House Martins

Sorry, I am in Cumbria.

Hi Firecrest welcome back.
You need Robbo for this one, he gets them on his house so will be able to tell you if they have arrived back in any numbers, I'm just outside of Sheffield and up to now I've seen very few House Martins or Swallows..and no Swifts yet.

My Flickr photos

Not much help to you perhaps, Firecrest, but here in Switzerland we have House Martins, Crag Martins, Barn Swallows, and Alpine Swifts pretty much on the same day this year as last year (same, incidentally, for Cuckoos, Black Kites, and Wrynecks).
All the best -
Dave

Hopefully, the low numbers are purely because you're some way north and it's still only April. Having said that, numbers here are low. Had 6 fledged nests last year, and the max number of house martins I've seen here at any one time so far this year is 4.

Our nests don't really get going until May (one often starts a couple of weeks before the others).

Ours that have made it so far arrived during the hot spell about 10 days ago.

Do you have house sparrows there by any chance?

Thank you all. I am still hoping as I have only seen the pair which nest on our highest eaves. Our house has the upstairs windows in the roof, so the eaves where we have 5 other nests are very low. When the HM are feeding young they fly in and out just above my head, it is wonderful. Thats how we know immediately they are back. They swoop in and out of the nests then seem to disappear for a week or so, I guess to feed up. We still see them around and about over the fields which surround us. We had so many last year, 2 or 3 successful broods in each of 5 nests!

Yes Robbo, we do have house and tree sparrows. For the last two or three years, a pair have ignored the sparrow box I put up, just a few feet away from the HM nests, and bred in one of the HM nest. Luckily, the house martins waited until the nest was empty then bred successfully anyway. Meanwhile, a pair of great tits used the sparrow box. The sparrows seem to be using the box this year.
I have only seen our 2 HM's and a couple of swallows and no swifts. It is very worrying but I have not completely given up hope.
Thank you again for all your advice and comments. I will let you know if others arrive.

Swallows and House Martins have just arrived in my village today - Durham.Northumberland border.

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Cheers,

Bob

My Flickr: https://www.flickr.com/photos/bobs_retired_now/

Still no more sightings. Walked down to the local pub yesterday where they have loads of nests. We are used to the birds swooping everywhere and chattering to each other, it gets quite noisy. Did not see one bird. Is it too late to hope now as 2nd May?

First Common Swifts close by here (in Switzerland) on 1 May; first over our garden (around 400m lower, altitude-wise) today (2 May).

Will encourage some House Martins to head north-north-east.

Best regards -
Dave

Thanks Dave, I would be most grateful :-D

Anything to oblige, Firecrest.