Migrating birds

[Robinia]

Are they here yet?  Have you spotted any swallows, swifts or martins in your area?  I'm in Derbys & the first ones usually arrive the first week in May - if they're not here for my birthday on the 6th I'm very disappointed!

[smudge]

Not as yet Robinia, but I'll let you know as soon as I spot any in our garden. We have little twitterings coming from inside the tit box already though & what a lovely sound it is too!

[Robinia]

Thanks smudge - we'll see who they visit first.  Bet Cetti will be the lucky one!

Congratulations you are the first to answer my 50th Question - got a long way to go to catch you up!!  May I present you with this er thingummy from the back of the kitchen drawer - haven't got a clue what it does!

[Cetti]

 Yes Robby, I saw my first pair of Swallows on April 3rd which is fairly early but not unusual down south. I'll send some up to Derby  in time for your birthday :-)

Saturday was a real treat as there were approx 100+ Housemartins and Swallows all swooping over a huge stretch of water making the most of the bonanza of midges.

Waiting for my favourites to arrive now...the screaming Swifts....such an evocative sound, don't you think?

[FP]

Mine haven't returned yet.  Unfortunately, we had to demolish their nests from last year.  The wrens moved in as squatters over winter and left a lot of rubbish!

They usually come back on the May Day Bank Holiday weekend, just after my birthday.  Another Taurean Robinia!

All the birds are so busy at the moment and very vocal.  I was watching goldfinches on the peanuts yesterday.  What amazing little birds they are.

Why are woodpigeons so thick.  They are constantly falling of the branches of the trees in my garden whilst they are trying to build their nests.  I can't help liking them though!!

[Robinia]

Hi all - nice cosy little nest of Boa's here!

Cetti how lovely! It's made my day to know that they're on their way.  I'll expect them to arrive wearing bows & carrying birthday banners! 

Yes that lovely screaming -  we get mostly swifts & house martins in my surrounding streets & from the end of April onwards I have a crick in my neck until I've spotted one.

FP I might have known you were a Taurean - wonder what our AB husband is?

Collared doves are pretty daft too.  They seem to just throw a beakful of twigs onto a branch & then jump on quick before they fall to the ground.  The eggs often drop through & the poor babies must too scared to move!

[FP]

Must keep this thread running as note any new birds as they arrive!

Yes, collared doves are daft too, but my daftest garden birds by far are the pheasants!  They see a car coming and run out to meet it!

[ShellyHall]

I live in Cumbria.  Haven't seen any swallows yet, but my Mum has seen some martins.  My Granda always said that the swallows were here before my birthday - it's on the 25th - so the little blighters had better get a move on.

[Cetti]

I would love to live where FP does just to have Swallows nesting, but I had to travel some distance to see them, but it was worth it!

 really believe that our garden is a magnet for the idiots of the birdworld. As soon as Mrs Blackie leaves her nest she is followed by her entourage of three Sparrows.She is so patient with them although last week my husband saw her headbutt one of them when they took too many of her Rich Tea bikkies. 

About the beginning of March a last years Blackbird was practicing his song from the confines of our Privet hedge - too embarrassed by the feeble sound to come out into the open. The Wood Pigeon can sit motionless in the birdbath for ten minutes with a vacant expression, while the resident Dunnock hasn't read he's supposed to be shy and retiring so perches on top of the bird table shouting his head off...alerting all the Sparrowhawks for miles around. One day.....

[FP]

Cetti, your description of the wood pigeon made me laugh, 'coz this is exactly what they do.  I have a water bowl out in the back garden for my dogs - last summer one pigeon spent most of his day sitting in there  looking vacant!

Shelly, my birthday is the 26th so perhaps our swallows will travel over together.

Unfortunately we have a broken pane of glass in the garage window which I keep nagging Mr FP to mend before the swallows come back.  Otherwise they will take up residence in there as well!

[FP]

Robinia are you near Derby?  My son lives in Derby.  When we go to see him we go to Darley Abbey and go into a large park there with the river running through.  We eat in the 'Abbey' pub.  Really like it there.

[Robinia]

Welcome to the fold Shelly - (we're the Birdwomen Of Answerbank!) & happy birthday for next week, hope the swallows arrive for you!

There's a lovely old but sprightly lady a couple of streets away from me who looks after sick & injured birds as well as keeping ducks (so comical).  Some years ago she wrote two books about some of her patients who all have names & live the life of Riley until those that can be are released. If you think you've seen idiot birds you should read some of these tales! Owls it seems, aren't necessarily wise birds!  I'm sure you'd enjoy them & both are available on Amazon although one, being scarce, is rather expensive......

Joan Grant - The Owl On The Teapot & The Cuckoo On The Kettle.

 FP I live about 3 miles S.E of the city & yes Darley Park is very popular - bit too popular sometimes I think!

[FP]

Robinia - I've only ever been to Darley Park in the Winter or early Spring so perhaps I will avoid it in the summer if it gets crowded.

[FP]

I'm going to look up those ducks, Robinia.  Did you see a very early posting of mine on AB about the ducks where I live (when I was posting under that other name!)

It was about the ducks that queue up at the baker's shops!

[graemer]

Didn't think I'd see this little hint about your birthday eh, Robinia. I'm a cancer couldn't you tell?

 

(Hmmm must remember may 6th, but what to get as present. Maybe a titbox like smudge has. Sounds handy)

[FP]

Graemer, now I am really jealous?  What about my present - I've given out my birthday too.  And I've already got two tit boxes! 

[Robinia]

Graemer - a cancerian, perfect!! Sensitive, home loving & amazing in the kitchen (!!!) & love giving luxury gifts (what do you mean I made that up?) but you can forget any of that moody crabby stuff or you'll be for the chop!!  

Trust you to have two tit boxes FP! 

[spudqueen]

Robinia I'm in Lancashire and saw my first swallow yesterday, so keep your eyes peeled. BTW it's my birthday on the 3rd, Happy Birthday to us all!

[Robinia]

Lancashire spudqueen!  Hope they haven't passed me by!  Happy Birthdays - look out we taureans are taking over!

[FP]

Hi Girls, my swallows are back today!!  I am so excited - and two days before my birthday!  They are a week early this year does this indicate a hot summer!!!

[Robinia]

That's fantastic FP - you've made my day!! I will keep a keen eye out for mine, they might be headed this way. I was feeling a bit irritable (probably the full moon!) but it's cheered me up to remember summer's on it's way.  Not sure whether we're going to have a good one though!

Happy Birthday for Tuesday, in case you're too busy raving it up to be on here!!