Early Swallows?

[cash1]

While walking our Lab round a local pond last night we were pleasantly surprised by a quora of Swallows easily over 50. Previously the earliest I've ever seen them was the first week in April. There wasn't much fly life around and they were heading NE, I hope the weather warms.

[ditchman]

no-way...........that is extraordinary

[marsh man]

That would be very unusual for Swallows to arrive in March , our first sightings are normally around a warm spell in the 2 / 3 week in April , Sand Martins do arrive a couple of weeks earlier , so could they had been either Sand / House Martins ?

P / W member Twenty is geared up with early arrivals so he might put us right before long 

[twenty]

7 hours ago, marsh man said:

That would be very unusual for Swallows to arrive in March , our first sightings are normally around a warm spell in the 2 / 3 week in April , Sand Martins do arrive a couple of weeks earlier , so could they had been either Sand / House Martins ?

P / W member Twenty is geared up with early arrivals so he might put us right before long 

Singular Swallow and House Martin reports have come in for the last week or two, Sand martin numbers much higher and reported three weeks ago in places (50/60 birds now being reported at Frampton on Severn), from a single sighting two weeks ago.

Cuckoos now being reported in France, should be here within a week or two, Wheatear and Ring Ouzel reported recently, Redwing and Fieldfare only stragglers remain,

Whitethroat, Pied Flycatcher, Chiffchaff, Hobby etc not that far away. (Early April usually).

[39TDS]

Chap near here saw one 13th March with pics to prove it.

Not seen one myself yet.

[JDog]

Alpine Swifts in record numbers in the Country.

[paulinlincs]

I have just come back from the East Coast ( Chapel point) and there were lots of twitches taking pics. I asked what they were interested in and I was told Swallows have been spotted in the last 2 weeks. 

[Krico woodcock]

Yes,  seen first swallows today.  

[marsh man]

2 hours ago, twenty said:

Singular Swallow and House Martin reports have come in for the last week or two, Sand martin numbers much higher and reported three weeks ago in places (50/60 birds now being reported at Frampton on Severn), from a single sighting two weeks ago.

Cuckoos now being reported in France, should be here within a week or two, Wheatear and Ring Ouzel reported recently, Redwing and Fieldfare only stragglers remain,

Whitethroat, Pied Flycatcher, Chiffchaff, Hobby etc not that far away. (Early April usually).

Many THANKS for your interesting reply , for how cold and wet this last month had been along the East coast, I recon any Swallow would had preferred to stay put in the warmer climes 

[islandgun]

Saw a Wheatear today

[Teal]

Lots of chiffchaffs arrived here in the last week.

[Penelope]

17 hours ago, marsh man said:

Many THANKS for your interesting reply , for how cold and wet this last month had been along the East coast, I recon any Swallow would had preferred to stay put in the warmer climes 

I believe some are hanging about all year, now.

[marsh man]

3 hours ago, Penelope said:

I believe some are hanging about all year, now.

Hi Paul   We have seen Swallows as late as November but with our mild climate now I don't think that seeing them that late is at all unusual , we now see Woodcock all the year round which we never used to but I am still waiting to see my first Swallow , by going back to previous years I recon I will have to wait for another three weeks or so 

[Stephen-H]

Haven't noticed any swallows yet but the bats were out in the back garden this evening