SWIFTS AND MARTINS

On 10th May I first heard and saw swifts flying over the High Street.   They are the ones with very long wings and screaming voices.  They usually nest under the eaves of the Age UK office on the corner of Chapel Street, opposite the window I look out of from my computer desk.   Two of them flew up to the usual nesting site on that day.  The swifts have flown over on a couple more occasions but now they seem to have gone.  I hope the entrance to their nest site was not blocked up during recent redecoration of the exterior. 

Photo: 'Aldeburgh's amazing swifts'

More optimistically there are several House Martins' nests on the gable end of the Cossham Hall.  Currently there are blobs of mud on the ground beneath - spillages as they construct the nests - but later you can tell if the nests are active by the guano below.  I first notice House Martins here on 9th May.

Photo: BTO

House Martins chirrup and have white tummies and rumps whereas Swifts scream and are very dark brown all over. 

Swallows tend to be more rural as they build their nests inside open sheds or stables.  So we don't have them in town.  They twitter.