A Hundred House Martins!

[teknomage]

Wow - I just went out to take my partner a cup of tea and the sky over the yard was full of house martins and swallows - then I noticed the martins were all gathering on the utility wire that runs across the sheep field beside the house. I waited, then I counted. There were at least 100 house martins on the wire (definitely house martins, not swallows - our local swallows were still swooping around the barns).

Our resident poulation of house martins this year is at most 20 individuals. Before settling on the wire a lot of the house martins were showing interest in an un-used (this year) gable on our house.

I wonder if this influx is the start of the migration back to Africa (seems a bit early, especially as our house martins got here quite late this year.)

Whatever - it was marvellous to see - hopethey hang around with us for a few days.

tekno.mage

[Tringa]

Brilliant! As someone who hadn't seen a house martin for years it is great to hear they are doing well somewhere.

[Words]

We've had great flocks of them down in Sussex as well. Easily up to a hundred at a time. For a few mornings they (and the swallows) were up on the lines, but they seem to have dispersed now. Some are still around sweeping the fields, but the massing was quite stunning.