Aint nature wonderful

[borderbilly]

Sitting in garden, lovely sunshine and watching the swallows flying about, feeding. Makes you wonder how these aviation masters of the air navigate 1000,s of miles, when they weigh just under 2 ounces! What size is there brain? Aint nature Brilliant!

 

[otherclive]

Haven’t seen many around here for a couple of years. Swifts and Martins though. I read that Swallows have been subject to significant disturbance to their wintering roosts in Southern Africa.

 

[Buckman]

Haven’t seen many around here for a couple of years. Swifts and Martins though. I read have been subject to significant disturbance to their wintering roosts in Southern Africa.

Can you please be more explicit and I can check with my son whether it is true or not as it is summer in southern Africa? They scatter far and wide over southern Africa and can be sen in many different locations. Maybe on their way to southern Africa roosting grounds are being disturbed?

 

[birdman101]

When we moved into our house 50 years ago the Swifts nested under the eaves of several houses as we have Grand union Canal at bottom of garden and River 200 yds away. This gives them a good supply of mud to build nests. Nowadays no more than a couple of pairs nesting. This could be due to lack of insects to feed on whilst in flight,as we do not get them splattered on front of Caravan when towing as we did years ago.

 

[Buckman]

When we moved into our house 50 years ago the Swifts nested under the eaves of several houses as we have Grand union Canal at bottom of garden and River 200 yds away. This gives them a good supply of mud to build nests. Nowadays no more than a couple of pairs nesting. This could be due to lack of insects to feed on whilst in flight,as we do not get them splattered on front of Caravan when towing as we did years ago.

I would agree with you regarding lack of insects, but this year there seems to be an abundance of insects. We have also noticed a lot more bees and wasps around. I have read that in some areas, there has been an invasion of ladybirds.

 

[otherclive]

I would agree with you regarding lack of insects, but this year there seems to be an abundance of insects. We have also noticed a lot more bees and wasps around. I have read that in some areas, there has been an invasion of ladybirds.

But this years abundance of insects will not affect bird number that returned to Britain this Spring. They will have been affected by last years rubbish weather. But this years fledglings should benefit by the good weather we have had.

 

[Buckman]

But this years abundance of insects will not affect bird number that returned to Britain this Spring. They will have been affected by last years rubbish weather. But this years fledglings should benefit by the good weather we have had.

We have been turning over the soil at the bottom of our back garden and there have been an abundance of birds. Previously much to my disgust we have the bird feeder down there and have seen birds that we have not seen in a long time.

Never ever buy the cheaper bird seed as all you get under the feeder is a mess of seeds that they chuck out. We now pay the extra and buy the seed from the RSPB and there is a lot less mess on the ground.

Pigeons are the other pain in the rear and we have now moved the feeding stations around so that the pigeons cannot reach the seed as pigeons throw just about everything out. The other pests are squirrels of which there are plenty around, but we managed to stop them going for the seed and don't feed them at all. Also the dogs plus the cat don't like them and chase them away. Occasionally the cat has one for dinner!