Anyone seen any Swallows yet??

[southerncomfort]

None here yet.

I'm sure it was around this week last year when they returned.

 

[cobsandbassets]

None here yet.

I'm sure it was around this week last year when they returned.

None in our part of Staffordshire yet. I keep looking and hoping ....

 

[Meredith]

Yes. On Friday which is extremely early for here. I haven’t seen it since though.

 

[Pearlsasinger]

I think the earliest that we have ever seen them has been the 11th but there was a suspicion that one might have flown over our stables on Thursday.

 

[meleeka]

No not yet. They didn’t use their usual nest last year so I’m hoping they will return this year.

 

[Shilasdair]

Not yet - but there's supposed to be a southerly wind now so here's hoping.
I love seeing the swallows come back.

 

[MochaDun]

They tend to appear in my area around about 15th of April each year. Will be even nicer to see and hear them again this year.

 

[poiuytrewq]

No none yet here either. We didn’t have as many as usual last summer thou’ preciously since living here we’ve been thick with them! ?

 

[Mrs B]

I keep scanning the skies but none yet ... we're only about a mile in from the south coast, so we usually seem to get several lots appear, have a good feed and a swoop around before trekking off to their summer homes.

Daft, but I always have tears in my eyes when I see the first ones come back!

 

[CavaloBranco]

Not yet but it was on 5th April last year so I'm still hoping.......

 

[millikins]

Not seen any in Surrey yet, usually about another week for us. There were very few last year, I hope we do better in 2020. I've not heard a cuckoo for at least 3 years either

 

[Honey08]

I think it’s the 19th when ours usually arrive. Fascinated that they seem to have a calendar!

 

[Errin Paddywack]

My husband saw a couple a few days ago but they didn't stick around. I am positive I heard a cuckoo on Friday but typically when I called to my sister it shut up and I haven't heard it since. I hadn't heard one for many years till now probably deluding myself, not unknown.

 

[Not_so_brave_anymore]

Ours came back this morning! A week later than last year. I love watching the swallows- that's me set for entertainment til September now (is this how other people feel about love island?!) Ps we're in devon

 

[Spotherisk]

Ours came back this morning! A week later than last year. I love watching the swallows- that's me set for entertainment til September now (is this how other people feel about love island?!) Ps we're in devon

I’m near Ashburton and scanning the skies, nothing yet!

 

[Floofball]

It’s usually the 17th at mine but last year was 13th - hopefully not as many being trapped this year on the way ? they may be riding this southerly wind ??

 

[Not_so_brave_anymore]

I’m near Ashburton and scanning the skies, nothing yet!

Ours do seem to come earlier even than just the next valley along. And this always makes me feel really smug (or even proud?!) that my swallows have "won" ?? (maybe I need to get out more. Oh, wait......)

 

[Haniki]

I've seen one twice now. At least I think it is the same one, rather than two different ones. They nest in our garage. I'm in Devon too.

 

[southerncomfort]

I've had it confirmed that it was around the 4th last year when they arrived so should be here any day now.

I also get emotional when I see them. Something about them makes me very joyful and I think that their will be a special poignancy this year.

 

[PurBee]

None here is west ireland yet. Im expecting them imminently, as the horses are full moulting.
not looking forward to their shiite all over my gear in the barn tho!
but theyre great midge hoovers....and hilarious to see them gang up and swoop attack the cats!
In autumn the weeks before leaving they give the young ‘flying lessons’, the young have to rest on the chimneys as theyre not so ‘fit’ as their ‘spitfire flying parents’.

We have around 5 nests on average dotted about barns , eaves and stable...so there’s quite a gang of them that end up leaving here.
The day of departure is spectacular.....they all fly together in large circles high above the farm singing and chirping, it feels like they’re thanking us as hosts and saying goodbye....and the next day it’s deathly quiet without them here.

 

[Berpisc]

Well with a southerly blowing and sights in Devon I would bet I see some next week. I had a smile on my face when I saw the weather forecast, I would definitely be hitching a ride on that airflow if I was a swallow

 

[Montmorency]

I saw the first one this afternoon. I hope it stays here.
We had a dreadful year last year with fewer pairs than normal and one of the two pairs that did stay throwing their entire brood out of the nest and not bothering to try again. By the time I realised they weren’t going to go back to them I took the remaining babies to a wildlife hospital but two had already died ?
We also had a real problem with magpies flying into the stables so I don’t know if that was what made the swallows behave differently- they are usually such good parents.

 

[Suby2]

We are on the edge of the New Forest and saw our first one this year on the 27th on a telephone wire opposite our front gate. They nested around here last year and used our garden pond to drink from. It was magical sitting in our conservatory watching them swoop down and scoop up the water. One even perched on the top of an open conservatory door.They brought their young to drink as well.

 

[Sussexbythesea]

Not seen any here yet but a friend just posted a photo of one flying overhead in Witney Oxfordshire.

 

[Keith_Beef]

Not yet, and I don't remember when they arrived last year.

 

[mariew]

We lived in Essex last spring and for the first time didn't see any swallows at all, we had quite a few every year. Now in Devon so hoping for some. I am hoping this Corona virus stops them being caught in nets coming out of Africa and maybe we get a greater number you live in hope!

 

[Pinkvboots]

No swallows yet and not heard cuckoo's but I have a rare type of snowdrop apparently growing in my garden so will photograph tomorrow

 

[Montmorency]

The swallow stayed ?
I didn’t see it at late stables last night as it’s in the nest in the stable with the light that doesn’t work, but I saw it this morning.
We’re in the New Forest btw.

 

[hobo]

Two on the phone wires this morning I do not know when they came last year but I know it was later than a lot on here. When do the house martins come I will maybe have to make some mud for them as ground is like concrete and last years nests disintigrated over the winter.

 

[cremedemonthe]

Not yet in West Wales