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

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.  [post edit, sand martin, thanks to Bob and Zo for the correction]

Both taken at RSPB Conwy

  • Some more swift photos from yesterday afternoon in the garden.

  • 15 June 

    Highfield Garden World 

    Barn Swallow



  • Today  16 June 2022

    House Martins 

    Highfield Garden World 

  • The House Martins of Charlecote House

    Some were building nests

    More house martin piccies,

    And swallows as well, not something I've seen at Charlecote before, though I'm sure its nothing new

    Last but not least, a house martin nest in the gatehouse archway

  • The barn was in Stroud at the barn under Coaly Peak The people at the barn I saw the Swallows had no idea they were nesting but they knew they get them and they fly around everywhere. It funny to note that when the Swallows finally migrate here and go to that barn in Stroud you actually have to duck when walking along the stable corridor or move out the way cause they fly fast  and fly so low and there so agile and manoeuvre around everything and people aswell. And  no one there were aware they were nesting. I havnt  been  able to stay still for long enough that I would be able to properly observe the Swallows before until the day I took the photos.  I didn’t know weather they were definitely nesting there or not until I watched them but cause the corridors are narrow I stayed out the way so they can fly through It. interestingly The swallows were Nesting in one side of the stable and each swallow had a nest on the other side in that section of the Stable. Some were in holes in the ceiling and others under the eaves in the stable or on a ledge on the wall. They didn’t mind being in each other’s presence but only 1 or 2 Swallows would go to the nest  and feed there young. So they were probably the parents. Sometimes the Swallows would perch together in the barn but there was only one perched alone sometimes aswell. They were quiet chatty and there was some interesting interactions when I saw them perched together aswell. But most of the time they were busy looking food and feeding there young. I found out from someone who visits there regularly about how the Swallows are now that I told they were nesting there and would be a good idea to leave alone until they have left the nest they said they checked and the young have left the nest now

    with the DVD I have lots of photos and the Barn Swallow one is one is one of my favourites I put the film on the DVD aswell. 


  • on the river Severns floodplane 

    At a barn in Elmore, Gloucestershire 

    Barn Swallow flying past a fly 



  • Zo Clark said:

    The barn was in Stroud at the barn under Coaly Peak The people at the barn I saw the Swallows had no idea they were nesting but they knew they get them and they fly around everywhere. It funny to note that when the Swallows finally migrate here and go to that barn in Stroud you actually have to duck when walking along the stable corridor or move out the way cause they fly fast  and fly so low and there so agile and manoeuvre around everything and people aswell. And  no one there were aware they were nesting. I havnt  been  able to stay still for long enough that I would be able to properly observe the Swallows before until the day I took the photos.  I didn’t know weather they were definitely nesting there or not until I watched them but cause the corridors are narrow I stayed out the way so they can fly through It. interestingly The swallows were Nesting in one side of the stable and each swallow had a nest on the other side in that section of the Stable. Some were in holes in the ceiling and others under the eaves in the stable or on a ledge on the wall. They didn’t mind being in each other’s presence but only 1 or 2 Swallows would go to the nest  and feed there young. So they were probably the parents. Sometimes the Swallows would perch together in the barn but there was only one perched alone sometimes aswell. They were quiet chatty and there was some interesting interactions when I saw them perched together aswell. But most of the time they were busy looking food and feeding there young. I found out from someone who visits there regularly about how the Swallows are now that I told they were nesting there and would be a good idea to leave alone until they have left the nest they said they checked and the young have left the nest now

    with the DVD I have lots of photos and the Barn Swallow one is one is one of my favourites I put the film on the DVD aswell. 

    It is a very sad fact, that so many folk do not see what is happening right under their noses, or perhaps a few more might just step back and not just admire, but show respect for nature. Their will always be those who will be bombastic and plough on regardless.

    Likewise, I do seem to have more of a soft spot for swallows, whether it's because i saw them on the farms I used to work on, or not, I don't know, but nostalgia does play a part in many peoples preferences.

    Swifts, as much as i admire their lifestyle, and that's all we have around here, no swallows or matins, and I guess less colourful, but just as important to the ecology of things, no less.

    As for house martins, they are a relatively new liking, but that is probably because I know of somewhere where i can go and see them, and more colourful than swifts, but not as colourful as swallows.

    It probably seems like i'm being a bit prejudiced, we all have our favourites, they're all equally important, and all under threat.

    As for safe storage, DVD's are good, though memory sticks are probably safer from a long term storage perspective. But they too can fail, so I often keep a duplicate for that reason, plus, they're small enough to store conveniently today.