildlife-guides/bird-a-z/swift/.

Swifts gone - NOT amateur radio

It is now several days since I last saw, or heard, a swift. I think most of these birds have now left on their long migration to central Africa. They usually return in April. They feed and sleep on the wing - quite remarkable birds. 

As a teenager I picked one up from the road. It was kept overnight, then happily flew away the next morning, apparently unharmed. So I am one of the rare few who have held a swift in the hand.

See https://www.rspb.org.uk/birds-and-wildlife/wildlife-guides/bird-a-z/swift/ .

Swifts - NOT amateur radio

For me, the return of the swifts from Africa is important. Today I saw several overhead. All is well. Swifts have been doing this long before I was born and hopefully long after I have gone. 

See https://www.rspb.org.uk/birds-and-wildlife/wildlife-guides/bird-a-z/swift/ .

Swallows (Barn) - NOT amateur radio

These summer migrant birds winter in South Africa. They used to arrive here in early April. They are around as my son has taken a photo, but I suspect there are fewer. It is already well into May and I have still to see one. Last year I only saw 2 the whole spring and summer! Swifts normally arrive about now. 

UPDATE 1410z: We did a nice walk this morning around the village which included several stretches near water.  Had there been swallows and swifts around, we would have seen them. We saw none. My impression is there are fewer even than last year, which is very sad.

Swifts on the move - NOT amateur radio

Swifts are a common sight in the UK skies in spring and early summer. They are often heard screaming in feeding parties on the wing before being seen.

It is some days since I last saw any. I think they are migrating south. The odd straggler may be about, but most will be gone from the UK until next spring.

See https://www.rspb.org.uk/birds-and-wildlife/wildlife-guides/bird-a-z/swift/ .

Fewer swallows? - NOT amateur radio

Like many, I keep my eyes open for the first swallows (birds) returning from Africa. Usually I see my first ones in early April. Although I have seen some, I am sure there are fewer. This may be because more perish on the journey due to lack of food.

We still see swifts, although these are later to arrive. To me they make a late spring or early summer evening. Usually you hear their screaming, look up and see them overhead hunting. Swifts are about, although I have seen and heard none yet.

Cuckoos used to be commonly heard, although I heard none last year. They tend to lay their eggs in the nests of willow warblers. Just occasionally they can be heard. More rarely, they can be seen on wires overhead.

See https://www.rspb.org.uk/birds-and-wildlife/wildlife-guides/bird-a-z/swallow/ .

Gone? - NOT amateur radio

As the weather was hot in the east of the UK yesterday, we spent some time in the garden in the late afternoon. What was different?

In May, June and July the screaming sound of swifts feeding on the wing was very common. Yesterday was different. In nearly an hour I saw just 1 swift.

The impression is that younger swifts hav seen overheade already started their migration back to central Africa. Normally most adult birds leave by mid-August spending just a few months here to return next April/May.

They are ephemeral birds: when they are with us they are very common - usually the screaming is heard first - then they are gone again and the skies are quiet. On better evenings 20 plus birds can be seen overhead.

To me, they are symbols of a UK summer and I miss them when they go and eagerly look forward to their return next spring.

UPDATE 0840z:  6 swifts seen overhead this morning.