Monday 4 May 2015

Swifts expected!

I have started scanning the skies every time I go out, to see if the swifts have arrived yet. Last year, I saw a large group in the sky on 5th May, wheeling and shrieking and eventually splitting up to fly off in all directions. So... any day now!

A couple of pairs nest in the roof of a house down our street. They are council houses and I noticed yesterday that some have been given new roofs. I hope neither of the nesting sites have been destroyed. I shall cross my fingers until I see those familiar crescent shapes screeching over my head and hurtling acrobatically between the houses. I find that sound they make really exciting. It gives me goose bumps.

I noted last year that they seem to arrive here any time between May 5th and 15th, giving a ten day window. I suppose that it it's grey, wet and windy, they will stay in balmier climes for a bit longer. Roll on the sunshine!

1 comment:

Neil Lambert said...

Hi Lorna,

I'm guessing these birds are called "Swifts" because they fly very swiftly? Haha. I just googled them to see what they look like. I found a link to an article that says a third of British Swifts have been lost since 1995... but here it is, so you can read it:

http://www.bto.org/science/migration/tracking-studies/swifts

Take care,

Neil