Wednesday 17 July 2013

Swifts off soon?

Today, I counted a shrieking crew of twelve swifts, massing together then scimitaring through the sky, arcing between houses, flicking sideways through trees, then soaring back up into the blue.

I have noticed that the ants always pick a hot, thundery day, usually at the end of July or start of August, to swarm. I have just been out and they are swarming now, two weeks early. The swifts usually leave soon after gorging their fill on ants carried upwards on thermals, so I think we shall soon have to bid these glorious acrobats of the sky farewell till next May. The skies will seem quiet and empty without them.

5 comments:

Jackie Sayle said...

I've seen quite a few swifts about, too. I hope the ants don't swarm into the house this year. It doesn't happen every year, but it's a pain when it does.

hydra said...

It just happened to a friend of mine. She walked into her dining room and it was a seething mass of ants. She almost passed out. She has recently lost her husband - they'd been together for more than 50 years - and having to wipe out the invading army on her own was very hard. But she did it and I'm so proud of her!

hydra said...
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Jackie Sayle said...

It must be so hard for your friend, especially when they'd been together for so long. xx

Noticed lots of black bits on my porch windowsill and down the wall to where the ants have made a hole to enter. It was bits of ants and web. Looks like the resident spider has been helping me out!

hydra said...

We have a resident spider that has made a home between the windowsill and where it joins the window frame. The other day, I watched it grab and subdue a wasp, then make a huge effort to first pull, then push it down the crack to its nest. Next day, an empty wasp carcase was on the windowsill. Amazing!