Any swifts yet?

Madelinew · #1 (**permalink**) 02-05-2009, 06:28 AM

I've seen swallows and housemartins but have yet to spot any swifts returning. Anyone else got them back yet?

RoyW · #2 (**permalink**) 02-05-2009, 07:36 AM

There have been quite a few Swifts going through my area over the past week (I've seen a few this morning). While the weather is good most tend to be going over very high up so they are easy to miss. When we had rain earlier in the week it brought about 200 lower down over a local reservoir though (in groups of up to 30).

Roy.

The Woodman · #3 (**permalink**) 02-05-2009, 07:44 AM

Saw my first Swifts in the village last night at dusk flying between and around the buildings rather than the usual aerobatics. It did cross my mind that they were new arrivals and perhaps looking for roost sites.

Do they return to the same area or nest site every year?

One of amazing things about them is when they return to their night roost in the side of a stone built building. There's no messing about, just fly straight in to the hole or gap at what appears to be quite a high speed.