Swallow numbers seriously down

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Calli

Joined: 13 Mar 2009
Posts: 626
Location: Galway

Posted: Wed Jul 10, 13 9:00 pm Post subject: Swallow numbers seriously down
Usually by this time we have many more swallows than we do this year. Our nests are on their third hatching, recent youngsters are on the wing happily depleting the pond. ( Water level is very low - I suspect the geese are wading ) Is there a global reason for this depletion? It is not shortage of bugs! Gratuitous swallow skimming shots on the pond follow:

jamanda
Downsizer Moderator

Joined: 22 Oct 2006
Posts: 35056
Location: Devon

Posted: Wed Jul 10, 13 9:07 pm Post subject:
There was a huge shortage of bugs when it was cold earlier in the year. And the year before was ruddy awful.

Calli

Joined: 13 Mar 2009
Posts: 626
Location: Galway

Posted: Wed Jul 10, 13 9:21 pm Post subject:
And now a totally random heatwave

Green Rosie

Joined: 13 May 2007
Posts: 10498
Location: Calvados, France

Posted: Wed Jul 10, 13 9:30 pm Post subject:
We had almost no swallows return to us last year - a few more are here this year but none are breeding

sean
Downsizer Moderator

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 42207
Location: North Devon

Posted: Wed Jul 10, 13 9:37 pm Post subject:
Ours at work came back and have raised chicks.

Calli

Joined: 13 Mar 2009
Posts: 626
Location: Galway

Posted: Wed Jul 10, 13 9:50 pm Post subject:
I don't suppose we will host much of a murmuration this year https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iRNqhi2ka9k

cassy

Joined: 04 Feb 2008
Posts: 1047
Location: South West Scotland

Posted: Thu Jul 11, 13 10:25 am Post subject:
We had our first pair raise chicks this year and they've only just fledged this week. No idea if this timing would be usual for the area but they certainly wouldn't be able to fit in another 2 broods before it's time to go again. The wagtails had their 1st brood of the year later than normal, as you might expect after the long winter and they're also insect eaters.

WandaBlue

Joined: 03 Feb 2011
Posts: 40
Location: Sanday, Orkney

Posted: Thu Jul 11, 13 3:10 pm Post subject:
Ours seem to be doing okay this year. They've certainly already fledged at least one lot already and we do seem to have plenty of flies for them to eat too. Our heatwave has reached all of 17.8 deg. C (this is hot for here!).

paul1963

Joined: 15 Nov 2010
Posts: 2161
Location: No longer active on the forum

Posted: Thu Jul 11, 13 3:15 pm Post subject:
Avoiding the obvious (bad taste) jokes, we've noticed reduced numbers too, and also Martins and to a lesser degree Swifts so far this year.

paul1963

Joined: 15 Nov 2010
Posts: 2161
Location: No longer active on the forum

Posted: Thu Jul 11, 13 3:16 pm Post subject:

Calli wrote:

And now a totally random heatwave

Nice pics BTW

Cathryn

Joined: 16 Jul 2005
Posts: 19856
Location: Ceredigion

Posted: Thu Jul 11, 13 5:38 pm Post subject:
I think there were fewer here at first but there are now lots and lots of little swallows and martins practising flying. Sometimes I've had to duck and I also had to stop the car to allow one of them to take off again. There are also new nests all along the front of the house, ready for next year.

Bodger

Joined: 23 May 2006
Posts: 13524

Posted: Fri Jul 26, 13 11:39 am Post subject:
Second brood on the go here. We must be lucky, because there would appear to be just as many as normal around our place.

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