jammygunner
Active Member
Heard cuckoo Thursday and yesterday in two separate locations. Bit early for Swifts yet.
Swallow, Swift and Martin watch!
- Thread starter Lampwick
- Start date
kenbro
Well-Known Member
Weve walked our dogs in our local park almost daily for last 35+ years. On the 29th April I saw a lone bird fly over the local park lake.
Not enough of a view to identify but it was either a Swallow or Sand Martin.
We used to have dozens of Sand Martins nesting each year in the banking of the river that runs alongside the lake.
Then, a few years ago the farmer must have thought the river was eating into his land and so moved some of the river (Only 15cm deep in the centre just here) bed so the flow went to the centre and didn’t erode his banking the same.
While he was doing this work using (I think) a JCB 7? He destroyed all the banking where the empty nests were.
Very few Martins return each year now.
Which reminds me of another dickhead job.
The lake has an island, perhaps 90 metres long x 30 metres wide. Lots of different trees including pine trees and conifers.
Swans nest on there every year and their Signets are always on the water the first week in May without fail.
Also, each February Herons would arrive and build or renovate nests in the trees. I think we counted 14 Heron nests one year. When the young are hungry they sounded like machine guns going off with their racket.
Mallard, Muscovy (Spell?) ducks and Canada geese nest on there too.
Then, perhaps 4 years ago someone on the Town Council must have decided the island looked untidy with all the dead wood and weeds etc under the trees.
So, in their wisdom they sailed across to the island and cut most of the trees down and also cleared the ground of every bit of loose dead wood etc.
Guess what, I haven’t seen a single Heron nest this year.
Birders used to travel many miles each spring and early most fine weather mornings would see a battery of photographers setting their gear up to picture/video the Herons and Martins.
No more…
Ken.
Ps. The mink come off the river and swim to the island for bird eggs and young.
I used to set traps for the mink on the river and they were easy to trap. Until, one February night 11 years ago when I was 72 and I went to the river at 9pm (To many public about to go sooner) to set a trap, which I did, however, on my way back up the banking I slipped and fell backwards into the river. River was running pretty fast hers as we’d had rain. I submerged then bobbed to the top and off I went on my back down the river in pitch black.
What helped tremendously was my Rivers West Widfowling jacket with rubber cuffs that stopped water going up the sleeves and the jacket was like a balloon. Floated around 100 metres down river before I managed to get to the side and able to get out. Shins somehow must have gone over rocks as they were the only damage.
Specs stayed on and when out I phoned wifey and asked her to run the bath. She said: You flippin fell in, didn’t you?
That was the end of my mink trapping.
Not enough of a view to identify but it was either a Swallow or Sand Martin.
We used to have dozens of Sand Martins nesting each year in the banking of the river that runs alongside the lake.
Then, a few years ago the farmer must have thought the river was eating into his land and so moved some of the river (Only 15cm deep in the centre just here) bed so the flow went to the centre and didn’t erode his banking the same.
While he was doing this work using (I think) a JCB 7? He destroyed all the banking where the empty nests were.
Very few Martins return each year now.
Which reminds me of another dickhead job.
The lake has an island, perhaps 90 metres long x 30 metres wide. Lots of different trees including pine trees and conifers.
Swans nest on there every year and their Signets are always on the water the first week in May without fail.
Also, each February Herons would arrive and build or renovate nests in the trees. I think we counted 14 Heron nests one year. When the young are hungry they sounded like machine guns going off with their racket.
Mallard, Muscovy (Spell?) ducks and Canada geese nest on there too.
Then, perhaps 4 years ago someone on the Town Council must have decided the island looked untidy with all the dead wood and weeds etc under the trees.
So, in their wisdom they sailed across to the island and cut most of the trees down and also cleared the ground of every bit of loose dead wood etc.
Guess what, I haven’t seen a single Heron nest this year.
Birders used to travel many miles each spring and early most fine weather mornings would see a battery of photographers setting their gear up to picture/video the Herons and Martins.
No more…
Ken.
Ps. The mink come off the river and swim to the island for bird eggs and young.
I used to set traps for the mink on the river and they were easy to trap. Until, one February night 11 years ago when I was 72 and I went to the river at 9pm (To many public about to go sooner) to set a trap, which I did, however, on my way back up the banking I slipped and fell backwards into the river. River was running pretty fast hers as we’d had rain. I submerged then bobbed to the top and off I went on my back down the river in pitch black.
What helped tremendously was my Rivers West Widfowling jacket with rubber cuffs that stopped water going up the sleeves and the jacket was like a balloon. Floated around 100 metres down river before I managed to get to the side and able to get out. Shins somehow must have gone over rocks as they were the only damage.
Specs stayed on and when out I phoned wifey and asked her to run the bath. She said: You flippin fell in, didn’t you?
That was the end of my mink trapping.
HonestJohn
Well-Known Member
More swallows arriving here in the Borders than the last two years
Finnwolf VL63
Well-Known Member
Swifts have just arrived in Cumbria this afternoon.
Fleeting glimpse of a swallow whilst out foxing last evening. First one for me this year.
Too brief a glimpse to I.D. properly but I think it was a Swallow and not a swift or martin.
Too brief a glimpse to I.D. properly but I think it was a Swallow and not a swift or martin.
Your v lucky. My relations have a farm on the River Vvrnwy just downstream from the aqueduct. In the 80s masses of Sand Martins nesting on the steep river banks now reduced to a solitary small colony.
Summer floods wiped out alot and Sand Martins are in serious decline.
D
Summer floods wiped out alot and Sand Martins are in serious decline.
D
We have a pair of Barn Swallows currently making residence in our shed. I have a trail cam set up which is providing daily pics and videos of their activities.
Same with us. Over the last 9 years we have had a good few nest in the barns or sheds...always happy to see them return.
Fosbery Holster
Well-Known Member
First sighting of a Swift in the village earlier this morning then saw it checking out a possible nest sight, absolutely beautiful sight !
This time last year there were three in the village, let’s hope more arrive, Swifts are a more secretive nester than the Swallow.
This time last year there were three in the village, let’s hope more arrive, Swifts are a more secretive nester than the Swallow.
Fosbery Holster
Well-Known Member
A while ago I started cutting the lawn (mad dogs and Englishmen etc etc) stopped the mower to do a little weeding looked up Two Swifts together……made my day……let’s hope more arrive.
Brad93
Well-Known Member
This is our first year, in 30 years of living here, that we've not had swallows in our stables. I can remember when I was a boy we'd have two or three nests, the last 5 years or so it was only one pair returning.
This year none.
What can be done? I think it's the lack of insects and the changing climate. Maybe the two are linked.
This year none.
What can be done? I think it's the lack of insects and the changing climate. Maybe the two are linked.
Interesting. Same for me. Although the swallows are about. Watched 6 skimming the pond yesterday
Brad93
Well-Known Member
Our pond dried up about 5 weeks ago. I'd like to go about restoring it and maybe clay lining it to retain water better but not sure where to start. Hiring an excavator isn't cheap.
Nope. Mine cost me about £7k 17 years ago. About 25 by 35m. Mix of depths and irregular outline. But had a lot of joy from it. And shot a few ducks flighting it. I initially used clay lining. The bentonite in sacking material. Useless. Just get the synthetic stuff then 300cm of earth over it. Subsoil. Not top soil. Too much nitrogen. Water plants to oxygenate. NOT Elodea Crispa. Another mistake. Taken me years to get rid of it
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