Have people seen Swallows, Swifts. House Martins, or Sand Martins in their patch?

Hi Kathy

I believe that there are swallows nesting in the eaves of the house at the bottom of my garden, but I haven't managed to take a decent photo yet. There are also swifts flying around catching insects quite high up.

 

Hi Chris

Interesting answer you have there.

Have you any pictures of the Swallows at all (still love to see your non-decent ones)

Love to see them here any day.

You are lucky to have them so close by in your garden

Do they return to the same nest every year?

By the way would love to see other peoples pictures too.

Regards

Kathy and Dave

I'm just closing down for the week, and saw the auto e mail from RSPB re Swifts.  I am delighted to say that after 2 years absence we have House Martins breeding in the dummy nests we put up.  We used to have 6 bird made nests the house but they had not been used for 2 years and fell down.  Where I work (in a town) there are at least 8 Swifts whizzing around and calling - wonderful to look out of the window and see/hear them.

Cheers

Sunflower

We often sit out back watching the Swallows as they often come down to rest on the telephone wires.I haven't managed to get a pic but we have had some clear blue skies of late and it is great seeing them. 

Hi Kathy,

I've just been reading that email off the RSPB.

I'm currently typing this from the garden (a lifestyle I could easily get used to) and I can see two Swifts circling in the distance, yesterday I had excellent views of them as they flew over the garden.

Around the area too I see House Martins and Swallows, my days are filled with their calls - and how thankful I am of it too!

Th neighbours up the street used to have House Martins nest on their house, but they no longer do - they had an extension over the winter once and the Martins have never returned.  At one point at least 4 houses in this street had House Martin nests!

On the walkway you are guaranteed to see Swallows - and once I was even fortunate to watch them collecting mud.  Just last week I was standing on the field with another dog walker, talking Springwatch and watching Swallows.  Fantastic :o)

 

EDIT:  After reading Sheena's post, I'd just like to say those of you have telephone wires are incredibly lucky - all manner of birds seem to rest on them (and the poles!).  There aren't any telephone lines and telegraph poles here, its amazing what you can miss out on simply by not having them.

Hi Kathy

I'm having trouble posting photos at all tonight for some reason. I'm trying to post one on another thread and I keep getting an error message.

I think I deleted the swallow ones, but I will check and see.

Hello everyone, I was on last week talking about the mystery of the swallow 'nearly fledglings' found dead under their nests in stables at the same time. Apparently, the rep that took their little bodies away will be posting a report very soon.

Meanwhile, the pair of swallows nesting in the barn at my home have been giving me all sorts of heartache. I believe there are 4, 2 have fallen out of their nests and I have popped them back up. This is a barn that is rarely touched, used to store my husbands building materials, hence they are not used to seeing humans very often. The parents have got very stressed each time I have gone near to try and help the little ones. After 2 repeated fallings I have positioned them on a beam near the nest in the hope that the parents will see them and still feed. The young are at fluttering stage, a few days to a week before they should be leaving to go out into the world. The barn they are in is very dark, the parents access through a small open upper window. I feel  I stress them out each morning I check on them, but at the same time want to make sure they haven't fallen into/got stuck in all the building materials that are under them. What advice? Leave well alone and in peace or keep going and checking?

 

Hi,

lots of swifts over the garden yesterday, plenty today too. House Martins around the village and many swallows while I was out birding today

 

S

HI we have Swifts! For the past 3-4 years years we have had  a few S

Nicki C said:

Hi there

After receiving a automatic e-mail form the RSPB  about Swifts lives at the moment

Looking at the title made me think of the situation of our Swallows, Swifts, House Martins and Sand Martins

Anyone had any sightings of them in their area/garden

I have not seen any where I stay and miss their sweet little calls

Regards

Kathy and Dave

wifts checking out  our des res; they land much to the annoyance of the resident sparrows.

Hiya,

Saw a group of swifts this morning, low flying over fields alongside the Severn. Had to stop my walk to watch and listen to  them. Magic.

Cheers

coffeeman