Swifts (the birds, not Taylor)

[MotherOfCatBoy]

Anyone seen any yet? I think I saw two this morning, circling high up, but I’m not an expert and they could be house martins. I can’t wait to see them, they are such a sign of Summer.
I’m in South Wales btw.

I heard one on may 1st at Martin Mere in Lancashire (along with a lot of other birds)

@DrJonesIpresume I don’t think I’ve ever heard a cuckoo … that’s fantastic!

I feel the same when ‘our’ house martins reappear. We have lots of nests under our eves and it’s such a lovely moment when we spot the first ones arriving back home around this time of year. I also like to think they remember us and are chirping to each other about how much our DC have grown 😁

We live in a popular area for walkers, and many stop outside our house to look at the martins, particularly early evening when they’re swooping in and out at high speed. I overhear the ‘are they swallows, swifts or martins?’ discussion a lot!

I probably won't any more - I now have tinnitus so won't be able to hear them from across the fields where they hang out.😕

saw several Swifts this morning and they were screeching as they flew overhead.

They are my favourite bird.

North East here,Swifts back last week, whi h dh says is a week early. Very few swallows though.

House martins are back here (Bedfordshire).

Swallows on the phone wires this evening, Northumbrian coast.

Swallows and cuckoos here in Norfolk 🙂 love the Merlin app. Mine caught a kingfisher today 🙂

I wonder what the swifts do when we have thunderstorms like we did the other evening… do they fly above them, or just away?

We've got loads of swifts/swallows or house Martins that return to our street every year. I tried to use the Merlin app to identify them this morning and it came up with Canada Goose!!

It has since said Common Swift and House Martin but not sure how accurate it is now!

That is a VERY good question!

Haven't seen swifts here yet but swallows definitely.
I'm a Merliner as well, I usually have a scan wherever I am but oddly my own garden (which is sizeable and rural) gives better results than even the local woods and wildlife reserves.

I still haven’t seen many. A couple in the evenings, none yesterday. Maybe they’re not back en masse yet.

North Yorkshire. Saw swifts for the first time yesterday. Martins a couple of days ago. DH saw a swallow last week.
Hope martins will re occupy last years nest. The purpose built swift and martin boxes are, as usual, full of sparrows screeching at us for having the temerity to use our own patio.

I’m excited because I have a swift box and a call installed and I’m really hoping we have some nest here this year. However I went out yesterday and a bluetit is occupying the box! So not sure how that’s going to work out!

I saw two yesterday. I’m on the south coast.

great to see them!

Swifts returned to Aberdeen on Tuesday 7th! Love their screaming

Saw my first swallows last week and swifts this week but no martins yet - South Yorkshire.

I’m loving this thread! Saw three more swifts this morning and clearly heard them too. Love to think of all the returners all over the country.

We are so London and have seen them. So exciting

They’ve arrived in the southeast. I heard them before I saw them.

I saw my first 2 yesterday morning, sat on a wire. Also heard curlew so worth getting up early! North Gloucestershire.

Edinburgh here - heard first one this afternoon! They came 13th May last year.

I'm in Northumberland for a few days - I saw house and sand martens and swallows (and saw and heard ) lots of other birds on the coast between newto by the sea and craster yesterday. Back at our accommodation there were two swallows on the single story roof, which is as close a sighting as I could wish for!