Saturday, 6 April 2019

"Our" swallow

Sitting in the conservatory this afternoon with a cup of tea, we were watching a single swallow cruise around the area for about 10 minutes when suddenly it swooped in a big circle over the roof then zoomed down and went straight into our ex-Army pumphouse through a smallish gap over the door. It must have been one of the swallows which bred successfully last year, or was youngster from that brood. (Though the youngsters never had much practice at zooming over the door as the door is mostly open in the summer.) Anyway, this is by a long way the earliest we have ever had a breeding swallow back - usually they turn up about the 17th April. 
On another springlike note, Martins Haven was hopping with migrants at lunchtime, all flycatching in the sunshine. Nothing rare, but lovely to see such obvious passage.