Swifts, Swallows & Martins, share your photos and videos here 2022

Thats a good idea. I will probably be able to contribute to this thread since I usually see Swifts overhead the garden, House Martins under the eaves of the houses in the neighbourhood and Swallows at the Orchard or Bown Hill - more often at Bown Hill cause there’s a Barn. So I will robably be able to send any of those 3 when they arrive here they havnt arived here for me yet though

Michael B said:

It's getting to that time of year, when those hirundinidaes, or for the less educated like me, swifts, swallows, house and sand martins are returning to the UK to breed. We've read and heard the stories where the nesting sites have been blocked, off with netting etc, here we can share the happier moments of these birds in their majesty.

They can be tricky little birds to photograph in flight, fast, darting around, up-down. flying around (for those wondering, the words came from the opening theme to Those Magnificent Men In Their Flying Machines film, where a group of wouldbe aviators flew from London to Paris in around 25 hours during the VERY early days of flying, theme tune HERE), but why not have a go, so I'll start the 2022 thread off with, very much a case of grab the camera and shoot photos, because the sun was at the wrong angle, and hadn't been good all day to be honest.

The link to last years thread Swifts, Swallows & Martins, share your photos and videos here 2021 for those who want to look back at the many photos shared, and all were good and most welcome to view.

https://community.rspb.org.uk/wildlife/f/all-creatures/277106/swifts-swallows-martins-share-your-photos-and-videos-here/1354849#pifragment-4285=1

My first swallow for 2022

My first, I think, house martin, please correct me if I'm wrong.

Both taken at RSPB Conwy

Second one is a sand Martin, which are usually first ones to start arriving. House Martin would have been white under the chin - in general I find House Martins to be a much more brilliant white than the white shown on Swallows and sand Martins.

That’s what I said in the paragraph when I commented but for some reason the photos and comment saying it’s sand Martin disappeared

i lightened the image and said it’s a Sand Martin it was there for at least an hour I didnt remove it. I sent it and then I went to Highfield  Garden World. And I wouldn’t deleate something that would be helpful 

Please let me know if it disappears again

heres the photo I lightened earlyer. 

Like me and Bobs Retired said. its a Sand Martin 

Even though I already knew what it looks like I did send an illustration aswell. 

I find it easyer to show things with illustrations sometimes not only that  it can be helpful. This is what it looks like 

house Martin 

Saturday was our first day back at the lake water  training.  The Sand Martin have a new nest bank that allows me lots of watching in-between bear swimming 

Where is bear swimming? We love seeing him ;-)

I saw my first swallows of the year (and ever properly noticing them as only really started bird watching at the time they weren't here) on saturday, unfortunately no pictures as didn't have a camera, was just enjoying a nice stroll with binoculars instead

Zo Clark said:

Thats a good idea. I will probably be able to contribute to this thread since I usually see Swifts overhead the garden, House Martins under the eaves of the houses in the neighbourhood and Swallows at the Orchard or Bown Hill - more often at Bown Hill cause there’s a Barn. So I will robably be able to send any of those 3 when they arrive here they havnt arived here for me yet though

I look forward to your photos Zo.

Brilliant photos Cin J