kim_harding ✅Sep 7, 2024

Anyone noticed that the swallows gathering? It is really mind-blowing when you realise what they are about to do...

Correction: The image turns out to be the migration of Barn Swallows (Hirundo rustica) and not Swifts (Apus apus) as I had been led to believe. The source is the Eurasian African Bird Migration Atlas https://migrationatlas.org/node/1843

Bird Migration Atlas

This online Migration Atlas covers the huge geographical area represented by two continents, encompassing the flyways between Eurasia and Africa. Movements in time and space of 300 bird species are mapped and analysed drawing on data gathered by European Ringing Schemes over more than a century and collated by the EURING databank.

Show threadKit EverhillSep 7, 2024
@kim_harding I don't know about swallows, but we're pretty sure we saw our resident swift arrive back at its nest on our balcony yesterday, here in Durban (they left at the end of April).
Show threadPeter MiddelkoopSep 7, 2024
@RickEtyhat @kim_harding
Nice! Here near Amsterdam they arrive end of april and leave end of July. I've got two swift nests under the roof tiles of my house. And a complete colony in my street.
Show threadKit EverhillSep 7, 2024

@Petermid @kim_harding

This is one of our swifts a few years ago.

Show threadPeter MiddelkoopSep 7, 2024
@RickEtyhat @kim_harding
Nice picture! Is this an artificial nest? Here I have common swifts and as far as I know they don’t build their own nests but use natural holes in rocks and houses.
Show threadPeter Middelkoop
@RickEtyhat @kim_harding from 2004 untill 2007 I hosted a webcam. The site is still online. Have a look if you like.
http://swiftwebcam.blogspot.com/2007/09/to-help-you-through-wintertimes.html
To help you through wintertimes.

Video of the season 2005 To help you al getting through the winter of 2007/2008 I posted a video of the season 2005. It covers the arrival o...

Sep 7, 2024 at 7:54pmWeb