Swallows preparing to leave us

Mickeroo

stevensi wrote: »

Swallows have been seen in November in Ireland and I think i'm right in saying that there may have been a report of one in December.

The lack of flying insects at the moment would be the biggest issue for swallows so he or she would need to make a move South very soon!

I may be wrong but wasn't there reports a couple of years ago of swallows not leaving because of mild winters? Obviously after the last two winters I'd imagine its not happening anymore.

Judgement Day

Mickeroo wrote: »

I may be wrong but wasn't there reports a couple of years ago of swallows not leaving because of mild winters? Obviously after the last two winters I'd imagine its not happening anymore.

One overwintered in SW England a couple of years back - there's a thread about it somewhere on Boards but I can't find it right now. I saw two swallows heading south in Enniscorthy today.

Mickeroo

Judgement Day wrote: »

One overwintered in SW England a couple of years back - there's a thread about it somewhere on Boards but I can't find it right now. I saw two swallows heading south in Enniscorthy today.

I've not seen any for a few weeks now, miss them already

slowburner

Mickeroo wrote: »

I may be wrong but wasn't there reports a couple of years ago of swallows not leaving because of mild winters? Obviously after the last two winters I'd imagine its not happening anymore.

Mind you, this winter's been fairly mild.

Mickeroo

slowburner wrote: »

Mind you, this winter's been fairly mild.

It's only October

slowburner

Technically still Autumn, true enough. But I can't help feeling it is winter once the swallows go and I'm kind of hopeful that it stays mild enough for the young birds mentioned above. I had ice on the windscreen the day before yesterday.

E39MSport

Damn mice are attacking every crevice though :mad:

ytpe2r5bxkn0c1

It's not "technically" Autumn right now, it is Autumn. We often get a touch of frost in October.
It's not uncommon to have Swallows until the end of October. Late fledged birds usually fair out fine, as they feed all the way back South; unlike the rush North in Spring.

slowburner

Why all the contradictions?
Spring, Summer, Autumn and Winter are human constructs of time and have no value or meaning to creatures in the natural world. The natural world doesn't move according to human strictures of time
Birds don't migrate because Jean Byrne tells them it is Autumn and time to go.
If the weather erroneously predicted for October had occurred (heavy snow) you couldn't describe that as Autumnal. And while yes, it would be technically Autumn, it would be meaningless.
The way I see it, is if the weather and length of day is Autumnal - it is Autumn. If the length of day and the weather is wintry - then it is Winter :pac::pac::pac:

slowburner

And this from the legendary M.T.Cranium......

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2056419308

Overview for winter 2011-12

From a starting point in mid-October, we consider the five month period November to March, with "climatological winter" defined as being the months of December, January and February, whereas "meteorological winter" can, as we saw last year, fall in any of the five months in the Irish climate.

So there you have it - technical winter and meteorological winter. :pac:

Mothman

Back on topic.....

Saw 2 Swallows today

artieanna

Mothman wrote: »

Back on topic.....

Saw 2 Swallows today

I haven't seen a swallow here in weeks now, wicklow not called the garden of Ireland for nothing, ye have everything up there:rolleyes:

Mothman

artieanna wrote: »

I haven't seen a swallow here in weeks now, wicklow not called the garden of Ireland for nothing, ye have everything up there:rolleyes:

But you don't have Dublin on your doorstep :pac:
Grass is greener and all that.

I'm probably in good location to see passing swallows because the flat coastal plain here is only 2km wide. Further inland and one is heading into hills. I would think the coastal plain woulds be a natural route to follow

slowburner

Mothman wrote: »

But you don't have Dublin on your doorstep :pac:
Grass is greener and all that.

I'm probably in good location to see passing swallows because the flat coastal plain here is only 2km wide. Further inland and one is heading into hills. I would think the coastal plain woulds be a natural route to follow

Or river valleys.
They certainly seem to follow the path of the Avonmore/Avoca rivers and large flocks followed a tributary here which flows from west to east. These flocks then joined with the even bigger flocks flying south on the Avoca catchment.

mr.wiggle

Mothman wrote: »

Back on topic.....

Saw 2 Swallows today

Okay, next time someone sees a swallow in Ireland,
at the end of october,I want....
a picture, with that days newspaper in the shot !!


Sorry, its just the cynic coming out in me !:pac:

Mothman

More swallows during the week on Wednesday, 3 flying north!, Thursday (6) and Friday 28th, at least 10, but could have been double that. Was busy and couldn't give it my full attention

no photos and I don't get papers

EDIT, just realised that the above obs were all a day earlier than stated.

E39MSport

... as Mr Wiggle says, pics or gtfo

slowburner

I saw about ten flying south last Thursday too. Similarly to Mothman, I couldn't give them my full attention.

Mothman

2 November swallows earlier this morning