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On the Lookout

wildlife, gardening, environment, Rural living, Pets and Vets
oldapple
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On the Lookout

#130715

Postby oldapple » April 8th, 2018, 12:52 pm

... for the first swallow in my corner of N Ireland. I watch every year and the first arrival has always been between 4th and 9th April. Thought maybe the awful weather, the Beast etc would surely tell a tale. Well, I sat down for two minutes outside our front door in the unexpected sunshine and warmth just about an hour ago. And right in front of me, a swallow flew low over my car, I'll swear to say "Hello, I'm back". I usually hear the first swallow high in the sky before I see it, not this time. It's always a bit of a competition locally and someone will contact the local paper to claim the first sighting, about a week after me! Has anyone else spotted one yet? A very welcome visitor.

PinkDalek
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Re: On the Lookout

#130727

Postby PinkDalek » April 8th, 2018, 1:45 pm

oldapple wrote:... for the first swallow in my corner of N Ireland. I watch every year and the first arrival has always been between 4th and 9th April. Thought maybe the awful weather, the Beast etc would surely tell a tale. Well, I sat down for two minutes outside our front door in the unexpected sunshine and warmth just about an hour ago. And right in front of me, a swallow flew low over my car, I'll swear to say "Hello, I'm back". I usually hear the first swallow high in the sky before I see it, not this time. It's always a bit of a competition locally and someone will contact the local paper to claim the first sighting, about a week after me! Has anyone else spotted one yet? A very welcome visitor.


This one appears to have been spotted on 7 April 2018:

https://twitter.com/SamcassidySam/statu ... 7139894272

oldapple
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Re: On the Lookout

#132010

Postby oldapple » April 13th, 2018, 5:57 pm

Thanks PinkDalek, that's a sighting in our Southern neighbour's country. I don't follow anyone on Twitter but your link looks worth making an exception for - I had thought it was full of twits till now, sorry!

PinkDalek
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Re: On the Lookout

#132023

Postby PinkDalek » April 13th, 2018, 6:43 pm

oldapple wrote:Thanks PinkDalek, that's a sighting in our Southern neighbour's country. I don't follow anyone on Twitter but your link looks worth making an exception for - I had thought it was full of twits till now, sorry!


I realised where they were but guessed the swallows got to their neck of the woods before yours, depending on their migration route back from Africa etc. This https://www.rspb.org.uk/birds-and-wildl ... /migration describes their route out but is silent on their journey back.

It look like this is one of the main Twitter places to watch for birds generally https://twitter.com/BirdWatchIE.

bungeejumper
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Re: On the Lookout

#132765

Postby bungeejumper » April 17th, 2018, 11:08 am

Weird. 17th April, and still no sightings (West Wiltshire). They're supposed to be here by Easter Monday, dammit. :lol: Still, let's see what the next few warm days up from France can deliver.

BJ

oldapple
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Re: On the Lookout

#132793

Postby oldapple » April 17th, 2018, 12:51 pm

The one swallow I saw on the 8th is still on its own yet but from past years' experience the others should arrive any time now, fingers crossed. Here's hoping for your swallows too!

oldapple
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Re: On the Lookout

#133059

Postby oldapple » April 18th, 2018, 2:53 pm

... plus one more today, grand total of two swallows in my part of Northern Ireland. Have no other lemonfools seen any yet? Thanks PinkDalek for your links, I actually got round to downloading Twitter and am 'following' the one you suggested - I see there are plenty of swallows in Southern Ireland.

kiloran
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Re: On the Lookout

#133062

Postby kiloran » April 18th, 2018, 2:59 pm

oldapple wrote:... plus one more today, grand total of two swallows in my part of Northern Ireland. Have no other lemonfools seen any yet? Thanks PinkDalek for your links, I actually got round to downloading Twitter and am 'following' the one you suggested - I see there are plenty of swallows in Southern Ireland.

Completely lacking in swallows near Glasgow, though I've never noted when they usually arrive

--kiloran

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Re: On the Lookout

#133064

Postby swill453 » April 18th, 2018, 3:10 pm

Saw swallows in St Andrews today, first we've seen this year.

Scott.

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Re: On the Lookout

#133066

Postby tjh290633 » April 18th, 2018, 3:24 pm

No swallows as yet, but I saw a brimstone yesterday in Ashdown Forest and an orange tipped white just now here in Mid Sussex. I also emptied my compost bin this morning and found nine slowworms enjoying the heat.

TJH

bungeejumper
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Re: On the Lookout

#133403

Postby bungeejumper » April 20th, 2018, 8:14 am

Yay! Saw our first swallow yesterday evening. And about time too. :D

Come on, my friend, we've got enough flies and suchlike to feed the whole squadron. Get your mates over here, pronto.

BJ

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Re: On the Lookout

#133658

Postby madhatter » April 20th, 2018, 10:10 pm

Saw my first Brimstone of the season on the 26th March and yesterday a white. Today my first seasons sighting of a Holly Blue.

Robins (including young) blue and great tits, blackbirds, wood pigeons and goldfinches.

One sighting of a Wren, a couple of long tailed tit visits and a goldcrest.

Frogs active, though the first lot of spawn disappeared.

oldapple
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Re: On the Lookout

#213307

Postby oldapple » April 7th, 2019, 11:13 am

It's a beautiful morning here in Co Armagh and two swallows have just announced their return, one day earlier than last year. That makes it feel like summer in my book! Has anyone else spotted one? 8-) 8-)

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Re: On the Lookout

#214034

Postby scotia » April 10th, 2019, 3:05 am

The Ospreys are back on the Loch. Summer has arrived, along with a perishing East wind.

bungeejumper
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Re: On the Lookout

#214098

Postby bungeejumper » April 10th, 2019, 10:51 am

scotia wrote:The Ospreys are back on the Loch. Summer has arrived, along with a perishing East wind.

Ospreys? Jealous? Me? The only ospreys we've seen around these parts lately are these: https://imgproc.airliners.net/photos/ai ... .jpg?v=v40 :(

OTOH, the herons and the buzzards seem to be around in huge numbers, and the garden birds seem to be thriving on their spring diet of fresh grubs and worms, and the lesser spotted woodpecker has been back. (A real rarity.) Life is good.

BJ

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Re: On the Lookout

#214109

Postby UncleIan » April 10th, 2019, 11:31 am

We had two Jays in our suburban garden at the weekend. A rare treat. Not sure if it's a sign of spring or summer or anything but nice to see.

scotia
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Re: On the Lookout

#214284

Postby scotia » April 11th, 2019, 2:39 am

bungeejumper wrote:Ospreys? Jealous? Me? BJ

Don't worry, at their present rate of increase, it should not be too long before Ospreys return to much of the UK.
Today (Wednesday) on the Loch an obviously inexperienced Osprey circled many times and had a couple of missed dives before finally catching one of the 2000 brown trout we stocked a fortnight ago. Then it headed off with its prize (presumably to its partner on the nest) to the East - which indicates a new nest site, since all of our other regular Osprey visitors head off West or North after a catch.


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