Saw a swallow on Thursday afternoon (10th April), we have had snow and bitter winds since then - hope it kept flying south!!!

We usually expect to see them here in NI between 15th - 20th April.

It is still very cold here every night.

I see several of them since 8/10 days. Here we say: "1 swallow doesn't make spring"

Saw my first swallow today (13 April)

on the river in southern ireland we had a few last wensday 9 th 8 or 10 of them being north wind since ?

Just saw my first swallow this morning when I was letting the chickens out.

18th April. Bang on schedule when you live 54deg north. It was absolutely freezing here yesterday.

I always anticipate the spring arrival of barn swallows. They're big bug eaters and I assume that since the weather has been cool, nights still go to the freezing mark, and no bugs have hatched yet, they're waiting somewhere south of here until there's enough to eat. Nest building takes energy!

Saw the first swallow here in North Wales about two weeks ago but when I was on the river yesterday there were at least a dozen sand martins working the water.

How about a cuckoo, heard one of them this morning, exactly the same date as last year. If this holds true for swallows should get the first one on Saturday Things really underway now, cuckoo here, geese mostly gone, whooper swans are starting to go, curlews well established, primroses out, pinemartens easy to spot on the bird table with the lighter evenings, want the Osprey and swallows to complete the picture I do wish I had some roebuck on my ground, make my spring complete

John

Heard a cuckoo yesterday, last day of April. All the LBJ's (little brown jobs - that is a technical RSPB term for birds they cannot identify ) are busy nesting, Redstarts, Wheatears etc - still blooming cold and wet for the waders - have seen some grouse sitting foil, so officialy spring is here????

OK - it's official, spring is here!

Today I spotted the year's first Postman wearing short trousers!

To those of you who are questioning my 'leanings' - let me reassure you that these observations are a valid scientific study, rather than a hobby!

UK postal services offer their employees the option of wearing shorts as part of their work uniform. It has turned into an unofficial competition to see who can wear them for the longest period - before hypothermia strikes!

http://www.lep.co.uk/latest-east-midlands-news/Police-c...-row-over.4038114.jp

In hushed tones, Postmen still talk about the Scottish 'Postie' who spurned long trousers and continued deliveries whilst temperatures dropped to -15 up in the highlands!



Rgds Ian

Heard a cuckoo in North Wales on Thursday 8th May and on the same day saw a newly hatched brood of long tailed tits.

Well a year has moved on from the first swallow last year!

For this year on my "low ground" saw a swallow 2 weeks ago (28th March), but up at the house (high ground) one turned up 2 days ago (10th April).

Without tempting fate we are having a better early spring already - 36 magpies caught so far, no crows in the larsens, but plenty in the multi catchers over the hard weather in winter - now they are going to get some medicine out of the 6mmbr!!

Rich, no swallows here yet.

Duffed two foxes with the 222 on Friday night.

Hope to get a small pheasant pen up over the next couple of days.

Sand Martins were in the quarry last day of March, 1st April had Swallows on phone wires near the weighbridge, not heard any Cuckoo's yet