Just heard my first #Swifts of the year while cycling to work. You can't get that while trapped in a car

First swift of the year spotted over my garden. 25 miles south of London UK. My cup runneth over.
#swifts
#nature

The #swifts are back! Evening scream-by in progress.

First swift arrived yesterday at the colony. This one carrying one of our GPS loggers.

Mandatory, Thin Lizzy - The Boys are Back in Town song:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wIE5wwvicew

#spring joy. Just been out for a vape & the #swifts have been joined by a #housemartin . The #swallows can't be far behind. I'll keep you posted. Yes, I suffer from #SAD and it's been a cruel #April till today. n.b. my 'office' is desk #5 in the Library,

Ihr erinnert euch an die #Fundsegler, die ich letzten Sommer zu Mona gebracht habe? Für die Sanierung und den Ausbau ihrer Mauersegler-Pflegestation braucht sie eure Unterstützung:

https://gofund.me/b54acd40

Some of my least bad photos from 2024 – taken since I bought my #Olympus #Em5Mark3. A short .

I won’t claim any of them is good, but it’s nice to summarize a year, I guess.

1. Swifts around the balcony of my flat.

Thirteen seconds of chimney swifts, circling in the gloaming after rain.

Exciting news from the Birds Canada Ontario SwiftWatch program,– the Ontario SwiftWatch team has an upcoming event! While the swifts are heading south, our team works year-round to spread the word and protect this unique species. Join us at the High Park Library Branch on Wednesday, September 25th, at 6:30 pm to learn more!
#Toronto #swifts #migration

Vaux's swifts
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=brcZDhw646o
#Swifts #Birds #Wildlife

#Österreich- und #Wien-TL! Der Starkregen mit Kälteeinbruch ist auch für Schwalben und Mauersegler auf der Durchreise eine lebensbedrohliche Situation.

Notfallnummer von Tierschutz Austria: +43 1 699 2480

Ohne Fluginsekten hungern sie und suchen zu Dutzenden, Hunderten Schutz an Gebäuden, unter Brücken oder gehen geschwächt zu Boden. Man benötigt Hilfe beim Melden und Sichern, aber auch finanzielle Unterstützung.

https://www.ots.at/presseaussendung/OTS_20240914_OTS0004/schwalben-und-mauerseglersterben-tierschutz-austria-ruft-zur-unterstuetzung-auf

Order Flocking Out of Chaos
Physicist-turned-photographer captures the incredible harmony of starling murmurations.
https://nautil.us/order-flocking-out-of-chaos-238322
https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=28838210

This video (not from article) is incredible: sheer numbers, the murmuration!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V4f_1_r80RY

* murmuring : utterance of low continuous sounds or complaining noises

In Portland 1000s marvel at migrating birds nighttime routine
https://www.npr.org/2024/09/14/nx-s1-5111666/birds-chimney-portland-vauxs-swifts-migrating

Swift Watch: https://birdallianceoregon.org/go-outside/swift-watch

Murmuration: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Starling#Behaviour
* flocking of starlings, incl. swarm behaviour of large flight formations
* flocks may include other species of starlings/sometimes species from other families
* https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V4f_1_r80RY

Vids
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aB4Ip8BGWow
https://vimeo.com/106079229
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GemcDoE2qKE
https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=murmurations

Yesterday I also managed, for the first time, to snap a photo of a Swift, even if a bit noisy. They're appropriately named.

When I look out my window ...
Red #clouds at #cologne after #sunset with three #swifts .
20240716 21:34

Has anyone else noticed that there seems to be fewer swifts this year. Over Sheffield the skies are quieter than usual which is very odd for this time of year and the flock sizes seem smaller. I'm not sure if it is the weirdly cold and damp weather that has put them off or something else

I had to rescue a Swift that got trapped in a neighbour's house earlier. It was lovely to see one of these beautiful birds up close. I love #Swifts. I look forward to them arriving every year and it's always a bit sad when they leave again. #birds

[Photo from a Google image search]

Day 24 of #30DaysWild #Nature #UK

The weather has turned hot and sultry: #swifts have been screaming and circling the rooftops all day :)