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swallows

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  • 12-04-2007 6:09pm
    #1
    wex96
    Registered Users Posts: 383 ✭✭


    just seen my first swallows of the year. is it very early to be seeing swallows?:)


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    #2
    ytpe2r5bxkn0c1
    Closed Accounts Posts: 32,688 ✭✭✭✭ytpe2r5bxkn0c1


    wex96 wrote:
    just seen my first swallows of the year. is it very early to be seeing swallows?:)
    I thought they were actually late this year. I keep records for Birdwatch Ireland and the BTO and usually I have Swallows here from the 1st to 5th April. None yet this year. I'm in the North East; where are you?


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    #3
    amerden
    Registered Users Posts: 164 ✭✭amerden


    I was also expecting to see them around 1st April, if the trend for the last few years were anything to go by, (Co. Cork), 2006 - 6th April, 2005 - 16th April, 2004 - 24th April. Still waiting this year, but if they have arrived in Wexford wouldn't be long before there here.


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    #4
    artieanna
    Users Awaiting Email Confirmation Posts: 1,139 ✭✭✭artieanna


    none have shown up here in the west yet, but I'm keeping an eye out for them....


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    #5
    Mothman
    Closed Accounts Posts: 6,498 ✭✭✭Mothman


    Here on east coast, I often see them in March, passing through. This year I had to wait till the 10th April before seeing them. There was a persistant northerly holding migrants off until till week.


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    #6
    ytpe2r5bxkn0c1
    Closed Accounts Posts: 32,688 ✭✭✭✭ytpe2r5bxkn0c1


    Only had our first Swallow last night (17th April) which is the latest here in 9 years (North East).


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    #7
    artieanna
    Users Awaiting Email Confirmation Posts: 1,139 ✭✭✭artieanna


    Well, finally they've arrived west of the shannon....

    On Friday 20/4/07 I saw the first two, on Saturday I saw two more and I saw lots today....

    Flying high despite the change in the weather...

    Flying high = good weather - Flying low= bad weather


    so they say anyway........


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    #8
    King.Penguin
    Closed Accounts Posts: 493 ✭✭King.Penguin


    Good person yourself. Keep us posted :)


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    #9
    Muineach
    Closed Accounts Posts: 575 ✭✭✭Muineach


    Well in meath we(I mean me) had our first swallows back on the 26th of April, a pair are now setting up a nest in our shed, that god they did as the amount of midge's was getting very bad, now all I see is two well fed swallows :D


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    #10
    Roen
    Closed Accounts Posts: 4,620 ✭✭✭Roen


    Saw a few in my sisters place on Wed night last. That was the 25th. I'm sure they were here earlier though, they almost always are. Sunny South East and all that.


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    #11
    boysie39
    Closed Accounts Posts: 55 ✭✭boysie39


    swallows made first app. in my area of Carlow on 12/04/07 back to thir nest under the eve . Lots of them following days boysie39.


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    #12
    Muineach
    Closed Accounts Posts: 575 ✭✭✭Muineach


    They've started to build a few nests round us now.



    489693048_f636941a57.jpg




    489721459_2d7fdd5272.jpg


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    #13
    mr.wiggle
    Registered Users Posts: 842 ✭✭✭mr.wiggle


    Hi, working in a factory in Mallow and for the past few years have had a couple of swallows coming back year after year building their nest in our receiving and shipping bays. The company tried a lot of deterrants, sound boxes, fake magpies to no avail. Then last year towards the end of the summer a falcon started hunting them inside the factory,. Some sight. It dd get a lot of them i'm afraid to say. But this hasn't stopped them coming back again this year. Will keep you updated if the facon comes back again. Will try and get a few pics.

    W.


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    #14
    amerden
    Registered Users Posts: 164 ✭✭amerden


    Has anyone noticed that there are very few Swallows this year, or is it just my area, north Co. Cork.??


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    #15
    galactus
    Registered Users Posts: 990 ✭✭✭galactus


    very few in south Co. Cork as well!


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    #16
    Muineach
    Closed Accounts Posts: 575 ✭✭✭Muineach


    there are fewer than normal in east meath (Dunshaughlin) , but the blue tits have gone awol and the house sparrows seem to have had an explosion in population size.


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    #17
    jmkennedyie
    Registered Users Posts: 678 ✭✭✭jmkennedyie


    mr.wiggle wrote:
    Hi, working in a factory in Mallow and for the past few years have had a couple of swallows coming back year after year building their nest in our receiving and shipping bays. The company tried a lot of deterrants, sound boxes, fake magpies to no avail. Then last year towards the end of the summer a falcon started hunting them inside the factory,. Some sight. It dd get a lot of them i'm afraid to say. But this hasn't stopped them coming back again this year. Will keep you updated if the facon comes back again. Will try and get a few pics.

    W.

    A pic would be great. BTW, there is a falcon that specialises in hunting swallows and big insects - the Hobby - but they are very rare in Ireland. Chances are it's a Sparrowhawk. The females are bigger. Dark Brown on top and white/brown on bottom. Males quite dainty and redish brown. Had a female visiting my bird table last year...she fancied the well-fed house-sparrows...a male dropped in for a take-away last week ... alas he left hungry.

    For pics etc a good site is http://www.rspb.org.uk/wildlife/birdguide/name/a/index.asp


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