The swallows are going

[Wandering Bob]

I wandered around the village early this morning. It was very quiet - the last of our holiday-homers have gone, leaving just two houses occupied. I could hear and see lots of birds - tits, finches, blackbirds, a buzzard, pigeons, two robins - but no swallows. The swallows have been here since early April and have been a constant chitter-chatter noise and a delight to watch with their aerobatic skills. But they've gone. I went out a second time around 10am, still no swallows but just as I was about to go back indoors, I heard one. Looked up and saw a second, then four more. Probably a family group. Two minutes later, they'd gone too - heading south as fast as their little wings could take them. Over Biscay, hit the coast again around Bordeaux and into Biarritz before the pubs close this evening.

It's very early for them to leave - mid-September is typical, and I remember five or six years ago that the last of the swallows didn't leave until 10 October.

I suppose it's because it's so cold now in NW Europe and they are taking advantage of a strong N wind to help them get to Spain. But autumn is approaching ….

 

[Morning Glory]

I suppose it's because it's so cold now in NW Europe

You think its cold?

I've barely seen any swifts, house martins or swallows here this year. I saw some about a month ago but there isn't much sign of them now.

 

[Wandering Bob]

You think its cold?

Relatively, yes I do. With overnight temps down to 8 degrees, if I was a swallow, I'd be packing up and heading south too.

It's much cooler here than it usually is the last week of the school holidays.

I was in the supermarket at lunchtime wearing 3 layers of clothes - the Brits doing their last minute shopping before hopping on a ferry were all wearing T-shirts and shorts. Maybe I've become a tad 'nesh' in my old age?

 

[Morning Glory]

Relatively, yes I do. With overnight temps down to 8 degrees, if I was a swallow, I'd be packing up and heading south too.

It's much cooler here than it usually is the last week of the school holidays.

I was in the supermarket at lunchtime wearing 3 layers of clothes - the Brits doing their last minute shopping before hopping on a ferry were all wearing T-shirts and shorts. Maybe I've become a tad 'nesh' in my old age?

Well I don't know if its colder in Brittany than Kent but I'm still in shorts and T shirt and sandals. I went out yesterday wearing that.

 

[Wandering Bob]

Well I don't know if its colder in Brittany than Kent

We've had a stiff cold N wind today - I guess the SE of England must have been spared that

 

[epicuric]

I saw a gathering of swallows yesterday, so they are getting ready to leave here as well. Temperatures are still in the high teens/low twenties here. Other than when I have to for work, I aim not to wear long trousers or socks between May and October!

 

[Duck59]

You think its cold?

I've barely seen any swifts, house martins or swallows here this year. I saw some about a month ago but there isn't much sign of them now.

We've had swifts, swallows, house martins and even sand martins up here this summer. Swifts always depart early, but we saw house martins speeding around yesterday. Some nested under the overhanging roof of the library, which is right in the middle of town, so provided some excellent urban birdwatching.

 

[Wandering Bob]

I saw a gathering of swallows yesterday, so they are getting ready to leave here as well.

I'd guess that you're just as embedded in the countryside as I am. More aware of the weather, the seasons and wildlife than urban dwellers.

I was musing about why "my" swallows had left so early this year. I know that they go when it starts getting cold and there's a north wind - but why now, before the end of August? It's just dawned on me that it was a full moon on Sunday. I wonder if this had an effect?

I know there's an acknowledged (but not fully understood) link between bird navigation and magnetism, and obviously a link between the phase of the Moon and Earth's natural magnetism - but I'd never thought of it before in terms of bird migration.

I guess the birds won't go unless there's a north wind - but a full moon and a north wind? - maybe that's why they left so early?

Re the phases of the moon and rural life ….there's still a lot of belief amongst the older generation here in planting according to the 'Almanac'. Does that exist still in Shropshire?

 

[epicuric]

I'd guess that you're just as embedded in the countryside as I am. More aware of the weather, the seasons and wildlife than urban dwellers.

I was musing about why "my" swallows had left so early this year. I know that they go when it starts getting cold and there's a north wind - but why now, before the end of August? It's just dawned on me that it was a full moon on Sunday. I wonder if this had an effect?

I know there's an acknowledged (but not fully understood) link between bird navigation and magnetism, and obviously a link between the phase of the Moon and Earth's natural magnetism - but I'd never thought of it before in terms of bird migration.

I guess the birds won't go unless there's a north wind - but a full moon and a north wind? - maybe that's why they left so early?

Re the phases of the moon and rural life ….there's still a lot of belief amongst the older generation here in planting according to the 'Almanac'. Does that exist still in Shropshire?

You can take the boy out of the country...

Swallows have always been a source of wonder to me, how they can migrate so far every year yet return to exactly the same nesting spot. (How unlike humans, who increasingly need the use of a satnav just to find their way to Tesco's). I think the movement of the jet stream might have contributed to their early departure this year. We are often in Cyprus during October, when they pass through on their journey south. Late afternoon and early evening they will swoop down to the swimming pool to scoop up a drink, the water reflecting an iridescent blue onto their bellies. It's a good time to be in the pool.

Sadly, even out here in the sticks there is little left of the rural idyll. I only know a handful of people in the village who still grow their own fruit and veg, and they are more likely to take their guidance from google than from folklore. Industrialisation, particularly in agriculture, means that far few people are still connected to the land. My impressions are that this is not yet the case in France?

A late, former father-in-law had an superstitious obsession with planting onions on Christmas Day, no matter what the weather!

 

[Lullabelle]

I think it is still warm, no jacket weather, when I walk to work in the mornings other people are wearing heavy coats

 

[alexander]

I miss the swallows as I'm in London. I grew up in Surrey and remember them nesting under the eves of our house.

 

[Wandering Bob]

I miss the swallows as I'm in London

You'll find swallows and swifts pretty much anywhere there's water. In particular, in the Lea Valley area I think you'll find thousands of swifts.

It's been what feels like a couple hundred years since I lived in London (and I thank my God daily that I'm no longer there) but I doubt the bird population has changed significantly.

A few particular memories - kestrels around Lincoln's Inn, parakeets around the Thames near Kew, mandarin ducks near Purley, cormorants between Putney & Richmond

If you watch the sky carefully in London (very few people do) you might be surprised by what you'll see.

 

[Wandering Bob]

far few people are still connected to the land. My impressions are that this is not yet the case in France?

I can only answer as far as my little corner of Brittany's concerned (but I see no reason why it shouldn't apply generally to rural France) - there's a re-connection to the land. The reasons are complex - I'll try and be as concise as possible.

1950s France saw the start of a widespread desertification of the countryside (ie people were deserting the countryside). The land couldn't support the population so millions of people went to live in cities looking for work. Forty years later, once retired, the economic migrants then returned to their 'homeland' - bought houses very cheaply and started a long-term project of regeneration of tumbledown villages (and consequent re-stimulation of the local economy). This 'departure and much later return' has continued. There's an unusual demographic dip here - loads of kids up to the age of 17/18 and lots of people over 60, but relatively very few people between the ages of 18 and 60.

These returning migrants have helped to keep alive a lot of the old traditions, in particular respect for - and attachment to - the terrain.

I don't want this to become an essay so I'll stop here. It's a subject that fascinates me - if you'd like to continue the conversation, PM me and I'll happily explain more.

 

[alexander]

A few particular memories - kestrels around Lincoln's Inn, parakeets around the Thames near Kew, mandarin ducks near Purley, cormorants between Putney & Richmond

If you watch the sky carefully in London (very few people do) you might be surprised by what you'll see.

I will have to take your advice and look harder. We are in East London and it seems to be a lot of pigeons mainly. I did see parakeets on Hampstead Heath a while back though.

 

[epicuric]

I can only answer as far as my little corner of Brittany's concerned (but I see no reason why it shouldn't apply generally to rural France) - there's a re-connection to the land. The reasons are complex - I'll try and be as concise as possible.

1950s France saw the start of a widespread desertification of the countryside (ie people were deserting the countryside). The land couldn't support the population so millions of people went to live in cities looking for work. Forty years later, once retired, the economic migrants then returned to their 'homeland' - bought houses very cheaply and started a long-term project of regeneration of tumbledown villages (and consequent re-stimulation of the local economy). This 'departure and much later return' has continued. There's an unusual demographic dip here - loads of kids up to the age of 17/18 and lots of people over 60, but relatively very few people between the ages of 18 and 60.

These returning migrants have helped to keep alive a lot of the old traditions, in particular respect for - and attachment to - the terrain.

I don't want this to become an essay so I'll stop here. It's a subject that fascinates me - if you'd like to continue the conversation, PM me and I'll happily explain more.

Will do.