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27-07-2008, 09:01 PM
|  | Wild Member | | Join Date: Jun 2008
Posts: 117
| | | Swifts gone already???
I was sitting out in the garden earlier this evening and suddenly realised that I hadn't heard or seen my local swifts (they had a nest under the roof 2 houses down) for a couple of days... Would they have gone back to Africa already or could they just have gone off elsewhere?? |
27-07-2008, 09:08 PM
|  | Knight Commander of the Wild Empire | | Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Little village called Chedworth
Posts: 5,180
| | | Re: Swifts gone already???
Heard plenty yesterday so they're still around Oxford... |
27-07-2008, 09:15 PM
| | Knight Commander of the Wild Empire | | Join Date: Jul 2006
Posts: 5,451
| | | Re: Swifts gone already???
I'm still seeing some daily, but get a feeling the numbers have fallen over the last week. One day last week saw c20 screaming loudly chasing each other as if nervous excitement over the journey ahead. Let's hope they had a reasonable breeding season! |
27-07-2008, 09:17 PM
| | Officer of the Wild Empire | | Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: NWLondon
Posts: 963
| | | Re: Swifts gone already???
Still hearing plenty here in North London  |
27-07-2008, 09:20 PM
|  | Commander of the Wild Empire | | Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: New Milton, Hampshire
Posts: 3,630
| | | Re: Swifts gone already???
Still around here too. |
27-07-2008, 09:39 PM
| | Wild Member | | Join Date: Jun 2008
Posts: 117
| | | Re: Swifts gone already???
Hmmm.. I'm in Bristol - even if they've been away during the day they normally feed over my garden early evening as I have a nice insect rich garden ... been looking out for them most of the evening now and still no sign.
Do they go off and flock (like swallows do)before migrating and am I right in thinking they are the first to leave as well as the last to arrive? They were definatley having good old chasing session round here last week - maybe as aeshna5 says they were anticipating the journey..
BTW they definatley raised at least one brood here - I think there were two pairs and one night last week I think I counted 14 (best estimate - they're difficult to count!!!) flying around my street... |
27-07-2008, 10:00 PM
|  | Commander of the Wild Empire | | Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: My head's in a lush, isolated valley, but I can't seem to escape Reading!
Posts: 1,863
| | | Re: Swifts gone already???
Have seen plenty here too, flying very low and screaming loads particularly tonight
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Claire x
All I can do is be me, whoever that is - Bob Dylan |
27-07-2008, 10:17 PM
|  | Commander of the Wild Empire | | Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Leicestershire
Posts: 3,679
| | | Re: Swifts gone already???
Still plenty around in Leicestershire and Rutland.
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Steve.. |
27-07-2008, 11:36 PM
|  | Commander of the Wild Empire | | Join Date: Jul 2007
Posts: 2,904
| | | Re: Swifts gone already???
Quote:
Originally Posted by zail  ...Would they have gone back to Africa already or could they just have gone off elsewhere?? | Maybe they were only in that immediate vicinity for breeding and what you're seeing now is how they normally move through your area, having been more active with feeding trips??
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'It is not only fine feathers that make fine birds'
- Aesop |
28-07-2008, 09:14 AM
|  | Commander of the Wild Empire | | Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Laindon, Basildon, Essex.
Posts: 2,735
| | | Re: Swifts gone already???
I saw plenty yesterday during my trip around Suffolk and Norfolk.
Having said that, zail's message made me realise I had not seen any locally for a few days.
Swifts do migrate earlier than Swallows, House Martins and Sand Martins so enjoy one of the summer sights and sounds whilst you can.
Richard |
28-07-2008, 11:22 AM
|  | Officer of the Wild Empire | | Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Harpenden, Herts
Posts: 767
| | | Re: Swifts gone already???
Yes, still quite a few around near me too, sometimes very high up in the hot weather. |
28-07-2008, 07:05 PM
|  | Commander of the Wild Empire | | Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: West Molesey, Surrey
Posts: 1,729
| | | Re: Swifts gone already???
Swifts do start moving off in July. I had a flock of 18 on my birdcount today.
Cheers,
Adam |
28-07-2008, 07:23 PM
|  | Officer of the Wild Empire | | Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Close to the New Forest
Posts: 519
| | | Re: Swifts gone already???
I saw loads of them yesterday - the largest gathering I've ever seen in the area, but then there seemed to be plenty of insect activity as well. As I live close to the south coast (Southampton Water/Solent), perhaps they were gathering for a big feed before moving off?
I haven't seen many today though 
Thea |
28-07-2008, 07:26 PM
|  | Wild Member | | Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Saddleworth, West Yorkshire
Posts: 246
| | | Re: Swifts gone already???
Saw about 10 flying overhead today. |
29-07-2008, 12:25 PM
| | Commander of the Wild Empire | | Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Lancashire
Posts: 1,666
| | | Re: Swifts gone already???
My local ones are still here in SE Lancs. Last night I watched them 'baitballing', when dense clusters mass together, screaming high up. There must've been nigh on 35 of them at it.
Regards, Chris |
31-07-2008, 08:52 PM
|  | Active Member | | Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: glasgow
Posts: 54
| | | Re: Swifts gone already???
im in glasgow.i saw roughly 30 swifts at the end of last week.last night there were only about 10 and they were flying a lot higher. |
31-07-2008, 09:18 PM
|  | Commander of the Wild Empire | | Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Yorkshire Dales
Posts: 1,246
| | | Re: Swifts gone already???
None in my part of the Dales today
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Rob |
01-08-2008, 12:00 AM
| | Wild Member | | Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Fife
Posts: 113
| | | Re: Swifts gone already???
was at my friends tonight, went out for a puff on my pipe at 10pm & heard quite a few swifts screeching, we are in cardenden fife Scotland... |
01-08-2008, 07:36 AM
|  | Knight Commander of the Wild Empire | | Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Coventry
Posts: 6,210
| | | Re: Swifts gone already???
I usually see at least six colonies on my way to work. That's down to one now. I still get the odd few over the garden but basically a lot will have started their journey back.
Two or three weeks ago there were thousands being reported over Norfolk so the movement may have started much earlier in places.
John |
11-08-2008, 08:08 PM
|  | Wild Member | | Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Market Weighton, East Yorkshire
Posts: 232
| | | Re: Swifts gone already???
Local swifts still very much in evidence here, which is quite normal. Mild, moist weather is ensuring a plentiful food supply but if past records are anything to go by, they will disappear this week. However; again based on past records, birds will be passing through until early September.
Pete |
11-08-2008, 08:14 PM
| | Commander of the Wild Empire | | Join Date: Jul 2007
Posts: 2,904
| | | Re: Swifts gone already???
The last I saw was a singular last week, circling for a few minutes.
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'It is not only fine feathers that make fine birds'
- Aesop |
11-08-2008, 08:14 PM
| | Commander of the Wild Empire | | Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: deepest countryside suffolk
Posts: 1,609
| | | Re: Swifts gone already???
Yes still a round here too. shei
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The great outdoors makes my life complete. |
11-08-2008, 08:17 PM
| | Knight Commander of the Wild Empire | | Join Date: Jul 2006
Posts: 5,451
| | | Re: Swifts gone already???
I saw c12 moving with purpose at Chessington yesterday. |
12-08-2008, 03:34 PM
|  | Member of the Wild Empire | | Join Date: Jun 2007
Posts: 383
| | | Re: Swifts gone already???
I was watching some yesterday here in Northamptonshire. |
12-08-2008, 09:33 PM
| | Knight Commander of the Wild Empire | | Join Date: Jul 2006
Posts: 5,451
| | | Re: Swifts gone already???
6 this evening over London Wetand Centre before skies opened up! | | | |
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