A first for me.

[70007]

This afternoon in Bristol, I saw a group of 5 swifts flying around high above the rooftops. They were there for over an hour. I have never seen swifts in this area during April before. I know there is only 36 hours until the end of the month, but a record is a record.

[Margaret]

So far I've seen two Swallows and a few Housemartins, but this morning I saw a Kingfisher, the first I've seen for years, I was walking by some fishing lakes and it flew across one of the lakes, unfortunately too far away to see much other than a lovely iridescent blue flash as it flew across.

I'm still waiting to hear the cuckoo and a skylark, two birds that I haven't heard for years even though I live in the country and walk my dog around fields every day.

[paul garrod]

Are thrushes a little light on the ground this year?

[forestrilly]

I saw a turtle dove for the first time this week. I have lived in the Forest of Dean for ten years and although there have been many different birds, never I have seen one here. Is this unusual for 'the forest' does anyone know.

[bird lady]

around where I live we have half a dozen white doves fly over our house a few times a day no one knows where they come from.

[forestrilly]

There is a small flock of about half a dozen or so white doves which can usually be found around the high street in the Bream area of FOD. They appear to be resident. I wonder if these could be the same ones? I have never seen any anywhere else.

[Jandy]

I've been wondering what's been happening with the swifts this year. we always have swifts every year, regular as clockwork, and I love the way they swoop after insects, sometimes nearly at ear level, & their excited screams. But this year, after their first appearance about a month ago, they weren't seen for days, & I have only seen them on one day since, in spite of what I would think would be ideal conditions for them (warm & humid). Has anyone else noticed a scarcity of swifts, or got any theories?

[70007]

No, I haven't seen many swifts either.

Occasionally a couple can be seen in the distance flying around but gone are the large groups of 20 years ago. I noticed there were very few last summer during that really wet June and July. I wonder if in certain places the population plummeted in 2007 and low numbers this year are due to that.

[PiratesAhoy!]

I noticed there were very few last summer during that really wet June and July. I wonder if in certain places the population plummeted in 2007 and low numbers this year are due to that.

There were many many swifts, swallows and housemartins in the rescue centres last year - the wet weather made a lot of their nests collapse and fall off the buildings they were attached to.

I would imagine you're right about this year's numbers - affected by last year's nest failures.

[70007]

I know also that there has been a vast decline in airborne insect numbers. Part of earning my pocket money in the 1960s was to wash my dad's car. He drove 30 miles per day to work, round trip, which would be 150 a week.

In the summer, by Friday evening the front of his car would be almost black with insects on the headlamps, radiator grille, etc. I had to scrub for what seemed like ages to clean them off.

Now I have to drive 200 miles each way to visit him and if I get half a dozen on each headlamp from that journey I am quite surprised.

[Jandy]

We never get thrushes in the garden (tho' plenty of blackbirds) in spite of being overrun with snails. However I do see them in the local park.

[Jandy]

I saw at least half a dozen swifts flying around early yesterday. Still wondering where they get to in between times. Do they not stay put in an area they know, or are they a bit nomadic? This is only my third sighting this summer.

[chilternbirder]

I saw a turtle dove for the first time this week. I have lived in the Forest of Dean for ten years and although there have been many different birds, never I have seen one here. Is this unusual for 'the forest' does anyone know.
The call is very distinctive and I have heard them many times in Essex and Bucks but have only seen one on two occasions.