This weekend so far has been dull, grey, wet and windy. Oh, and cold too so the heating has been on most of the time.
Saturday morning saw a bank of heavy, low cloud hanging over us, leaking drizzly wet stuff, but that was the day that the swallows arrived. Due to the cloud cover, all the flying insects seemed to be quite low down so the swallows were putting on their aerial acrobatic display over our garden, swooping, diving and performing daredevil stunts in pursuit of all the insect delicacies.
(Please excuse the poor quality video. They wouldn't stay still)
We had a grand view of their antics from our windows and I spent most of the morning watching them. Not much else to do on such a day anyway. By the afternoon, the cloud had lifted and so too had the insects so the swallows were, presumably, much higher up and less visible. Still, it was great entertainment while it lasted.
This morning (Sunday) was also grey, misty and drizzly but I went for a walk with the girls around South Barrule plantation. We only got caught in one brief shower but were able to stand under the trees to miss most of it. An hour and a half with some steep bits but overall not too strenuous for me. I was ready for the coffee and cake at the Coffee Cottage in the woods afterwards.
Now, a hot shower and feet up for the afternoon I think.
I love to watch the swallows soaring and swooping!
ReplyDeleteThey are great acrobats. And to think they have just flown all the way up here from South Africa!
DeleteTheir staple diets are insects and chips when in our territories.
ReplyDeleteChips? Our seagulls like chips. They usually try to steal them if you dare to eat them outside.
DeleteDoesn't every one eat chips in the British Isles?
DeleteThe video is saying I can't watch it because it is age restricted!! What were those swallows doing at all!? lol.
ReplyDeleteOh, YouTube is such a pain. How can they treat a video of swallows flying as restricted content???
DeleteIt is a good year for swallows and swifts - they sometimes nest on our house which is a mixed blkessing
ReplyDeleteblessing not blkessing - ha ha
DeleteYrs I imagine that could get messy
DeleteOops... Yes not Yrs !!
DeleteThe swallows seem to have returned earlier than usual. I saw some during my long walk on Friday. We will know that the world is about to end when they never come back again.
ReplyDeleteThey have an amazing journey and have to contend with all kinds of dangers along the way. It is a wonder that they make it up here at all.
DeleteLike the sound of the coffee and cake!
ReplyDeleteIt's compulsory after a walk!
DeleteYouTube has lots of trash and this is restricted? Weird! I saw my first hummingbird of the year yesterday but I didn't have my feeder filled yet. Now that it is full, I have not spotted any! Hmmm...
ReplyDeleteNo hummingbirds up here, but I did see lots when we visited Costa Rica's cloud forest. Beautiful creatures.
DeleteYouTube won't let me see it either. I've no chance with my id photograph.
ReplyDeleteToo gruesome?
DeleteJust recently I was out on the 'lawn' when Swallows came whizzing by me about a foot above the ground. They flew either side of me for some while; it was beautiful. I've always hoped they would build nests under our eaves, which are perfect for them. No luck so far.
ReplyDeleteThat must have been quite an experience. I was only watching from the window but was enthralled.
DeleteBeautiful to watch as I find all birds to be…. & when you think of the journey they have been on ….. what a feat ! XXXX
ReplyDeleteExactly xxx
DeleteI've yet to see any swallows or swifts here at home but I saw two swallows when we were in Cornwall (April 17th - 24th). As soon as I hear the swifts screaming in the skies above our house I know it's summer. There were far fewer last year I must say, than the year before and I worry this year they will be fewer still...
ReplyDeletexxx
I think ours must be regretting it already. It is cold, wet and windy here!
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