Re: Bird Watching
 

How opportune.

Twitchers, there's been something puzzling me for weeks.

Do swallows feed on the wing?

For the past 3-4 weeks, at sunset, and just after, I can see swallows flying around, and around. Though only over a particular area.

They are quite high, about 100 feet, and are only flying over the still water in a lodge, not over the surrouinding trees, presumably because that's where there'll be more insects.

Is this something they do normally in summer, as I haven't noticed it in previous years?

Thanks.

Re: Bird Watching
 

Oh, and I should have mentioned, there's about 30-50 of them most evenings.

Re: Bird Watching
 

I was tempted to mention Bats in the Belfry but I'm not that cruel:D:D:D

Re: Bird Watching
 

They do feed on the wing G, in fact they very rarely land because they have very short legs and are unable to push themselves to take off, especially on the ground, they usual rest somewhere high so it takes minimum effort to become airborne again
http://www.garden-birds.co.uk/birds/swallow.htm
Just found this

Re: Bird Watching
 

I've got a couple of feeders in our yard. Visitors include goldfinch, greenfinch, chaffinch, bullfinch, great tit, blue tit, house sparrow, robin, blackbird and the occasional grey squirrel.

Re: Bird Watching
 

don't mind a great tit.:D

Re: Bird Watching
 

I wondered who'd be first to comment on that. I'd have put money on it being Neil or accyman, now you know why I don't bet.

Re: Bird Watching
 

Aye Rindy they do, as I said where we live they're nesting in the eaves & some evenings you can be standing out on the balcony & you'll get a flight of 5-6 come whizzing past your head by about 2ft, really impressive.

As to the heights, when its fine, hot & clear all the biddies are up in the air so the Swifts chase them high up, but when the barometer falls & the pressure increases you can see swarms of biddies alongside the house/Chimney & just off the railings so the birds come in really close to snatch them up.

Every year we get one or two of the younger birds in the house as they haven't quite mastered the skills of skimming along the walls without flying into the recesses where the windows are & ending up in one of the rooms, in actual fact 2 weeks back we had a young un' come in through the front & end up in the kitchen, don't know who was more surprised the dog or the bird.

Re: Bird Watching
 

Never underestimate the Cashman yerself:D

Re: Bird Watching
 

You are spot on, especially after a couple of glasses of my homebrewed wine!!!!