Allotment Gardening Advice Help Chat

Chatting => Chatting on the Plot => Topic started by: AlaninCarlisle on April 25, 2018, 14:20

Title: Swallows late this year
Post by: AlaninCarlisle on April 25, 2018, 14:20

The UK forecast issued in Africa must have been bad. Haven't seen any yet this year

Title: Re: Swallows late this year
Post by: robinahood on April 25, 2018, 17:53

I was visiting my sister near Milton Keynes 2 weekends ago and saw 2, but that has been it so far.

Title: Re: Swallows late this year
Post by: sunshineband on April 25, 2018, 18:02

No sign of our swifts yet either, which is very unusual

Title: Re: Swallows late this year
Post by: robinahood on April 25, 2018, 18:40

Our shifts don't usually turn up until May, they are a true sign of summer coming for me.

Title: Re: Swallows late this year
Post by: oldgrunge on April 25, 2018, 20:17

Swallows round us for about a week.

Title: Re: Swallows late this year
Post by: LILLILEAF on April 26, 2018, 05:36

No swifts here not even a single one.

Title: Re: Swallows late this year
Post by: Toosje on April 26, 2018, 07:39

My parents used to grow asparagus. Every year there would be a couple breeding up against one of the beams of the barrack? where we would cool and sort. They came about the same time as the asparagus, round about 6 weeks before the 24 of june or when the birches where growing leaves :)

I haven't seen many yet, but think, if we wouldn't use plastic to stimulate the growth as is done nowadays, we wouldn't have asparagus yet either. It is still early in season and the nights are very cold.

They might still come :)

Title: Re: Swallows late this year
Post by: Veg Plot 1B on April 26, 2018, 08:39

Is there an easy way to tell difference between Swift & Swallows?

Title: Re: Swallows late this year
Post by: madcat on April 26, 2018, 09:37

Quote from: Veg Plot 1B on April 26, 2018, 08:39

Is there an easy way to tell difference between Swift & Swallows?

The tails.  Swallows are long divided tails, swifts are still divided but much shorter and blunter.  If it isnt divided at all, it is a martin.

Title: Re: Swallows late this year
Post by: Glosterboy on April 26, 2018, 16:27

Quote from: madcat on April 26, 2018, 09:37

Quote from: Veg Plot 1B on April 26, 2018, 08:39

Is there an easy way to tell difference between Swift & Swallows?

The tails.  Swallows are long divided tails, swifts are still divided but much shorter and blunter.  If it isnt divided at all, it is a martin.

I think you will find tails of both the House and Sand Martins are forked to some degree! In fact the House Martin's tail is very similar of both shape and length with the Common Swift. The tail of a Barn Swallow is certainly a much longer divided tail than both the Martin species and of the Common Swift.   

Title: Re: Swallows late this year
Post by: robinahood on April 26, 2018, 17:30

Swifts wings are swept back like a scimitar.

Title: Re: Swallows late this year
Post by: DanielCoffey on April 26, 2018, 19:04

Martins are up in Scotland in small numbers - just singles on the south-west coast at the moment.

 The last of our over-wintering Redwings have just about gone now, replaced by the Starlings.

Title: Re: Swallows late this year
Post by: arh on April 27, 2018, 10:40

No swifts here at Clacton yet, which is unusual, let's hope they made the trip across France, :ohmy:

Title: Re: Swallows late this year
Post by: AlaninCarlisle on May 03, 2018, 09:44

Well, at long last the swallows have returned to our stables. Today 3rd May, 2 weeks later than in previous years. Great to see them