Anybody seen any house martins yet?

Amoeba · #1 (**permalink**) 05-05-2009, 02:47 PM

I haven't yet, I remember them returning earlier than this in the previous years. Is it normal for them to be a bit late like this? I only really started paying attention about 5 years ago.

Last year the neighbours scared a nesting pair away by putting up a for sale sign right next to the nest (block of flats, near the top, under the gutter). I just hoped the offspring had already flown (they'd already been there a month or two and there was no noise from the nest) Hoping they'll have more success this year, if they even return to that spot.

alisonthompson · #2 (**permalink**) 05-05-2009, 02:55 PM

Yes - just! We'd also been wondering where they had got to this year and were delighted to see our first two of the year on Saturday, quite a while after our swallows had returned.

Ali

LindaB · #3 (**permalink**) 05-05-2009, 03:02 PM

I dont have them around where I live but yesterday I went to Pulborough Brooks RSPB reserve and had the pleasure of seeing at least 3 dozen of them all together.

I also had the enormous pleasure towards late afternoon, of having the whole lot feeding around me - I was standing on a footpath there with no-one else around at the time (hubby had gone round the next corner lol) and the house martins were swooping and soaring all around me, it was quite a magical experience having that many so close swooping and soaring.

So some are already here and I guess some still to arrive.

Ruth Daniel · #4 (**permalink**) 05-05-2009, 03:03 PM

Mine arrived back on April 22nd but haven't started to re-build last years nest as yet!

Amoeba · #5 (**permalink**) 05-05-2009, 03:04 PM

You get swallows?

Lucky! (well, we probably do too I just don't know where to look, or they might be uncommon)

Where abouts are you? It might give a faint idea as to how far they've come so far.

LindaB: That sounded awesome. Good to hear they haven't got lost in a storm or anything.

Ruth Daniel: That sounds odd. There definitely seems to be something up at the moment with the house martins, maybe it's been the lack of warm weather keeping the insects at bay...

alisonthompson · #6 (**permalink**) 05-05-2009, 03:10 PM

We're in Sheffield, on the edge of the Peak District. Yes, we love having the Swallows and the House Martins - a definite sign that summer is on its way!

LindaB · #7 (**permalink**) 05-05-2009, 03:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Amoeba

LindaB: That sounded awesome. Good to hear they haven't got lost in a storm or anything.

Yes, it was a very strange feeling all the chattering going on and so many of them - I have never seen them at such close range, it was wonderful.

I forgot to say, there were a few Swifts there too but not many yet. I do usually have some Swifts around where we live but not a huge amount of them but they havent arrived yet. I do hope the few we normally get will return.

Linda

Dae · #8 (**permalink**) 05-05-2009, 03:34 PM

There's house martins busying about our street in south wales, rebuilding and repairing old nests. We've also got the swallows back too. I haven't seen any swifts or sand martins, but they've been reported in the area - so I'm keeping an eye out. I do hope they get to your area soon!

blacknest · #9 (**permalink**) 05-05-2009, 08:53 PM

No House Martins yet, or Swifts (Don't really expect the latter for a bit) 1st swallow (a single) was April 6th and it was a week or so before any numbers arrived. They're very local: come first to our local church steeple up on top of the hill at Binsted (Hampshire) then a little later over the River Wey water meadows. Then only last 10 days or so have there been any numbers around our garden which is in a cold hollow. They feed but we have no nests near our house that I know of.

QUESTION: If I get up very early ,just as the first light is coming up and the dawn chorus is preparing to start (odd woodpigeon calling, tawney owls still calling etc) I hear little twitterings. They SOUND just like swallows' calling. And to me they SOUND like they're coming from up in the air, rather than from the trees or the undergrowth. My directional hearing is rubbish and it's too dark to see anything much.
Do swallows fly in the dark or before dawn? Or are these just restless roosting birds having a quiet sleep talk and my ears are playing tricks?? Any answers?

Adam Cheeseman · #10 (**permalink**) 06-05-2009, 08:10 AM

Plenty of Swifts, Swallows, and House Martins here at Bedfont Lakes, mostly passing through on migration. Few Sand Martins, but that's no surprise here.

Cheers,

Adam