Swallows on the wing
Aug 12th, 2008 by Birdy Trish
I think the swallows are getting ready to migrate. They are gathering on the wires near the house.
Yet, there are not as many this year. For the last two years the numbers of swallows seem to have been fewer than in previous years.
It’s hard to count swallows! But the air and sky seem emptier this year.
I hope I’m mistaken.
They have a lot of dangers to face when they migrate. As their instincts take over and they set off on their journey I wish them well.
One of the dangers they face is being eaten by a bat!
The sparrows and the swallows share and perch on the same stretch of wire. They flit on and off the wire and often seem to spend time ‘re-arranging’ their positions on the wire. It’s good to see them.
Sparrows, The sparrows here are certainly not declining. I think I see sparrows every day here. It would be a strange day if I didn’t see a sparrow.
Better get some bird feeding done.
Hey, Trish
I can tell you here, in Aberdeenshire, the Swallow population is growing and each of the nests in my barns have had two broods. They are still feeding young in two of the nests.
As I mentioned the other day, my Swallows have great fun with our cats, dive bombing them with immense devilment. The fields about us have not yet been harvested and the flocks of Swallows are still hard at it, gathering their favoured food till late evening.
We have a colony of bats but have never seen any conflict between them and the Swallows. The Swallows seen to go in as the bats come out.
Nice to be able to keep in touch and comment about common ideas and happenings.
Best regards, Andy.
Hi Andy, Glad your swallow population is growing. I was in a village the other day. It’s a few miles from where I live. There were a lot of swallows there as well. Also heard from someone abroad and they have the same number of swallows this year as other years. So that’s good, but don’t understand why we have less. Trisha