first swallow of summer!

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CJ
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first swallow of summer!

Post by CJ »

Two swallows seen today over the foothills of the Chilterns (can you have foothills if the hills themselves are not that high?).

no idea why they have come back so early when it is still cold. anyone else seen any?

no cuckoo yet but the BTO cuckoo tracking site shows they are moving back north.
Rizzo
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Re: first swallow of summer!

Post by Rizzo »

Not seen any in Leicestershire, but you can check maps showing recorded sightings here.

http://www.naturescalendar.org.uk/map/

Martin Hughes-Games of Springwatch was tweeting that he'd seen several swallows yesterday, think he lives near Bristol.
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DickyP
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Re: first swallow of summer!

Post by DickyP »

There was me thinking the first swallow of summer was the first time you could enjoy your beer in the pub garden!
For when the One Great Scorer comes to write against your name,
He marks - not that you won or lost - but how you played the Game."
Kinoulton
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Re: first swallow of summer!

Post by Kinoulton »

No swallows here yet.

(As an aside, I spotted a beautiful black and white bird on one of our fences so asked around the tea table if anyone knew what it was. Our groom said: It's a baby penguin.")
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Rizzo
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Re: first swallow of summer!

Post by Rizzo »

Try this Kinny - I've found it helpful before.

Black and white sounds possibly like a ring ouzel, depends how large it was though!
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Kinoulton
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Re: first swallow of summer!

Post by Kinoulton »

I'm going to check my book now!
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Bill W (2)
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Re: first swallow of summer!

Post by Bill W (2) »

I have a chaffinch that every morning at sunrise perches on the peach tree outside my bedroom window and taps with his beak on my window.

Being a polite fellow, I talk to him.

He is now bringing his friends.

Should I;

1. chop down the peach tree;
2. recruit a sparrow hawk;
3. sleep in a different room.

:smt017
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Kinoulton
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Re: first swallow of summer!

Post by Kinoulton »

:smt002

Our donkey has no concept of human time and will begin braying when he sees fit, usually at first light. This sets off Spud the Dog who starts howling in response to him and this triggers off our new mutt, Barry Baxter who will howl without a clue as to why he's howling.

By the time this ring cycle is underway we have every bird in the flippin' county singing its heart out.
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Bill W (2)
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Re: first swallow of summer!

Post by Bill W (2) »

Kinoulton wrote: By the time this ring cycle is underway we have every bird in the flippin' county singing its heart out.
I don't mind the b*ggers singing Kinny - it is bashing their beaks into my window I object to!

I have attempted bribery - and located bird feeders away from the peach tree!
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Kinoulton
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Re: first swallow of summer!

Post by Kinoulton »

I mentioned on a different thread that our local farmer's dad, in his younger days, planted hundreds of trees which have now matured and look great.

But the one and only time I saw a woodpecker at work, it had ignored all these lovely trees and was hammering the living daylights out of a telegraph pole at the end of our drive.

:smt017
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Bill W (2)
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Re: first swallow of summer!

Post by Bill W (2) »

I have both green and lesser spotted woodpeckers in my garden. They attack anything. Electricity poles, telegraph poles, decking - oh and even trees!! But fortunately not my windows!!

:smt002
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Kinoulton
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Re: first swallow of summer!

Post by Kinoulton »

Rizzo wrote:Try this Kinny - I've found it helpful before.

Black and white sounds possibly like a ring ouzel, depends how large it was though!
I've looked at the pictures and read the facts and it seems that Ring Ouzel is almost certainly right.

It seems to have joined the plethora of English wildlife (mice, rats, and multiple birds) that have decided that our stables represent a free buffet. Hay, haylage, horse feed....

Many rats meet a sudden end as we have four quick terriers lead by Spud. But the birds are wise enough to perch on the fences, and Spud doesn't mind them at all. Although for reasons known only to him, he hates seagulls and will "chase" them even when they're 100 foot in the air.
Kicks and scrums and ruck and roll.....Is all my brain and body need!
Rizzo
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Re: first swallow of summer!

Post by Rizzo »

Envious - never seen one, although I've been to many places where they are sighted, they're usually quite nervous birds.
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BJ.
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Re: first swallow of summer!

Post by BJ. »

Kinoulton wrote:Although for reasons known only to him, he hates seagulls and will "chase" them even when they're 100 foot in the air.
I used to have a mad black lab who would chase seagulls. When on the beach, she would chase them out to sea until she was swimming. Even then, she still went another 20-30 yards before finally conceding defeat.

Getting back on topic, I saw my first pair of swallows yesterday afternoon whilst out for a walk.
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Kinoulton
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Re: first swallow of summer!

Post by Kinoulton »

No swallows here yet, but the migration does move south to north, so I suppose they'll get here soon. I look forward to it.

Though they will have to contest for space with a large bunch of sparrows than have moved in. The robins have misteriously disappeared.
Kicks and scrums and ruck and roll.....Is all my brain and body need!
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